On one Portuguese island, dinner can be as simple as beef grilled over laurel wood, with sweet-potato bread and garlic butter on the side. Book a different table, though, and you’ll find that same island’s produce on tasting menus at restaurants with Michelin stars.
That island is Madeira, and it built its reputation on dramatic landscapes and a mild climate that lasts all year. Its fertile volcanic soil and fresh Atlantic seafood now attract a growing number of chefs and restaurant owners. The spring-like weather lets farmers grow bananas, passion fruit, sweet potatoes and herbs in every season.
Michelin Just Threw Its Big Party Here
In March, Funchal hosted the Michelin Guide Portugal gala, the first time the event came to Madeira. Chef Benoît Sinthon of Il Gallo d’Oro coordinated the food for the night.
Right now, three restaurants on Madeira hold four Michelin stars between them.
Who’s Cooking What
Three of these kitchens hold Michelin stars. The other four show how far Madeira’s contemporary dining scene has spread.
- Il Gallo d’Oro: The island’s only two-star restaurant sits inside The Cliff Bay hotel, with Benoît Sinthon in the kitchen.
- Desarma: This one-star spot occupies the rooftop of The Views Baía hotel, where Octávio Freitas is the chef.
- William: Reid’s Palace named this one-star dining room after William Reid, the hotel’s founder.
- Audax: Traditional Madeiran flavors get a modern spin here.
- Oxalis: Chef Gonçalo Bita Bota cooks at Casa Velha do Palheiro with seasonal ingredients from the property’s garden and from local producers.
- Kampo: Chef Júlio Pereira takes a creative approach to meat.
- Gazebo: Filipe Janeiro serves contemporary tasting menus that center on island produce at a century-old family quinta in Funchal.
The Classics Still Rule
The new wave hasn’t replaced Madeira’s traditional food.
Order black scabbardfish with banana if you see it on a menu. Grilled limpets and milho frito, or fried cornmeal, deserve a spot on your list, too.
More chefs now take these familiar flavors in new directions.
Save Room for Madeira Wine
Madeira Wine is the island’s centuries-old fortified wine. It comes in a wide range of styles and can age for a remarkably long time.
You can try it through tastings, vineyard visits and Funchal’s historic wine lodges. Restaurants increasingly pair it with both traditional and contemporary Madeiran food.
Heading to Madeira? Plan at least one casual dinner and one tasting menu. With weather this mild, any month works.
Eat the classics first, so you have something to compare when the fancier plates arrive. Then finish with a glass of Madeira Wine.