Alvalade - Santiago Do Cacem

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!!

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.

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!

Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: €15–20 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Restaurante dispendioso, doses mal servidas. Uma dose de secretos por 17 euros, meia dúzia de batatas fritas e 6 pedacinhos de carne. Mal servido. Não aconselho. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: €40–45 Food: 2 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 2