Cantinho Alentejano-restaurante Churrasqueira (portimão) — Restaurant in Portimão

Superb meal, but borderline rude service.

Having been blown away by Alentejo cuisine in Porto and Lisbon, upon arriving in Portimao we searched Gmaps and found this place... a churrasquiera (i.e. a 'grill' restaurant). At our first attempt to eat here at 8pm the place was full, so we arrived earlier the next day.

To be fair, the food was exceptional... albeit as a grill restaurant it is relatively uncomplicated and missing alot of other alentejo dishes. The rib eye was thick, mature, and cooked expertly. My kids had grilled chicken with every part of the skin having been crisped and seasoned brilliantly. The decor of the restaurant is very pleasant and this seemed like a locals-oriented restaurant, classic and focussed on the food and traditional aspect of meal times with family.

However, there was a palpable rudeness in exchanges with the main waiter... he was giving off 'owner' vibes. Good though the food was, I would advise against visiting here. Frankly, its just a grill restaurant, any number of tourist focussed restaurants could prepare a steak to a similar standard, albeit the combination of good wine, local specialities (cumin and fresh oregano on the coperto pickles, for instance) and value for money are probably hard to find in combination, certainly for a visitor. Had this place been welcoming we might have eaten there a few more times during our break, but the palpable feeling of being unwelcome is hard to overlook.

The photos show gaspacho and...

Cantinho Alentejano is a real find! If you're looking to escape the tourist traps of Portimão and discover a truly local gem, this is it. Tucked away, it feels wonderfully off the beaten track. The menu is a carnivore's dream, boasting a fantastic selection of meats cooked to perfection. Prices are incredibly reasonable, especially considering the quality and portion sizes. The service is efficient and straightforward, reflecting the honest, no-fuss Portuguese style. The restaurant itself is clean and tidy, a testament to their attention to detail. Highly recommend for an authentic and...

Perhaps I just came here on the wrong week night but the experience was really poor.

The bread was totally stale and when I asked the waiter if he had anything fresher he said it was fresh in the morning now now. I asked if he could at least warm the bread for us and it was a straight ‘no I can’t’

As much as I wanted to enjoy the food it wasn’t anything I’d go back for especially due to the very poor...