Exploring the hills and palaces of Sintra always works up an appetite. Luckily, Sintra is a fairytale town full of fantastic restaurants for all tastes.
A Sintra day trip is one of the best excursions to enjoy near the Portuguese capital. To fully experience it, we suggest leaving Lisbon early in the morning and returning right before sunset. This will give you enough time to explore the town itself and visit multiple attractions like the Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, and Moorish Castle… and of course to eat plenty of food.
Our idea of the perfect itinerary involves sightseeing in the morning, stopping for lunch at one of the best restaurants in Sintra, exploring a bit more, and then ending the afternoon with coffee and a pastry (or two). Here are our all-time favorite places to eat in this magical mountain town, from traditional tascas and iconic bakeries to modern cafés and plant-based eateries.
Restaurants in Sintra: Hidden gems and local favorites
Romaria de Baco
If you want to avoid the tourist crowds without leaving the city center, Romaria de Baco (Centro Historico, R. Gil Vicente, 2) is the perfect spot. Hidden on a side street near the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, it’s mostly frequented by locals and lucky visitors who are following a recommendation from someone in the know.
The menu offers traditional Portuguese food with a modern twist. If you’re not in the mood for a full meal, go for the petiscos tasting menu for two. And to honor Bacchus, the Roman god of wine whom the restaurant is named after, ask the staff to suggest a perfect wine pairing.
Tascantiga
Finding a casual place to eat in Sintra that’s not a blatant tourist trap can be tough—especially when it’s way past lunchtime and your stomach is speaking louder than your brain.
But then you stumble across a place like Tascantiga (Escadinhas da Fonte da Pipa, 2): no-frills, kid-friendly, plenty of vegetarian options… the kind of place that’s perfect for everyone and popular for a reason.
Here you’ll find hearty sandwiches, simple soups, and a long list of petiscos including salads, seafood, and meat and cheese boards. Kids can choose from a burger, chicken nuggets, or fish sticks, all served with fries, rice, and salad.
Nau Palatina
Located a bit outside of Sintra’s historic center, Nau Palatina is the kind of cozy, welcoming restaurant that makes you feel right at home. In our opinion, the best thing about this place is the care and creativity that clearly goes into every dish.
The menu features homemade Portuguese classics like salt cod salad and Azorean beef stew, plus unique petiscos like muxama (smoked and dried tuna) and spicy pumpkin dip. You’ll also find some great plant-based options, including spiced lentils with rice and chard stew with chickpeas.
Upscale eateries in Sintra
Incomum
When deciding where to eat in Sintra, most visitors search for restaurants close to the historic center. But if you’re already on your way back to Lisbon (or don’t mind a short walk), check out Incomum By Luís Santos—right around the corner from the train station.
Sintra was once the favorite holiday destination for Portuguese royals and aristocrats, and Incomum reflects that high-end history. Its Mediterranean fusion menu includes innovative takes on classics like bacalhau à Brás and creative combinations like duck with za’atar and scallops with passion fruit risotto. Try the signature tiramisu for dessert.
COMO
If you’re looking for something a bit fancier than the average restaurant in Sintra, book a table at COMO. This place specializes in dishes to share between two or three people—think seafood rice, tiger prawns, codfish, and steak—as well as elevated appetizers like octopus carpaccio and beef pica-pau. There’s also pasta, homemade burgers, and a kid’s menu.
The atmosphere at COMO is sleek and modern, with touches of greenery and bold colors to brighten it up. It may be somewhat of a splurge compared to the other spots on this list, but the delicious food, inviting atmosphere, outdoor terrace, and views of the Palácio Nacional make it worth every cent.
Vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sintra
A Praça
You don’t have to be on a plant-based diet to fall in love with A Praça. This is one of the most highly praised places to eat in Sintra, located within the local market.
Through most of the week it serves a set lunch menu that changes each day, including a starter, main dish, drink, and dessert. Some dishes might include dairy or eggs, but there’s always a vegan option.
Keep in mind that A Praça has limited hours and is quite popular; plan ahead for an early lunch if your heart’s set on going here. And if at all possible, try to grab a table outside on the tiny terrace with views of Sintra’s hills in the background.
Mela Canela
Mela Canela is a relatively new restaurant, but it’s already winning over Sintra’s locals and hungry tourists alike. This small vegan café serves a rotating selection of daily dishes like lasagna, roasted seitan, tofu with tomato rice, and moqueca (a traditional Brazilian stew made with coconut milk).
You’ll also find homemade pastries and pancakes on the menu; it’s an especially good spot for Saturday brunch (though unfortunately it’s closed on Sundays and Mondays). Try the fresh juices, specialty lattes, and the cake of the day—it never disappoints.
Casual cafés in Sintra
Café Saudade
If you’ve spent any time in Portugal, you’ve probably come across the word saudade: an untranslatable feeling akin to nostalgic longing. In the case of Café Saudade, it also refers to the vintage vibes and artistic spirit of this charming café and cultural space.
With a convenient location next to the train station, this is the perfect place to stop for a drink, a snack, or a full meal on your way into or out of Sintra.
We recommend the extra-large scones with butter and jam, the homemade lemonade, and the menu tasca: a snacking plate of bread, olives, cured cheese, and canned sardines that comes with a glass of wine.
Garagem Café
Sometimes after hours of sightseeing you just want something simple and comforting—like a homemade cheeseburger with fries. Garagem Café’s got you covered, serving up snacks, bagels, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and brunch favorites like eggs benedict and avocado toast, all at super affordable prices.
It’s also just on the other side of Sintra’s train station, less than 5 minutes away on foot. The menu includes vegan and gluten-free options, plus a list of add-ons so you can customize your order however you want (bacon, veggies, smoked salmon, curry mayo, and more).
Historic pastry shops
Casa Piriquita
You can’t leave Sintra without dropping into Casa Piriquita. Founded in 1862, this is the most famous pastelaria (pastry shop) in town.
It offers various Portuguese sweets, but the house specialty is the travesseiro: an oblong pastry filled with creme de ovo e amêndoa (almond and egg cream). If we could only give you one suggestion for what to eat Sintra, this would be it.
The pastry’s unique shape and soft texture match its name, which literally means “pillow.” It’s big enough to quell your late-afternoon hunger, goes great with coffee or tea, and tastes even better for breakfast the next day (that’s your hint to order a box of travesseiros to go).
Queijadas da Sapa
There are two quintessential pastries to try in Sintra; one is the travesseiro and the other is the queijada. Queijadas, are cheese-based pastries, that are popular all over Portugal, but Sintra has its own special version.
It’s similar in shape to custard tarts, but with a totally different texture and ingredients: fresh cheese, sugar, egg yolks, flour, and cinnamon baked in a crunchy crust.
You can find queijadas de Sintra everywhere, including both of the cafés listed above, but our favorite place to get them is Queijadas da Sapa, which has been in operation since 1756. Stop by the café to pair one with a coffee and grab a paper-wrapped cylinder of 6 or more for later.
Update Notice: This blog post was updated on August 7, 2024.
Eating like a local can transform your travel experience from good to great. On our Tastes & Traditions of Lisbon Food Tour, we’ll skip the tourist traps and lead you to some of the city’s most authentic neighborhoods. You’ll sample beloved bites at the family-run places that have been making them for generations, and come away with a deeper understanding of Portuguese food culture.
Melissa first moved to Madrid to explore her interests in linguistics and communication, and quickly fell in love with the city’s culture and cuisine. She’s particularly passionate about Spanish vermouth and canned seafood, and makes it a point to drench absolutely everything in olive oil.
