Food · Madeira · Portugal
What to eat in Madeira
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Madeira, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Luke H. Gordon, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Espetada, Black scabbardfish with banana and Bolo do caco. See the fish hall, buy custard apples and passion-fruit varieties from the stalls, and have a coffee on the upper gallery. Bread, butter and olives brought to the table before you order are usually charged; send them back if you don't want them.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Espetada
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tipping is modest: rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service in restaurants is…
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Espetada
Chunks of beef rubbed with garlic, salt and bay leaf, threaded onto bay-wood skewers and grilled over embers, then hung from a hook above the table. It comes with milho frito and bolo do caco.
Where: Traditional restaurants in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and Santo da Serra are known for it, as well as many places in Funchal.
Dish
2.Black scabbardfish with banana (Espada com banana)
The deep-sea black scabbardfish, caught on long lines off Câmara de Lobos, is served as a white fillet fried in batter or breadcrumbs and topped with fried banana, sometimes with passion-fruit sauce.
Where: Almost every restaurant on the island; the fish itself is on display at the Mercado dos Lavradores fish hall.
Bakery · Vegetarian
3.Bolo do caco
A round, flat sweet-potato bread cooked on a basalt stone (caco), served warm, split and spread with garlic and parsley butter. Filled with steak, it becomes a prego no bolo do caco sandwich.
Where: Snack bars, roadside stalls and restaurants across the island, often brought to the table as a starter.
Dish
4.Limpets (Lapas)
Limpets grilled in their shells in a cast-iron pan with garlic butter and lemon, a popular starter with a cold beer.
Where: Seafood restaurants in Funchal Old Town, Câmara de Lobos and coastal villages such as Paul do Mar and Porto Moniz.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Milho frito
Cubes of cornmeal cooked with kale and herbs, set, then deep-fried until crisp outside and soft inside; the classic side with espetada.
Where: Traditional restaurants across Madeira serve it alongside grilled meat and fish.
Dish
6.Tuna steak (Bife de atum)
Thick slices of local tuna, marinated in garlic, bay and wine vinegar, grilled or pan-fried and served with milho frito or boiled potatoes.
Where: Seafood restaurants in Funchal and fishing villages such as Caniçal and Câmara de Lobos.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Poncha
Madeira's traditional drink of aguardente de cana (sugarcane spirit) mixed with honey and lemon juice, stirred with a wooden caralhinho; versions with orange or passion fruit are also common.
Where: Poncha bars in Câmara de Lobos, Serra de Água and Funchal Old Town.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Madeira wine
A fortified wine aged by gentle heat, which makes it very long-lived. The main styles run from dry Sercial and Verdelho to rich Bual and sweet Malmsey, the last served with dessert or cake.
Where: Wine lodges such as Blandy's in Funchal, specialist wine shops and as an after-dinner glass in any restaurant.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Honey cake (Bolo de mel)
A dark, dense spiced cake made with sugarcane molasses (mel de cana), walnuts and almonds, traditionally broken by hand rather than cut. It keeps for months and is eaten especially at Christmas.
Where: Bakeries, the Mercado dos Lavradores and supermarkets; small wrapped cakes make good souvenirs.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Nikita
A Madeiran summer drink of beer or white wine blended with pineapple and vanilla ice cream, served thick in a tall glass.
Where: Cafés and bars along the Funchal seafront and in the Lido area.
Food experiences
Market morning at the Mercado dos Lavradores
See the fish hall, buy custard apples and passion-fruit varieties from the stalls, and have a coffee on the upper gallery.
Madeira wine tasting
Taste the four main grape styles side by side at a Funchal wine lodge to understand how sweetness and age change the wine.
Espetada lunch in the hills
Drive up to Estreito de Câmara de Lobos for skewered beef grilled over wood, served on hooks at the table with bolo do caco.
Poncha in Câmara de Lobos
Order a freshly mixed poncha at a tiny bar by the fishing harbour, where peanuts are usually served alongside.
Quick bites and street food
- Bolo do caco — Snack bars, roadside stalls and restaurants across the island, often brought to the table as a starter.
- Milho frito — Traditional restaurants across Madeira serve it alongside grilled meat and fish.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Bolo do caco, Milho frito, Poncha, Madeira wine, Honey cake and Nikita. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Bread, butter and olives brought to the table before you order are usually charged; send them back if you don't want them.
- Lunch is usually from about 12:30pm to 3pm and dinner from 7pm; many village restaurants close early in the evening.
- Restaurant touts on Rua de Santa Maria can be persistent; check menus and prices before you sit down.
- Fresh fish is often priced by weight; ask for the price before it is cooked.
- Book dinner for New Year's Eve and the Flower Festival weekend well ahead.
Tipping
Tipping is modest: rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service in restaurants is appreciated but not expected. Small change is fine in cafés and taxis.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bom dia | Good morning |
| Obrigado / Obrigada | Thank you (said by a man / a woman) |
| A conta, por favor | The bill, please |
| Uma bica | An espresso (local term) |
| Com licença | Excuse me |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Madeira famous for?
Espetada, Black scabbardfish with banana, Bolo do caco and Limpets. Chunks of beef rubbed with garlic, salt and bay leaf, threaded onto bay-wood skewers and grilled over embers, then hung from a hook above the table.
+Is Madeira good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Bolo do caco, Milho frito and Poncha.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Madeira?
Tipping is modest: rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service in restaurants is appreciated but not expected. Small change is fine in cafés and taxis.