A Raposa — Restaurant in Sintra

We went here with high expectations, looking forward to splashing out on our holiday. We arrived at the door (which was locked) and were greeted by a waitress who requested we check the menu before we entered. This was a bit confusing (as gen z we obviously had checked the menu online before hand) and we assured her we were happy, but she insisted we check. We are unsure what this was about, but we guessed maybe she thought we couldn’t afford the overpriced dishes on this menu. Once we sat down, we realised the atmosphere was non-existent, though the room itself was gorgeous, the waiting staff seemed inexperienced, inflexible and nervous- the woman who let us in also paced continuously which added to the strangeness. One of us is a coeliac and the other is vegetarian, which we understand can be troubling- however, we are patient and friendly and willing to be flexible. The waiter serving us didn’t seem to pass on the vegetarian request of substituting meat for cheese, so the meals which arrived (two starters as only one main is vegetarian) were heavily lacking in substance. It was obvious that the meat elements had been removed and not replaced at all. The coeliac meat eater was pleased that the octopus was gluten free, however the meal was small, unbalanced and dry (who wants four roasties with no sauce or anything?!) having said that, the green beans were divine! And I was very glad to have tried the octopus which was so cool!!!

Overall Bad/cold/weird service Okay food (for the money)

I think you’d be better off going somewhere...

When you hear the phrase “ hostess with the mostest” this place has it all !!! Home away from home, the proprietors have it all sust out, treat your guest the same way you want to be treated yourself and you are guaranteed of a great establishment with many happy returning customers — at the end of a very long day of visiting the tourists attractions of Sintra, we arrived unplanned at their doorstep, tired and hungry - lucky to have found a table without booking we where very pleasantly surprised to have received the best service to date in Portugal - the elderly lady hostess (with the greatest smile) tried in her best English to explain the menu where we trusted her decisions when asking for recommendations - ending the day with happy full bellies…. The only regret we have is having to rush for the last train back to Lisbon - on our next visit we will for sure come back to this establishment (and this time book a table) with not having to rush for a train back, so we can enjoy Sintra and surroundings while enjoying a great end of day “not rushed” dinner in this restaurant - “ this time we will make sure to book a table to...

The place is incredibly beautiful, warm, beautiful, spacious. The luminosity is perfect, soft and warm. The decoration is that of a refined old house with perfect taste. Another very important aspect for me is the quality of the music and the high quality of the speakers that offer a wonderful atmosphere. The sound is present discreetly and is not the protagonist. The protagonist is you and your table companions. The person who welcomes you is as if she were your mother, María Graziela, charming, direct and blunt. She welcomes you and makes you feel at home. Without a doubt her presence is the essence of the house and the infinite charm of it. The food is very good. We repeat 2 times. The meat, the bacalau, the desserts... everything was very good. We loved it and we have very happy memories of the place. It is also possible that María Graziela has a pleasant surprise in store for you... that depends on the child you want to be. Fully...