Mar do Inferno

Do you like seafood? I am talking about shellfish, fish,… Do you like? My (maybe biased) perspective is that Portugal is the best country in the world to eat fish. It is probably an inheritance from having a long Atlantic coast – and it would be a shame to waste it… One of the best places to eat fish in Portugal is in the Cascais Coast, namely the stretch that goes from the village to the Guincho beach – it is home to a number of great (and expensive) restaurants. Mar do Inferno is my top choice amongst them.

It is a top a 20 meters high cliff, and, from the outside, it doesn’t promise that much. The truth is, it is very close to a local attraction (a fond of part of the coast) and a small number of selling huts make a queer impression of that zone. The restaurant on itself is different – but the outdoor impression still lingers. But its location also means you can sit by an outdoor table, enjoying the sun and looking at the vast blue ocean in front of you. And feel at peace.

Though, to feel even more at peace and happier, you should start eating. Mar do Inferno, depending on the time of the year, boasts an incredible (and always fresh) sort of shellfish. You can go for great clams and ‘percebes’ (the exquisite small animal that lives clammed to the rocks and it is a Portuguese and Spanish-Galician delicatessen), “santola” (a specific kind of crab), lobster (or a soup made out of it) or very good prawns – the truth be told, you can’t get it wrong ordering shellfish here. And, if you want, you can always complement them with a few fresh oysters, with a stir of lemon on them – delicious!

Then you are ready to order a good fish – a fine tasting Portuguese one, and let me assure you again, our waters are ripe with good fish. And at Mar do Inferno, they know how to cook it. Ask to have a look at the catch of the day, and decide then. And go for a nice and fresh grilled fish. And don’t forget to ask for a fine white wine to go with your sea food – it is probably the best way to honour a good meal. And a tasty way to do so…

Where: Cascais - Portugal

Address: Av Rei Humberto II de Itália, Boca do Inferno - Cascais

Phone: +351 21 4832218

Website: http://www.mardoinferno.com/

Expensive: Around €40 – but it can easily go a way up!

Last Visit: August 2011