Ribeira do Poço

Ribeira do Poço occupies a converted palheiro (a traditional rural barn) in the centre of Vila do Bispo, a short drive from the best beaches of the municipality. The conversion turned a ruined outbuilding into a rustic dining room decorated with old photographs of the area and its people, and the restaurant opened in 2002 under the same family that still runs it, Ribeira do Poço, Lda. The kitchen focuses on home-style cooking built around the seafood the area is known for: arroz de tamboril (monkfish rice), stuffed squid, grilled salt cod, and a wide range of fresh fish, grilled or boiled to order, alongside grilled meats. Vila do Bispo's coastline is worked by local shellfish gatherers, and the menu reflects that with mussels, grilled limpets and the region's well known percebes (goose barnacles). Desserts are homemade too, including chocolate mousse, pudim and a traditional fig cheese served with medronho spirit. Ribeira do Poço keeps a short, seasonal opening window: it trades through July, August and September, from 15:00 to 22:00, closed on Mondays, and shuts completely from 1 December to 31 January. The restaurant does not take reservations. It can be reached by phone or by email.