Cheap Eats in Funchal: Where Locals Actually Eat
Funchal has something for every budget. If you want fine dining, you have it. But if you’re on a budget, you have it too. After all, most locals aren’t able to pay “big bucks” for a meal. So here you have it: a Funchal cheap eats guide, allowing you to stay on budget while still enjoying a local experience.
Stay away from Pingo Doce
If you are looking for cheap food, whatever you do, do not default to the restaurant at Pingo Doce. It may look convenient, but it is rarely the most interesting option. For roughly the same price or just a little more, you can eat a proper hot meal cooked that day in a local café. You will also get a far more authentic experience.
The secret is to hunt for a prato do dia (“dish of the day” or “daily special”). Many cafés and snack bars across Madeira offer a daily dish at lunchtime, usually between about €10-€12. Otherwise, you can settle for a “prego” (a sandwich, or our answer to hamburgers and hot dogs).
What’s a prato do dia like?
The meal typically includes a hearty plate of food and sometimes a drink or coffee. Dishes rotate and often include things like grilled chicken, vinha d’alhos (pork with wine and garlic), fish in vilhão sauce, macarrão (pasta stew) or scabbard fish. Simple, but filling and very local.
Where to find cheap meals in Funchal
Here are some of the best places in Funchal where you can eat well without spending much.
A Tendinha
A Tendinha is a long-standing local favourite that consistently ranks very highly on Google Maps (4.9). It is the kind of place where people working in the city centre stop for lunch. Expect octopus, fish and seafood, generous portions and a reliable prato do dia. Cash only.
Rustikus
Like a Tendinha, Rustikus shares a central location and an impressive 4.9 ranking on Google Maps. It’s a casual place with heart, uncomplicated food. Specials include duck rice, fish served with cornmeal, bean rice, cod, meat croquettes, and it’s even cheaper for takeaway.
Bela 5
Another small café popular with locals and tourists alike (4.8 on Google Maps). It is known for good value lunches, although prices have gone up in the last year. You can still get a prego or prego de atum for a very good price, or share a picado (even a small one is enough for 2).
O Leque
O Leque, ranking 4.7, could not be more central at Praça do Município. There are daily specials for under 10€, along with staples like fried scabbard fish and tuna with an onion sauce (8€). If you happen not to like the dailies, go for a sandwich with sccabard fish, steak or tuna (5€).
Cantinho dos Petiscos
O Cantinho dos Petiscos is further away from the centre than any other option, but with a well-deserved ranking of 4.7 on Google Maps , I felt like I couldn’t keep you from it. Dishes here are mostly picados to share, along with stir-fried prawns, squid, and other Portuguese delicacies.
O Castelo dos Hamburgers
O Castelo dos Hamburgers (ranked 4.6) is a little local institution known for its, as you may guess, hamburgers and sauce. That’s pretty much the only item on the menu, but it’s cheap and fulfilling. They use bolo do caco and also make very good fruit juices and smoothies.
A Bica
A very traditional restaurant near the Farmer’s Market (also ranked with 4.6 on Google Maps). Although it’s less of snack bar than previous options, it’s still a family-run, no frills place with a casual atmosphere. Portions are generous, so you can usually share.
José Café Buffet
José Café is a buffet restaurant not far from the city centre and, like the previous options, currently ranks 4.6 on Google Maps. It’s nothing fancy, but it is dependable and they usually have some traditional food, such as cod or milho frito. Besides, there are Venezuelan empadas.
Sirius
Sirius is another central place known for daily specials, ranked 4.5. Is it the best food you’ll have in your life? Probably not. But for the same price you’d pay at Pingo Doce, you can have soup, a homemade dish of the day and a coffee, so it will always win in value for money.
Multidelícias
The Venezuelan community here is so large that Venezuelan food is a part of daily life. If you’re looking to try it, you can head to Multidelícias in Sto. António to try arepas and empanadas, which also make for an inexpensive and fulfilling lunch or dinner. It’s only ranked 4.4, but you’ll have a good experience if you stick to the Venezuelan menu!
There are also several other small cafés around Funchal that offer excellent pratos do dia. Look for simple interiors, handwritten menus, unpretentious plating, and locals filling the tables at lunchtime. Arrive at lunchtime, and enjoy a proper Madeiran meal without spending much.
Finally, a last tip Some restaurants in Funchal offer significant discounts through the app The Fork, sometimes up to 30 or 50 percent off the bill if you book in advance. These deals usually apply to slightly more formal restaurants rather than snack bars, but they can make a mid-range meal surprisingly affordable.