I`m looking for recommendations of good restaurants and bars in Quartiera which are wheelchair accessible and have downstairs loos, please. If there is an outside eating area I can walk to the loo if it`s on ground level.

Hello all, does anybody know if that fat bloke who stands outside a bar/restaurant saying, pound a pint cheapest in Albufeira on the 5th of October street (the one that leads to the tunnel) is still there?

Dave

Arribale in Lagos. Great if you like grilled fish.
Bahia Beach Bar, Meia Praia, Lagos. They do mean sandwiches. Very nice for lunch, and great music too.

I think the Bahia Beach Bar in Lagos is the one that has come to me highly recommended by Sagres.

Roll on my holiday that's what I say.

Hi Doe

You might want to check out it's website http://www.bahiabeachbar.com so as to help you get in the holiday spirit.

Thanks Bertie, that's definately the one Sagres told me about, it's nice to have a look at the webbie as it makes the holiday seem closer, we shall make a point of visiting at least once. (but probably more!)

Anymore recommendations hot off the press would be welcome, cafes, bars, trips, events, we are open to anything really.

Just wanted to say 34 sleeps till Lagos.

Doe
Sorry Glynis/Wiz thought I was on the chat thread please move if you feel appropriate.

Recommend:

Stones Bar (top of the Strip): Joseph and his staff always make you welcome and lost count of the free beers, t shirts and toys etc for my wee boy. Great place for a drink, to watch the footy and people watch. Oh, and play connect 4!

Mr Menu (top of the Strip): Not the cheapest or the best but saved my life with a pretty damn good pepper steak late when arriving late on a saturday night.

Taj Mahal (opposite Mr Menu): Visited twice and as good as ever. Great service and food. Beware though, portions are smaller than in the UK but fine if you are a moderate eater like me! Great with kids (lolly).

Chor Bar (very top of the Strip): Excellent service, very friendly staff, good fish and quite an extensive menu. Do English breakfasts for €2 if that's your thing (didn't try). Kids no problem as waiters loved our bairn and gave him tassles etc to play with.

Silk (top end of Strip): Strangely empty both times we went for lunch but busy at night. Just had toasties and sandwiches a couple of lunchtimes but very nice, cheap also. Staff great with our wee boy (balloons, lollies etc). Large beer for €1.50??

A Tasca dos Careca (straight across from the Vila Petra): Lovely meal here with very friendly service, large, chilled shrimps (about 2 dozen) to start and nice piri piri. Lovely little restaurant. Again great with children. Wine only about €6 a bottle which is cheap for a restaurant. Port after meal on house.

Amendoeira (Left as you leave the Vila Petra and around 80 metres away): Waiter a good laugh, attentive and Golden Bream a joy, seafood fetucinni nice also. Nice little place for a relaxing meal. Breakfast wasn't so good though but they do take away sandwiches in case you have a delay between checking out and your flight time. Monte Velho tasted best here somehow!! Free port after meal again.

Paella (just off the Strip): Heard a few good and bad about this place but we had an excellent meal here on our 10th wedding anniversary. Quite relaxed although just 30 yards from the Strip. Great Tournedo Rossini, wife had a lovely paella. Good service again. Complimentary port etc. Best olives I tasted this holiday, well marinaded and really tasty.

Martinique (opposite Oura Praia Hotel): Lovely sandwiches but beware. I wasn't very hungry but was caught out as the sandwich was huge. Lovely tuna and fresh salad. Very fair prices as well. Good for people watching but busy with traffic.

O'Leao (top off Strip): In the past this was a real favourite of mine but sadly never had dinner there. Had a few lunches though and a breakfast, all were nice. Staff very funny (playing the bongos ate breakfast!) and lollies for the wee fella yet again.

Bank (Old Town square): Just had lunch here but huge portions, extensive menu and I thought very fair prices for location. Busy so service a bit slow but a nice place to watch all the goings on in the square.

Kilt and Kelt (just off the Strip): Nice Scottish breakfast, lady that served not very friendly though. Do potatoes and veg with meals which is a nice change.

Hollandaise (across from the taxi rank halfway up the Strip): Good, friendly service, good prices and lunch selection.

Would NOT recommend

Restaurant Grille 54 (Old Town): Been here a few times before but the service and food has slipped. Wife's sea bream overcooked. My monkfish kebab had 1 piece undercooked. Slow (but friendly) service. Wont go back but great views over the sea.

Ramos (bottom half of Strip): Both fish dishes came luke warm (dont they heat the plates in the Algarve?) No apologies or even a word. Just whipped the food away and brought back a few minutes later without a word again. Still wasn't that hot. Banged bread etc down on the table when we said we didn't want it and they were reluctant to take it away. Very unfriendly service, no atmosphere, avoid.

Ancora (next to the Ramos-nearly): Beef in the stroganoff very tough, chicken absolutely smothered in cheese. Very average, not cheap and too touristy. Get you in and out as quick as possible.

Oasis (Old Town Square): Been here in the past and always good but this time the worst pizza I have ever had. Undercooked, mussels still had the beard in, kalamari like a rubber band and several bits of shell throughout. All washed down with a lovely warm o/j which was mainly bits and no liquid! Too keen again to get you in and out. Wont be back as plenty other places around the square to eat.

Albufeira

Although I've seen it mentioned in a couple of other posts, would like to also recommend The Clay Oven (Indian/Tandoori). At the time said it was the best curry i'd ever had, and in retrospect I stick by that. Also well worth a visit is The Koala Garden. A short stroll (5 minutes) off the main strip that is well worth it. Apart from being very peaceful the food is fantastic. An australian themed resteraunt specialities include Ostrich, Crocodile & Kangaroo Steaks. Didn't bother with the Crocodile but both Ostrich and Kangaroo were sublime!.

We are off to Cabanas next month, have arranged carhire and would like any recommendations for restaurants please

Hi corriefan, the best person to give you advice is Pat42 as she holidays regular in Cabanas, hopefully she will answer your questions. Cheers Jayjan

Hi Corriefan,
I can tell you restaurants that we like in Cabanas, although I would say they are all good but naturally, you have your favourites.
On the main street, try Solmar, the chicken and the salmon are lovely there.
Along the road opposite where you get the boat to the bus is O Monteiro and that is good too.
If you like fish, then go to Grelha Peixe or Mariscos e Petiscos (just along from the primary school). They are both owned by the family whose apartment we stay in when we are there.
Another one is on the main street too and it is called CRC ( the local recreational club) It is next to the fruit and fish market and you go upstairs to it. It has the most FABULOUS view of Cabanas. They only really do fish or meat (changes every day).
If you want a really cheap (but good) meal or snack, then go to O Escalho.
It is a little cafe/bar beside the little church. From the MP supermarket, you will see the sign IGREJA (church) and follow it.
As I said, you won't get a bad meal in any of the restaurants, but these are a few that we always go to.
If you need any more info then just ask.
Not too sure about other places that you can drive to as we never drive when we are there. But there are some really nice restaurants in Tavira (10 mins from Cabanas).
Pat

Hi Pat

Thanks for the reply will PM you with a couple of other questions when I get home if thats ok

corriefan

Sure....no probs!!!!
Pat

we have kids so we tend to go for english food . the best we found were Mary Annes,geordie pride and the Cottage.Favorite bars were Matts and the Labamba bar. wild west bar at end of strip looked nice but the booze is very expensive

Some of our faves were:

El Bolero, the mexican at the top of the strip, but beware you are waiting ages for them to bring the bill!! The food is well worth it though!

Taj Mahal, the Indian which is next to El Bolero was excellent!

The Amercian diner across the road was great for a snack at dinner!

Senhor frogs have lovely pizzas at a fair price!

And labambas ice cream bar is MUST!!

As for bars we really liked the Empty Glass, again this was at the top end of the strip, the cocktails were gorgeous!!!!

Libertos which is further down the strip is done out really nice and they always have live bands on but beware as the the drinks are pricey!!

As for the Old Town we really like the Atrium bar, they had fab cocktails and the balcony overlooking the street below was great!

Central station was another one of our favourites, you could sit outside and watch the clown bloke who was hilarious! Especially when he caught my boyfriend unawares!

Steve and Anne-Marie have sold Wild Bill's and will be looking after the Gold Spot for a while. Wild Bill's will be under new management from the end of July; there will be a short closure prior to that for handover.

Steve and Anne-Marie look forward to meeting old friends and new at the Gold Spot.

Bars I WOULD recommend

OLD TOWN

STEPS BAR ..great place to meet local characters , Jason the bar manager is a lovely chap , keeps a good drink and will chat away till the early hours if thats your thing. Live music every night.

ROCK CAFE .. if you like your music loud this is the place .Live band every night

SIR HARRYS .. nice bar with friendly staff .Acoustic guitarist every night who does requests ,good for a singalong.

VEGAS BAR .. down the street of pubs , live blues band every night.

THE BANK .. popular bar with a live band every night.

BAR VITIMIMA (off the square) .. Cuban bar doesnt look much but the owner serves the best Mojitos I have ever had , I used to pop in every night found it impossible to walk by.

BEST FOOD

O,TUNEL .. just below the Steps bar , wonderful food , glorious monkfish.

CASA D,FONTE.. acoss from the Steps bar , sat in a courtyard with grapes and lemons growing , beaufiful steaks., and a cosy bar for after dinner drinks .

GRANFINUS ..Tapas bar on the street of bars , delicious afternoon tapas , washed down with a glass of port.

O,CABAZ da PRAIA ( the beach basket)... above the tunnel take a right its on the left , French restaurant for that special meal , not cheap but wonderful food , best scallops and clams in garlic Ive ever tasted. If you want to treat the lady in your life this is the place, stunning sea view. , and attentive staff , would go there right now if I could.

NOW THE BAD

TASCA D,ALCKAZ...100 metres from the tunnel , food was served very quickly but was cold , staff just shrugged shoulders.

CELRUISSA A MERE ..in the square , waiter was very rude and said we could not have a starter as they were to busy, not very nice eh.

THE STRIP

KILT N KELT .. loved the place had two evening meals there , both superb, lovely staff

CHORO BAR .. live music every night , tribute bands etc..

BLUES BAR ..nice clean bar , with a good taste in music

ERINS ISLE .. must be the biggest Irish bar in the world , not cheap but Guinness never is abroad , 2 rooms with live music.

Just a few of the places visited and just my opinion hope I havent offended anyone . It was my first visit to Albufeira and we are already planning to return , lovely place, lovely local people cheers Paddy

There is a new (open 8 months) Italian restaurant in Lagos called Little Italy. we went passed it one night and it was heaving, a good sign we thought. We went in asked a few questions about the menu which the english waitress had to ask the manager/owner about. Looked at the wine list and we really like the vinho verde particularly Casal Garcia but there was not a single vinho verde we recognised (and we have been hoildaying in Lagos for 25 years) so on their recommendation we picked one that was 18 euros. When it arrived it was dreadful then our starter arrived (which was verbally described as warm melted gorgonzola cheese with bacon on a bed of rocket) 5 leaves of chicory in which was a melted cheese with bits of pancetta. This was also dreadful. We called a halt there and said forget the main dish we will pay and go. The wine besides tasting `orrible was only slightly chill and that was the bottom 1". Vinho verde has to be drunk very very cold. We didn,t get to experience the pizza from the wood burning oven or their pasta. If you know differently I and this forum would be pleased to hear from you.
ps We went and ate at the Dynasty following this and it was excellent the cheapest Casal Garcia at 7euros 50.

Hi,
We are going to Portugal for the first time in 2 days time. It's a bit late I know to ask such a question, but does anyone have any recent recommendations for restaurants near our hotel (albufeira) hotel paradiso that welcome family's with children.

Thanks