Retiro Dos Amigos - Faro

RESTAURANTE RETIRO dos ARCOS, LOULÉ There are a few restaurants in Loulé which have withstood the passage of time and remain today, offering the same, dependable service and reliable quality, as they have done for 20, maybe even 30 years. Once such establishment is the Restaurante O Retiro dos Arcos, in Avenida Marçal Pacheco, (the Faro road, opposite the market). We recently had lunch there: our first visit in some 25years. Nothing seemed to have changed, except maybe the television, which was now in colour, instead of black and white. The several arches, from which the place takes its name were still there, the result of opening up previously separate rooms, adding a certain degree of cosiness. The staff of course, had changed, but they still evinced the same efficiency and willingness to please. The latter sadly, being an increasingly rare attribute in today's food dispensing businesses. Clientèle are principally from surrounding enterprises, with a 50/50 mix of blue and white collar. Doors are open for lunch at around 12:15 and it may be difficult to find a place after 1:00pm The menu has not changed that much and still offers the same dozen or so predictable dishes as well as a few seasonal extras, or what the chef selects from the market, opposite. One of the attractions we recalled, was the excellent value for money and this, we were pleased to see has remained an important goal in the restaurant's remit. The four choices of pratos do dia were caldeirada de bacalhau, (fish stew) and vitela com esparguete, (veal with spaghetti), plus frango churrasco or fricassé (barbecue grilled, or fricassé chicken). If nothing took your fancy from that list, there was fried mackerel, grilled cuttle fish, grilled dourada and grilled salmon. The usual cuts of pork, turkey and veal were available, but liver, belly and espetadas could be had. Lamb chops were a little more expensive and for non meat-eaters, there were omelets: the cheapest dish on the menu.. Our recommendation from all that had to be the pork kebabs, served on two wooden skewers, generously loaded with singed pepper, onion, chouriço and tomato, supplemented with fried potatoes and rice. A jug of wine, bicas cheias and macieira rounded off our treat. The bill for two, still left change from a €20note. Of course there is unlikely to be any convenient nearby parking in this busy town, in fact we have long since given up trying to park in the streets of Loulé and now favour the multi-storey car park opposite the law courts. It is only a leisurely, 10minute, level walk to the market-place and shops and one could easily spend twice that time looking for street-parking. Even during the busy Christmas period, (when it was free), we have always found there to be plenty of spaces.

É o Restaurante que todas as Quartas feiras fazemos aquela visita de almoço, e como sempre somos recebidos por aquela equipa fantastica Sr. Anibal e o amigo Zé, pessoas fantásticas. Obrigado Retiro dos Amigos

Comida boa em excelente sabor e preço também!

Bem servido para quem comer bem fica satisfeito

Lovely little restaurant hidden on the outskirts of Faro just below Santa Barbara. Excellent service, great food, great service and reasonably priced!