Contemporary Cuisine

Madeira's food is widely known and appreciated by all those who visit the archipelago and, if on the one hand it is the traditional flavours that make Madeira and Porto Santo stand out gastronomically, on the other, we must not ignore the growing offer in terms of contemporary gastronomy. This type of cuisine, which can be characterised by its creative approach to food, has been gaining a growing number of dedicated spaces and, for many visitors, a holiday in the Region already entails a gastronomic soirée in the best restaurants in Madeira with this type of approach.

And Madeira products are an excellent raw material for this type of cuisine that deconstructs and reinterprets flavours and textures, bringing together elements of various culinary traditions in a single dish, using only seasonal products. The creativity of the best Chefs is then reflected in dishes that are the result of months or even years of study, and which aim to preserve and highlight flavours, producing surprises that reward but do not confuse the palate. And the fish from our coast is the icing on the cake for this signature cuisine.

In the best restaurants in Madeira, tuna, limpets, cuttlefish and scabbardfish - all well known in traditional cuisine - are reinterpreted in their preparation and presentation, and are sometimes combined with unexpected ingredients. But also, our meat is handled with refinement and sophistication, especially when combined with our local fruit and vegetable produce, as is the case of Madeira couscous, yam, sweet potato, marzipan, chestnuts and even oyster mushrooms - edible mushrooms very common in signature dishes.

In the Madeira archipelago, the word "diversity" is key to unlocking many of the islands' secrets. When it comes to gastronomy, the region's restaurants are ambassadors both of the legacy of traditional cuisine and of the avant-garde and sophistication of fine dining, providing sublime tasting moments in both cases.

Did you know that in Madeira there are two highly prestigious restaurants that have received the highest distinction in cuisine - the Michelin Star? We are referring to William and Il Galo D'Oro. For a night of "haute cuisine" at William, you will have the pleasure of visiting the iconic Belmond Reid's Palace Hotel, where this superb restaurant is located. However, you cannot complete your visit to Madeira without dedicating an evening to II Galo D'Oro. This restaurant, which is part of the Cliff Bay Hotel, boasts not one but two Michelin stars, awarded for the mastery and avant-gardism of Chef Benoît Sinthon.

In both, you will enjoy the best local ingredients: fresh fish, regional meat, vegetables and fruits from the region, handled with creativity and finesse. In addition to these two examples, the archipelago offers plenty of Michelin star restaurants, scattered throughout the region's municipalities. Finding them is an integral part of the experience of exploring this destination.