À do Pinto — Restaurant in Faro

We stumbled upon this incredible restaurant in Faro through Polarsteps, and it instantly became the highlight of our first night in the city. From the moment we arrived, we were enveloped in warmth, charm, and unparalleled hospitality.

We were greeted by Pinto himself, a wonderfully charming and patient host who seated us beside their impressive wine collection. His vibrant energy set the tone for the evening. Shortly after, we met Ian, a Brazilian gem. Ian’s radiant personality and deep knowledge of the menu and wines made the experience extraordinary. His attention to detail and willingness to explain every dish with enthusiasm ensured we made the best choices for our meal.

For the main course, we chose the Algarve Cataplana, paired with green wine. We added bread as a side, which turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to the fresh, flavorful seafood. The quality of the ingredients and the richness of the dish were unparalleled.

Tip: Ask for the spicy sauce made by Pinto to pair with the Cataplana. While the dish was already outstanding, this sauce elevated it to an entirely new level!

Towards the end of our meal, we met Adam, another delightful member of the team. Adam’s extensive travel experience was evident in his excellent people skills and warm hospitality. He surprised us with a complimentary after-dinner drink—an intriguing moonshine-like concoction that was the perfect end to a perfect evening.

The entire dining experience felt surreal, thanks to the passionate and attentive staff who ensured every moment was special. At around 75-80 euros for such an exquisite meal, it was worth every penny.

If you’re in Faro, this restaurant is an absolute must-visit. It’s not just about the food—it’s the people, the ambiance, and the memories they create for you.

Highly...

Update 2025:

One year later, and still outstanding.

We came back after our visit last year (see my previous review below) - and once again, the experience was absolutely excellent.

The service team is still world-class: genuinely warm, attentive, charming, and naturally friendly - the kind of hospitality that feels effortless and real.

You can feel how well the place is run.

The food was a dream again. The octopus was unbelievably tender (as soft as sous-vide Wagyu tenderloin) but with right flavor and depth.

A perfect balance of technique and authenticity.

The wine selection continues to surprise in the best way: thoughtful, local, well-curated, not generic.

We also visited their small wine shop just behind the restaurant, picked up a few bottles, and took them with us straight to Ilha Deserta for a sunset moment - absolutely perfect. There is still a beautiful Riesling waiting in our fridge. 😄🍷

This is one of those restaurants that stay in your memory and make you look forward to coming back to Faro.

Highly recommended - again, and with even more confidence than last year. We will keep returning. ❤️

Original 2024:

Charming and engaged service team and a very keen and good organized owner 👍🏻 Dishes are even better than we expected and the wine selection offers some nice local surprises🍷

I never thought octopus would goes that well with this kind of rich, dark, red sauce, that would even fits to wild boar in Italian cuisine 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 very well done!

We have to come back before leaving Portugal for...

Hubby and I stumbled on to this place our first evening in Faro. While they were able to graciously accommodate us, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance. It was a little later than we are used to eating and while we were hungry, we weren’t starving so we opted for tapas instead of a full meal. And OMG!!! We’ve eaten at world-class restaurants and this meal might go in my top 5 of all time!! We had the fried prawns with orange, the burned cheese with thyme (and honey drizzle), and the fried squid Algarve style. Honestly, I was a little hesitant to order the squid because there is always a chance it could be “rubbery”. But oh my GOODNESS!!! This squid was grilled to absolutely perfection served with huge cloves or garlic in olive oil. The squids were perfectly tender. Every bite of everything we had possessed a perfectly delicate blend of flavors! And dessert… MAN it was amazing!! We had carob cake that proceeded to get more complex and flavorful with each bite and also the fig pudding cake that I will be dreaming of for the rest of my life!! The wait staff was absolutely amazing. Rachel, Ian and the rest of the crew feel like old friends now. Especially since we loved it so much the first time that we went back for dinner the next night!! This time we decided to dive into dinner for 2 and got the Açorda de Camarão! ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!! Honestly, I don’t think that there is anything on the menu that isn’t fantastic. We are actually contemplating going back again before...