16 Best Mediterranean Restaurants near Santa Cruz

“"Taberna do petisco" is a culinary gem that merits the attention of every discerning gourmet. From the very first bite, it is evident that the dishes are crafted with meticulous care and passion. The house specialties are nothing short of extraordinary—each offering is a harmonious blend of flavors, transforming every meal into a memorable experience.

The service at "Taberna do petisco" is exemplary. The staff is not only courteous but also remarkably attentive, remembering their patrons and adding a personal touch that enhances the dining experience. Notably, despite the absence of a tip on the first day, we were met with the same warmth and attentiveness on our return, a testament to their unwavering commitment to hospitality.

While the staff's proficiency in English may be limited, communication and ordering pose no difficulty. It is clear that at "Taberna do petisco," the universal language of exquisite cuisine is spoken fluently, with taste as the primary medium of expression.

A particularly commendable aspect of this establishment is the exceptional price-to-quality ratio. The prices are moderate, yet the quality of the food far surpasses what one might expect, offering superb value for money. The dishes are sure to impress even the most exacting of palates.

In conclusion, "Taberna do petisco" is a place I unreservedly recommend. Its unforgettable flavors, impeccable service, and inviting atmosphere make it a destination to which I will undoubtedly return.“

“Prepare yourself for the unfortunately usual poor acoustics of the place. But the friendliness of the staff, the food and the wine offer overcome this inconvenience. We start with an alheira, samosa and a suckling pig patty, we move on to the regional chopped, the only drawback of which is the already chronic lack of flavor and texture of the potatoes that currently proliferate in the supply circuits. Despite being homemade, it was soft and without much flavor. The wine choice fell on a Medusa Red from 2022, which deserves a score of 9 out of 10.

Vegetarian options: Anything“

“Great place! We went to grab a quick lunch just before our flight and that was a good decision. The restaurant is at the 5-star hotel, the prices are ok, a bit more expensive then Funchal but quality is very good and service was excellent. Also there is a nice view as a bonus.“

“A must visit for people who loves eating fish!!!! We had wreckfish and sem bream, both are very tasty, with absolutely fair price!

We also had passion fruit bavarois, it's so good!! Have no regret to finish the whole slice even though we are already full. Highly recommend!“

“Excellent food and very friendly service by the restaurant owner. We had the two traditional Madeiran meals, Espada (scabbard fish) with banana and Espetada (beef kebab). Both were outstanding! the vegetable that came with the fish were cooked to perfection. The bolo do caco (garlic bread) nicely rounded out the meal. all of this with a glass of a nice house red and Coca Cola with real cane sugar for 30 euros. That is hard to beat...“

“Eating vegan is difficult in Santa Cruz and Madiera in general. It's meat and dairy heavy, but Recanto da Pitada do a vaguely named Vegan Tapas. It was surprisingly tasty, 8 pieces of pizza-like tapas with a vegan sausage and chickpea patty, topped with vegan cheese.

I'd definitely recommend this if you are after a vegan/plant-based meal in Santa Cruz. It was a large serving despite being in the starter section.

The staff were really friendly and helpful and it was reasonably priced for €20 including drinks for two people.“

“We were looking for traditional food and we found it here with super straightforward and honest owner that added to the experience. We ordered scabbard fish with bananas and it was super good. Never had it this way before and I was nicely surprised with this combo. But the craziest thing was cheesecake for dessert that had no sugar and its sweetness was coming from super good cheese that owner makes by himself. I was checking other reviews from curiosity and saw some reviews stating that owner is “not nice”, for me personally his super straightforward attitude was a blessing because I hate fake people :) For me and my friends it was amazing experience and we fully recommend this place!“

“(Translated by Google) An exceptional restaurant, friendly staff and very good food.Great for tourists who come to visit Madeira Island(Original)Um restaurante excecional, funcionários simpáticos e comida muito boa.Ótimo para turistas que vem visitar a Ilha da Madeira“

“Als Vorspeise hatten wir Bruschetta und waren begeistert, dass wir eine art Baguette bekamen was selbstgemacht aussah mit Spinat und das traditionelle Bruschetta in nichts nachstand. Auch die Pizza war Mega lecker. Fluffiger Rand aber kein Veganer Käse Updated from previous review on 2024-09-19“

“Amazing food. Unfortunately the deal doesn't provide a good selection of wines. They just provide house white or red after a small sparkling wine. They should provide dessert wine and a selection over the course of the meal. Not just house wines.
Last year Chris' food quality was similar but the alcohol selection in the past was loads better.“

“I remember it being a good restaurant, with good service and, above all, good distance between tables. However, I no longer remember the dishes we ate or how much we paid. The food was good, as meals in Funchal are generally good for a restaurant of this level, and the price was higher, as prices are generally higher in restaurants of this level in Funchal.“

“We were looking for a place with a reasonable offering for meat eaters and vegetarians. Through our research we specifically looked for this shop, which - because it was on the 1st floor and had no tables on the street - was easy to miss. A relatively small operation with exceptionally good food. Small problem: we had three young ladies between 12 and 18 with us, and the description of the dishes ("sophisticated cuisine") was a bit confusing. There's no place to order a meat skewer with a mountain of fries, but in the end everyone found a dish and none of them disappointed, in fact most of them were excellent. In the end, everyone had an excellent quality starter, main course and dessert, and at a more than fair price. A clear recommendation if you want to skip the standard dishes.“

“We got a place for six people without a reservation. Unfortunately, the high chair that we would have needed for our baby was reserved for another family all evening, but they didn't use it from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. For this reason there are only four stars and a deduction for service, even though David was very attentive, friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere was a little disturbed when the boss reprimanded the staff and we had our table right next door. The food was excellent and the price/performance ratio was right. We'd love to come back and reserve the high chair next time ?“

“A small restaurant in Funchal, with quality. The boss has 2 more? Restaurants the Kampo and the Theos, I think. The kitchen is open with a counter where you can also eat as an individual. The dishes were imaginative and delicious. Even things that you might not like are prepared in such a way that they taste good. The main course grouper with seafood rice was AMAZING. Super delicious and we continued to eat even though we were full for a long time because the taste was really good... Thank you that there are still restaurants that cook fresh and good food in high season... It's a bit small but still great.
Great service and child friendly... THANK YOU

Kid-friendliness: Good“

“Super delicious food, friendly and personable service. The ambience may not be the best, but the food was delicious! The cakes we had for dessert (chocolate cake & cheese-passion fruit cake) were homemade and simply delicious - I can only recommend them!“

“Arrived at 20 30. Hrs .. very busy. Was met by the head waiter who explained that we could expect upto an hour for our food. .. we still decided to stay... had ordered and received drinks .. food took 35 mins.
It was a superb meal ..plus dessert .
Worth evey euro.. recommended 10/10“