Figueiral Restaurant is easy to find with a bright green sign which captures your attention from across the road. We found that there was plenty of parking but that it was definitely a busy Friday night and seemed to be a well-known secret within the Almancil area. I was excited to see how this restaurant would do during a busy dinner service.

Warm welcome

We were warmly welcomed as we stepped inside the cosy restaurant and shown to our table and given a varied menu to delight both fish and meat eaters. The interior was homely and had a rustic charm to it yet there was plenty of space so it felt like you were in your own bubble even amidst a busy service.

In terms of atmosphere, it was lively and vibrant at Figueiral, they had easy listening music playing and we had happy families and couples all around us who all were soaking up Figueiral’ s gastronomic offer.


I could not fault Figueiral restaurant for their service, all their staff were warm and attentive which definitely added to the charm of this restaurant. A special thank you to Olivia, who made sure we had everything we needed. Olivia has been working at Figueiral for 19 years and when I asked her why she has worked there for that long, she told me “It was like home”. The word ‘home’ is really what comes to mind when I think of my overall Figueiral experience due to their relaxing environment which was not lax when it came to service.

Customer care

I was impressed by the way that the staff at Figueiral care for their customers, I could see waiters and joint owners engaging with customers, and they were always checking in with every guest which created an enjoyable ambiance to be in. I definitely think because of this, it gave a homely feel to the whole dining experience. I feel I do need to give credit to the fact that they strive to give their best in everything they do from start to finish and that also adds to the experience. Despite being particularly busy, all the dishes came out in a timely fashion and we were never left waiting too long which was great.

We started off with the couvert, which was a fresh warm bread roll, melba toasts, and an ensemble bound to please most guests, two types of butter; plain and one that was infused with raspberry, which was unique as I wouldn’t have thought that combination would not work but it did and I thought it was delicious and finally there was a chicken liver pâté. As we waited for our starters, we were each given a spring roll as compliments from the chef which I thought was a lovely gesture.

Cooked to perfection

For starters, I had the fried garlic prawns which were packed with lemon, which I loved. They were honestly cooked perfectly and were without a doubt delightful.


You can get prawn dishes across the Algarve but there was a lot more flavour to this particular dish and the prawns were really great quality. I thought the portion size was exactly the right amount and there was plenty of sauce to dip your bread in which was an added plus in my book. My partner chose from their Chef’s suggestion menu, so he had a grilled King prawn which came with a garnish of sweet chilli sauce, which he thought was fresh and delicious and definitely stood out to him throughout the meal. Overall, I would say that, Figueiral do a great job with their prawn dishes despite their quality meats being a strong incentive to visit.


For main course, I had a filet mignon, accompanied by dauphinois potatoes and black pepper sauce. They then brought out a hot stone, so I could cook the filet to my desired taste, which was enjoyable added element to the experience and which tasted exceptional. They then brought some accompaniment dishes of mixed vegetables and sauteed potatoes with onions so there was definitely plenty of everything.


My partner went for their famed ‘Picanha’, which he thought was great and it was also accompanied by a variety of sides which included rice, black beans and salsa salad. Everything complimented each bite of the rodizio wonderfully, with the combination of flavours being delicious.

As full as we were at that point, there is always room for dessert, especially with such a great dessert menu. I chose my absolute favourite at the moment which is pannacotta and it did not disappoint, it was light and sweet with notes of vanilla which had a mixed berry sauce drizzled over the top, the contrasting flavours worked wonderfully.


My partner went for his favourite dessert, which is cheesecake, this time, passion fruit flavour and being with an added twist, which was that it was deconstructed in a tall glass which was a treat for the senses. Overall, both desserts were absolutely fantastic!

If you are looking for an intimate dining experience filled with rustic charm and great quality food then I suggest having yourself a Figueiral experience, all that is left to do is reserve your table at https://figueiral.pt/.

Author

Following undertaking her university degree in English with American Literature in the UK, Cristina da Costa Brookes moved back to Portugal to pursue a career in Journalism, where she has worked at The Portugal News for 3 years. Cristina’s passion lies with Arts & Culture as well as sharing all important community-related news.

Cristina da Costa Brookes