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It has witnessed the passage of six presidents in Portugal, the transition from the escudo to the euro, the country’s entry into the European Union, followed the national team through seven (and soon eight) World Cups, and seen them win the European Championship in 2016. Over 45 years, Furnas do Guincho, located by the roadside along the Guincho road with the Atlantic always in view, has accompanied the country’s transformations and now celebrates this milestone of consistency and deep-rooted connection to the sea.
The story begins before 1981, near a rocky formation – the “furna” – where fresh fish was sought for years. But it was in that year that the project took shape in the hands of the Ramos family, who acquired Furnas Lagosteiras and turned it into a restaurant that remains a reference point today. “Forty-five years ago this establishment was founded under my father’s management, Alexandre Ramos, and over time it has undergone a huge transformation process, one that continues to evolve year after year,” explains Miguel Ramos, the current manager.
Despite its longevity, celebrations like this are rare within the family. “The reason for celebrating this anniversary, having never marked it before, is that we feel 45 years is truly a historic date, a source of pride. So now, yes, we want to share a little of our story.”
Over these four and a half decades, the restaurant has also followed the evolution of the Guincho coastline itself. “If we go back to when my father acquired the restaurant, this was a very, very isolated area,” he recalls. Today, the setting is different – and so is the clientele. The restaurant has adapted, both in service and procedures, opening its doors to a broader range of customers.
At present, they are keen to demystify the idea of “inaccessible exclusivity” associated with the area, explains Miguel Ramos, stressing that the aim is to welcome both regular customers and those who make “a significant effort to come here to celebrate a special occasion”, offering them particular attention.
On the menu, the sea remains the main focus. “Our coastline still offers us so much, so that’s what I most recommend to anyone who asks what to choose: fish and seafood,” he says. The freshness of the ingredients and long-standing relationships with suppliers are essential to the restaurant’s identity.
Among the highlights, there are classics as well as dishes with more contemporary or international influences. The lobster crêpes (€28.50), although an unusual way of serving the crustacean, are described as “something very typical of this house”, while goose barnacles (€16.75 small; €23.45 medium; €33.50 large) reinforce the direct connection to the Atlantic. These are joined by lobster cream soup (€10.50), seafood salad (€29.50) and the seafood platter (€99, for two people), one of the most requested dishes. Among the mains, the octopus cataplana with sweet potato (€27.50) stands out — “personally, it’s my favourite,” admits Miguel Ramos.
There is also room for meat, with options such as chateaubriand (€64, for two), filet mignon (€32) and the house steak (€31), the latter described as “a thick steak topped with a slice of cured ham and finished with our house sauce”.
More than the menu, it is consistency that sets Furnas apart. “When a business says it has been operating for 45 years, that in itself is a guarantee of quality,” argues Miguel Ramos. A guarantee built not only in the kitchen, but also in the relationship with the team. The family atmosphere is one of the restaurant’s pillars, visible in staff longevity and the closeness between everyone. “What stands out most to me over the years I’ve been connected to the restaurant is the relationship we’ve built with the staff and the dynamics that have formed,” he says.
Between anonymous diners and public figures – from Euro 2004 players to names such as Cristiano Ronaldo (whose presence always brings the restaurant to a standstill) – the restaurant has accumulated countless stories. Still, the true measure of success lies not in celebrity visits, but in the ability to keep its doors open for decades.
Looking to the future, the ambition is to ensure continuity, invest in the team and working conditions, and never lose its identity. “My job is to try to ensure that another 45 years will follow,” he says.
Estrada do Guincho (Cascais). Mon–Sun 12.30–00.00