Mesa Farta

Mesa Farta is chef Joao Viegas's restaurant in the historic centre of Tavira, on Rua de Santo Estevao. Viegas was born in Tavira and trained at El Celler de Can Roca and Mugaritz in Spain and at Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru, before returning home. He was named Chef of the Year in Portugal in 2015, and Mesa Farta itself is listed in the Michelin Guide Portugal and the Repsol Guide 2026. The kitchen describes its approach as a tribute to Portuguese gastronomy, pairing local and seasonal ingredients with technique picked up across those international kitchens. The a la carte menu is split into sections labelled To start, To settle (sea, earth and garden mains) and To share, followed by a dessert list called To cozy up. Starters run from EUR 6 to EUR 13, mains from EUR 19.50 for a vegetarian garden dish up to EUR 27.50 for the earth (meat) plates, and sharing dishes for two or more are priced EUR 42 to EUR 48.50. The wine list is built around the same idea of range and provenance, with sections for sparkling wines and Pet Nat, reds, whites, roses (La vie en Roses) and fortified wines, plus a smoked and cured charcuterie and cheese selection. Reservations run through the restaurant's own online booking system, which asks about allergies and dietary preferences (gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free) at the time of booking.