Top restaurant in Quinta do Lago

Originally from Brittany, Yannick’s CV reads like a Michelin guide to France’s top restaurants, not to mention some of the country’s most famous gastronomic and wine regions. From Champagne to Savoie and the Dordogne, Yannick honed his craft in regions that provide some of France’s greatest local specialities. And it is this skill, knowledge and love of locally sourced quality ingredients that Yannick brings to the Casa Velha kitchens.

Front of house and offering a genuinely warm welcome, making each visit feel like a treat, is the restaurant’s multilingual hostess, Céline Guichaoua. It is no surprise to learn that the restaurant has a strong hardcore of loyal regulars.

Casa Velha benefits from the unspoken understanding that can only come from a pairing such as a husband and wife team. The couple met 14 years ago while working together in a chateau in the South of France. Of course, it was love at first bite and today they share everything. They discuss menus – occasionally a heated subject! – and enjoy family life with their two sons and “fin gourmet”, Pierrick, 11 and Corentin, 9.

A 200 year-old Algarvian farmhouse

A 200 year-old Algarvian farmhouse, Casa Velha means Old House. Céline’s soft features break into a glittering smile as she describes it: “it has a soul”, she says. t is the oldest building in Quinta do Lago and one of the first restaurants in the region.

Located in the heart of the resort, the restaurant is just off roundabout number 6 and close to Hotel Quinta do Lago and the Ria Formosa. The restaurateurs obviously love the building and they use it to its full potential, cosily seating diners around a great open fireplace during the winter months, while enjoying the cool night air with al fresco dining during the summer.

“Never drink black coffee at lunch; it will keep you awake all afternoon.” Jilly Cooper

Located in the central part of the house, the patio is filled with the delicate fragrance of abundant blooming bougainvillea and the soothing sounds of a Moorish fountain. Nestling firmly on a rocky hillside overlooking both Quinta do Lago and the lake, its impassive exterior is calmly imposing. Inside the building has been lovingly restored, with design choices that respect and enhance the farmhouse’s history and culture.

“I don’t have a particular favourite food”, explains Yannick, “because there is always something interesting in each world cuisine. I prefer simplicity and my philosophy is to work with the finest ingredients”. His menus echo this.

Although perhaps inevitably French influenced, Yannick also explores the flavours and dishes of the region, changing the menu every season to take advantage of the freshest produce. One season may bring you foie gras from the Dordogne, followed by a breast of duck seasoned with 12 locally sourced spices. Another time, you may enjoy a marinated lobster salad with the catch of the day, which could be a filet of sole or a melt-in-your-mouth sea bass.

Extensive and exquisite wine list

The restaurant has a wine list that is as extensive as it is exquisite and enjoys wines from Portugal’s many excellent vineyards as well as a good number of French classics.

When pressed on what makes Casa Velha such a success, the ever-modest Yannick suggests it is a combination of  ”the scenery, the food and the staff”.

However, while this undoubtedly forms the basis of the restaurant’s quality, it is the passion through which they are combined, the essence of Yannick and Céline’s relationship and the outstanding panache of Yannick’s skill in the kitchen that makes an evening at Casa Velha such a memorable one.

Restaurante Casa Velha Reservations: +351 289 394 983 Homepage: Restaurante Casa Velha

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approaching Gigi’s there is a sense of anticipation

Bernardo Reino (universally known as Gigi) has been serving lunch at his famous beach-side fish restaurant, Gigi’s, for more than 20 years. But the length of time Gigi’s has been there is only one small measure of its success. In fact, during the height of the season, it is virtually impossible to get a table without booking well in advance – a true testament to the restaurant’s popularity.

The Algarve is filled with seafood restaurants and cafes. So why do celebrities, from royalty to pop stars and Formula 1 racing drivers, jostle with locals and other mortals in a bid to reserve a table? The answer lies in its fantastic location and in an unspoken understanding that only the best is good enough. But, perhaps more than anything, there is the indefinable, genial quality possessed by both the restaurant and its larger-than-life restaurateur.

In a bid to secure the best fish, Gigi makes daily dawn visits to the local fish markets to look through the catches of his preferred fisherman. Not only does he go to the best fisherman, but he also chooses their most succulent fish. The catch of each day is then neatly recorded on chalkboard menus at the restaurant.

Gigi’s is totally without pretension. Simple wooden tables, shaded from the sun by lemon yellow parasols, sit on wooden decking. Yet somehow this understated simplicity doesn’t seem rustic, but rather, stylish. It is also very welcoming and diners are all made to feel at home.

unique atmosphere, ambience and wonderful food

Besides the daily changing menu and great wine list, the best thing about Gigi’s is its ambience. The friendly staff, most of whom seem to have been there forever, take the time to get to know their customers. On spotting your arrival, Gigi himself will throw his arms up in delight and welcome you like the old friend you have become and his delightful wife, Leonor, will enquire after your family. It’s hard not to enjoy such a welcome.

Perhaps the most reliable reviews of Gigi’s, however, come from the long-term Quinta do Lago residents. We asked one regular why he kept returning. He replied: “The atmosphere, the food, the people even as you walk across the bridge approaching Gigi’s there is a sense of anticipation. It’s always very special”.

Gigi’s Beach Restaurant
Telephone: 964 045178
“There is no love sincerer than the love of food” – George Bernard Shaw

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