Restaurante O Forno — Restaurant in Calheta

Restaurante O Forno in Ponta do Pargo offers a heavenly culinary experience. This eatery serves exquisite dishes, each a masterpiece of flavors.

Their espetada is renowned as the island's best (IMO), featuring perfectly marinated and tender grilled beef that will delight any food enthusiast. The chicken dishes, prepared with skill and passion, are simply stunning, each bite bursting with flavor.

The perfectly grilled corn on the cob and the hearty chili con carne, rich with spices and warmth, complement the menu beautifully. The fabulous banana crumble, with its sweet, crunchy layers, is an irresistible finale to the gastronomic journey.

The owners, personally responsible for food preparation, pour their culinary expertise and dedication into every dish. Their commitment to quality is evident in each plate served, making dining at O Forno an unforgettable experience.

The service is impeccable, with staff that are attentive and professional, enhancing the dining experience further. The grill oven, where the tastiest dorada on the island is perfectly cooked, is a highlight of O Forno.

In conclusion, Restaurante O Forno is a must-visit. Its combination of delectable food, flawless service, and inviting ambiance offers a truly extraordinary dining experience that is nothing short...

Surprising for so many good reasons. Difficult to classify in the restaurant lexicon: part American Southwest (I had the Cowboy Steak, imposing as the picture attests), part sandwich shop, part fish, meat and potato, "Lava Cake" dessert to die for, so include dessert shop too. Owned by Brits, if I am not mistaken, one of the servers/hostesses lived in London for 18 years, yet all this doesn't take away from a local, family feel. The modest selection of wines is excellent -- nothing pretentious, just basic wines for 10 Euro a bottle. You could pay 100 Euro and not find better wines. We enjoyed a robust, indulgent lunch, 2 and a half hours of culinary delights, wine, several cups of coffee, desserts, the works all of less than 50 Euro, for 2. If you want to cut corners, 2 people could eat well for 25 Euro. Four people could eat for 50 and could just as easily pay 100 if you went on the extravagant side. Which is to say, there are options that fit your palate and your wallet. A not-so-hidden gem -- close to an hour ride from Funchal...

I really don't understand the high ratings of this place, and let me explain why.

We had some pork & beef espetadas, and we believe the meat was not even fresh and it was very dry, the condiments were burnt, really below average. In Madeira we had really good ones in other places, which were also cheaper. Even the Bolo do caco was not even the proper thing, it was just fried bread. The salad and baked potato were tasteless. The sangria was just supermarket cheap wine. The staff even forgot to bring us cutlery, and had to remind them couple of times about the rest of our order. Don't get me started about how many flies were there, everywhere on our food, very uncomfortable. We ate everywhere outside in Madeira but never had such discomfort before.

The only thing good that we liked was the corn soup, other than that, don't waste your time and find a...