Gourmet Natural - one of the best dining experiences in the Algarve
The best tip if you want to dine here is to book well in advance - it gets booked up very quickly, because it is absolutely wonderful!
Gourmet Natural is Best For
Directions to Gourmet Natural
Set in the former Ermitage restaurant, Gourmet Natural near Vale de Lobo and Quinta do Lago has charm, charisma and elegance in abundance. Add quality cuisine and wonderful South American hospitality and you begin to get an idea of what Gourmet Natural is about.
Special Notice from The Natural Group:
Due to continued road works in the Floresta area and the uncertainty on whether we will have road access to Gourmet Natural via Caminho das Ferrarias, we have taken the very difficult decision TO NOT OPEN Gourmet Natural for the 2020 season.
We hope you will allow us to serve you wonderful food in specatural settings in one of our sister restaurants Parrilla Natural, Parrilla Beach Club or Wildfire during this time.
In 2018 Gourmet Natural launched a brand new menu featuring those excellent steaks and also a great choice of modern, mediterranean dishes featuring fish, lamb and chicken, as well as creative vegetarian options. The flavours are fresh and delicious, with some innovative combinations that are as delicous as they are surprising. The ambience is utterly relaxing with diners encouraged to linger over their meals to savour both the food and the setting.
The grounds are stunning, as is the building itself. The South American wall motifs and decorative touches fit perfectly within the walls and courtyard of a traditional Algarve villa. The wide gateway leads you round the central fountain and onto the deck, surrounded by banana palms, pine trees, & leggy tropical palms. You immediately relax into the spirit of the restaurant. Cocktail in hand, you have nothing more arduous to do than choose your favorite dish and enjoy every mouthful.
An important focus of the Gourmet Natural menu is top quality natural Uruguayan beef, grilled, not over charcoal, but fresh firewood. All the meat has 100% traceability and comes from free range Angus and Hereford grass-fed cattle. The resulting beef has low fat levels, high levels of omega 3 and vitamin E. The special grill, the Parilla, was made to the Uruguayan chefs' specifications and stands to one side of the courtyard. Just watching the chefs expertly juggle the meat and flames is an entertainment. They are very proud of the steaks they serve - it is unpretentious and straightforward but of superior quality. Naturally gourmet.
This year Gourmet Natural has broadened its range of dishes. The ever popular Empanadas are still available and other starters include a freshly delicious veal carpaccio and a creative beetroot and blue cheese salad. Main courses include steak, but also excellent fish dishes such as sea bass with orange and fennel, cod with spring onion cream, chicken dishes as well as vegetarian options. And don't forget dessert, particularly the fabulous almond, orange and cognac mousse with basil ice-cream.
Given the fabulous setting and the wonderful service, one of the nicest things about dining at Gourmet Natural, aside from the food of course, is the relaxed pace. You are encouraged to savour your meal and enjoy the fabulous garden dining, for as long as you wish, with never a sense that you are being hurried.
The team at Gourmet Natural opened their second restaurant in the area in 2011. Parrilla Natural Steak House is at least as impressive as Gourmet Natural. The setting is a lush magic garden, the food exceeds expectations and the service makes each guest feel like the most important person in the world. Here, the wonderful Uruguayan beef reigns supreme.
Another member of the family is Wildfire Smokehouse and Grill - a superb smokehouse serving original and delicious dishes, all with the mark of quality you would expect from this great team.
And for an amazing beachside experience, try Parrilla Beach Club on Ancão beach - a super day and night beach restaurant.
Gourmet Natural is open for dinner only from 7pm until late.