Best Espetada Restaurants in Madeira
Where to eat the signature laurel-skewered beef, grilled over wood and served hanging from a stand.
Selection: Traditional grill houses serving authentic espetada em pau de loureiro — beef chunks skewered on a laurel branch and grilled over an open wood fire.
Espetada is Madeira's defining dish: cubes of beef threaded onto a fresh laurel branch (pau de loureiro), salted heavily, and grilled over an open wood fire. It's served still on the skewer, hung from a vertical iron stand at the table, with bolo do caco, milho frito (fried polenta cubes), salad and a jug of vinho da casa.
The espetada heartland is in the hills above Câmara de Lobos — Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and Santo da Serra — where the original restaurants set the standard 50+ years ago. The list below is selective: venues that still grill over wood, still use laurel branches (not metal skewers) and still feel like a Madeiran Sunday lunch rather than a tourist conveyor belt.
The list (9)
1.As Vides
RestaurantsThe reference espetada house: laurel-skewered beef grilled over an open fire and served hanging from a stand, with bolo do caco and house wine. A Madeira institution.
portuguese€€Espetada em pau de loureiro (laurel-skewered beef)2.Tasca Literária Dona Joana Rabo-de-Peixe
RestaurantsTiny, character-packed tasca on Rua de Santa Maria in Funchal's Old Town. Daily-changing chalkboard menu of small Portuguese plates, strong on vegetables and offal.
portuguese€€Daily petiscos chalkboard3.Restaurante Praia dos Reis Magos
RestaurantsBeachfront restaurant in Caniço de Baixo serving traditional Madeiran cuisine with serene coastal views. Great for Madeiran tapas right on the seafront.
portuguese€€Madeiran tapas with sea view4.Sabores da Andreia
RestaurantsTucked-away tasca in Caniço serving proper old Madeiran home-cooked food — big portions of espetada, grilled limpets, black scabbard fish, proper local sides. The kind of place where locals eat.
portuguese€Espetada and limpets — locals' favourite5.Laranjinha Bistro & Grill
RestaurantsCharming Caniço bistro with a warm ambiance and a menu blending Madeiran flavours with international dishes. Strong service and consistent quality.
portuguese€€€6.Cidade Velha
RestaurantsCharming Funchal Old Town spot near the waterfront serving classic Madeiran cuisine on a sea-view terrace.
portuguese€€7.Quinta do Furão
RestaurantsCountry-house restaurant on the north-coast cliffs above Santana, serving regional dishes — bolo do caco from the wood oven, espetada, fresh local fish — with a panoramic vineyard-and-Atlantic view.
madeiran€€Bolo do caco from the wood oven8.O Lagar
RestaurantsClassic espetada house in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos — beef threaded on laurel branches, grilled over a wood fire and served hanging from an iron stand, with bolo do caco, milho frito and house wine.
grill€€Espetada em pau de loureiro9.Cantinho da Serra
RestaurantsMountain restaurant outside Santana with sweeping valley views, known for its slow-cooked clay-pot stews (cozido em panela de barro) and traditional Madeiran sides. A rewarding stop after a north-coast drive or a Caldeirão Verde hike.
madeiran€€Cozido em panela de barro (clay-pot stew)
Practical notes
- Book ahead for dinner — these restaurants fill on Friday, Saturday and Sunday especially.
- Order espetada by weight (kilo prices on the menu) — half a kilo per person is plenty with sides.
- Bolo do caco with garlic butter is the obligatory starter; don't skip it.
- Lunch service is usually quieter and just as good — a good plan if you have hiking later in the day.
Frequently asked
- What is espetada?
- Espetada is Madeira's traditional grilled-beef dish: large cubes of beef threaded onto a fresh laurel-tree branch, salted, and grilled over a wood fire. Served on the skewer at the table, with bolo do caco, fried polenta cubes and salad.
- Where do locals eat espetada?
- The reference area is Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and the road up to Santo da Serra, where the classic espetada houses have been grilling the same way for decades. As Vides in Estreito is the best-known and still excellent.
- How much does an espetada dinner cost?
- A traditional espetada dinner with sides and house wine sits around €20–30 per person — excellent value for the experience and the quantity of food. Premium cuts and a bottle of Madeira wine push it higher.