Ginásio Clube Tavira — Restaurant in Tavira

Hidden gem doesn't even begin to describe this place. If not for the menu posted out front of the building - and the arrows inside directing us up the stairs, instead of to the gym - we would have missed a delightful Sunday lunch on the outdoor terrace. The outdoor seating area was unpretentious. The indoor seating area was much nicer, but we didn't want to sit inside on a beautiful fall day. The restaurant seemed to be a family-run operation and the severs were friendly and helpful. The menu wasn't extensive, but the dishes were authentically Portuguese. My baby squid was super tasty and tender. Crispy fries and salad filled out the plate and were yummy as well. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed his rice with assorted seafood. We're always looking for entrees in the 10-€ range, which ain't easy in the touristy areas, but this place fit the bill. This restaurant offered home cooking at its best. I even got to wave my thanks to the chef, as the kitchen and outdoor grilling area were also on the terrace. The bill arrived in a sardine tin. Cute touch! We'll...

This is as local place as one can find in Tavira, Algarve. This place is hidden and is located by the river with a hidden entrance. The dinning hall is upstairs. It's a family owned restaurant with absolutely family style service. The chef's wife serves along with their nephew. I ate grilled sardines with grilled potatoes served over a bed of salad. Fish was fresh and delicious. My wife had prawns in garlic sauce which was also tasty. Please do visit this restaurant. I am not a sardines fan because sardines have fishy smell, but these were so fresh and cooked nicely on the grill. To finish up the great service, they served us Medronho which is a local Algarve liqueur on the house. It was excellent. I finally hit the super market Pingo Duce and bought one to take it home. It was a great restaurant along with the nice small town...

If you’re not a local, just a heads-up: the restaurant is on the first floor. It felt like a true local spot in Tavira. The last time I tried octopus was about four years ago in Croatia (octopus rings), so this time we went for Oven-Baked Octopus and Sea Bream. Both were delicious, with the olive oil and garlic flavors really shining through, and perfectly grilled in the oven.

The staff spoke only a little English, but with the English menu it was easy enough and what mattered most to me was their friendliness and the warm welcome with a smile, which they absolutely delivered. The atmosphere was lovely too. I even tried a typical Tavira dessert that wasn’t on the menu: egg, cream, roasted almonds, and caramel syrup. A sweet way to end a really...