Golden Gate Grand Cafe — Restaurant in Funchal

Golden Gate Grand Café - is a true gem right in the heart of Funchal that has traded since 1841. It is well positioned on a corner of a wide pedestrian avenue & flairs a very busy and trendy 'classic & cosmopolitan' vibe of locals and many visitors from all corners of the world. It is one of my top 3 spots in Funchal!

For nearly 2 centuries it has changed a few owners & underwent renovations. Most recently during the Covid19, which closed for nearly 3 years. Yet today if you walk inside, it sparkles Italian luxury of a Grande Café as it was & should stay well into the century. Here are a few reasons why you should stop here and enjoy this stunning & stylish iconic venue as time passes by, so wonderfully!

The Carrera marble floor, the huge cristal chandelier that hangs over 2 tiiers, the ironed table cloths that are lined along manicured solid wooden steps that takes you to the upper floor, the outside cornered terrace & super clean perfumed toilets - along huge gilt framed yesteryear black & white photographs embracing the high ceiling that demands your fullest attention. Nothing here was spared short & rightfully so, because it's the Grand Café and can!

But there is much more. As one cannot miss the very bold & polished brass name plates adorned on the outside wall that shine and welcome you to the traditional comfortable whicker chairs & tables shaded by firm umbrellas, soft music and light. If you enjoy 'people watching' like I do, it is here that you can lounge to the amusement of locals & tourist going along their very way, as you enjoy a meal with a beverage or two from the well sorted menu in style, Without doubt it is always busy, especially when cruise ship(s) are docked in port and a festival is in progress. And Madeira has plenty of them!

In case you wondering, it is not my 1st visit nor my last. In fact, I have returned here, more than 20 times. Some longer stays more so than others. Today with family, I opt for late High Tea & the delicious creamy crusty tartlets of 'pastei de nata', which has been passed down in secret for centuries. I ordered 6 to take home, which was nicely boxed & makes for a great treat or a sweet gift for a neighbour. They aslo offer a huge selection of homemade ice-cream flavours, of superb quality.

In short, the Grand Café 'oozes so much flair of elegance, modern twists, a balanced well priced menu & attention to service by the friendly uniformed - 'Venitian white jacket'- staff, under the watchful eye of the manager and owner(s).It sets the bar standards much higher as a Grande Café that keeps on renovating itself, taking the past into the future, as it serves & always shall serve loyaly.

Truely an icon for all to enjoy for many more years to come. If you enjoyed this read & photographs, please tick the 👍up. Thank you & enjoy...

Decent food, extensive wine list and traditional old fashioned service. All in all, a pretty good evening meal.

It was like stepping back 100 years. This is a lovely old building reminiscent of what you might see in old films. The staff wear formal white uniforms and the main course arrives a under a silver dome.

The menu is definitely 2020’s cafe/restaurant though. I started with a sea food salad that was good. Unusual in the amount of cockles - maybe thats a bit old fashioned too - but very pleasant and definitely large enough for lunch if you stop during the day.

My main was a lasagne and was absolutely lovely. It tasted home made and, again, was a substantial helping. My wife ordered the grilled chicken. It came in a heavy cream sauce. Perfectly pleasant, but would have been an issue if you have allergies and thought you’d ordered grilled chicken. I don’t think it was our misreading the menu but would of course give the benefit of the doubt if challenged.

I definitely did not need a desert but I love tiramisu and wasn’t disappointed. My wife had the apple strudel and says it tasted home made too.

The wine list had something for everyone with wines from €22 per bottle to €975. I managed to find a very nice bottle for €38.

The service was formal but perfectly friendly.

I would definitely recommend this place and would...

Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing places I have experienced in the city. I love the history behind the place, and in appearance it has all the charm, however all the workers should change attitudes or maybe work less hours. I do speak Portuguese, but it is obvious I am not a local. I entered the place asking kindly to a young waiter if I needed to first go pay at the front bar cashier or I could simply order at the counter. He pretended not to understand, ignored me and walked away. Same happened when I asked at the counter who kept on doing other things while no one was around and at some point, also annoyed managed to point out to me that I should first go pay what I wanted and then request at the front counter. The bar cashier didn’t even treat me with a greeting and took my order without even a goodbye. When I went to the bar to order an icecream and a sweet pastry, the lady was annoyed that I asked her to give me the icecream cup aside. It really looked like that I was wasting her time with my request, and the funny thing there was no one behind me waiting for ordering. It would make such a difference if at least one of the persons working here would smile. It is really a pity to get a very sad and begging service on such a beautiful spot of the city center and more annoying...