10 Best Restaurants in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

In the former stables of Quinta das Lagrimas, this well-regarded restaurant has two dining rooms, one of which opens onto immaculate gardens with fruit trees and herb gardens that provide ingredients for the meal to come. Created by star chef Vitor Dias, dishes are immaculately presented and full of powerful and unusual flavors. Fine Portuguese wines accompany each course, as do complimentary amuse-bouches. A children's menu with simpler options, like pizza, keeps younger diners happy while the grown-ups relish the refined dishes of the tasting menu.

Until its conversion in 1923, Café Santa Cruz was an auxiliary chapel for the monastery. Now its high-vaulted Manueline ceiling and stained-glass windows make it an ideal spot to enjoy your morning cup of coffee or a leisurely lunch with a glass of wine. Despite all the grandeur, prices are extremely reasonable. 

Everything from set three-course lunches to delicious cakes and pastries are prepared with love and served with a smile at this welcoming restaurant in the heart of Coimbra's historic center. There are plenty of tables in the cozy interior, but the tables and chairs set out on the flagstones outside are the best bet in the summer months. Prices are extremely reasonable given the prime location. 

This self-proclaimed "brownieria" is owned and run by a friendly Brazilian family that serves a range of squishy, oozing brownies finished with toppings of your own choice and accompanied by filtered coffee. Brazilian brigadeiros (traditional chocolate and condensed milk confections) are another specialty.

This tucked-away eatery serves inventive vegetarian and vegan dishes designed to make the most of fresh seasonal produce. The staff goes out of its way to explain the dishes and provide recommendations; sharing is key here, so plan on three petiscos (small plates) between two people. This is the original location, but if it's full try Fangas Maior a few doors down, which also has fish and meat options. 

With tables set on a vast veranda in the upper reaches of the city, Loggia has some of the best panoramic views in town. It's the on-site restaurant at the Machado do Castro art museum, and the setting is a work of art in itself. Leisurely brunches here are extremely popular, as are the excellent value lunch menus. Expect traditional Portuguese fare, elegantly presented. 

Viseu's most celebrated restaurant is known for the sometimes comical names of its dishes as well as for its intelligent use of old local recipes. Try the coelho bêbedo (drunk rabbit), which is rabbit stewed in red wine, or the bacalhau podre (rotten), which is actually a savory dish of salt cod braised in a tomato-and-wine sauce. Bring cash, because international cards are not accepted.

Of the several restaurants specializing in suckling pig, this is the most popular. The size of the parking lot is a dead giveaway that this is no intimate bistro, and the spitted pigs pop out of the huge ovens at an amazing rate (especially in summer). In spite of the volume, quality is maintained.

Two former salt warehouses have been lovingly restored to create a sophisticated dining room with a lofty ceiling and exposed beams. The specialty at this award-winning space is bacalhau---it's prepared in several inventive ways. Salpoente also hosts regular art exhibitions and features live music, ranging from sultry jazz to fado, on weekends.