11 Great Sintra Restaurants, Cafes and Bars

Are you wondering what and where to eat during your Sintra day trip from Lisbon? After visiting the magical Portuguese city multiple times, we have you covered with our favorite Sintra restaurants, cafés and bars plus three nearby options.

Located just 25 kilometers from Lisbon and easily accessible by train, Sintra is a sloping, fairytale town filled with whimsical palaces, two historic hill-top castles, epic views and marvelous food.The quality of Sintra’s architectural gems is so rich that the Portuguese town received UNESCO’s first European Cultural Landscape designation in 1995.

Most visitors flock to Sintra to see the sites but miss out on the food. We were no exception during our first visit.

During our honeymoon back in 2007, in a quest to see as many Portuguese sites as possible, we climbed Sintra’s scenic hills to both the Pena Palace and the millenim-old Moorish Castle. Little did we know we would eventually move to Lisbon but that’s another story.

Though we packed in plenty of sights during that first visit, the only food we ate was a picnic lunch that we had bought at the newly opened El Corte Inglés in Lisbon. A number of aggressive birds tried to steal our lunch break but they picked the wrong targets that day.

Back then, finding information about Lisbon restaurants was next to impossible. Exploring Sintra restaurants? We didn’t even try. Good news!! Times have since changed. We now live in Portugal as locals and have found great restaurants in Lisbon as well as in nearby Sintra.

Planning a Sintra day trip is a no-brainer for most travelers visiting Lisbon for the first time. Getting to Sintra’s quaint and obvious beauty only requires a €5 (roundtrip) 45- minute train ride. The challenge is fitting in all the sites in just one day.

The Palácio da Pena, also known as Pena Palace, is Sintra’s crowning jewel and a mandatory stop when touring Sintra. Originally built as a monastery during the Middle Ages, Pena Palace reached its full glory 99 years after suffering near destruction from Lisbon’s massive earthquake in 1755.

Book a Skip the Ticket Line Ticket for Pena Palace. This will allow you to bypass inevitable lines for one of Portugal’s top attractions. Based on our personal experience, skipping this line is the best way to maximize your time in Sintra.

Portugal’s King Ferdinand II commissioned German architect Wilhelm Ludwig in 1838 to design Pena Palace as a summer residence for the royal family. Since then, the magnificence of the hilltop palace has inspired a number of artists including Hans Christian Andersen and Richard Strauss.

A vibrant red, yellow and blue mish-mash of Romantic, Moorish and Manueline styles, Pena Palace’s structure is part romantic palace and part epic funhouse. You truly have to experience Pena Palace in person to believe it.

Pro Tip
Arrive early to beat the inevitable crowds. Another approach is to go late in the day after the crowds leave.

While Pena Palace is worth a visit on its own merit, Sintra has multiple amazing sites. If you start your day early and/or book a Sintra day tour, you can also see one or more of the following sites:

With two of Portugal’s 46 Michelin-starred restaurants located in its Penha Longa Resort, Sintra is no stranger to fine dining. However, most day-trippers don’t have the budget for a meal at LAB or Midori nor do they have the time to walk over two hours to reach the resort. If you have the time and money or you’re into golfing – we say go for it.

Don’t despair if you can’t justify a Michelin meal. Despite its relatively small size, Sintra has great restaurants at all price points, with many offering excellent value. After visiting Sintra multiple times including three day trips so far this year, these are our picks for the best restaurants in Sintra, Portugal:

1. Incomum

Chef Luis Santos honed his culinary skills in Geneva and Lisbon before opening Incomum in Sintra in 2014. He now proudly displays his name on the Incomum menu and logo.

Literally a two-minute walk from Sintra’s tile-adorned train station, Incomum is a delightful spot to enjoy elevated Portuguese food favorites. The restaurant’s decor is elegant yet simple and there’s outside seating too. Though it’s one of the best restaurants in Sintra, Incomum’s lunch prices are a great deal.

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We have an unwritten Portugal restaurant rule: If octopus is on the menu, order it. Incomum proved the soundness of this principle by serving us meltingly tender octopus garnished with briny sea beans served atop a melange of sweet potatoes and kale.

Incomum’s dinner menu offers a five-course tasting menu for those looking to cap a day of sightseeing. Though more expensive than the lunch special, it’s a worthy way to celebrate the occasion of being in Sintra and a convenient place to dine before jumping on the return train to Lisbon.

Pro Tip
Take a wine and cheese break at Incomum’s attached wine gallery. The gallery’s menu features wine from all over Portugal including Sintra.

Incomum is located at Rua Dr. Alfredo da Costa 22, 2710-631 Sintra, Portugal.

Specializing in petiscos (snacks), Tascantiga is more than a typical Sintra snack bar. With its airy, comfortable, high-ceilinged dining room and additional outdoor seating, Tascantiga has been serving its quirky, seasonal tapas menu since 2016.

Don’t get us wrong – we like typical snack bars in Portugal. But Tascantiga takes the Portuguese snack concept a step further with ingredients like smoked ham dust and oregano mayonnaise.

During our first lunch in Sintra, we shared three plates including Lagareiro-style octopus and candied pork cheeks with mushrooms. However, our favorite dish had to be roasted chouriço frivolously served on sticks in a flower pot filled with blue sand. We ordered the chouriço when we returned plus pica pau, fried chicken and refreshing watermelon salad.

Pro Tip
Visit Quinta da Regaleira before or after your meal at Tascantiga. It’s just an eight-minute walk to this iconic Sintra World Heritage Site.

Tascantiga is located at Escadinhas da Fonte da Pipa 2, 2710-557 Sintra, Portugal.

Apeadeiro is an ideal Sintra restaurant for eating large servings of classic Portuguese dishes. Though the unassuming tasca (tavern) is a popular spot for hungry locals, we felt welcomed and comfortable during our filling mid-day meal.

Located on the same block as Incomum, Apeadeiro’s dining room is a cavernous space with long tables and azulejo-covered walls. Its menu features typical fare like bacalhau a brás and alheira.

During our lunch, we ordered a picanha na grelha platter that was big enough to share. The dish included thin slices of grilled Brazilian steak plus fried potatoes, black beans and rice.

As is typical at tascas in Portugal, our server offered us complimentary glasses of port to end our meaty meal. However, the accompanying miniature cream-filled travesseiro pastries were a fun surprise that we couldn’t and didn’t resist.

Pro Tip
Apeadeiro serves two meal sizes. Only order a large meal if you’re ravenous or sharing with a friend.

Apeadeiro is located at Avenida Dr. Miguel Bombarda 3, 2710-631 Sintra, Portugal.

Located in a renovated garage, Garagem Café lives up to a name that literally translates to Garage Café. Yes, this hipster hangout had a previous life that involved cars instead of food.

The current iteration of the former garage is a chill spot across from a scenic overlook where visitors can ‘fill their tanks’ with café fare like hamburgers, hummus, bagels, salads and sandwiches. The café also serves cappuccinos and smoothies for thirsty visitors.

Previously disappointed by lackluster bagels in Lisbon, we took a chance and ordered a bagel topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon and leafy spinach at Garagem. Though the soft round bread tasted more like brioche than a New York bagel, it was still a solid sandwich that we enjoyed.

Pro Tip
Consider eating brunch at Garagem Café if you visit Sintra on a Saturday or Sunday. The café serves a multi-course brunch on weekends only.

Garagem Café is located at Alameda Combatentes da Grande Guerra 12 A b, 2710-426 Sintra, Portugal.

Consider these respected restaurants if you want to explore additional restaurants during your Sintra day trip:

Eating dessert in Sintra is a must and not just because climbing its many hills burns a lot of calories. Though rewarding exercise is a valid reason for dessert, the real reason is that Sintra is the home of two iconic Portuguese pastries: travesseiros and queijadas.

While you want to eat pastéis de nata in Lisbon, you need to eat tasty travesseiro and queijada pastries at the following Sintra cafés:

5. Casa Piriquita

Though famous for baking Sintra’s pillow-like pastries called travesseiros, Casa Piriquita originally claimed its fame by baking queijadas for Portugal’s royal family in the 19th century. The bakery has been a local favorite since 1862.

Legend has it that the original owner’s granddaughter, Constança Luísa, discovered the now-famous travesseiro recipe in an old cookbook in the 1940s. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fun Fact
The word travesseiro literally translates to pillow.

Although Casa Piriquita still bakes queijadas as well as a full array of Portuguese pastries, locals and tourists queue daily to buy travesseiros by the bagful. Don’t worry – the line moves quickly. Plus, it’s worth the wait to eat a hot travesseiro fresh out of the oven. It’s also worth it to pair your travesseiro with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Shaped like its namesake pillow, a travesseiro is a puff pastry filled with almond cream and covered in sugar. Having become fans after our initial bites into the flaky, sugary pastry, we didn’t stop biting until our travesseiros were gone. Sweet but not cloyingly so, the travesseiro is now a pastry that we dream about between visits.

Pro Tip
Start your morning with a travesseiro and cup of coffee at Casa Piriquita. The sugar and caffeine combination will fuel your sightseeing efforts for the next few hours.

Casa Piriquita is located at Rua das Padarias 1/18, 2710-603 Sintra, Portugal. Piriquita 2 is located at Rua das Padarias 18, 2710-623 Sintra, Portugal.

The travesseiro may be Sintra’s most popular pastry, but the queijada is by far its oldest. Although Queijadas da Sapa has been baking the sweet treat since 1756, historians trace the queijada’s origin to the middle ages.

We stopped by Queijadas da Sapa wanting to try a real deal Sintra queijada. What we got was a small pastry with a crispy shell and a firm, gooey topping made with fresh cow’s milk cheese, egg yolk, cinnamon, flour and sugar.

Discover more of the best desserts around the world.

Queijadas da Sapa has a quaint dining room overlooking a garden, making it a lovely spot for an afternoon break. Another option is to eat queijadas on a nearby park bench which is what we did during our most recent visit.

While gobbling down the tiny yet tasty treats, we wondered about the bakery’s name and if there was any connection to the Vietnamese city north of Hanoi. Sapa, as it turns out, is the name of the prolific baker who created the recipe back in the 18th century.

Pro Tip
Buy a six-pack of queijadas to enjoy on the spot or on your train ride from Sintra to Lisbon.

Queijadas da Sapa is located at Volta do Duche 12, 2710-631 Sintra, Portugal.

Traipsing around Sintra’s hills, especially during the warm summer months, takes its toll. After chalking up 10,000 steps on our Fitbit, we like to reward ourselves with an adult beverage or two.

These are our favorite Sintra bars for liquid libations:

7. Villa Craft Beer & Bread

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Sometimes we like to eat our carbs and sometimes we like to drink them. We accomplished both at Villa Craft Beer and Bread, a local Sintra craft beer taproom with a wood oven. The casual taproom taps craft beer from nearby Cerveja Rafeira and offers other bottles as well. During our visit, we drank crisp blond ales flavored with basil – a much needed refresher on an unseasonably warm late spring (or was it early summer?) afternoon.

Since craft beer is no longer a unicorn beverage in Portugal, it’s not surprising to find balanced brews in a town like Sintra. The bigger surprise is finding a taproom with a wood stove making stuffed breads to order. Tempted to try every flavor, we settled on sharing a bread filled with chouriço. Other notable options include bacalhau (cod), spicy sardinha (sardines) and slow-cooked cachaço porco (pork neck). There’s even a roasted legumes (veggies) option fit for vegans.

Pro Tip
Feel free to chill with your beer on Villa Craft Beer & Bread’s terrace. The taproom offers free wifi for its customers.

Villa Craft Beer & Bread is located at Rua Paço 12, 2710-616 Sintra, Portugal.

Botica Saloia is a must for oenophiles spending the day in Sintra. Conveniently located next door to Villa Craft Beer & Bread, the cozy Sintra bar serves a range of Portuguese wines featuring locally produced varietals.

Portugal’s most famous wines hail from regions like the Douro Valley, Dāo and Alentejo, but don’t rule out Sintra wines when you visit Botica Saloia. During our visit, we opted to share a bottle of Patrão Diogo white wine produced in nearby Colares. Ironically, this is the same white wine we enjoyed during our Incomum lunch.

Beyond wine, Botica Saloia’s menu includes snacks like batatas fritas (fried potatoes) and bruschetta. However, you’re probably better off ordering a plate of Portuguese queijo (cheese) or Iberico presunto (dried ham).

Pro Tip
Relax with a bottle of local wine. Whether you drink it inside or outside is up to you.

Botica Saloia is located at Rua Paço 16, 2710-616 Sintra, Portugal.

Check out the following Sintra bars if you’re craving cocktails and heavy snacks instead of craft beer and local wine:

You won’t go hungry if you’re spending one day in Sintra. The bigger issue is narrowing down the options among the many Sintra restaurants, cafés and bars.

Intrepid food travelers, however, will want to explore culinary gems outside of Sintra’s official boundaries. If you fit into this category, we recommend the following destinations:

9. Moinho Dom Quixote in Azóia

The scenic drive from downtown Sintra to Moinho Dom Quixote takes about a half–hour and the bus ride slightly longer. It’s worth it. Located inside a repurposed mill, Moinho Dom Quixote is a unique, expat and tourist friendly restaurant that provides a welcome break from Sintra’s tourist crush.

Moinho Dom Quixote’s interior has its quirky charms but sitting inside isn’t why you journey to Azóia. You want to sit outside on the restaurant’s expansive terrace. In fact, doing so is a must – it’s a green oasis with epic views that span all the way to the sea. And, yet, despite those views, the terrace offers intimate spaces that are ideal for leisurely conversation.

The menu at Moinho Dom Quixote is both big and diverse. Food options include Portuguese favorites like pastéis de bacalhau, seafood options like giant garlicky mussels and surprisingly good cheeseburgers. We ate all three during our lunch as well as a slice of cheesecake.

While the menu and food are solid, they’re not Moinho Dom Quixote’s main attractions. This is a restaurant that’s all about its epic views. It’s also about conversation since there’s no WiFi and laptops aren’t allowed.

Pro Tip
Make a reservation to dine at Moinho Dom Quixote before or after you visit Europe’s westernmost point – Cabo da Roca.

Moinho Dom Quixote is located at Moinho Dom Quixote, Rua dos Moinhos 5, 2705-001 Azóia, Portugal.

Bar do Fundo is a super romantic place to eat seafood with an ocean view. Located at the bottom of Praia Grande, a large beach 12 kilometers from Sintra, Bar do Fundo is worth a visit for its cliffside views alone. Don’t get us wrong – the food is worthwhile too.

Originally opened by a local family as a beach bar, Bar do Fundo expanded to full restaurant status in 2015. The Cotta family remains involved in the operation and serves a varied menu filled with local seafood and potent potables.

Pro Tip
Specify that you want an outside table when you call to make a dinner reservation during the warmer months. You’ll understand why once you see the epic view. We recommend calling well in advance once tourist crowds return in full force.

Armed with a 6 pm reservation, we took a leisurely Uber ride to Bar do Fundo and somehow arrived a few minutes early. We thought about walking along the beach to kill time but promptly changed our minds when we saw our table with a view.

Our summer dinner was a multi-course feast that commenced with garlic shrimp and Spanish-style mussels. Though technically starters, both were generously sized. Not wanting to miss a bite, we didn’t stop until there was nothing left to sop up with pão (bread).

Main dishes were equally large. Following our polvo rule, we ordered grilled octopus as well as seared tuna served with a side of herbed rice and green beans.

Pro Tip
You can optionally order a range of fish sold by the kilo – an excellent sharable option if you’re dining with a group of four or more.

Bar do Fundo is located at Avenida Alfredo Coelho, 2705-329 Colares, Portugal.

Located on the way to the Aldeia de Praia compound, HopSin is a friendly spot to relax and drink craft beer. Its Colares location feels far less touristic though it’s just seven kilometers from Sintra’s city center. HopSin brews its beer on-site and follows the craft beer playbook with options like IPA, Porter, Belgian Blond and Roast Abbey. ABV percentages ranged from 4.5% to 9% during our visit.

Not able to narrow our choices for round two, we shared a flight of five beers – Colares Pale Ale, Black Sparrow Porter, Belgian Blond, Roast Abbey and Wheat Ale. Don’t ask us to pick a favorite – they were all good.

HopSin’s rooftop terrace features a pleasant hillside view. Chased away by pesky mosquitos and blaring sunshine, we spent most of our time in the taproom. Not that we’re complaining – we liked being closer to the bar where we could order more beer.

Pro Tip
You won’t go hungry at HopSin. Food options include nachos and burgers as well as jars of preserved items like octopus and eggs.

HopSin Brewpub is located at Avenida Do Atlântico 1, 2705-231 Colares, Portugal.

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t even think about renting a car and driving the short distance from Lisbon to Sintra. With a roundtrip costing under €5, taking the train from Lisbon’s Rossio train station to downtown Sintra is a no-brainer.

You won’t need a car once you arrive. Uber trips from Sintra to nearby towns, villages and beaches are less costly than paying for car rental and gasoline. See other options below

Expect trains from Lisbon to Sintra to take 45 minutes and make several stops along the way. You don’t need to worry about missing the Sintra stop since it’s the end of the line.

Pro Tip
Since Sintra is considered to be part of the Lisbon metropolitan area, you can use a Viva Viagem card to pay for your train ride to Sintra. Buy a card when you arrive in Lisbon – you can use it to take Lisbon trams and metros too.

Getting around Sintra is a breeze. You’ll want to do a combination of the following during your visit:

🇵🇹 Sintra Travel Checklist

Check out our guide to eating in Portugal as well as our picks for the best Portuguese foods and the best Portuguese desserts before your trip.

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