Calhau de São Jorge, on the north coast of Madeira, is a popular destination for island tours, due to its proximity to the sea and the beauty of the landscape. In summer, it is also a beach resort, with a swimming pool, natural lagoon and the ocean itself.
It was to support this tourist demand that a restaurant was born, also called Calhau de São Jorge. It is open for lunch and dinner and is, without mincing words, a restaurant serving traditional Portuguese comfort food.
The house speciality is smoked meats. Chef Hugo Dória, one of the partners, along with José Manuel Ferreira, smokes the meats using wood from cognac barrels and uses a sauce created from an old recipe. The products are then prepared for a slow cooking process at low temperature, which lasts between 9 and 18 hours. Beef brisket, pork knuckle, turkey leg and oxtail are on the smoked list. There is also a cod rice dish in which the fish is also smoked.
Among the comfort dishes, Calhau de São Jorge also serves beef cheek. It is another slow-cooked dish, which takes nine hours to prepare at a low temperature.
There is always fish of the day, which changes according to availability and respects seasonality. Other fish dishes are always on the menu, such as fried swordfish, cod, or tuna. Meat dishes include lamb, beef steak, or chicken.
The desserts have a Madeiran touch, with a mixture of local flavours and Portuguese recipes. For example, there is a crème Brulé made with passion fruit, or a toucinho-do-céu (a traditional Portuguese dessert) to which watercress, passion fruit and lime ice cream is added.
The wine list is not extensive, but it is representative of the main Portuguese regions. It also offers several options by the glass. Calhau de São Jorge has a large dining room, which can accommodate group dinners and lunches.
The atmosphere is welcoming and family friendly. It is a restaurant that is very popular with locals, offering well-served dishes full of traditional flavour.
