Ai Mãe

We walked in here on Valentine's Day without a reservation and they happily found us a table, gifted us red roses and served us the best dinner in Tavira (maybe even in Algarve?) 🌹 We had pumpkin soup, sea bass, slow-cooked lamb and key lime pie. Everything was perfect.

Thoroughly enjoyed, would return again! Had the oysters to start, slow cooked lamb for the main and mille feuille desert, with two glasses of wine and water for €50. All the food was excellent but the lamb in particular was amazing. The service was great, the staff were very attentive without being over the top, and the restaurant was nicely candle lit with a lovely atmosphere.

Just passing through Tavira and stumbled upon AI Mae on a rainy evening. Atmosphere was warm and welcoming yet upscale but not pretentious.

Wait staff were very pleasant, personable and attentive. The menu is on the smaller side however has something for everyone. We started with the Couvert, Greens salad and the soup of the day. All were well prepared, fresh and presentation was clearly a priority to the experience.

For entrees, my wife opted for the Tuna Taco starter and I had the Pork Cheeks. The pork was well cooked and was a very light dish with a lot of flavor. However the star of the evening, and I’m not a fish person in general, was the Tuna Tacos. This dish was not a large portion, two halves of a taco shell, however the complexity of flavors layered in each bite was a delight to be had. You were left wanting more.

Desserts we opted for the Chocolate Mouse and Mille-feuille. The mouse was the winner of these two desserts, which may I add are made in house. However the light strawberry flavor of the Millie-freuille paired great with the rich chocolate mouse.

Overall a must return experience at AI Mae.

A place to put on your wish list if you like good quality dining.
Yes the choice is restricted but this allows the chefs to deliver food that is Michelin star quality at a very reasonable price.
We booked (recommended) for an early table (7:00 pm) and on arrival saw we were wise to reserve as they were constantly turning away people hoping to get a table.
Great food, good wine, attentive staff.
Not to be missed if wanting a quality dining experience.... But book in advance 😉

The food at Ai Mãe really blew us away. We shared the sea bass, veal and the fish tacos and loved each dish - the ingredients tasted so fresh, with the seafood being our favourite of course. The fish tacos are a definite must-order!

The waiters are also super lovely. We dined on a quieter night, but it seemed like the restaurant is usually packed so I would book ahead of time.