Is Carvoeiro Busy

[Toots]

Hi All

I have friends going over to CVO next week and they are wondering if they need to make restaurant reservations in advance as they are concerned that it will be very busy?

Are there any restaurants offering cheaper deals for say dining early or offering promotions of any kind to make the Euros go further or are they all so busy they don't have to try to get customers at this time of year?

We usually visit late September so do not really know what CVO is like visitor wise in July/August but thought that due to the crisis maybe visitors are eating more in their villas, barbequing etc so said to our friends we thought they would be OK.

Feedback from any of you there at the moment would be good.


Thanks

Toots

[fmm]

Ela and Ela, Maximes may need booking a day or two in advance. Anything else can be booked on the day - and most of the time you can reserve a table as you are walking past.
I have never seen any special promotions for pre booking.
There will always be a restaurant even if you don't book - just maybe not the one you want to go to!

[Farol]

Some restaurants (but not many in Carvoeiro) offer a fixed price daily promotion - typically a choice of a couple of starters, a main course and a dessert for under €10. Look out for a blackboard outside. If all you want is a regualr meal then these are a good way of keeping cost down.

[shanagarry]

Drove through town just before 8 last night - it was very busy. I'm delighted for all the businesses who so far have been somewhat wary. Let's hope it continues well into September

[tricky]

We arrived on monday and have found it to be quite busy. The more reasonably priced restaurants were full
but the expensive ones less so. In fact today at Canieros beach I have never seen the restaurant so quiet at lunchtime.
It is one of the higher priced places and King of Ribs (horror of horror) in Ferragudo ran out of ribs at 9pm on Tuesday.
I noticed that our local restaurant at Vila Nova was packed as usual.

Restaurant owners are still saying that tourists are eating at home more, but all in all it looks quite boyant.

p.s. free maps says that the chicken primavera, cafe takeaway at Boa Vista will be open by summer - but having driven past, I think they should've mentioned, WHICH summer

[shanagarry]

We ate at Vila Nova on Wednesday day night - for the second time (having moved from East to West) and have been absolutely delighted with the quality of service and food. However, it will still have to go a long way to beat Vale do Milho Restaurant and Fernando's service delivery.

[wickhamwanderer]

Our first long(ish) stay , 17 nights in July and am finding moving around and traffic pretty good. I had to laugh at trickys comment re the 'new facilities' at Boa Vista where our new Villa is situated( moved in 08/09). We are waiting in this for our new BBQ with Algarvian Chimney to be delivered and installed( previous forum item refers). So we are not starving yet but with our own BBQ and a cafe nearby soon we poor unfortunates on the unfashionable west side will be able to sample luxury soon!
With vila nova within walking distance we tried this for the first time last week and were pleasantly surpised at the quality and value for money.However O Salmao is still top of our favouries.

[EMM]

As near neighbours we too were expecting our own eatery to be open we we arrived end of june, No luck but something to look fwd to for our next visit.
We went to O casarao in Lagoa last week and they had a number of tables reserved so maybe worth booking.
Chicken Piri Piri was excellent ( must try their own special sauce. ) > Provided a pick 9 year old with his own " child size steak " which he thouroughly enjoyed.
Hope your BBQ was installed OK.

[tricky]

Have to say that tonight (sat) is very busy, its been a few years since the town has been so packed
hope its a good omen

[fmm]

The restaurants at the top of restaurant hill were packed to overflowing last night by 8pm and people kept coming. As were the bars. Mainly families wanting tables for 6 - so there were lots of furniture removals going on.

[Toots]

Hi all

Thanks very much for all your replies. I will advise our friends to book when they want to be sure that they can get a table at a particular restaurant.

Toots

[EMM]

Having returned to carvoeiro last night ( thanks to French ATC and a cancelled EJ bristol flight ) we went out or a late meal and can confirm that it was the busiest we have seen the village centre for long time.
We noticed a few " dinner specials " basic but probably OK for around 10 euros so it is worth having a good look round.
EJ have put on late flight tonight so lets hope that the OPEN reslt is decided before we leave , again for the airport.

[shanagarry]

Saturday night is the busiest I have seen the village in many years. The entertainment in The Square attracted 100s.

We ate in Maximes and were delighted to see Cliff Richard at the next table - that was the second time he's been there. I saw Dennis Waterman in The Round Up recently. Clearly the village scores highly with the rich and famous - and rightly so.

Let's hope this increase in activity and numbers is the sign of things to come

[EMM]

Cliiff Richard and Dennis ( write the tune , sing the tune ) 2 good reasons to avoid those places.

[shanagarry]

It's being so miserable that makes you happy - just look out the window and see that clear blue sky - and put a smile on your face