Cimas — Restaurant in Cascais

Wonderful food, lovely service! Charming people. A must-visit destination which is not crowded at all. A hidden gem in Cascais. It sometimes bills itself as Cimas English Bar, though it is not particularly English, nor a bar. What it is though, is a classic French-style Escoffier influenced restaurant, specializing in game. I am puzzled by those who say this restaurant is too expensive. We thought it was astoundingly reasonably priced. We had Jamon Iberico/Pata Negra, Escargots, Artichoke, and white asparagus with hollandaise, followed by partridge in wine sauce with creamed spinach and turnip greens. For dessert, Crepes Suzette in the traditional flambé manner. Would you expect all of this at fast food prices? For the quality of the ingredients, care of the cooking and excellence of the service, we thought it was a steal. Very reasonable. Everything was perfectly cooked. The decor is... eclectic. Speaking as Brit, I can’t say that the stuffed woodcock, who — from its expression — was actually awake while the taxidermy was being performed, immediately made me say “Ah! Britain!” But I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. If Fawlty Towers had superb food, this would be that restaurant. We have only one minor regret. The website says “The Wine Cellar, with 20.000 bottles, is a priceless treasure, where all wine regions are thoroughly represented, bearing the most important vineyards and some novelties. Impossible to miss.” Yet we missed it. We love wine and that description brought us there. Unfortunately, on the evening we visited, the wines from that cellar were unavailable. There was a perfectly decent, if young, 3 or 4 page wine list with a couple of Portuguese regions represented (reasonable prices again). For example there were no Baga/Bairrada wines, though they pair so well with game, this restaurant’s specialty, but requests to see the whole list met only polite chuckles. Given the fascinating history of the place (spies, intrigue, the whole nine yards) we feel that there is a code word we needed to provide which we simply didn’t know. Not to worry. We plan to return and try again. You should too. Our disappointment about the wine list does not take away from our delight in the evening. Highly...

We’ve got misleaded by the word of “Specialty” from the dessert menu saying Crepes Suzette(“Specialty”) that costs 30 euro! See below pic - that was we’ve got on our table!!! Go figure out how could this costs 30 euro as we were puzzled when it was brought to our table. I was confused, thought the kitchen might be making a mistake as no way this is so called “Specialty”! So I called for the server and requested the menu again to reconfirm - Crepes Suzette(Specialty) and the server said “YES!!! I don’t know why it served like that!”. Customer service could’ve been more welcoming and improved. Most of their servers making you feel like they were really tired and frustrated of working there. The restaurant does provides beautiful view of the ocean and cosy atmosphere unfortunately its definitely not justified for what they’ve been charging their customers with the average food quality and poor customer service! Such a shame despite in such a beautiful historical building! Our first and last time! NOT recommended :(

UPDATE: Dear Madam Sara, thank you for your time on explaining the said Crepes Suzette(Specialty). Regrettably, we did left with confusion and unpleasant experience as we didn’t get neither the proper answer from your server, nor your server showing us on the bottle liquors as what you’ve mentioned below nor any liquors information on the said menu. All we’ve got was just the cold plate of crepes being served right on our table along side with the “frustrated attitude” energy of your server. If I may, I might add it’s also disappointing you can’t understand criticism and feel like your guests are price sensitive or maybe cheap! We do dine in many Michelin Starred restaurants in the world and we’ve paid the prices you mentioned for a shot of drink or dessert but in such restaurants they’ll NEVER prepare and serve cold ugly dish to their guests and drop it on the table and go just because it uses expensive liquors! It’s our opinion that since it was past 3 pm your servers were in a hurry to close and leave and I assure you if they served your other clients the same way they did us you will hear the...

This is not just a restaurant, it is a journey in time. From the moment we entered the private dining room, we knew it would be something truly special.

The tartare was prepared at our table by a waiter who has been working here since the 1960s. Every movement felt like a ritual, a living tradition passed on through decades. Several times the owner came to our table, not to sell or entertain, but to share his passion for classical hospitality and genuine food culture.

The atmosphere is elegant and timeless, with white coats, polite and patient service, and staff who really know their wine. They make you feel at home while delivering the kind of service that is increasingly rare to find.

And the food? Every single dish was delicious. We walked in with no expectations and walked out with the wish to make this a tradition whenever we return.

Prices are very reasonable considering what you actually get: not just a meal, but an unforgettable experience. This is not a modern restaurant, and that is exactly what makes it stand out. Traditions are carefully preserved here in a way that feels authentic and meaningful.

Dining at Cimas was one of the coolest experiences we have ever had. It is not just dinner, it is a glimpse into another era, served with warmth, pride and passion. If you want more than food, if you want a true experience, you should treat yourself to an...