Noélia & Jerónimo - Legendary Portuguese Cuisine in Cabanas, Algarve

Technically, the name of this long-beloved establishment in Cabanas de Tavira is Restaurante Noélia & Jerónimo. But in reality, everyone refers to it simply as Noélia—the chef is a legend in the Algarve and throughout Portugal.

A few years ago, respected Portuguese newspaper Publico declared Noélia to be the “best restaurant in the world.” We might not go that far, but it certainly is an outstanding one. She is something of a chef’s chef, and her unassuming restaurant is where Michelin superstars like José Avillez of Belcanto, Hans Neuner of Ocean, and Dieter Koschina of Vila Joya dine on their nights off.

The dining room, which is always packed, is a step up from the typical tasca, but is still informal and welcoming. This is a place for Portuguese families, young local couples on dates, and in-the-know tourists. There are white cloths on the tables, but the walls are mostly unadorned and there’s nothing to signal that this is one of the best restaurants in the region.

The menu provides more clues. Along with Algarve staples—octopus with sweet potatoes, fried choco, and açorda—there are many dishes with subtle twists, often drawing on Japanese or Andalusian influences and the most interesting ingredients Noélia can find at the markets.

Seafood rice

Her cooking is both technically precise and deeply soulful. Many meals begin with toasts, topped with sardines, cured tuna, or avocado and shrimp. The tartares and grilled fish are impeccably prepared, but it’s the rice dishes that especially stand out: tomato rice with seafood, lemon rice with corvina and clams, coriander rice served alongside fried fillets, ginger rice that comes with braised tuna, and, most interesting, champagne-spiked oyster rice with luscious bivalves from the nearby Ostras do Moinho farm.

Mackeral tartare