Travel Reference
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room. The grilled meats are excellent, and though portions aren't as large as in some
places, that's probably a good thing.
O Trovador
( 239 825 475; Largo da Sé Velha 15; mains €9-13; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat)
In a wonderful position
right opposite the majestic old cathedral, this restaurant sees many tourists but neverthe-
less offers up good-value regional cuisine supplemented by daily specials in a likeable set-
ting. The walls are decorated with tiles, quotations and photos of old Coimbra, and the at-
mosphere is traditional. Regular fado performances.
PORTUGUESE
€€
Restaurante Zé Neto
PORTUGUESE
€€
(Rua das Azeiteiras 8; mains €9-11; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat)
This marvellous family-run place spe-
cialises in homemade Portuguese standards, including
cabrito
(kid). Come in the late
morning and you'll catch the elderly owner - a fixture here since 1952 - tapping out the
menu on a typewriter of similar vintage.
Itália
(
www.grupovalentinorestaurantes.com
; Parque Dr Manuel de Braga; mains €8-15; noon-midnight; )
Cheery
Itália serves reasonably good Italian food - including tasty pizza - but what really draws
the crowds is its incomparable location. The sunny glass-walled dining room is canti-
levered over the Rio Mondego, while breezy outdoor tables bask in the shade of giant sy-
camores in the adjacent riverside park.
ITALIAN
€€
Dona Especiaria
PORTUGUESE
€€€
(Restaurante do Gil; 922 040 194;
www.donaespeciaria.pt.vu
; Rua Joaquim António d'Aguiar 49; set lunch/dinner
€7.50/30; lunch Tue-Sun, dinner Mon-Sat)
We really can't decide whether to recommend this
weird place or not. A small dining room is the stage for a charismatic chef's caprices.
Start with fruit and follow with Portuguese cuisine with numerous twists; it's almost a sur-
real experience. It's not gourmet, more an enthusiastic friend's dinner party. It's very per-
sonal and intimate, some dishes hit heights, and it's always interesting, though service can
be painfully slow. Lunch is simpler. No sign. Book dinner ahead.
