Where to eat in Câmara de Lobos, Madeira

Câmara de Lobos splits in two. Down at the fishing harbour you eat fish, Vila do Peixe, above the boats, is the reference table, with the day's catch chosen by the kilo from the counter. Fifteen minutes uphill in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos you eat meat: As Vides and O Lagar are the classic wood-fire espetada houses. Poncha comes from the small vendas around the harbour. Budget €22–€30 a head with wine in either half of the town.

Last verified by Mike McCabe, on the island. 5 venues checked, hours, closures and prices re-confirmed before publication.

Every place we've eaten in Câmara de Lobos

Restaurants

  • As Vides

    The 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.

    Daily 12:00–16:00 & 19:00–22:30.

  • Vila do Peixe

    Fresh fish grilled to order, sold by weight, on a terrace above Câmara de Lobos harbour. Pick your fish at the counter and watch the boats come in.

    Daily 12:00–23:00.

  • O Lagar

    Classic 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.

    Monday–Saturday 12:00–00:00; Sunday 12:00–23:00.

Bars and poncha

  • Bar Filhos D' Mar

    A poncha bar at Largo do Poço in Câmara de Lobos, listed as Bar Filhos D' Mar (Poncha negra). Outdoor seating and food at the bar make it a stop for a drink and a bite in the town centre.

    Sunday–Tuesday and Thursday 10:00–00:00. Friday–Saturday 10:00–01:00. Closed Wednesday.

  • Bar Nº 2 - É Prá Poncha

    A poncha bar on Rua da Carreira at Largo do Poço in Câmara de Lobos. Bar Nº 2 - É Prá Poncha has outdoor seating and food at the bar, with later opening hours on Friday and Saturday.

    Sunday–Thursday 10:00–01:00. Friday–Saturday 10:00–02:00.

How eating in Câmara de Lobos

This is still a working fishing village ten minutes west of Funchal, and the harbour is the reason to come: the painted boats, the men mending nets, the smell of grilled fish. It is also where poncha was invented as a fishermen's drink, which is why the vendas here are the benchmark for the whole island.

The hill above, Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, is Madeira's espetada heartland. Beef on a laurel branch over wood, bolo do caco, milho frito, house wine in a jug. The two halves of the parish are ten minutes apart by car and completely different meals.

Eating in Câmara de Lobos, answered

Where is the best place to eat in Câmara de Lobos?
Vila do Peixe above the harbour for fish chosen by the kilo and grilled over wood, and As Vides up in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos for the island's benchmark espetada. Which one is right depends entirely on whether you want fish or beef that night.
Where do you drink poncha in Câmara de Lobos?
In the small bars and vendas around the harbour and square, where it is shaken by hand with a wooden stick: aguardente, honey and lemon, nothing else. Most serve it over the counter, often standing.
How much is a meal in Câmara de Lobos?
€22–€30 per person with house wine, at both the harbour fish restaurants and the Estreito espetada houses. Fish sold by the kilo can run higher if you pick a large one, ask the weight and the kilo price before you agree.
Is Câmara de Lobos worth visiting for dinner from Funchal?
Yes. It is ten to fifteen minutes by car or a €12–€15 taxi from central Funchal, and the harbour restaurants and Estreito grill houses are both better value than the equivalent meal in the city. Buses run back into Funchal into the evening but not late enough for a long dinner.

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