Fábrica do Costa

Having visited this restaurant 3 years ago, I was surprised to read negative reports, and a mere 3.5 stars on TripAdvisor. Our visit in the last week of October when many others in the area were closed, we were met with fantastic staff, really good food, the same fantastic setting, and nothing to prevent top scores all round. See you next time!

This is one of my favourite restaurant views in the Algarve. On a clear day, the colour of the Ria Fornosa, the dunes between it and the sea, and the bird and some aquatic life (usually canoeists and SUPers), make this an exquisitely charming location.

The occasion starts with the memorable dip down into Fábrica from the main road, where the expanse of blue opens up before your eyes. Once in the restaurant, the glass frontage allows the eye to take in the east to west expanse of water.

The food is expensive and of high quality. Which means we mist be exacting. We could not stay long as it was a business lunch and we had not ordered ahead, one of the cataplanas. So we had the ameijoas à Bulhão Pato which were the best I had tasted for a long time. The Portuguese variety of clams, brown and succulent, with the usual butter, wine and garlic sauce that must be eaten with bread.

The restaurant was unfortunately out of white grouper, or cherne, which disappointed my wife, who landed up having the same as me, the fried squid, Algarve style, which is heavy on garlic. The squid was large and perfectly formed. Texture excellent, but both of us felt it was too salty.

We would usually score the restaurant 5* but because the prices are high, we need to be exacting. The lack of the publicised choices and the saltiness of the mains.

Would not hesitate to recommend. Pick a sunny day and get lost in the view and food.

After the meal, if you have time, take the water taxi across to the dunes.

Yes, the food is great, staff is attentive (if you visit in low season) and the view is amazing, however… it is a bit overpriced. If you are paying above average you must also offer the experience. This means that simple things like table cloths must be used, not paper! And you cannot have a big screen TV pouring a daily entertainment talk show. My previous review was five stars , I have downgraded to 4 starts in 2022. Overall it is worth the ocasional visit, but not worth building a tradition ou of it.

Just for the sight and to enjoy a drink or a decent meal when the sun is friendly enough to stay with you. Calm. Genuinely authentic. Let's go there. And go again. There's something about it that will take you back.

Superb fish, lovely friendly staff. The best grilled fish this summer and really friendly staff, we had grilled sea bass (the potatoes were incredible!) j’apprécie beaucoup qu’on a parlé en français! C’était génial. It was quiet of course as it is end of season but cannot recommend highly enough. We will be going back.