Restaurante Foia

Restaurant

Restaurante Foia sits just below the summit of Foia, the highest point in the Algarve at 902 metres, offering diners a panorama that stretches from the Serra de Monchique's forested slopes to the Atlantic coastline far below. The restaurant occupies a stone building beside the summit car park, its terrace positioned to capture the full sweep of the southern view on clear days.

The menu centres on the mountain cuisine of the Serra de Monchique, which differs markedly from the fish-dominated cooking of the coast. Grilled black pork from local free-range herds is the signature dish, often served as secretos (pork flank cuts) or pluma (loin cap), grilled over charcoal and accompanied by roasted chestnuts, batatas a murro (punched potatoes) and a salad of local greens. Wild boar, when available, appears as a slow-cooked stew.

The drinks list features medronho, the strawberry tree spirit that is distilled throughout the Serra, alongside local wines and the chestnut liqueur that is a Monchique speciality. The house wine is typically from the Algarve's growing number of quality producers, served in the ceramic jugs that are traditional to the region.

The restaurant is busiest at lunchtime, when visitors combine a meal with a drive up to the summit. The road from Monchique town climbs through eucalyptus and cork oak forest, passing through the hamlet of Alcaria do Peso before emerging above the treeline. In winter, cloud occasionally fills the valleys below, leaving the restaurant floating above a white sea. The temperature at this altitude is noticeably cooler than on the coast, a welcome relief in summer but potentially chilly on winter evenings, when the terrace closes and diners move inside.