Wine & food tour Madeira: three restaurants, local guide

Taste Madeira’s freshest catches and seasonal dishes paired with local wines

A wine and food tour in Madeira pairs appetizers, mains and dessert across three Funchal restaurants with a certified local guide who leads the route through the city. White or red wines accompany each plate. The tour runs four hours and welcomes children from age 7; live guides speak English, Portuguese and French.

Step-by-step itinerary

Gourmet food and wine tour in Funchal

• Learn about Madeira's discovery
• Walk through historic Funchal
• Visit three restaurants
• Taste appetizers, main dishes, desserts
• Enjoy local and Portuguese wines

The Experience

How do you find the restaurants where chefs are actually doing something interesting? A certified local guide handles that part—they walk you through Funchal's food scene and take you to three different spots, each one serving a single course. The route itself is a cultural and historic journey through the city, so you're moving between neighborhoods and learning the place as you eat.

At the first restaurant you'll have appetizers—the kind of opening that sets the tone, whether that's fresh tuna cornetto or sardines with passion fruit mayonnaise. The second stop brings the main course: espada fish, parrot fish, or espetada with polenta, depending on what the kitchen has decided is best that day. Dessert arrives at the third restaurant, often a passion fruit soufflé or something equally seasonal. Each plate comes with a glass of wine—local Madeira or Portuguese bottles chosen to match what you're eating. The guide explains the pairings as you go, so even if you've never thought much about wine before, the logic becomes clear by the end.

The whole thing takes four hours. There are two meeting times: noon for lunch or 6pm for dinner, so you can build the rest of your day around whichever slot fits. Children from age 7 can join; infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller if needed. The guide speaks English, Portuguese or French depending on the group.

What’s included

• Appetizers at the first restaurant.
• main course at the second restaurant.
• dessert at the third restaurant.
• certified local guide leading the route through Funchal.
• white or red wines paired with each course.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours

Is this one for you?The four-hour window means you can fit this into a morning or evening without losing the rest of your day—book the noon slot if you want lunch to be the main event, or the 6pm slot if you'd rather keep your afternoon free and make dinner the centerpiece.

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Top questions

What kind of food will I actually eat on this tour?

The tour takes you through three restaurants serving a single course at each stop. Appetizers might include fresh tuna cornetto or sardines with passion fruit mayonnaise; mains feature local fish like espada or parrot fish, or espetada with polenta; dessert is typically seasonal, such as passion fruit soufflé. The restaurants are chosen for chefs who are rising stars in Funchal's food scene, mixing classic dishes with modern fusions.

How does the wine pairing work?

Each plate comes with a glass of wine—either white or red—selected to match the course. The wines are local Madeira or Portuguese bottles, and your guide explains the pairing as you eat, so you understand why each wine was chosen for that particular dish.

Can I bring my children on this tour?

Children are welcome from age 7. Infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller if you prefer, and specialized infant seats are available if needed.

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

The tour runs four hours and has two meeting times: noon for a lunch tour or 6pm for a dinner tour. You choose which slot works best for your schedule.

What language does the guide speak?

Your certified guide speaks English, Portuguese, or French, depending on the group composition.