Arcada Comes e Bebes — Restaurant in Coimbra

This was probably our 20th restaurant in our 34 days trip in Portugal. I gotta say it was my favorite meal and we had many lunches and dinners before this one either as a couple or as a family.

The setting: you are in a tiny old Coimbra cobble street with one car or the other passing and squeezing by (my son found this hilarious) so it's rather special and reminded me of my days going out.

The service: Rafael is amazing, he really cares about the place, about helping the customers choose the best for them, about the food. There was a trainee or new employee who was extremely nice and quick bringing what we needed at first for the hungry kids (4 and 7 years old so we have to manage well the "angryness). He was new but he was very good and we loved him!

The food: now c'mon just order a bunch of portuguese "petiscos" (small plates) and indulge. We ordered quite a lot and nothing was bad so you cannot honestly get it wrong.

Drinks: we had sangria which was the best in our entire trip. The kids had delicious fruits juices (the apple, lime and mint was super yummy)

Now... this was my favorite meal as a family in Portugal and I don't know how to tell you why exactly. It is more of a feeling, it's intangible. It's the fact that we were super relaxed, the food arrived and made us happy, we didn't wait at all, they were attentive when we needed to ask for something. It was very special!!! Thank...

Strolling through the charming streets of Coimbra’s historic “Medina,” one is often lured by the inviting ambiance of local eateries. My recent stop at Arcada Comes e Bebes offered a mixed experience, with a few highlights alongside some disappointments.

The sangria was indeed excellent, refreshing and perfectly balanced—a delightful companion after a day of exploring. However, the Pica-Pau left much to be desired, with a level of saltiness that overwhelmed the dish rather than enhancing it.

On the other hand, the mushrooms with farinheira and cheese were enjoyable, combining rich flavors with a satisfying texture. Unfortunately, the mushroom dish with shrimp did not impress, as the shrimp lacked the freshness one would expect, which detracted from the overall experience.

The cuisine at Arcada Comes e Bebes would benefit from a more balanced approach to ingredient preparation and seasoning. Despite these setbacks, the simple yet elegant sardine display, hanging gracefully from the varal, was a highlight. It’s an aesthetically pleasing and affordable option that captures the essence of local flavors.

In conclusion, while Arcada Comes e Bebes has potential, especially in its beverage offerings and some dishes, there is room for improvement in balancing flavors...

It started bad. We made a reservation over a month ago for my birthday. The server put us at an outside table (very windy and cold night). When I complained he moved us to a table of four inside that was partially outside. The server closed one of the doors but we could still feel a cold wind. The service quickly made up for inconvenience of the table location. He acknowledged my birthday and provided us with a white wine that was not on the menu - it went very well with the dishes we ordered. The fried sardines were served hanging with tiny clothespins on a small 'clothes line' with a spicy red sauce. Even though they were small (early season) they were plump and flavourful. All of the other dishes wer excellent- asparagus in scrambled eggs, octopus salad, a large ravioli-like meat filled and a charcuterie board with meats and dried fruit. They provided a complimentary birthday bubbly with the sponge cake desert. Although we had an issue with the table location I would highly recommend this place for the food...