Abrigo do Pastor restaurant — Restaurant in Santa Cruz

Abrigo do Pastor, in Camacha in Madeira, offers a truly unique dining experience . Warm, generous, home‑style hospitality Housed in a former shepherd and hunter’s hut dating back decades, it retains a rustic, cozy atmosphere set in the hills above Funchal . With warm wood interiors and mountain vibes, it feels like a “worm‑hole” up in the cooler air—around 11 °C even when Funchal is warmer—giving it an Alpine lodge charm . Their menu is deeply rooted in Madeiran and Portuguese traditions, focusing on regional, locally sourced ingredients . Signature dishes include espeta da (grilled skewers), Black Pork Plumas, wild boar, as well as exotic choices like kid stew, roasted rabbit, goat stew, and marinated kid, reflecting hearty soul‑food cooking . They also serve more classic Madeiran plates—such as bolo do caco, alheira sausage, bacalhau with broa, and scabbard fish, offering a wide spectrum of local tastes .

Known for large, satisfying portions—ideal if you’re sharing or ready to take leftovers . The staff are friendly, attentive, and delivering professional service in a familiar, laid‑back way .

You’ll find a well‑made regional Poncha, served with snacks like peanuts—ideal after a meal in the fresh mountain air . The wine list, especially their house red, is well‑liked and pairs beautifully with their rich meat and game dishes . Notes : •   Reserve ahead, especially on weekends—it’s very popular . •   Bring your own transport or hire a car—the winding road is part of the charm . •   Dress comfortably—the temperature can dip, and the rustic interior adds to the mountain‑lodge feel . Abrigo do Pastor is more than just a restaurant—it’s a heritage‑rich, culinary refuge in the mountains. You’ll savor traditional Madeiran attention to local fare, cozy mountain‑air ambiance, generous portions, and genuine hospitality. A dinner here feels like a warm, soul‑satisfying journey into the island’s heart...

Decided to visit this establishment with my aunt after reading rave reviews about it around the internet. Here’s why we found the experience a bit underwhelming:

For appetizers we ordered garlic bread and assortment of local sausages. Garlic bread seemed nice, fresh and really tasty. Of the sausages only the black ones stood out. Don’t know what they were made of, but they had a really interesting taste to them. The rest were pretty average. Very fatty and oily like every sausage.

For mains we ordered lamb chops and beef fillet on a skewer (special of the day). Lamb chops were supposedly very chewy with only bits of edible meat in them. But that meat was quite tasty. Nothing out of the ordinary though. The beef fillet was a disapointment. I ordered medium rare but it was close to raw or rare at best with very very strong garlic and salty taste on the crust. Not all that pleasant. The meat itself was tender though. Can’t say it was the best beef I ever had. As accompaniment we ordered three sides that got recommended to us - sauted potatoes, sweet potatoes with honey, and steamed vegetables. These supposedly half portions of each were so massive we were unable to finish them. Only the sweet potatoes with honey stood out. They were really delicious and I will definitely start making those at home.

For dessert we ordered a passion fruit cheesecake to share. No fault there. Really creamy, soft and delicious. Also quite a big portion. Accompanied by some whipped cream (not homemade unfortunately).

What really stood out was the service. Hats off. This is what service is supposed to look like. Unfortunately the food was generally average at best. Go there, but don’t expect miracles, like some of the reviews here will make...

Abrigo do Pastor came highly recommended as a must eat restaurant.

We were looking forward to our lunch on our scenic drive up the mountain.

The parking lot is very spacious. Outdoor and indoor seating are available. We chose to dine inside.

The ambiance is rustic and charming, not at all touristic feeling. It felt like a true local place.

We did not have reservations and did not have to wait to be seated, fortunately.  I can appreciate how busy it can become and would recommend making reservations during peak dining times.

We ordered Canjinha de Galinha do Campi (chicken soup) and Leitão Assado À Pastor (shedpards roast suckling pig).

Our waitress appeared judgmental when we declined to order a starter.  We knew the portions were very generous, so we did not want to fill up on bread, which I'm sure was very good.  Her judgment was a little off-putting but we did not let that ruin our experience.

We did have to ask another sever for our bill as our waitress dismissed our efforts to gain her attention twice in an attempt to request our bill.

The food was flavorful and generously portioned as expected.  It was a great meal we fully enjoyed.

We would confidently recommend Abrigo do Pastor for the superb food, but caution others to manage their expectations regarding the service. Our service experience was poor, if not the worst we had on Madeira, and in our two weeks in Portugal, which was unfortunate because we really enjoyed our...