Marisqueira da Vagueira Restaurant – Praia da Vagueira, Portugal

The Best Seafood in Northern Portugal

The best seafood in Northwest Portugal can be found in Praia da Vagueira. On the shores of the famous Costas Novas, the beach village of Gafanha da Boa Hora has quite a lot to offer. But no other restaurant in town can beat the delicious taste, traditional recipes and friendly staff of Marisqueira da Vagueira. With a 5-star dining experience, the prices are not low, but certainly not high.

The ambiance at Marisqueira is one that you will certainly enjoy. Being that they are just a few hundred meters from the beach, dinners by sunset out on their patio are the ideal spot for any couple wanting some romance in a secluded village. The wait staff is beyond friendly, knowledgeable and fluent in just about any language you speak.

Starting in 2004, Marisqueira da Vagueira is a family-run business. Their specialties are focused on meat and fish, but with seafood being their most popular selling items. In fact, their specialty dish is also their hottest seller. The mixed grilled seafood platter will have you rethinking your diet, if you’re on one, as you will not want to put anything on that platter down.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. I had, including appetizers, a 5-course dinner the night I visited Marisqueira…and a month later, I’m still full from that visit. The portions were plentiful, the tastes incredible, and the experience truly unforgettable. Quite literally one of the top 5 best meals I had while I was in Portugal for a whole month, the food was outstanding.

The Food

Let’s start with the appetizers. Nothing beats tuna dip, unless it’s the most incredible mussels you’ve ever tasted in your life. That’s right, move over Sansibar Tapas bar in Carvoeiro, there’s an even more delicious mussels recipe in Portugal! Having had mussels a bazillion times in my life, I have incredibly never had mussels prepared this way before. And this is definitely something that needs repeating. Marinated in olive oil and garlic, and then baked, these half shelled delicacies were large, juicy and flavorful is not a strong enough word for their aromatic taste.

And while the mussels were obviously heavenly, a close second to this would have to be the shrimp, which were also marinated in garlic and I believe lemon. I had to finish those… because, you can’t throw something that good away.

The entrees? You don’t want to leave the restaurant without trying that popular platter of theirs, which includes more of my favorite mussels. It also comes with squid, long shrimp, among other mixed classics. And French fries on the side.

Freshness & Tradition

All of their fish is fresh. How fresh? Each morning the fishermen bring the net out and catch the…well, the catch of the day. It’s here that they purchase their crustacean creatures and serve them up to their house full of customers that evening. That’s how fresh the fish is. And we like it like that, don’t we?

Tradition is important to the family of Marisqueira. They like to keep their recipes old fashioned, and their culture as top priority at the restaurant. While eel is the specialty in Praia da Vagueira, their specialty is making their guests feel important. The atmosphere at Marisqueira will leave you with a sense of sophistication and certainly a satisfied appetite.

Wine & Dessert

But of course, no dining experience is complete without some wine and dessert. Definitely order a bottle of their Lagoa Velha which was incredibly robust and coupled nicely with my dinner choices. While it’s a red, it fit perfectly with my selection of seafood and didn’t overpower any senses.

The dessert is of course a must, and you will want to try both their super yummy chocolate cake, but most especially their specialty of the house, which is a puff pastry. Oh. My. God. Yes. Order three. You won’t regret it.

All things considered, with a chic ambiance, a gorgeous view all around you, fine linen on every table, and high quality service and decor, Marisqueira is the best game in town. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself. And when you do, make sure to tell them Lisa sent you!