Top 6 Must-Eat Restaurants in Algarve, Portugal!

I have been to the Algarve in Portugal, at least 8 times in my life and of course, always get to enjoy the food on an evening especially. A couple of my favourite restaurants we sadly realised on this trip, no longer existed, but we did find a new favourite!

1. The Green Valley. This is a small restaurant that is family run, located in the beautiful Quinta do Lago. I had melon, chicken breasts and brownie. It was delicious! It is one of the posher restaurants so bare that in mind. Also, pre-booking is essential. 

2. Well: a champagne and sushi bar. This was a brand new restaurant bar that we found walking along the beach and fell in love with. It's in Vale do Lobo and is truly gorgeous. They have such fancy drinks, a beautiful location on the beach front and a classic range of food, as well as fancy sushi. To top it off, they have a plunge pool in the middle! 

3. Xenia. Xenia is our local restaurant in Dunas Douradas. It has both a pool bar and a restaurant. I love the pool bar for lunch time and the food is always delicious, but the meal on an evening is also nice. Again, it's quite small so needs to be pre-booked. We also had a big 40-person party there earlier in the week. In the summer, they often have live music playing regularly. 

4. BJs Oceanside. BJs is the one place I had to eat at on this holiday. It's located in Quarteira, on the beach front and down a dusty single track road. We tend to get a taxi there and then walk back along the beach, stopping a few times on the way. They specialise in true Portugese cuisine. 

5. Maria's. This is another beach restaurant and one I love in Almancil. It's always busy and crowded, with live music pretty much every lunch and dinner. Service can be a little slow but it's always delicious, so if you have patience, this is one for you. 

6. Julia's. This is one of 5 restaurants in a little crescent. There is Fin's, Julia's, Izzy's, Monty's and one I have never been to before. The food was yummy, but it was the dessert that blew me away. The chocolate mousse was to die for. I wolfed it down so fast, I didn't even take a clip or a picture! I've been dreaming about it ever since. 

I am sure there are so many more that I haven't yet been to, mainly because we love these ones so much now, that they are our go-to, but my family's personal favourite is the Chicken Shack. If you're looking for a cheap and basic meal, go for it. It's basically charred chicken on the bone with chips or salad. Personally, I don't love the place but it's preference. 

Have you been to the Algarve? Have you got a favourite?