Advice please about these restaurants in Portugal and Spain
Family of 10 from Hawaii. First time Douro river cruise. Adventurous eaters. Enjoy eating local, seasonal, sometimes-"bizarre" foods. Been to Korea, Japan, Sumatra, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, VN, PI, Jakarta, Mexico, Canada, GB, Italy, Paris, countries along the Danube, and most of the States in the U.S.
Repulsed by overpriced, diluted, ostentatious cuisine and dining spots whose customers are 75+% tourists.
Lunch and dinner budgets of about US $20-100+ per person. We will have ample Lipitor, Lactaid and Rolaid.
Your candid advice/comments about these dining spots for lunch and/or dinner would be most welcomed.
In Lisbon:
Cervejaria Ramiro
Casa de India
Varina de Madragoa
Tascas ze dos Cornos
Restaurante Santa Rita
Ginginha de Carmo (for cherry liquor)
In Porto:
Churrasqueira
Casa dos Presuntos "Xico"
Cervejaria Gazela
O Golfino
Taxca
Taberna Santo Antonio
Emotivo
O Rapido
Restaurante Tito 1 (or 2)
Nabos da Pucara
Any suggestions for lunch in Coimbra?
Any suggestions for Pinhao?
Any suggestions for Pocinho?
In Salamanca, Spain:
Calle van Dyck
Cuzco Bodega
In Madrid:
Casa Botin
Casa Pepe aka Pepe el Guarro
La Casa Del Abuelo
Casa Toni
Sidreria el Tigre
Taberna la Concha
Bodegas Ricla
Casa Baranda
Mahalo!
Comments
Botin in Madrid was excellent when I ate there. Enjoy your trip.
That is quite a list!
My suggestion would be to focus on the area instead of individual restaurants.
Madrid - There are some excellent tapas bars around the Plaza Mayor area. There is a remarkable market there as well -- Mercado San Miguel. As LissaM mentioned, Botin is excellent, but reservations are essential. Their specialty is roasted suckling pig.
Lisbon - For authentic Portuguese cuisine, the Alfama district has many "mom and pop" restaurants. If you like grilled octopus, have it there.
Porto - Many places along the river. Weave in and out of the side streets to find the best ones.
Coimbra - Select any outdoor seating area along the pedestrian-free zone. We had a lovely pumpkin soup there.
Pinhao - Shy away from the dock area. Walk up the main hill and pick one of the cafés. There was a tiny place operated by a delightful young man. Simple and unpretentious.
Edited 14 May to provide additional clarification in Madrid.
If you eat at Botin’s in Madrid try and get a table downstairs in the wine cellar.
Great suggestion, jowell.
RexKim - If you do decide to dine there, I suggest contacting the concierge at your Madrid hotel prior to your tour and have her/him make the reservation for you. Let them know you are with Tauck (assuming you are staying at Tauck's hotel). The locals are given priority at the restaurant; as such, it was so much easier for the concierge to assist us.
Nonetheless, have a wonderful tour and please report back afterwards. The Iberian Peninsula is our second favorite region of Europe.