The Place: I was hesitant to pick Restaurante Bom Pesqueiro for one of our meals in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Azores. It had great reviews, but it was in a run-down out-of-the-way shopping center along the pier. At the front section, it felt very touristy, but as we headed further down the walk (towards this restaurant), I could see that it was mostly locals hanging out across from the town swimming area. Maybe it was more local than it seemed.
This restaurant was probably the fanciest on this strip and I’m sure it was the most delicious. Seafood and fresh local catches are the specialty and the gracious waiter brought us over to the kitchen to explain each fish on display and how he would recommend having it prepared.
He also explained the difference between white fish, red fish, and blue fish. Doctor Seuss would have been proud.
The Dish: While the Azores is known for tuna and you can find it on practically every menu, you don’t find Amberjack as often. This is a red fish (like tuna) and was grilled perfectly with a beautiful char and the simplicity of olive oil, salt, and pepper. The rich meaty flavor of the fish stood out. It was cooked much more than you might expect from tuna, but it didn’t come close to drying out.
As much as anything else, this gave us a real taste of the local products. The freshness of the fish and mastery of the grill was fantastic and truly made it one of our most memorable meals of the entire time in Portugal.
| RESTAURANTE BOM PESQUEIRO |
| Galerias das Portas do Mar, 9500-122 Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal Câmara de Lobos, Madeira, Portugal +351 968 808 5575 |
| Instagram: @restaurantebompesqueiro |
