Modern day Faial celebrates its maritime heritage, whilst embracing seasonality and good local produce to the full. Here’s our handy guide on where to eat on Faial.
Leaving the island capital Horta and heading east, you’ll come to the village of Praia do Almoxarife and the Restaurante Praya. Its glass frontage has a wonderful view across the channel to Pico, and it’s a great lunch option if you’re spending time on Praia’s dark sandy beach or walking the Ribeirinha trail (PRC09 FAI). They’re open 10am to 12am excluding Wednesdays, and menu is a nicely-concentrated selection of well-presented Portuguese staples.
Head inland from the main crossroads in Pedro Miguel, the Taberna Azevedo is very much worth making a detour for. And don’t be put off by the building’s unassuming front facade – owner Marlene is a welcoming one-band, and a genius when it comes to slow-cooked stews, veggie curries and lemon meringue pies.
Faial’s north coast is often overlooked by visitors to the island – it’s a less-populated, agricultural part of the island with easy to miss, off-the-beaten track places to eat. Pasquinha is one such example – very much a locals’ favourite, it’s a good spot for a wallet-friendly lunch, but expect it to be quite busy from 12pm to 2pm.
The Restaurante o Esconderijo deserves a special mention as the most vegan-friendly restaurant on the island. In the words of owners Benjamin and Verena, ‘…we are offering a four-course menu with seasonal, regional, organic and daily fresh(ly) harvested vegetables, fruits and greens which we source from our garden, local neighbours and farmers. Trying to avoid packaged and processed food as much as possible, it will be a positively forward-looking experience for us and our guests…’.
The Aldina Restaurant and Bar is at the most-northerly point on the island in Cascalho. It’s a new build restaurant with a modern, contemporary interior, and another no-frills menu which won’t break the bank. They’re lunchtime only, 12pm to 3pm – there’s also a smaller supermercado if you need to stock up on any supplies.
One of unsung heroes of Faial’s walking trail network is the Rochas da Faja PRC02 FAI. This area suffered greatly during the Cabeco do Fogo eruption in 1672, which is commemorated by the Imperio dos Nobres shrine in downtown Horta. The trail’s start/end point is by the Restaurante Rumar – a dyed-in-the-wool, Azorean family-run restaurant with typically large Azorean portions: perfect for refuelling after walking the Rochas da Faja, but watch out again for the lunchtime rush and they’re closed on Thursdays.
The Café o Vulcao is at the junction where the main EN1 meets the Rua da Igreja – the road taking you down to Capelinhos. It’s convenient for a coffee stop, but the café at the Capelinhos Interpretation Centre is often a better option for lunch, and it’s a very cool building.
The Piscinas Naturais at Varadouro are one of the most-popular swimming spots on the island. If you’re spending the day swimming, there are three lunch options: the Restaurant Vista da Baia is the larger of the two and has an open terrace with a view of the bay – they usually cook over hot coals. The Varadouro Pizzeria is a no-frills fast food café bar with its own sea view deck, and is perhaps the more laidback option if you’re just taking a break from the pools – their buffalo wings are particularly popular. If you’re not looking for a sit-down meal, you’ll probably opt for the Varadouro Tiki Bar as it’s the closest – that’s not a bad decision either; it’s owned by the same team as the pizzeria with a pared-down menu of burgers, fries and those buffalo wings once again.
The tiki bar is open every day, the pizzeria is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and restaurant is closed on Wednesdays – lunch is 12pm to 3pm at Vista da Baia.
Almost completing our circuit of the island, if you find yourself between flights on Faial and have time for lunch, the Restaurant Petisca Aki is just a two-minute taxi ride away. They usually offer an excellent lunchtime buffet for around 10€ per head – good polvo (octopus) and good regional steaks.
It’s usually pretty easy to grab a taxi from outside the airport once you’ve exited arrivals (but don’t dawdle, as the drivers don’t hang around if there are not flights due), and be sure to arrange a return pick-up with the driver.
Our Where to eat guides are based on our first-hand experiences and our love of great Portuguese cuisine:
Where to eat in Ponta Delgada
Our Ponta Delgada Food Tour
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – Sete Cidades and the west
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – the north coast
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – Furnas and the east
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – the south coast
Where to eat in Angra
Where to eat on Terceira
Where to eat in Horta
Where to eat on Faial
Where to eat on Sao Jorge
Where to eat on Pico
Where to eat on Flores, Corvo, Santa Maria and Graciosa
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