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Food tours in Madeira: what to eat and which tour to book
Madeira's food comes from steep terraced farms and deep Atlantic water. The island's signatures are espetada (beef chunks rubbed with garlic and bay leaf and grilled on bay-wood skewers), bolo do caco (a flat garlic-butter bread baked on a stone), black scabbardfish caught at great depth and often served with banana, and grilled limpets sizzling in garlic butter. Tropical fruit grows everywhere: passion fruit, custard apple (anona), bananas and mangoes. To drink there is poncha, a punch of sugar-cane rum, honey and lemon, and the island's fortified Madeira wine. Funchal has most of the restaurants; villages such as Câmara de Lobos and the hillside espetada houses are where locals go on weekends.
Use this page to decide what to order and where: the dishes and areas below say what each part of the island does well and when the market runs. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the current price and details on the booking page.
What to eat in Madeira
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef skewers espetada | Chunks of beef seasoned with garlic, salt and bay leaf, grilled on a skewer (traditionally bay wood) and hung from a hook above the table. Served with bolo do caco, milho frito and salad. | Espetada restaurants in the hills around Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, Santo António and other villages; also in Funchal. | roughly €15–25 per person |
| Garlic flatbread bolo do caco | Round flatbread made partly with sweet potato, cooked on a hot basalt stone and served warm, split and spread with garlic butter. | Everywhere, from roadside kiosks to restaurants; also as a sandwich (prego no bolo do caco with steak). | roughly €2–4 as a side; €6–10 as a sandwich |
| Black scabbardfish espada preta (often 'espada com banana') | A long, dark deep-sea fish caught on lines at great depths off Madeira; the white fillets are fried and often served with fried banana and passion-fruit sauce. | Restaurants across the island; see the whole fish at the Mercado dos Lavradores fish hall. | roughly €14–20 a plate |
| Grilled limpets lapas | Limpets grilled in their shells in a hot pan with garlic butter and lemon, served sizzling. | Seaside restaurants in Câmara de Lobos, Funchal's Zona Velha and coastal villages. | roughly €10–16 a pan |
| Fried cornmeal milho frito | Cubes of set cornmeal porridge flavoured with herbs and kale, then deep-fried; a classic side with espetada. | Espetada houses and traditional restaurants. | roughly €3–5 a portion |
| Poncha | Madeira's punch of aguardente (sugar-cane spirit), honey, sugar and lemon juice, mixed with a wooden stick (caralhinho). Fruit versions with passion fruit or orange are common. | Small bars in Câmara de Lobos and Serra de Água and across Funchal. | roughly €2.50–5 a glass |
| Madeira wine vinho Madeira | Fortified wine aged in warm conditions, made in styles from dry (Sercial) to rich (Malmsey); long-lived and widely available to taste. | Wine lodges and tasting rooms in central Funchal. | roughly €4–10 a glass for standard ages; tastings vary |
| Honey cake bolo de mel | Dark, dense spiced cake made with sugar-cane molasses, nuts and candied fruit; traditionally made for Christmas but sold all year and keeps for months. | Bakeries and shops in Funchal. | roughly €5–12 for a small cake |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Mercado dos Lavradores (Funchal)
The 1940 Art Deco farmers' market in central Funchal, with tile panels, fruit and vegetable stalls, flower sellers and a fish hall where black scabbardfish and tuna are cut in the morning.
Zona Velha (Old Town, Funchal)
The old quarter around Rua de Santa Maria with painted doors and many restaurants and bars; lively, but expect touts on the main street.
Câmara de Lobos
Fishing village west of Funchal with colourful boats, small poncha bars and seafood restaurants by the harbour.
Estreito de Câmara de Lobos
Hillside village above Câmara de Lobos surrounded by vineyards, known for espetada restaurants and the wine harvest festival in late summer.
Funchal centre (Sé and the wine lodges)
Streets around the cathedral with pastelarias, cafés and Madeira wine tasting rooms.
Food tours in Madeira compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madeira: Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Unlimited Wine | 1.5 hours | from €55 per person | max 6 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Taste Funchal: food, wine and cultural tour | 4 hours | from €93 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Madeira: Food and Wine Walking Tour in Funchal | 3.5 hours | from €95 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| From Funchal: Full-Day Madeira Wine Tour with Lunch | 8 hours | from €210 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Madeira: Private Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour | 3 hours | from €170 per group | private | Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them. | Check dates |
Madeira: Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Unlimited Wine
On GetYourGuide · run by Queroo – Homemade Food by a Local
- Length
- 1.5 hours
- Price
- from €55 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 201 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Taste Funchal: food, wine and cultural tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €93 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 866 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- All food and drinks are Vegetarian, gluten free and non alcoholic options are available Qualified tour guide Personal insurance Transportation Gratuities
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Meet at the tour office next to the Sé Boutique Hotel on Christopher Columbus Square. The guide will carry a board with "Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours" written on it.
Madeira: Food and Wine Walking Tour in Funchal
On GetYourGuide · run by Wine Tours Madeira
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €95 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 541 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- 11 food tastings 6 drinks
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Meet at the entrance of the H&M store located next to Rotunda do Infante (Infant's Roundabout sculpture)
From Funchal: Full-Day Madeira Wine Tour with Lunch
On GetYourGuide · run by Wine Tours Madeira
- Length
- 8 hours
- Price
- from €210 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 179 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Madeira: Private Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Pearl of the Atlantic
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €170 per group
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 16 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Included
- Private transportation Wi-Fi on board Driver/Local guide A Selection of Madeira wine tastings Rancho viewpoint visit Food and additional drinks
- Suits
- Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them.
- Starts
- Your guides will pick you up on the pier next to your cruise ship.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Madeira has little street food beyond bolo do caco sandwiches from kiosks, pastries from pastelarias and fruit from markets. Seasonal festivals add stalls selling espetada, poncha and bolo do caco.
Sit-down meals
Most eating is sit-down, and it's good value by European standards. Lunch from about 12:30 and dinner from about 19:30. Expect a couvert (bread, butter, olives) brought to the table: it's charged only if you eat it, so send it back if you don't want it.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes and food experiences on the island usually cover espetada, bolo do caco and poncha, sometimes on a farm or quinta. Wine tastings at the Funchal lodges are easy to add without booking far ahead.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €30–40 (pastry breakfast, bolo do caco sandwich lunch, simple restaurant dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €55–80 (two sit-down meals with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €130+ (fine-dining tasting menu with wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Possible but limited in traditional places, which centre on beef and fish. Bolo do caco, milho frito, vegetable soups (check the stock) and salads are options; Funchal has several vegetarian and vegan restaurants.
Halal: Very limited. There are a small number of South Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants in Funchal; most traditional food is beef, pork or fish. Fish dishes are the most practical option.
Gluten-free: Some awareness in Funchal restaurants. Grilled fish, espetada and limpets are naturally gluten-free, but bolo do caco, milho frito (check the coating) and battered fish are not.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Fruit sellers at the Mercado dos Lavradores who hand out samples of exotic fruit, then weigh up a bag of the most expensive kinds at very high per-kilo prices. Ask the price per kilo and the total before anything is bagged, and buy only what you asked for.
- Touts on Rua de Santa Maria in Zona Velha pulling diners into restaurants with tourist set menus. Check menus and reviews yourself; places a street or two away are usually better value.
- Couvert items (bread, butter, olives, cheese) placed on the table and charged when touched. If you don't want them, send them back straight away; it's normal and polite.
Top tours & activities in Madeira
Rent a car in Madeira
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Compare car rentals in MadeiraPlan the rest of your Madeira trip
Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Madeira?
Tipping is not obligatory in Portugal. Rounding up or leaving around 5–10% for good service at a sit-down restaurant is common in tourist areas. In cafés, leaving small change is enough. Guides on food or wine tours appreciate a tip of roughly €5–10 per person if you enjoyed it.
When is the Mercado dos Lavradores open?
The market opens Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays; the fish hall is most interesting in the morning, when the black scabbardfish and tuna arrive. Hours vary by day and on public holidays, so check current hours before you go.
What is espetada and where should I eat it?
Espetada is beef rubbed with garlic, salt and bay leaf and grilled on a skewer, then hung above the table. The most traditional places are family restaurants in the hills west and north of Funchal, such as around Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. Order bolo do caco and milho frito with it.
Is poncha strong?
Yes. The base is aguardente, a sugar-cane spirit of around 40–50%, mixed with honey, sugar and lemon. It tastes sweet and easy, which catches people out. A glass or two is plenty, and it's best drunk in small bars in Câmara de Lobos or Serra de Água.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Madeira is good value. On a budget, about €30–40 covers a pastry and coffee, a bolo do caco sandwich lunch and a simple dinner. A comfortable day with two sit-down meals and wine is roughly €55–80. Fine-dining tasting menus start around €100–150.
Do I need a car to eat well in Madeira?
Funchal is walkable, and buses and taxis reach Câmara de Lobos quickly. The espetada houses in the hills and the north coast are easier by car, taxi or tour, as roads are steep and buses less frequent. Many food tours include transport from Funchal.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.