Best restaurants in Pico island

Unlike Terceira and São Miguel islands, Pico island is not a proper foodie destination (I am sorry if this hurts someone’s feelings, but it’s the truth!). Nonetheless, you will still be able to taste great food if you follow my recommendations.

With no further due, here is the list of the…

Best restaurants in Pico island

Ancoradouro

When I first arrived on the island, and I asked what were the best restaurants in Pico island in Azores, everyone gave me the same answer over and over again: you have to go to Ancoradouro! And so I did, and it was brilliant =)

Ancoradouro is a restaurant that showcases the best traditional dishes of the Azores, like a fantastic fish soup made from scratch, grilled limpets and a traditional fish stew (made from at least three different fish varieties and served with toasted bread). If fish is not really your jam, go for the grilled veal steak “Ancoradouro style” or for the “Torresmos”. But my favorite dish, after trying so many on the list, is definitely the almond fish filets :)

The prices are a bit salty (at least for Portuguese standards!), but during the winter they have executive menus for 15€ that include a starter and a main dish.

At the moment Ancoradouro is truly one of the best restaurants in Pico island in Azores, but this remains to be seen because they recently changed the chef. Hopefully, they will be able to keep the standards :)

Magma Restaurant Bar

If you are looking for one of the best restaurants in Pico island in Azores with a stunning view, look no more: Magma restaurant is the place you’re looking for, as it is an unforgettable (and quite romantic…) sunset spot.

As you know I am more of a fish person – and, in that regard, the roasted Albacora and the Squids Pico style are particularly good. But in all fairness, Magma restaurant bar is one of the best restaurants in Pico island in Azores for meat dishes. I do recommend you to try the pork tenderloin and the “Molha”, an osso buco stew.

Magma restaurant bar is a very popular spot among locals and tourists alike, so I highly recommend you to book your table at least two days in advance, especially if you want to go there for dinner.

Mar Sushi Terrace

When I was first told about a sushi restaurant in Azores that only serves local fish, I was ecstatic. After all, I sincerely hate to be served salmon, frozen tuna and mushy Japanese white fish every time I go to a sushi restaurant. So I decided to go to Mar Sushi Terrace and oh boy wasn’t I pleasantly surprised =)

This is one of the best restaurants in Pico island in Azores because it highlights one of the best raw materials in the region: fish, caught every day and bought directly at the island’s auction house. In winter, as the sea is rough, the selection of fish is smaller, but in summer they serve sushi made with 12 different types of fish on the Mar Sushi Terrace. It’s great!

Mar Sushi Terrace is located by the road and it has few places to park, so make sure to get there early because 1) it gets packed quickly and 2) it is hard to park, even if it is only half full.

Fonte Tavern

Fonte tavern was a pleasant surprise that I discovered by chance, when I stopped in Lajes do Pico to visit a local museum. I saw a plaque with the daily menu and before I knew it I had already entered and picked a table on its lovely terrace.

At Fontes tavern you can go for the daily menu (usually two options) or for one of the many tapas style dishes (my favorite ones are the Azorean style stewed fava beans and the tuna steak in the traditional “pão levedo” bread).

As for main dishes, there are plenty of options to choose from, like the crispy octopus and the regional steak, that you can pair with a range of fantastic Azorean wines by the glass.

Portions are huge, so make sure not to order too many!

Pico restaurant

If you already read my article about wine tasting in Pico Island in Azores you might have noticed that the Azores Wine Company is also listed there. This is because it is both a wine producer, a fantastic accommodation AND a fine dining restaurant, called Pico Restaurant.

Pico Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in Pico Island in Azores if you are looking for a fine dining experience. They have two different options:

• 4 Tasting menus inspired by local products and reflecting the new gastronomy of the Azores, with different wine pairings. They can adjust these tasting menus for vegetarians. The price ranges from 95€ (6 courses + 4 wines by the glass) to 250€ (7 courses + 7 wines by the glass). Children’s menu (up to 12 years old) costs 35€, and they lower the prices of the tasting menus for those of you who are not drinking wines.
• Snacks by the Counter, which is probably my favorite option since you get to see the chef cooking your dish while he explains it to you during an engaging conversation. This option is significantly cheaper than the tasting menus, as it costs 30€ with two wine pairing options (that increase the price to either 55€ or 80€).

The food is incredible but keep in mind that, being a fine dining restaurant, the portions are smaller than in a regular restaurant.

Taberna do Canal

Taberna do Canal, with its granite walls, wooden ceiling beams and wine collection, has the typical look of a Portuguese tavern, and I love it for that. When I go there I usually order the steak or the Pico-style octopus, but what makes me go there repeatedly isn’t even the main dishes, it’s the desserts. It’s just that not just anyone can make such a luxurious chocolate mousse, and the afternoon honey then… it’s to eat and cry for more!

Furthermore, Taberna do Canal has the advantage of being located in Madalena, which is one of the most popular places to stay on Pico.

Restaurante Ponta da Ilha

The first time I went to Restaurante Ponta da Ilha, I immediately fell in love with its terrace, which has a simply wonderful view over the Atlantic Ocean. But this restaurant has more cards up its sleeve: a spectacular tuna steak, appetizing prawns sautéed in olive oil and garlic and a spectacular caramelized steak.

The menu is short and the restaurant looks simple, but don’t be fooled: it’s one of the best restaurants on the island of Pico, and the service is simply fantastic.

O Petisca

The first time I went to O Petisca I wasn’t very impressed, but that is because I went for lunch and during lunch time they serve an affordable food buffet that, despite being full filling, it is not very interesting for foodies like me.

However, all my friends in Pico island kept recommending me to come back for dinner, wish I did and it was fantastic :) One thing that I particularly like to do when I go to O Petisca is, instead of ordering main dishes (which you can do with no regrets), ordering a lot of their starters and do a “tapas dinner”. It’s that their starters are REALLY good: roasted fava beans, tuna bites and linguica sausage with jam, the limpets… everything is delicious, reasonably priced and decently sized as well.

This is a very popular restaurant among locals, particularly during lunch time, so I recommend you to get there for dinner or as soon as it opens during the lunch break, because it will be packed in less than 20 minutes.

Casa Âncora

Casa Âncora is one of the best restaurants in Pico island if you are traveling with a vegetarian partner because it has some great vegetarian dishes (they even have a vegan panna cotta!), but not only that. The place itself is gorgeous, with a simple decor in light tones that contrasts – positively – with most restaurants on the island.

The menu is small but effective, and my favorite dishes are, without a doubt, the fish of the day with lemon and pomegranate risotto, the bresaola (cured cow meat) carpaccio and the watermelon gazpacho (any of their soups are delicious, in fact).