Plaza House Ílhavo

This restaurant, with more than half a century of history yet updated in a contemporary urban style, stands opposite the canal from which the popular Moliceiros depart — the small boats that take tourists around the ria (indeed, the venue’s name evokes another traditional vessel, slightly larger, once used to transport fish and salt). What is found here? The menu features contemporary dishes rooted in local tradition, accompanied by excellent house-made bread and various rice dishes (we particularly enjoyed Arroz de algas de Aveiro e bacalhau (Aveiro seaweed and salt-cod rice)). The offering,

This sophisticated restaurant is housed in an eighteenth-century palace, which now hosts the MS Collection Aveiro – Palacete Valdemouro, an historic building where the writer and diplomat Eça de Queiroz lived, and on which all its décor is inspired. The offering, signed by the renowned chef Rui Paula and executed daily by chef João Covas, is developed under the motto ‘each dish, a story’ and proposes updated dishes with products sourced mainly from the waters that surround the city. With à la carte options and two tasting menus of 6 and 10 courses, modern versions are present such as A Nossa C

Its wooden construction and reddish hue show that it once operated as one of the many salt warehouses facing the São Roque canal (the only one that still preserves its essence today). This setting, not without sophistication, offers a cuisine based on Portuguese gastronomy, incorporating ingredients from the estuary, presented in a modern format with signature touches. Among them, the smoked eel stands out, served with fresh notes and beetroot emulsion, the sea fish accompanied by bivalves from the estuary, and the classic Portuguese style egg nog presented in various textures. The menu featur