A Tasquinha

A Tasquinha is a small, family-run restaurant on Rua Dr. Alfredo Costa in Sintra, in the historic town centre in the hills west of Lisbon, close to the Palácio Nacional de Sintra and the pedestrian streets of the old quarter. It serves homestyle Portuguese food in a modest, welcoming setting and is valued by residents for its warm hospitality and fair prices at a time when many Sintra restaurants cater mainly to day-trippers. The cuisine is traditional Portuguese. Typical dishes include grilled chicken, pork ribs and bacalhau com natas, the salt cod baked with cream and potatoes. Meals are served with bread, rice or fries, a simple salad and house wine, and portions are generous. Specials change with the day and the season, and the staff can explain the menu to visitors who do not speak Portuguese. The dining room is small and informal, with a calm, friendly mood and a moderate noise level, and the restaurant suits families, couples and small groups. The drinks list is simple, with Portuguese wine, beer and soft drinks, and coffee and a small dessert round off the meal. Prices are low and the value is good compared with the restaurants nearest the palaces. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch from noon to 3pm and dinner from 7pm to 10pm and is closed on Mondays. It takes walk-ins, but because it is small, arriving early, particularly at weekends and in the summer season, helps secure a table. Sintra receives large numbers of visitors in the middle of the day, so a later lunch or an early dinner is calmer. A meal here fits well between visits to the Pena Palace, the Quinta da Regaleira and the Moorish Castle, and the town's steep streets mean that a restful lunch is welcome. Visitors planning a day trip from Lisbon often use it as a reliable and unpretentious lunch stop.