Le Crô Portugal — Restaurant in Lagoa

My partner and I seen the reviews for this place so turned up expecting something good, but the experience we ended up having blew us out of the water. In an area rich with tourists like us, you're liable to find hastily made and basic grub to cater to beer'ed up sun seekers, but LeCro is something different. A restaurant like this would be a crowning jewel in any big European city, which makes it all the more incredible it's parked where it is.

The menu is focussed, locally sourced wee plates, made with love, care, and real passion for taste. I've rarely eaten a SALAD and thought "wow", but I did here. The Ragu was outrageous. The chicken meatballs incredible. The veal stew delightful. All of this would have left my jaw hanging alone, but with all these dishes comes a STAGGERINGLY competent and enthusiastic sommelier pairing wines for your selection of plates. I can not stress enough, trust Hugo. He knows his wine and he'll take your tastes into account, crafting an unforgettable culinary experience. We even had some port paired with the trio of desserts, which enhanced them in ways I didn't think possible. It was like the port was part of the desserts recipe, unlocking a new dimension of taste far beyond some uncultured punters like us!

The food and wine are impeccable, but the most laudable quality of this restaurant is it's kindness, warmth, and the love poured into it. The proprietors run the front of house, and after 2 hours or so, I left there feeling like I'd been round at an old friends house for dinner. True hospitality. Let these people feed you! Thank you for a fantastic dinner,...

Leaving the review a little late! My boyfriend and I came in late August made a reservation for that night and had the most wonderful experience. Maria and Hugo are quite the pair and the kitchen staff is awesome too!!! You can see the passion for their place so clearly! Hugo carefully picked out all the wines we drank for that evening, making excellent pairs! It was such a delightful wine pairing night and learning about all the wines was so exciting! I recommend everyone to go!

We had some very delicious tapas (cheese board, mushrooms, soup, sardine toast to name a few), and the GF milho bread is delicious. We were quite full the first night and asked if we could come back the next night for dessert and a Port wine, they were gracious enough to say yes, and we had a

Maria is very warm and welcoming with her contagious smile and her wonderful passion to speak about what flavors you can explore in all your dishes. To say Hugo is a wine connoiseiur does not do it justice. He knows all about Portugeuese wines their differences (for example Duoro DOC vs Duoro Superior), and how they can match just right with the dishes. It was our favorite place in the Algarve region.

We enjoyed it so much, I admit we forgot to take pictures of the place!! Just living in the moment.

Definitely make a reservation if you come here, you won't...

I don’t even know where to begin with Le Cro. It was the best meal I’ve ever had, from the dishes themselves to the wines paired with them to the service. Never before had I had a 10/10 across meal, drink, and service out of everywhere I’ve been.

Each dish felt like it was homemade with love; some stand outs include the chicken meatballs, the sardine toast, and the dark chocolate panacotta with port wine and the Oreo inspired dessert with almond liqueur. Each paired wine truly brought out the best in each dish and was coupled with history and information about the varieties and tasting notes. Most importantly, Marinha and Hugo, who own the place, treat you like an old friend who are beyond attentive to your experience. They make thoughtful suggestions and just from top to bottom of our time there made us feel like we were the only table in the world and not just one of a dozen present.

I am so grateful to have stumbled upon Le Cro and to have crossed paths with Marinha and Hugo while in Portugal. No exaggeration when I say it has changed my mind about how culinary experiences should be. You are making a mistake not having a dinner here; I hope to come every year just for this outstanding place. Cheers to Le Cro for...