Restaurante Villa Velha by Alberto Punset

Delicious food, good service, highlt recommended bacalao and chicken breast in mango curry

Lovely restaurant with great food and atmosphere

We had dinner here last night, only been open since July 2022, a great atmosphere, fantastic service, great value and great food. The chef is a real character and makes sure he explains all the various menus available. The mussels were superb, Would definitely recommend

Sterneküche zu moderaten Preisen!! Ein echter Geheimtipp in Alvor! Das Lokal hat erst vor Kurzem neu aufgemacht. Die Austern (im japanischen Style) waren ein absolutes Geschmackserlebnis. Auch die Hauptspeise (Hähnchenbrust mit Reis und Gemüse mit Mango-Kokosmilch) war extrem lecker! Man fühlt sich vom ersten Moment an sehr wohl. Ich hatte eine supernette, sehr aufmerksame Bedienung. Absolut empfehlenswert!!!

Very good food, very kind staff cant say anything negative about the restaurant. I can only recommend it 👍🏻

Außergewöhnlich leckeres Essen. Die Spareribs waren geschmacklich perfekt und sehr ansprechend angerichtet. Die Vegetarische Paella war auch sehr sehr gut. Kann dieses Restaurant uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen. Ein wahres Geschmackserlebnis für einen sehr fairen Preis. Der Service ist aufmerksam und freundlich. Es gibt keine Kritik. Top Restaurant!

Venimos mi mujer , mi hijo i yo por la buena valoración de tripadvisor i la verdad no defraudó . De primero nos pedimos unas gambas al ajillo i mejillones i a parte de estar bien cocinados , el producto era realmente fresco . De segundo pedimos paella de marisco pues venimos de Cataluña i nos apetecía i también , al punto , perfectamente cocinada i con producto también muy fresco. El servicio también muy atento . De 10 todo.

Man wird immer wieder überrascht, was für ein super Service und das Essen, ein Traum. QUALITÄT hervorragend. Die Wissen was Sie tun. Vielen Dank 👍

We had such a wonderful dinner last night. Had the shrimp mango avocado salad, it was delicious. Followed by the steak au poivre, cooked perfect and also delicious. What a gem of a restaurant. Great service and very warm, friendly atmosphere. Look forward to going back.

Had a table of 11 and food and service was amazing. It was so good we all went back 3 days later. Great value as we

Fuimos a cenar y nos sentimos como en casa. Alberto estuvo pendiente de nosotros y nos aconsejo estupendamente tanto con la comida como con el vino.Repetiremos en nuestra próxima estancia en Portimao

Found this hidden gem in Alvor, returned twice as the food was incredible.. the staff were delightful, lovely cosy setting in the restaurant. Fantastic gluten free options available. The restaurant, staff and food all deserves 10 stars 🌟 a must visit 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Cuisine vraiment excellente. Accueil chaleureux. Sans réserve, tout est bien.

Wir waren Im März in diesem Restaurant, also außerhalb der Saison. Wir wurden sehr gut bedient und das Essen war fantastisch. Unsere Paella war excellent und definitiv frisch zubereitet. Der Koch persönlich erkundigte sich, ob alles in Ordnung ist. Dieses Restaurant ist außerordentlich gut und sehr zu empfehlen. Wir würden jederzeit wieder dort essen.

We had the most beautiful meal here. I had the codfish and it was outstanding. The service we had could not be faulted...wonderful

Wir waren zu dritt dort spontan zum Abendessen. Wir hatten drei verschiedene Vorspeisen und drei verschiedene Hauptessen. Alles war hervorragend!!! Sehr lecker, klare Empfehlung!.

Très très bon restaurant espagnol dans le centre d’Alvor. Le restaurant est prisé, réservation conseillée. Le jambon ibérique est découpé à la minute, la paella était excellente, un vrais délice. Le staff est sympathique mais parfois un peu maladroit. Vraiment à recommander.

Restaurante A1 !! Comida riquísima, opciones para cualquier paladar, clásicas, innovadoras con sabores exóticos, calidad y buen precio. El servicio es excelente, atentos en cada momento. Recomendable 100% volveremos pronto !!

My favourite restaurant in Alvor! The food was incredible, we had prawns to start and suckling pork for main which I highly recommend and the staff were very friendly. We will be back!

Fantastic meal with friendly service. Food was delicious, good choice. Sister had vegetarian and loved it. Nice touch when head chef came to table to see if we were enjoying it.a few years later and another beautiful meal.

Sehr gute Qualität von Fleisch und Fisch. Super abgeschmeckt. Freundlicher Service

Thank you Alberto and team ! Had an outstanding meal with attentive service and smile on your lovely terrace... The cod fish carpaccio was so light and divine in taste, refreshing. My filet of Argentine beef with pepper sauce was so fresh and melting in the mouth, the spare ribs with the exotic coconut twist were a delight. The Vallado Prima Douro white wine a gem: the taste of a Muscatel but dry ! Unbelievable. We will return.

Found this gem through positive reviews so called and booked a table. Welcome and service were fantastic and friendly and it was clear they had a sense of pride in the restaurant. We ordered the prawn and crab croquettes followed by the suckling pig and lamb shank. Both were superbly presented and tasted great. Would definitely recommend.

We booked through TheFork because we were specifically craving authentic paella—and wow, did this place deliver. Restaurante Villa Velha ended up being one of the best dining experiences of our entire trip. The paella was hands-down the best we’ve ever had. But what really set the experience apart was the chef himself—a warm, passionate Spaniard who took the time to explain every detail behind the dishes. We learned that the pata negra was aged for 3 years, and the razor clams came from a local cove where the salt levels in the water are unusually high—giving them a more intense flavor and delicate size. The Catalan cream and cheesecake were also exceptional—light, flavorful, and clearly made with care. You can feel the heart in this place, from the food to the people. If you’re looking for an authentic, memorable meal while in the Algarve, don’t hesitate to book this place!

We had some amazing food here. I think the prawn and crab croquettes are the best I have ever had. We also had the squid ink paella which was incredible. The waitresses were very friendly. A point to note was that we had our 4 month old baby with us and there are no baby changing facilities.

Super restaurant ! Un peu difficile d’accès en voiture mais une très belle découverte. La viande est super bonne, le service impeccable et rapide. L’addition est un peu élevée pour le portugal mais la qualité est rendez-vous ! Il faut savoir ce qu’on veut.

Hervorragendes Lokal. Toller Service, gute Speisen und leckeren Wein

Sono celiaca e soffro per la contaminazione dal glutine , ho avuto fiducia nello chef e sono stata benissimo e felice di aver mangiato la paella piu buona del mondo e la cheese cake senza glutine ottima

Delicious!!! We stumbled across this restaurant and were very pleased we did!! The food was gorgeous, so fresh and so much flavour! Highly recommend!

Had a lovely dinner here. Best service we have had in the Algarve, all the staff were friendly and attentive. The tuna salad and seafood paella were excellent and the food was service at a good pace. Would recommend!

Maxime Lvll

Très très bon restaurant espagnol dans le centre d’Alvor. Le restaurant est prisé, réservation conseillée. Le jambon ibérique est découpé à la minute, la paella était excellente, un vrais délice. Le staff est sympathique mais parfois un peu maladroit. Vraiment à recommander.

TG

My favourite restaurant in Alvor! The food was incredible, we had prawns to start and suckling pork for main which I highly recommend and the staff were very friendly. We will be back!

Matt Westray

Fantastic meal with friendly service. Food was delicious, good choice. Sister had vegetarian and loved it. Nice touch when head chef came to table to see if we were enjoying it.a few years later and another beautiful meal.

Sandra López

Restaurante A1 !! Comida riquísima, opciones para cualquier paladar, clásicas, innovadoras con sabores exóticos, calidad y buen precio. El servicio es excelente, atentos en cada momento. Recomendable 100% volveremos pronto !!

Daniel Tinguely

Thank you Alberto and team ! Had an outstanding meal with attentive service and smile on your lovely terrace... The cod fish carpaccio was so light and divine in taste, refreshing. My filet of Argentine beef with pepper sauce was so fresh and melting in the mouth, the spare ribs with the exotic coconut twist were a delight. The Vallado Prima Douro white wine a gem: the taste of a Muscatel but dry ! Unbelievable. We will return.

Greer Gardner

We booked through TheFork because we were specifically craving authentic paella—and wow, did this place deliver. Restaurante Villa Velha ended up being one of the best dining experiences of our entire trip. The paella was hands-down the best we’ve ever had. But what really set the experience apart was the chef himself—a warm, passionate Spaniard who took the time to explain every detail behind the dishes. We learned that the pata negra was aged for 3 years, and the razor clams came from a local cove where the salt levels in the water are unusually high—giving them a more intense flavor and delicate size. The Catalan cream and cheesecake were also exceptional—light, flavorful, and clearly made with care. You can feel the heart in this place, from the food to the people. If you’re looking for an authentic, memorable meal while in the Algarve, don’t hesitate to book this place!

Alois Holdener

Sehr gute Qualität von Fleisch und Fisch. Super abgeschmeckt. Freundlicher Service

Chris Humphrey

Found this gem through positive reviews so called and booked a table. Welcome and service were fantastic and friendly and it was clear they had a sense of pride in the restaurant. We ordered the prawn and crab croquettes followed by the suckling pig and lamb shank. Both were superbly presented and tasted great. Would definitely recommend.

Louis Hare

We had some amazing food here. I think the prawn and crab croquettes are the best I have ever had. We also had the squid ink paella which was incredible. The waitresses were very friendly. A point to note was that we had our 4 month old baby with us and there are no baby changing facilities.

Parker Shaw

Had a lovely dinner here. Best service we have had in the Algarve, all the staff were friendly and attentive. The tuna salad and seafood paella were excellent and the food was service at a good pace. Would recommend!

T Rex

Super restaurant ! Un peu difficile d’accès en voiture mais une très belle découverte. La viande est super bonne, le service impeccable et rapide. L’addition est un peu élevée pour le portugal mais la qualité est rendez-vous ! Il faut savoir ce qu’on veut.

Rossana Ferrario

Sono celiaca e soffro per la contaminazione dal glutine , ho avuto fiducia nello chef e sono stata benissimo e felice di aver mangiato la paella piu buona del mondo e la cheese cake senza glutine ottima

Kate Newman-French

Delicious!!! We stumbled across this restaurant and were very pleased we did!! The food was gorgeous, so fresh and so much flavour! Highly recommend!

Muito bom .. atendimento muito rápido e qualidade da comida bastante boa. recomendo e vou voltar com certeza!

Great experience - especially if you like traditional food and have lactose intolerance! I was very pleased with the food, wine, ambience and the service. I decided to have the oxtail and was not disappointed. The meat was melt in the mouth and absolutely delicious. The menu was very clearly labelled for dairy free etc which I really appreciated. Plus they didn't mind me asking them to double check with the kitchen that the mash was definitely lactose free. The house wine was very nice and reasonably priced. The decor is very elegant. I have no hesitation in recommending.

JulieNorthumberland

Great experience - especially if you like traditional food and have lactose intolerance! I was very pleased with the food, wine, ambience and the service. I decided to have the oxtail and was not disappointed. The meat was melt in the mouth and absolutely delicious. The menu was very clearly labelled for dairy free etc which I really appreciated. Plus they didn't mind me asking them to double check with the kitchen that the mash was definitely lactose free. The house wine was very nice and reasonably priced. The decor is very elegant. I have no hesitation in recommending.

SWSUP

Muito bom .. atendimento muito rápido e qualidade da comida bastante boa. recomendo e vou voltar com certeza!

La calidad de la comida es buena. El servicio fue profesional. La zona donde está situado es tranquilo. En la terraza se estaba muy bien.

Locale accogliente con personale cordiale e professionale. Ottima la qualità del cibo ed ampia la scelta di piatti. Complimenti a chef Alberto!

Bom atendimento e boa paella de marisco. Lugar descontraído.

2025 Update. We returned last night one year after my initial review and I felt I had to mention the absolutely delicious mussels and Oxtail. Beautifully cooked and packed with flavour. The Oxtail is served on the bone. We had a super meal at Villa Velha a few weeks back. It's a nice varied menu and interesting to see pad Thai sit along side options such as steak and roast suckling pig. Service was really good, attentive with being over intrusive. The restaurant was full with plenty of noise and atmosphere. Villa Velha is a welcome addition to Alvor and we'll definitely be returning. Highly recommend.

We came here on a whim as this place actually had one table available, and we hadn't thought to make reservations on a Friday in Alvor! The server was absolutely wonderful! She was so friendly and so generous. It could have been just another typical restaurant with a slightly weird menu but she really owns one of these stars all to herself. The food is decent. The lamb shank was beautifully cooked with a very generous portion. The veg it came with was a little underwhelming (boiled broccoli?), but it seemed very homestyle and like comfort food. That's not a bad thing. Also has a nice little wine list. I've been curious about crema catalana since I heard about it and I'm not sure if it is supposed to be that runny, so I can't say it wasn't good. The flavours were nice, but the texture and thickness was not like creme brulee. Again, maybe it isn't supposed to be so don't take my word for it, but it just wasn't for me. If you want a little touch of Spain in Alvor, this restaurant is for you.

Gabriel Távora

Bom atendimento e boa paella de marisco. Lugar descontraído.

richard gil

2025 Update. We returned last night one year after my initial review and I felt I had to mention the absolutely delicious mussels and Oxtail. Beautifully cooked and packed with flavour. The Oxtail is served on the bone. We had a super meal at Villa Velha a few weeks back. It's a nice varied menu and interesting to see pad Thai sit along side options such as steak and roast suckling pig. Service was really good, attentive with being over intrusive. The restaurant was full with plenty of noise and atmosphere. Villa Velha is a welcome addition to Alvor and we'll definitely be returning. Highly recommend.

Vee

We came here on a whim as this place actually had one table available, and we hadn't thought to make reservations on a Friday in Alvor! The server was absolutely wonderful! She was so friendly and so generous. It could have been just another typical restaurant with a slightly weird menu but she really owns one of these stars all to herself. The food is decent. The lamb shank was beautifully cooked with a very generous portion. The veg it came with was a little underwhelming (boiled broccoli?), but it seemed very homestyle and like comfort food. That's not a bad thing. Also has a nice little wine list. I've been curious about crema catalana since I heard about it and I'm not sure if it is supposed to be that runny, so I can't say it wasn't good. The flavours were nice, but the texture and thickness was not like creme brulee. Again, maybe it isn't supposed to be so don't take my word for it, but it just wasn't for me. If you want a little touch of Spain in Alvor, this restaurant is for you.

Excelente experiência de gastronomia.

Monica Fernandes

Excelente experiência de gastronomia.

Unsere Erwartungen waren leider viel zu hoch. Von einem so gut bewerteten Restaurant erwarte ich was anderes. Schmutzige Tischdecken draussen obwohl wir die ersten am tag dort waren. Auch auf den anderen Tischen sahen die nicht besser aus. Tischdeko ist Plastik. Auch enttäuschend da diese Stadt von allen Nähten blüht. Das Essen an sich war nicht soo schlecht, aber echt enttäuschend. Die Qualität der zutaten war ok, aber das Gemüse fast roh, wirklich bei Möhren und grüne Bohnen nicht gut. Das gleiche Gemüse wird neben schwweinerippchen oder Garnelen serviert: Möhren, grüne Bohnen, Brokkoli. Komplett ungewürzt, einfach nur halb gekocht. Der Salat der neben Rippchen serviert wird sieht zwar frisch aus, war aber komplett ungenießbar, ich weiß nicht was das für saladesorten oder andere Kräuter waren. Auch Dressing hat gefehlt, man bekommt auf dem tisch salz, Pfeffer und Olivenöl, aber die haben auch ihre grenzen. Für diese art „kochen“ muss man echt kein guter koch sein. Achja: Vorspeise: pata negra schinken mit tomaten auf brot: der Schinken war natürlich gut, dadurch auchbdrr viel zu hohe Preis dafür: aber im ernst: das Brot mit tomaten war matschig, zu dünn und darauf war einfach eine dünne schicht passierte Tomaten, auch hier, komplett ungewürzt!!! Also im ernst: sowas zu versäumen hätte ich nicht für möglich gehalten: das Brot nur ein bisschen dicker schneiden, gleichmäßig (!!!) anrösten, und mit echten Tomatenwürfel (mit Olivenöl, Knoblauch und Salz angemacht) drauf. Easy und lecker, so schwer ist es nicht, machen Sie es um gotteswillen für die andere kunden besser. Aus meiner sicht verdient das Restaurant die gute Bewertungen nicht wirklich, auch im Tripadvisor angeblich platz 2. dafür müsste man wirklich was tun, was jetzt ist scheint für mich nach gekauften Bewertungen oder einem trick die schlechte Bewertungen nicht durchzulassen. Ob meine online ankommt…

Ana Stirban

Unsere Erwartungen waren leider viel zu hoch. Von einem so gut bewerteten Restaurant erwarte ich was anderes. Schmutzige Tischdecken draussen obwohl wir die ersten am tag dort waren. Auch auf den anderen Tischen sahen die nicht besser aus. Tischdeko ist Plastik. Auch enttäuschend da diese Stadt von allen Nähten blüht. Das Essen an sich war nicht soo schlecht, aber echt enttäuschend. Die Qualität der zutaten war ok, aber das Gemüse fast roh, wirklich bei Möhren und grüne Bohnen nicht gut. Das gleiche Gemüse wird neben schwweinerippchen oder Garnelen serviert: Möhren, grüne Bohnen, Brokkoli. Komplett ungewürzt, einfach nur halb gekocht. Der Salat der neben Rippchen serviert wird sieht zwar frisch aus, war aber komplett ungenießbar, ich weiß nicht was das für saladesorten oder andere Kräuter waren. Auch Dressing hat gefehlt, man bekommt auf dem tisch salz, Pfeffer und Olivenöl, aber die haben auch ihre grenzen. Für diese art „kochen“ muss man echt kein guter koch sein. Achja: Vorspeise: pata negra schinken mit tomaten auf brot: der Schinken war natürlich gut, dadurch auchbdrr viel zu hohe Preis dafür: aber im ernst: das Brot mit tomaten war matschig, zu dünn und darauf war einfach eine dünne schicht passierte Tomaten, auch hier, komplett ungewürzt!!! Also im ernst: sowas zu versäumen hätte ich nicht für möglich gehalten: das Brot nur ein bisschen dicker schneiden, gleichmäßig (!!!) anrösten, und mit echten Tomatenwürfel (mit Olivenöl, Knoblauch und Salz angemacht) drauf. Easy und lecker, so schwer ist es nicht, machen Sie es um gotteswillen für die andere kunden besser. Aus meiner sicht verdient das Restaurant die gute Bewertungen nicht wirklich, auch im Tripadvisor angeblich platz 2. dafür müsste man wirklich was tun, was jetzt ist scheint für mich nach gekauften Bewertungen oder einem trick die schlechte Bewertungen nicht durchzulassen. Ob meine online ankommt…

Producto muy básico. Pedimos un tratar de atún y el aguacate era de bote, el conjunto no sabía a nada. El costillar, más de lo mismo. La atención dejó mucho que desear. Por los precios que tienen, no merece la pena esa calidad de producto.