Dining in expensive restaurants for next to nothing in the so-called Portuguese Riviera may sound too good to be true, but guess what? Now you can – but only for one week. The seaside town of Cascais, on the Lisbon coast, is hosting the second edition of its Restaurant Week between 19 and 29 April, after last year’s successful first venture. Thirty-six top-end restaurants in the area are taking part in the initiative, which offers low-priced meals cooked by acclaimed chefs, all in the name of charity.

Some of the luxury establishments taking part in the event include seafood and fish restaurants like A Pastorinha (Avenida Marginal, Carcavelos) or Furnas do Guincho (Estrada do Guincho, km 3.5), the rustic ambience of Quinta do Farta Pão (Estrada da Malveira da Serra) which serves traditional Portuguese fare, or even Sushi Miragem Terrace Bar (Cascais Miragem Hotel, Avenida Marginal) for sushi lovers. The gourmet menu in any of these restaurants will only cost you €20, making them easily accessible and enjoyable for most.

Also on the list are the trendy restaurant Hemingway (Cascais Marina, 58), the luxurious Monte Mar (Estrada do Guincho – Oitavos) located in one of the most exclusive residential areas in Cascais, the Quinta da Marinha Hotel, and Jackpot (Rua Lisboa, 1A) located opposite the Estoril Casino. All of them share something in common: their focus on fresh fish and seafood that comes straight from the ocean nearby. The organisation emphasises the effort in “using some of the best national products” in making “food of excellence”.

The event not only serves excellent cuisine, but also charity. For each meal served, one euro will be given to two charities: the Movimento Mulheres de Vermelho (Women in Red Movement), which promotes awareness on heart disease, and the Jerónimo Usera Association, a charity created to fight poverty in the Cascais region.

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