Restaurante Poda

I just had an amazing dining experience at Poda on both a Sunday and Wednesday! From the charming ambiance to the incredible food and wine, everything was top-notch. Each dish was stunning, and I love that they work closely with local producers for a fresh, seasonal menu. The wines were exceptional, highlighting the region’s best offerings. The service was outstanding! Reinaldo and another lovely staff member enhanced our visit by explaining the history of each dish and wine. Poda has a wonderful traditional feel with cultural elements from southern Portugal. My girlfriend from Alentejo said she hasn’t had food this good since her grandparents closed their restaurant in 2014—what a compliment. I appreciated that we didn’t repeat any dishes or wines over our visits. If you’re in Montemor-o-Novo, do yourself a favor and visit Poda. I can’t wait to go back!

Traditional and delicious dishes. The “Bacalhau da Maria” was delicious and transported me back in time. It was so interesting to listen to the story about the dish during medieval time and then try it. Everything is special in this place, the bread is delicious and served in a cute fabric bag. All the details and the excellent service made our experience memorable.

We had an amazing experience at Poda. The staff was incredibly nice and thoughtful, showcasing true passion for the Portuguese cuisine and deep knowledge on all the plates that were served. The food was spectacular, together with great wine and amazing atmosphere. We will definitely come back! Muito muito obrigada pela incrível experiência ☺️

Loved this cozy restaurant! The dishes are inspired by traditional Alentejo cuisine with a modern twist. We decided to go with the tasting menu and we were very glad we did. The servers explained the traditional roots of each dish and how the chef put his own twist on it, which was very interesting as it was our first time in the region. I would highly recommend doing the tasting menu if it’s your first time here or you’re not familiar with Alentejo cuisine. We loved it so much we came back two days later! All of the dishes were fantastic, but our favorites were the cold rabbit salad on bread (not on the menu but ask if they have it), the mushroom and egg soup, the purslane and goat cheese soup, and the breadcrumbs with cod. The local cheese and olives were also great! We tried three of the desserts, the chocolate mousse (so rich), the sericaia with honeycomb, and a traditional Alentejo cake with dried fruits; all three were delicious! The owner is a trained sommelier and clearly passionate about wine, he recommended us a number of great local wines to complement the food. All of the staff are so friendly and kind, you really feel that they are happy to have you there. Overall it was such a wonderful experience, I highly recommend stopping by if you’re in the area.

Incredible meal! Extremely fresh, local cuisine. You could taste the history of the recipes. The appetizer soups were delicious and the lamb was great. Amazing chocolate mousse dessert and friendly, attentive service.

While staying at a local vineyard we decided to eat out for lunch and found Poda nearby. Delicious menu and the service was the best we had in Portugal. Everyone was extremely friendly and gave us the history behind some of their dishes. The game stew was amazing! Food and atmosphere was so inviting we came back for dinner.

It was an incredible experience. Informative staff, comfortable and nice atmosphere and the food was really tasty and cooked in a traditional fashion. For the kind of restaurant it gives us good value for money, either you choose the degustation menu or a la carte. I would like to go back.

We dined here for a delicious lunch. They just opened but had everting running perfectly. The service was great. So friendly and helpful. We received great recommendations and are glad we listened to them. The pork with pork fat spread on bread - wow! We started with rabbit with cilantro/coriander. My first time trying rabbit. A light fresh dish. I love the cilantro in it. For entrees we tried the fried dogfish with creamy rice and pork fillets with a traditional side I can’t remember the name of. It was quite good. Bread with broth, kind of a polenta texture but with more flavor. They recommended a great white wine with lunch. Overall it’s a cute place with great food and service.