The Ocean Restaurant is the only restaurant in Portugal on the Top 100 Best Restaurants in the World.

The 2 Michelin star Ocean Restaurant, located at VILA VITA Parc Resort & Spa, in Porches, Algarve, is once again on the famous La Liste ranking of the 1000 Best Restaurants in the World. This year, Ocean has reached the 64th place in the list, 38 places higher than last year’s 102nd place.

If doubts still existed regarding the quality of Portuguese wines, the growing international recognition would be more than enough proof that the national wine production is in excellent health.

To this day, Quinta de São Francisco has accumulated more than 60 medals, 20 of them gold. But this year it went even further: the 2014 harvest won a double gold medal thanks to its 98/100 points achievement at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the largest and most prestigious wine competition in the United States, the first DOC Óbidos wine to obtain 98 points in this international competition.

Quinta de S. Francisco wine has always been the best-selling DOC Óbidos in Portugal as well as in export markets.

The Mar d'Estórias Bistro features an updated menu with new dishes featuring seasonal ingredients. The new menu is now available and has new suggestions for starters, main courses and desserts, always with unlikely combinations and presentations.
'For this new menu, the inspiration is fresh seasonal products, which favours new interpretations of Portuguese recipes and especially those from the Algarve, 'says Megan Melling, Chef of Mar d'Estórias.

At this time of year we look for lighter, fresher and healthier meals so Mar d’Estórias has prepared a menu with the best suggestions of cold salads.

With a unique flavour and quality products, the Mackerel Salad is the dish of choice. Mackerel, a mix of green leaves, cucumber and onion, wrapped in a delicious yogurt sauce with roasted garlic, has delighted the lovers of the fusion of sweet and savoury flavours, without giving up a nutrient-rich dish. 

We are soon harvesting here at Quinta dos Vales; everything is prepared. Our team used the quiet time to reflect on the development of the vineyards in the last months. Follow us into the past, the present and the near future of our vines.

It is worthwhile focusing on the theme that involves so-called liquid gold. For centuries olive oil was an important exchange currency for several societies and today it is an indispensable ingredient in Mediterranean gastronomy. In fact, the pleasure begins sooner than that… in a great appetizer of olives * very well presented in an olive bowl * with garlic and oregano *; or, for avid connoisseurs, slices of homemade bread with olive paste *. Whichever way you want to enjoy the olive, olive oil is undoubtedly the best meal complement, because it can accompany all dishes.

We are wine lovers, we admit it! The Mar d'Estórias team, along with most British and Portuguese, like a good meal, where you can not miss a bottle of wine, it doesn’t matter what kind: white, rosé or red; To drink a glass at the end of the day on our terrace in good company, with or without tapas; Or to sip a glass of red while reading a book & listening to the rain falling. Truth be told, no excuse is needed to open a bottle of wine and we believe that you do not need to be knowledgeable to appreciate it.