Can someone tell me why restaurants in Carvoeiro do not open for
dinner hour until 6:30 PM or later. I would think that opening earlier
would attract more business. It might attract some of the "early bird"
trade who prefer to dine early.
Just a thought..

good idea batman...but if your really hungry...mcdonalds, kfc etc are open all time in portimao

Anonymous wrote:good idea batman...but if your really hungry...mcdonalds, kfc etc are open all time in portimao

Thanks for the suggestion, do you eat there often?

Well done Jeff

Maddi

p.s. I wonder if that was our mystery "charming" guest again?

Jeff

To give you what I understand to be a serious answer - it is the same really across Southern Europe generally. Long lunches, siesta from 2 til 5 for some but that means that the local population aren't ready to eat until later. In fact in my view people eat a lot earlier in Portugal (or on the Algarve ate least) than they do in Greece for example.

It is also linked to eating in the heat, very hot weather gives people a smaller appetite and they are very disinclined (generalising here) to eat large hot meals when the sun is beating down at 30 degrees and the air temp is running at the same level. (i think it is also bad for the digestive system but probably need to check that fact)

Obviously later in the evening the temperature is cooler.

From a personal perspective now, on holiday I tend to rise later, therefore have a light lunch at around 2pm (salad/omelette) and am still on the beach at 7pm.

But I have certainly watched waterparks in all the holiday destinations suddenly almost empty at 5 pm so there must be a large number of people who are all spruced up for dinner by 6 pm.

Mads

Anonymous wrote:good idea batman...but if your really hungry...mcdonalds, kfc etc are open all time in portimao

I thought we were discussing food

Agreed Michael, not eating that stuff, for sure - you have a bigger chance of survival if you take up smoking

I am loving this - I am laughing out loud at the screen

The comment re KFC an BK may not be as silly as it first looks. Usually the people looking to eat around 5 to 6 are families with kids who are used to eating at that time of night and getting hungry.

Nothing wrong with a good budgie burger (don't forget to pluck it first Maggi as you could be spitting feathers again).

Alternatively there is always the Oasis opening at 5pm for the 70s party on the 24th

L8ters bica

Sorry Maddi I am suffering from digital dyslexia this afternoon

I am not laughing at the BK/KFC comment but the underlying sarcasm and Jeff's very simple but clever rebuttal.

Last night, where we live, was the Year Eleven Leavers Ball (the equivalent of the School Prom) and on leaving Sainsburys following shopping I notice a couple of dozen youngsters in Ball Gowns and Dinner suits with huge limos waiting outside McDonalds. To my shame I remarked "fancy meeting there!" - to which my son responded "mum, they are all 15 or 16, that's where they meet".

I suspect that it my son out of the two of us that actually showed the most class!

Jeff Sader - a tiny advice; stay out of Spain! Most restaurants open at 10 in the evening

They are open from 9 in the morning in Greece but you will be eating by yourself until 9pm - what I love is how suddenly around midnight 100's of local greeks appear with their kids and grannies and promenade - the whole place just comes alive (especially at weekends). By contrast I would have to say, with a couple of very notable exceptions , Carvoeiro retires fairly early by southern european standards

Maddi

Totally agree with Steen on Spanish eating times --on our last drive out to Algarve we spent hours waiting for restaurant to open in Burgos (the old Castilian capital, not burgers!) and it was indeed,between 9.30 - 10pm before we sat down to eat with loudly growling stomaches.
Whats wrong with Colombos next to Smilers,they do all day breakfasts and you can get omelettes with salad& chips& other meals at midday and they make children very welcome --very nice friendly staff. Plus theres all the little pastelarias that open all day --not just for sandwiches but hot soup etc.
Hope this helps, Ellie.

Forgot to add that A Galerea along Estrada do Farol usually opens at 5.30 --well it did on my last visit.