Vila Foz Restaurante

It’s one of the most extravagant dining rooms in all of Portugal, but the Vila Foz Restaurante is more than just a pretty face. The fine-dining restaurant at the Vila Voz Hotel serves a cuisine that is assured and precise but also surprising and pleasurable.

Chef Arnaldo Azevedo literally grew up in the kitchen; his father was also a chef. His style here is both focused and relaxed. In a nod to the hotel’s location in front of the Atlantic Ocean, fish and shellfish play starring roles.

Vila Foz Hotel & Spa

Although there’s a short a la carte menu, the way to go is one of the tasting menus. The five-course Rebentação and the six-course Maresia menu are both largely pescatarian, with plates like langoustine with razor clam rice, and monkfish with Portuguese cabbage and copita. The five-course Novo Mundo menu, meanwhile, is fully vegan.

While it’s hard to argue with the splendour of the dining room, the most memorable way to enjoy a meal here is to book the Kitchen Seat, a two-seat counter right in front of Azevedo, who tells stories about the dishes that he’s serving.