Taberna da Maré

Managed by Zeca Pinhota, the Taberna da Maré Restaurant has been serving meals in Largo da Barca for almost 30 years. The charismatic owner of this restaurant in Portimão took over an old tavern that had been here since the early 1940s, stripped it bare and completely rebuilt it. Today it is exactly as it was when he first opened for business: a high tile-lined tavern counter, wooden tables and long wooden benches, and five-litre jugs of wine adorning the shelves.
On the walls, he shares his extensive collection of black-and-white photographs with us. Taken under the sensitive eye of well-known Portimão photographer, Júlio Bernardo, they illustrate some of the most authentic memories of the city of Portimão.
Poring over the menu at Taberna da Maré, we discover that same strong Algarve personality, and the great pride in the gastronomic legacy of various generations of a Portimão family: “These are the dishes I used to eat at my grandparents’ house,” Zeca explains. Highlights to try at this restaurant in Portimão are the fish and seafood dishes, such as the marinated mackerel and horse mackerel, the whelk and haricot bean stew, the fresh squid, either stuffed or fried “Algarve style” and, of course, the grilled fresh fish and top quality meat dishes.
As soon as you step through the door at Taberna da Maré, you feel welcome and comfortable. It’s like eating out but feeling truly at home.
Of the many restaurants in Portimão, Taberna da Maré is not to be missed. The welcome is so warm and genuine that you truly feel at home. And with its intimate ambience and authenticity, nowhere could be more traditionally “Algarvean”.