Douro Gourmet Lda - Alijo

Great food, good variety on the menu, friendly, relaxed service. Definitely recommend. Would return any time.

We visited this restaurant during a short stay in Alijo. It was nice to sit somewhere with air conditioning as it was very hot during our stay. The restaurant is pleasantly decorated and the staff were attentive. There were only three tables occupied. Our meal was decent but not exceptional. In this region where meat is generally very good and tender, my husband's steak was very chewy and the sauce was too strong for it. Given the rather higher price of this restaurant compared to others in the town and the fact that the food and service are OK but not fantastic we would not go back here.

I'd read all about the Portugese not going to dinner until 9pm, and that is so true. It is actually kind of spooky to be the only people in a restaurant for almost two hours. This is a more upscale - read more expensive - restaurant. The food was okay, but for the price I was expecting more. The dining area is one small room, by the time we left a bit after 9pm, it had completely filled up. It was easy walking distance from the Pousada.

One of the staff of the local quinta where we were staying recommended Cepa Torta. as the "...best restaurant in Alijo". It probably is the best restaurant in Alijo. We arrived early to an almost empty restaurant. The staff were great, at least one spoke good English, and they were very attentive. They had an English menu, and as we ordered, the couple sitting next to us insisted we try their appetizer: Alheira, the local sausage. Delicious!Entrees were a mixed bag. Mine was ribs with polenta. The ribs were a bit dry, but the polenta was kicked up a couple of notches and almost addictive. My wife enjoyed her seafood salad.Dessert was the recommendqation of our waitress and waiter; canilhas de leite creme. They're something like cannollis. The custard filling was great. Wines were local and delicious (Doura's not-so-big-secret: go for the local table wines, not the ports) The restaurant was filling up as we left. Nice atmosphere, friendly staff, good food; a winning combination.

Very friendly. Good steak. Don't speak Portuguese and they can't understand your guide book muttering - no problem, they are very patient - and a local customer might transalate for you too. Not many other places to eat locally that I could see but that doesn't mean it's the best of a bad lot - we liked it.