O Visconde — Restaurant in Funchal

Whenever my wife and I go on holiday, we like to find non-touristy restaurants that serve authentic local food and run by locals, especially by families. O Visconde is an unassuming, tiny restaurant run by the most friendly lady, Paula, who makes all of her patrons feel like family. The food served here could not be more authentically Madeiran. I had the Scabbard Fish (abundant in Madeiran waters) with the restaurant's special sauce (tomatoes, onion, cream and bananas), which was sweet and savoury in equal measure and made some magic in my mouth! My wife has the Octopus, which was fresh and delicious and came in an extremely generous portion! I'd also recommend the cod croquettes as a starter.

If you're in the mood to explore, do try their banana and cheese, which is uniquely Madeiran and was borne out of necessity with Madeiran farmers not having time for a proper lunch while plowing the fields. The restaurant also makes a mean poncha that will get you warm in an instant.

The final thing to mention is that this restaurant is extremely affordable compared to most of the other restaurants in Madeira. Each of our meals came with chips and salad and were between 10-13 euros. The portions are very generous and you will definitely leave feeling full and satisfied. Paula will ensure...

Every little thing in this place just works. The food for a start is very delicious. I've had the pleasure of tasteing their grilled, freshly caught cod that, aside from some bones, was exquisite, rich in toppings and complemented with a nice salad. The maderian limpets in the garlic sauce are also a great choice for a starter. The restaurant's most pristine element is, without a doubt, it's service. It's not often that I am offered personal, atop that, truthful tips about the food I'm about to order. Rather than point me subtly towards the most expensive dishes, she opted to give me a good insight into the food. Not to mention, all personnel was exceptionally friendly and outgoing, clearly focused on their responsibilities and the client, which is always much appreciated. Overall the restaurant's service and food stood out to me in the mass of restaurants around. It really is a blessing to notice their presence, among the competition and give the place a try, so you can come back...

I recently visited this restaurant with my family, and we had an amazing experience overall! I ordered the 35. Squid and Shrimp on Skewer, my mom had the 71. Golden Grilled, and my grandma went with the 26. Visconde Scabbardfish. All the dishes were absolutely delicious, full of flavor and perfectly cooked. We enjoyed everything so much that we finished every bite and left completely full and happy.

The service was fantastic, too. Our food came out quickly, and the lady who served us was incredibly friendly, cheerful, and had such a great personality, she really made our meal more enjoyable.

The only downsides were that one of the waiters (a man) seemed quite annoyed and wasn’t very helpful, which was a bit disappointing, and my dish was...