Restaurants and Cafés

Opened in 1999 and is one of the most emblematic and most highly appreciated restaurants on the Alentejo coast. Situated in the centre of Vila Nova de Milfontes, the Tasca do Celso has different areas for different occasions and appetites, installed in what were once small dwellings. The first intimate room is ideal for couples in love; in another, large and well-lit, small groups celebrate life, whereas in a third area, dominated by the counter set up on wine barrels, are the appetisers that are most highly sought after, accompanied by the numerous nectars available on the menu that total a thousand. 

The success of the establishment does not depend on complexity and the excellence of its premises but rather on the constancy of a menu that has always guaranteed the clientele with fresh fish of the day, seasoned and accompanied by local flavours and aromas, as tradition dictates, but with a touch of irreverence that José Cardoso, the owner and author of the list cannot avoid. 

The menu, long and well-structured, starts with several suggestions of appetisers: fish roe salad, octopus salad and whelk salad, fried Alentejo pork with pickles served cold, padrón peppers (pan fried in olive oil), Serpa Cheese PDO, asparagus and scrambled eggs and Alentejo pork cured ham. Among the best soups is dogfish soup and among the best meats is oven-roasted lamb, roast beef made from matured beef, or the traditional Alentejo pork secretos. The rice dishes are a motif of pride for the chef, such as clam rice or monkfish rice. Fish bought at the local wholesale fish market include small deep fried sole, cataplana and Dijon-style bonito, whereas seafood dishes include the ever-present prawn açorda. The queen of the desserts is sericaia but homemade chocolate mousse and crème caramel competently summon up the kitchens of the past. The service is friendly and efficient.