Tia mia! The best Italian restaurants in Cascais

It already existed in Rio de Janeiro and opened in March 2024 right in the center of Cascais. Designed by Brazilian chef Nelson Soares, it focuses on Italian cuisine, mainly inspired by transalpine influences, but with a concept influenced by Nordic minimalism, where each dish has, at most, five basic ingredients. In Rio de Janeiro, the kitchen is completely open. There, as they couldn't tear down the structural wall separating the kitchen from the dining area, they opted for a differentiating solution: they have a triangular table at the kitchen's entrance where they finish preparing and plating all dishes, in full view of the customers. Sult also offers an extensive wine list, with many references from small producers.

Some years ago, Humberto, the Brazilian owner of this Lambrettazzurra Pizzeria, left the bikini business that made him famous in the town of Cascais and decided to study in Naples to become a genuine pizzaiolo. Upon his return, he applied everything he learned in one of the first Neapolitan-inspired pizzerias to open in Cascais – that is: pizzas with thick crusts and a moist centre. The space soon became too small for the huge demand, and Humberto and his family decided to open a slightly larger restaurant (take the term "slightly" seriously – it is still small and cosy, but now it even has a tiny outdoor seating area). The products come from Italy, the fresh ingredients are Portuguese, and the pizza dough is, without exaggeration, addictive. What to eat? The crown jewel is the Pulcinella pizza, with porcini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, white truffle paste, taleggio cheese, pecorino cheese, and olive oil. But you'll also be happy with the Vegetariana, with courgette, aubergine, artichoke, and datterino tomatoes; or the Prosciutto di San Daniele, with very thin slices of ham, parmesan, and rocket. All to be accompanied by Italian draft beer.

From the street, the terrace immediately catches the eye. No wonder: the terrace of the Villa Cascais hotel, where Corleone is located, is beautiful. The sober but vivid colours call out to passers-by. And it's no different in the interior, where yellow and blue tones reign, summer colours, like Cascais, but also like southern Italy, which inspired Miguel Garcia to create an Italian restaurant that didn't yet exist in the village. The name has nothing to do with the mafia, but is a direct reference to Corleone, in Sicily. This is also the inspiration behind the cocktail menu - the focus on wines remains on Italy. "An Italian restaurant idealised and with a menu made by an Italian chef is something that didn't exist in Cascais", says Miguel. The chef is Rodolfo de Santis. Born in Puglia, it was in Brazil that he made a name for himself in the last decade, when he created the Italian restaurant Nino, which quickly became the talk of the town and multiplied throughout the country. As in a classic Italian restaurant, the menu is divided into antipasti, primi e secondi and dolci - "all made using traditional recipes from the south of Italy," he says. The starters include vitello tonnato (16€) or the irresistible arancini (12€). The primi include pasta such as carbonara (22€) or the eye-catching spaghetti all'aragosta (35€), with crustacean bisque, fresh tomatoes, rocket and grilled lobster tail. As for the secondi, you can order either a lemon risotto with grilled prawns (28€) or a breaded veal cutlet with rocket, fresh tomato and mozzarella (28€) - the famous milanese. For desserts, the same care and attention.

In this new restaurant at Praça do Junqueiro, in Carcavelos, the ingredients are authentically Italian - just like the owner. The menu features fresh pasta, risottos, and Roman-style pinsas, alongside salads and a selection of meat and fish dishes. To drink, you can choose from a selection of Italian wines, or, if you're in the mood for something a bit stronger, go for a classic spritz.

Sourdough pizzas with natural fermentation, made using a blend of organic and nutritious flours. This is what you’ll find at the unsuspecting Galerias Valmor, a small shopping centre in the Matarraque area of São Domingos de Rana, where you can try the new (and serious contenders for the best list) pizzas in Cascais. The venture is run by Ukrainian-born Oksana Horshchar, who works alongside her pizzaiolo friend Radion Petrenko, the mastermind behind the recipes.

It's the most anticipated restaurant at One Market. Known for its pastas and pizzas, this Italian restaurant, which already existed in Avenidas Novas and Alvalade, arrives in Cascais for the first time. It's an extension of the group's expansion in the region, which had already opened Madrasta in Paço de Arcos and Margarida in Carnaxide. The new Pasta Non Basta is only expected to open in the second half of May and has around 100 seats, both indoors and on the terrace.

The menu will be exactly the same as in Lisbon, but when it opens, it is expected to immediately introduce the seasonal novelties that Pasta Non Basta brings every summer. "We've been wanting to come to Cascais," explains Frederico Seixas, one of the partners in the group, to Time Out. "It's a market that has a gap where a brand like ours can fit very well. We are a family and friends restaurant, with many regular customers and we like to be in residential areas. This one also fits into that philosophy".

+ One Market: what you can eat (and buy) in Cascais' new green square

Pinsetti is a truly Italian spot dedicated to Roman-style pinsa – a lighter, crispier take on pizza that first emerged in the 1980s. It’s a family-run project from the Mazzettis, Italians who’ve been living in Portugal for years and know their way around a proper dough. Most of the ingredients come straight from Rome, and everything served here is the real deal. It’s a casual affair, with a strong focus on takeaway and delivery.

Souldough, which during its long stay in Aldeia da Praia, Colares, Sintra, won over many appetites, has moved to Legasea in Cascais, bringing everything along, including the impressive yellow wood-fired oven. Among the starters are bruschettas, like the one with buffalo blue cheese cream, caramelized onion, and balsamic reduction, as well as arancini, fried balls filled with risotto. The Neapolitan pizzas are slow-fermented, aiding digestion. "It’s a 48 to 72-hour fermentation. The cheeses, flour, and tomato sauce come from Italy, but the vegetables are local. Essentially, we try to respect seasonal ingredients", explains the pizzaiolo. La Dolce Vita, with tomato sauce, grana padano, stracciatella cheese, pesto, and basil, is one of the options. Don’t expect soft drinks or meat – and not even cutlery. A pair of scissors arrives at the table to help cut the pizza, and then... well, then you eat it with your hands.

The Italian Romina Lamassa (it might sound like a joke, but no – her surname is indeed Lamassa) was born in Apulia, spent her teenage years in Campania, studied Veterinary Medicine in Naples, and even worked in Rome. Later, she married a Portuguese man, and today the couple owns a fresh pasta restaurant between Estoril and São Pedro do Estoril. The pastas they serve reflect this journey and its influences, traversing Italy almost from north to south. Everything is handmade in the early morning to be enjoyed at the restaurant or taken home. From tagliatelle to pappardelle, corzetti to ravioli, there is an abundance of shapes and flavours, to mix with different sauces, in both fixed menu dishes and daily specials.

The atmosphere is relaxed, with plenty of outdoor space for the kids to play among the riding arenas of Quinta da Marinha. On the menu, the stars are the wood-fired pizzas (as they should be, as the menu says), with high, fluffy crusts and toppings like burrata, pepperoni, oyster mushrooms, or portobello mushrooms – and even among the desserts, you'll find a beautiful and indulgent pizza topped with chocolate and hazelnut cream and chopped walnuts. There are other options, however, that also deserve attention: the homemade tiramisu and the artisanal ice creams, with flavours like salted caramel, pistachio, or limoncello.