Vila Joya Restaurant Algarve

Vila Joya Restaurant is part of the Vila Joya Hotel and the only restaurant in Portugal with two Michelin Stars. Instead of having dinner at the restaurant we were asked for lunch so that we might enjoy the spectacular views of the ocean and were pleased we took heed of the advice as we stepped onto the terrace. Not only is the food outstanding at Vila Joya but the views are breathtaking.

We had a set lunch time menu offering both seafood and meat dishes with surprise dishes in between. In total we received 7 outstanding dishes, had I known beforehand I would have restrained myself from trying 3 types of homemade bread accompanied with olive oils, butter and cottage cheese and chive spreads to name a few but by this time it was too late; it´s just that even the bread was so tasty.

Each dish was fantastically inventive, with fresh seasonal produce that chef Dieter Koschina has scoured the Algarvian markets for combined with rarer items such as truffles and goose liver from further afield. We tried rabbit, duck, prawn, turbot combined with all sorts of fresh vegetables and creamy sauces, by the time the final chocolate mousse, white chocolate ice cream, little crunchy chocolate balls and caramelised banana was brought to the table I was fit to burst but given a couple minutes rest the dish draws you to it once again and once again not a morsel was left on the plate.

What is noticeably different about this restaurant is attention to detail. From start to finish you knew that you were experiencing a different level of quality and that combined with the ocean view makes Vila Joya restaurant a special experience.