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Cape Verdean Restaurants in Santa Maria, SalSanta Maria restaurantsR&V from Scotland found several good spots."Our board was B&B which allowed us to explore other eating establishments. We liked the Atlantis and the Barracuda on the beach and the Zum Fischerman in town, the Pensao Relax which is small and clean was worth it too, their Wahoo fish skewers are good value."So did D from London "Re eating out, thanks for your tips. We had good meals at Mediterraneo, the Caranguela, and Atlantis (they were doing a Plat du Jour at 700 CVE which was very good quality and value). And as others said, the best of the bunch were Chez Pastis and Odjo d'Agua - both excellent. "E from London liked several"We tried as many restaurants as we could. The food was good in them all and good value. Lunchtime food was excellent in the Tipico Cultural in the square and excellent value. Evening meals were good at Atlantis, Chez Pastis, Leonardos, Americos. As I am a fish lover I was very impressed where ever we ate. There was other alternatives for my husband. We had two days fishing and caught some good size wahoo and tuna."So did R&J from Hants "We had several meals at the Morabessa which we felt was a very well managed hotel and would like to stay there when we next go to Sal. Leonardo's (much recommended by some well-travelled Italians we met) proved as per your notes, good but not cheap. Zum Fischermann was far simpler and much better value if you like fish (we do) ! "A from London liked the small places " I took advantage of the happy hour in the Morabessa a few nights with Rod and Sheena and met a few other locals, mostly real estate agents! I ate at a mix of places but one of my favourites and good value was Relax. My worst I thought was Leonardo which was disappointing more than any else; expensive and very mediocre."AmericoAmongst the better restaurants in Santa Maria on Sal are Americo which also has a delicatessen selling gourmet items and fresh fruit. Its main restaurant is light and airy on the first floor in one of the main streets in Santa Maria. G from Bristol tried several " We ate in Santa Maria most evenings, particularly good were the Culural Club, Americo's and Mateus restaurants. All are on the main street and within 5-8 minutes walk from the Morabessa. Also extremely good was the Atlantis, which is further down the beach to the West. Very good "fish of the day" dishes and reasonably priced. "Cafe Cultural Santa Mariarestaurant on the main square has Cape Verdean dishes to eat by candelight in its verandah. It is good value and has good cooking. The owner speaks English and serves a good cachupa R from Kent liked it." The BEST cachupa in town. Cachupa here is so good I would have eaten it every night. It is a made of maize, beans, chick peas, fish, meat vegetables, including potato, cabbage and carrots! The vinho do Fogo white is good value."Funana Santa MariaWalther from Bavaria comes straight out of an Afrika Korps movie with his blonde hair piercing blue eyes fixed on the horizon dressed in khaki shorts and shirt. The effect is marked when he carries a sheath knife. At weekends live music perhaps the best in Sal is played. Service is lamentable: it is even hard to pay the bill. But it is cheap and food if unexciting is palatable. Worth it for the music. D&Y from Essex liked it."Very busy had music played by local group. Larger meat menu than most we found as well as large fish menu."Olho Bar and restaurantIt has a fine position to seaward of the hotel and a water's edge terrace for drinks. It is about 50% more expensive than other restaurants, but you pay for the view, not the food. Recently service which was truly dreadful has improved a lot. P from London thought the position better than the food. "The food at the Olho D’Agua wasn’t amazing but we felt it had the best and most lively dining ‘experience’."J from London felt that it was a source of bugs "we had a lovely time hotel Morabessa very good, we ate out once at the hotel that sticks out into the sea,(Olho d`Agua) good food but we reckon we got a bug from there, lots of people not very well in the hotel, no one serious, just unpleasant for a few days."J from Boston found that the attituide had changed. "Hotel Odjo d’Agua, Santa Maria: We arrive late for breakfast and are told the kitchen is closed. The dining room manager overhears this and even though we are not paying guests, he tells us to have a seat on the terrace. We do and he returns with some coffee, juice, rolls and a yogurt for our daughter. We pay for the meal and notice he did not charge for our daughter’s yogurt. We thank him profusely for his kindness and “Nada” is all he replies with a smile."Fisherman`s restaurantZum Fischermann run by Berliners, Uwe and Julia, is the best spot for fresh tuna or wahoo. They speak some English. It has a terrace overlooking the sandy parking lot near the entrance to Santa Maria. If you catch fish with Uwe, he will cook it for you. D&Y from Essex liked it."Visited the Zum Fischermann - it became our drinking hole right opposite the Hotel Pontoon. The owners always made you feel welcome - food was excellent."So did M from Dorset "Very friendly and good food"Chez PastisA French restaurant run by an Italian couple. Neatly fitted in the gap between two buildings in a side street, it is cramped but has good cuisine and service. R from Herts liked it." Restaurants - No competition, Chez Pastis. Run by young Italian couple. They deserve to succeed."So did H from Wilts"However the meals at Chez Pastis were both the exception and the high point- wonderful food."S and I from London felt it was the best in town."Best restaurant in town: amazing little setting in an alleyway; lovely young couple running it and the food was glorious. You do have to book now though."L from Warwicks liked it "It is expensive compared to other places but the food has a lot of variety. it is very good"Morabeza Beach Clubnear the hotel of the same name has a barbecue. It is a good place to drink cheap beer at lunchtime, with rapid service.It offers a good value late brunch at weekends. Other meals in the hotel or beach club restaurant are double local prices. P from London liked the main bar. "We absolutely loved going to the upstairs bar at the Morabeza (in addition to drinks at sunset at the beach bar) and when I had my birthday meal there the staff were absolutely amazing and were very attentive."Atlantis RestaurantThis is in the Circular Building near the Mistral flags on the Beach. Run by Patricl from Britanny and his wife Vera from Slovenia who never leave the bar. Food is good and service average by Cape Verde standards. It is cool in he heat of the day and close to the windsurf point. P from London liked it."We thought that the Atlantis restaurant served the best fish and generally all the food there was great."M from Dorset was less impressed. "Service not particularly friendly but the food was good."AcquariumA failed restaurant but reopened with new management. It is on the beach behind the market, still feeling growing pains. D from Sussex tried it. "Food is good and service is OK. But when you go through the menu, often they haven`t got it. We had a couple fof excellent ,meals in the square with nice music, excellent food and good service."Casa CanariaOut to the East beyond May O`Leary in a side street, this is owned by a Spaniard a Belgian woman and an English person ( not seen). Service is exceptionally slow and the food ordinary Spanish-style nosh. Watch out when paying the bill as if you pass over a large note you will not be offerred any change. BaraoandaY from Yorks says avoid it. It made her ill for a week. "The Baroaonda was just on the left as you enter Santa Maria. The dish I ordered was rice with aubergine and prawns. The dish I was served up was a huge pile of mushy rice combined with a few tasteless pink prawns with minute flecks of green (definitely not aubergine) that were so small it was difficult to identify . I would give this restaurant a very wide berth if you go out to eat in Santa Maria!"Outside Santa MariaMurdeira RestaurantWith its pool bar and terrace overlooking a rocky plateau out towards Monte Leao, this surely has the best positionof any restaurant in Sa. especially for those sunset cocktailsl. It is not especially cheap but the service is very friendly and they have some good wines and offer quite a variety of dishes including barbecued fresh tuna or goat. Definitely one to try when you go for a swim in Sal`s largest pool. It costs £8 for a three course meal,. L from Warwicks made good use of it."We ate there a lot and it was very good. On our last day, they cooked us a special meal"Ponta Preta Beach - Babbette`s Babette is the holder of three windsurfuing world records and her husband James, educated at Cliftondrives the Morabessa trimaran. They have a wooden hut just by the best surfing neach in Sal with wooden floors and reclining steamers, usable by the day. The wine is very good value at $300 and the restaurant has good, friendly service qwith plates such as tuna sashimi and tuna curry ( French strenght) that are well worth a detour as M. Bibendum used to say. Some of the best lunch-time food in Sal, Babette is happier in French than English and James is not often there. Espargos -SivySivy in the main square. It offers cheap beer and sells take-away ice cream and popcorn. It also has a simple restaurant inside, with several Cape Verdean dishes, including cachupa. Meals from about £4 and local beers for 60p. Ask for the owner Sylivia as the other staff are very lazy. MacaronesiaJaime from the Canaries has refurbished the open-air restaurant. It offers snacks like a nice plate of cheese and olives and coffee nearly as good as Bom Dia`s. For main courses in the evening with a live band on Saturdays it has typical Cape Verdean chicken and fish dishes. Palmeira - La CantinaQuite nice food but uncomfortable and no longer cheap. To be found near the harbour in a side street. with rough tables outside. The Spanish owner is helpful - his wife most insincere and she kicks dogs. |