Azores Essentials Lda- @ Chalet da Tia Mercês — Restaurant in Povoação

Furnas has already lots of beautiful things to offer, but this place was my absolute highlight! Just some steps away from the Caldeiras I unexpectedly bumped into this gem. I found my peaceful place on the terrace, overlooking the steam on one side and the green lush at the other side of a small creek.

First: the teas. There are endless possibilities to choose from, and all (with ingredients) from the Azores: black and green teas, fruity and aromatised ones, infusions, and.. the specialties cooked with geothermic water! I decided to try a couple of teas. I learnt about the different taste and colour (try the purple tea!) that different types of mineral water can give to a tea, and also the amount of minutes you keep the leaves in the water: yes, minutes are counting in your holidays ;)!

Then: the food. I had a look at the menu and all dishes seemed equally appealing to me and far from standard, made of the best the Azores can offer in a culinary way. Most ingredients come in little batches from small farmers. Although I came very late and the cook had just left, the owner decided to make me a beautiful, tasty hummus plate. And not with typical hummus, but with herbs only being found on one of the islands. Besides I was offered olives preserved in sea water instead of oil and chocolate cake that has been baked for 6 hours in the heat of the earth.

Inside the cafe you can also feel and see the love the knowledgeable owner puts into his place and into his work. You can buy tasty sweets and beautiful souvenirs from regional makers (e.g. jams and teas with handwritten instructions).

When I left, I felt completely nourished, both body and soul. If you love to try out unique, high quality Azorean dishes and geothermic specialties on the quiet borders of Furnas with a beautiful view: please go here and I hope you will enjoy it as...

If you do one culinary experience on Sao Miguel, make it this one. If I could give it 6 stars, I would. First up a warning, that this isn't a café you can walk into, this is a private and personal food and tea adventure! So make sure you reserve in advance to get the chance to go. We opted for the Geothermal Tea Brunch and enjoyed the beautiful setting to ourselves, in an old bathhouse right next to the Caldeiras in Furnas. The tea was made with the hot spring water right outside the building and all of the food was cooked in the ground using geothermal heat. Paula was the most fabulous and knowledgeable host, talking us through everything from Azorean history, to volcanic cooking methods to the scientific and healing properties of the waters. She showed us how the minerals in the water reacted with the green tea to turn it a beautiful shade of purple and explained the cooking methods and local ingredients of everything we ate. Food-wise, it was a a veritable feast so make sure you come hungry, with a bread, cheese and jam course, a main meal of a vegetable platter with eggs cooked two ways, a local fruits platter with a spiced cinnamon oatmeal and a dessert of sweet rice and cake - and did I mention everything was cooked in the ground using the volcanic heat? I don't think I will ever wrap my mind around how magical that is! Followed up with either a coffee or a type of 'hot toddy' made with the hot spring water, cinnamon, honey and alcohol. Last piece of advice, really make sure you engage the host in conversation - she absolutely made the experience as special as it was and we learned so much. There are many other experiences from Royal Tea Dinners, to tea or water masterclasses and Azorean tasting menus. I would love to go back and try another. Paula - look forward to seeing you...

My fiancé and I did the water tasting (tour) and it exceeded all our expectations. It was a private tour, only my fiancé, me, and the owner/guide Paula. Paula has a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences & Resources (Biology) and is extremely knowledgeable about the Azores archipelago and specifically Furnas. She starts the tour by walking you around to multiple spouts of water, guiding you through testing the PH levels and temperature and then tasting the water. Because it’s a private tour, it’s completely personalized. I asked so many questions about my own experience with water (e.g. my hydration levels and waters effect on my hair) and Paula was very helpful and knowledgeable. I left the tour with many actionable steps to bettering my (water) health thanks to Paula’s intelligence and kindness. I learned about the geographic history of Azores, the effects of minerals in water, and so much more. The tour ends at the tea house where we tried a few teas (some with the natural water we collected on the tour) and Paula went into detail about steeping tea, including the effects of time steeping and the taste results of certain tea with certain water. Not to mention the location is historic and has a breathtaking view. I highly recommend this experience! (Thanks, Paula!) - We were unfortunately interrupted by tourists that chose to ignore the many signs that say Private Event and jump over the chain that closed off the property to the road. I noticed the bad reviews on here are from people who did something similar and then were upset when asked to leave (the private event). Please don’t be...