The 10 best restaurants with outdoor seating in Cascais

Warning: we are not talking about one restaurant but three, with four outdoor areas between them, all of them serving similar vegetarian food with Middle Eastern touches. There is a rooftop for having lunch, drinking a juice or spending an afternoon; a roof garden fit for the same purpose; the outdoor area of a more proper restaurant, with a hot-and-cold buffet; and then the outdoor tables of the pâtisserie, where you can have an extra-strong breakfast, drink a cup of coffee or go for a slice of vegan cake.

The Portuguese love snacks, eaten at any hour of the day. The Cascais natives behind this restaurant know all about it, and use snacks to draw customers all day long. Almost all patrons prefer to sit outside (try booking a table), where they can go for potato peels, fried “peixinhos da horta” vegetables, eggs with asparagus and other treats.

In Guincho Beach you will find this local icon, with some faithful regulars that go there regardless of the weather for some 30 years (that includes the author of these lines). In sunny days you can maximize the absorption of vitamin D, in windy days you can have lunch in a sunny, sheltered spot and, in cold days, you can enjoy the fireplace. On any day, ask for the appetizers and have a Guincho grilled sandwich, that comes with a fried egg inside.

It has been around for quite a few years, but it is still a half-secret café-restaurant, where Cascais Line natives enjoy bringing visitors they want to surprise. It is on top of a (secret) beach, the Praia do Forte and it has a nice outdoors area. Rich salads, bruschettas, and cheese, sausage and pasta boards are served. Last but not least, all around the café you can only see the ocean. Dreamlike.

Bafureira Beach, in São Pedro do Estoril, is known as one of the great natural solaria along the Cascais Line. The structure built on the rocks guarding the beach is three floors tall and has an outdoor area with a nice sun exposure - just remember to bring your sunscreen. The building has a hamburger shack, a sushi restaurant and an outdoor cafe for snacks, salads and grilled sandwiches.

French franchise Paul settled in Cascais around a year ago in one of the town’s prize locations, right across the City Hall and the Bay. It is a good spot for a baguette, a croissant or one of the delicious house viennoiseries. Also available are hamburgers and salads, if you feel like a more substantial meal.

The Oitavos is a gorgeous five-star hotel built overlooking the Guincho dunes and the Oitavos golf course. Besides the restaurants within the hotel, there is an outdoor lounge named Atlântico Pool-Bar, with a view to the pool, the golf course and the sea below. Meals are light, with ceviches, salads and fish; in specific summer days, there is music in the evening.

On the Rocks isn’t just a name for a drink served with ice cubes. It is also the name of the summer bar in the Farol Design Hotel, which - the clue is in the name - is located on top of the rocks, with the ocean waves clashing down below. It’s a bar but there’s a few menu items for those feeling hungry: salads, snacks, grilled sandwiches and desserts. For a more substantial meal, head to The Mix restaurant.

The Fortaleza do Guincho has been a Michelin Guide fixture for a few years. The fine dining cuisine is prepared by chef Miguel Rocha Vieira, who also brings his food to the outdoor tables, with a menu of snacks and lighter dishes served all day long, in an area sheltered from the wind and facing the sea. Try the Bulhão Pato clams and the fried cuttlefish with Sriracha mayo.