Restaurante Alvalade Mimosa

Driving from Ourique to Lisbon, about 35 km north of Ourique, we found the Restaurant Alevlade Restaurant is at Alvelade. Its on the right of the main road attached to a Galp petrol station and looks a little like a transport cafe because of the numerous cars and lorries parked there. But it is really family friendly and is not in any way a greasy spoon! Service is good, though at peak periods it slows down a little and the place can be packed. The food is very good varying from obscure Portuguese to excellent ham egg and chips and portions can be enormous see the ham hock photo! But everything is freshly cooked and tastes great. Not much English spoken but staff are patient and help you out. Good services. Well worth a visit if you happen to be passing and you'll never see and English motor way service station cafe in the same light again!

We found this little place along our long drive from Sagres, Portugal to Lisbon. It was late at night, nothing around and we were starving. At first appearance, it seemed like a small convenient store type place. But, as we walked up, there were men playing cards on the porch, families and children eating, and a full service restaurant inside. It was late so they were only making chicken and fries which we ordered to go. Our Portugeuse is terrible and their English not so good but, we managed to get our order. The atmosphere was so unique and small town like (but in the middle of nowhere), and like we had stepped back in time. We ate the chicken and fries in our car and to date, it was the best tasting chicken and fries I've ever had. We plan to visit Portugal again and will make a point to drive this route to stop in for the chicken!

We were going to have our Sunday lunch here but it was pretty busy and it wasn't yet really late enough for our lunch. So we just had a coffee and a cake and it had an absolutely superb range of cakes for sale. Service was fast and efficient and extremely well priced. Travelling from the Algarve north up the IC1 this is a recommended stop on the right of the road as you enter the town.

Very, very busy at lunchtimes, but they are geared up for this. We just wanted snacks, and the bifana, sandwich, cake, 2 x beers, and a wine cost us less then 10€! Amazing value!!

Very, very busy at lunchtimes, but they are geared up for this. We just wanted snacks, and the bifana, sandwich, cake, 2 x beers, and a wine cost us less then 10€! Amazing value!!