Garrafeira da Vila — Restaurant in Madalena

Oh my goodness, the poor reviews for this place are clearly reflections of the person, not of the restaurant. This place was the highlight of our trip here, (next to summiting Pico Mountain on a sunny day)! The wait time: it's true, you'll be waiting a bit so be prepared for that. But it's a beautifully small establishment with the 2 staff being the ones who have invested in the space. Also, good food takes time and this food is amazing! The prices: yes, it's more pricey than the few other dinner places in Madalena, but it's such high quality and caliber food that it's more than worth it! Plus it's really not that expensive, I think people just like to complain. Small menu: it's a small kitchen with a small staff - but also it means rhat what they do have they are making it right. Places that have too many option on their menu immediately seem cheap to me and I don't expect great things. Fine dining always has smaller menus and this restaurant puts out better food than I've had at some more hoity today places! Small is beautiful!

The gentleman that served us was lovely, suggested the perfect wine for our meal, and the chef cooked amazing dishes! They also easily adapted my chosen dishes to my gluten and dairy allergies.

It's a must go! But if you aren't a patient person, or are travelling cheap then sure - maybe not for you. But you're...

The worst experience we had during our two weeks around the Azores. The place itself is nice but the food, service and prices are anywhere near good. For a tapas restaurant the selection is very slim (far from the traditional Spanish ones) and the quality of food is miserable: we ordered tuna pâté and we got can tuna… then the tuna steak which was so salty, oily and not fresh at all. The chorizo was just ok. We asked for white wine by glass and we couldn’t select it nor know the price since the waiter didn’t have a list and a clear price range in mind. During the dinner we asked for a second glass of wine, red instead, and the waiter totally forgot about that (no, the place wasn’t full)… when he realized he missed the request he came back with a random white wine bottle asking if we still wanted it (of course not since we asked for red and the food was finished). We didn’t dare to try...

We’ve been in Pico 3 times. But this time, we accidentally found this amazing place, that’s a bit hidden. Everything about this place is perfect. We’ve had the best tuna and regional style steak in all the Azores. The ambience is extremely selective. The staff makes you feel at home, but with a touch of glamour. The playlist was so good it made us not want to leave. They even have an indoor terrace with a beautiful garden where we can smoke. I see some comments about the price, which for me, is more than worth the amazing experience we’ve had, it may not be affordable to everyone, but that dos NOT mean it’s expensive. It’s by far the best restaurant in Pico if you’re looking for a remarkable night. Thanks for the fantastic...