Tertúlias Bubble tea - coffee - Local & VietNam food — Restaurant in Portimão

Coming from the Northeast U.S., where we’re spoiled with a true melting pot of authentic cuisine — including some of the best Vietnamese food — our standards are admittedly pretty high. That said, it had been about six months since we last had Vietnamese, and we were excited to find a spot here.

Overall, it was okay — and good enough to satisfy a long-overdue craving — but it didn’t quite live up to the level we’re used to.

For the pho, the broth was decent but felt like it was missing the depth that comes from a longer brewing process. I also missed the subtle brightness of lemongrass, which usually rounds out the flavor. The noodles and beef were good, but I found myself really craving the accompaniments I’m accustomed to — like hoisin sauce and an abundance of fresh limes, which weren’t offered.

As for the bánh mì, unfortunately, it was disappointing. The roll wasn’t fresh and didn’t have the light, crisp texture of a traditional French baguette — a key part of a great bánh mì experience. I wouldn’t recommend it based on what we had.

Service was also a bit slow, which didn’t help the overall impression.

In short: it’s an okay option if you’re missing Vietnamese food and need a fix, but if you’re used to high-standard Vietnamese cuisine, it may not quite meet...

This place honestly surprised me — the food was fantastic, and the bubble tea was delicious! I really enjoyed the flavors, and it was definitely something different from the usual dining options, which made it worth the visit. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, I’d recommend giving it a try.

However, there were a few hiccups with the service. The food took quite a long time to arrive, which was a bit frustrating, especially when there weren’t many people in the restaurant. Once the food finally came, we had to hunt down utensils, which seemed to be an afterthought. To make matters worse, the staff didn’t seem particularly attentive. I noticed what I believe was the owner's son, who seemed more interested in playing games on his phone than helping out or ensuring customers were taken care of.

Despite the service issues, the food and bubble tea were definitely worth the visit, and I would still recommend this place if you're in the mood for something unique. Just be prepared for a...

The closest thing to Vietnamese food in Portimão. Is it the best or most authentic food? No. But 4 stars for actually trying to bring different flavours and dishes to an area of Portugal (Algarve) that is very set in its ways. It is a big risk to be anything other than a snack bar or traditional Portuguese restaurant and this place tries! And bonus is that it shares a space with a typical Portugese snack bar, so it's best of both worlds.

If nothing else, they have bubble tea! Hard to find anywhere in Algarve. And it's refreshing and not too sweet! Nicely done. The little ice bear is so common in overseas bubble tea places but I have not seen it yet in this country so that was lovely. Service was patient and kind.

The food I had was decent. Not sure I would order these dishes again, but it was a small snack on a hot day. The phō we also ordered seemed decent but I was too hot to want to have soup noodles to try her dish. Next time, perhaps I'll try a proper lunch.

I will definitely return for the...