Having seen all the wonderful pictures and reviews, we were really looking forward to lunch here after a visit to Sortelha. I can only think that lunchtime is a completely different scenario to dinner. We were eventually ushered in to what was more like a...school dining room, no idea what we were supposed to do until fortunately a very helpful waiter came over and explained that we just helped ourselves to the buffet. The food was also sadly like a school dinner hall, very uninspiring and bland. Thankfully only 7.50€ a head for everything, but would have preferred to spend considerably more and had a good meal. BE AWARE - the pictures in no way reflect what is on offer at lunchtime.More

- Reserved for gourmet dinner for four with 1 hour in advance for Wednesday evening. - Arrived on time and there one one more table with six guests - The waiter gave all his attention to the other table, maybe because they were influential locals....His assistant server was not of much help either. - The food was good but they never took the plates in a timely manner and they would disappear for long periods of time. They never asked if we needed anything. - I had to chase them to get the bill and to my surprise, none of my 5 USA issued credit cards were accepted (no VISA, no Mastercard, No Amex) - Good thing I had cash in my pocket, otherwise I do not know how we would have ended up in the middle of nowhere and no ATM nearby.More

A place where you will be very well treated. You can choose between a dedicated gourmet service or a buffet in one different room. All the food treated with care. A very good gourmet restaurant away from the big cities.

The food was great. The place was very nice and service fantastic. We had a very good buffet with great meat and bacalhau

Finding the restaurant was very hard on a dark wet night, But once there it was truly wonderful. I would never believe that a truly Gourmet experience such as this is would ever be found in such an unusual location . Chef Ruis is so...enthusiastic and without doubt extremely shilled, having taken training around the world . His presentation skills are superb and it was truly a magnificent night. I am already making plans for my next visit when i shall have the full Gourmet menu which needs booking in advance . I had the Regional gourmet dish and it was extremely good value for moneyMore

This was truly one of the best dining experiences I have ever had! The restaurant overlooks the beautiful,quaint town of Casteleiro. The staff and Chef Rui Cerveira were extremely attentive and accomodating. We had the choice of ordering from the menu or being surprised with...ChefCerveira's 8 course recommendation with wine pairings and palate cleansers. We chose the latter and were not in the least dissappointed. The presentation was beautiful! The food was absolutely outstanding! The food is grown on site and they have their own vineyards. We cannot wait to go back next year!!! Truly a little gem! Don't miss itMore

The driveway to this restaurant is gravel; the sign out front is broken; we were not sure we had reached the right place when we parked in front of the building. Then we entered a beautiful, modern restaurant. The ambiance was definitely upscale. The tables...were set with heavy slate placemats, and many of the dishes were presented on slate "plates." What an unforgettable experience! The chef personally explained the menu to us in English. From his descriptions, we knew immediately that he loved everything about his work from shopping for the best ingredients, figuring out unique combinations of ingredients and seasonings, preparing the dishes, finding unique presentations for each course, and hearing our comments at the end. We chose the tasting menu for 26 Euros. This menu included at least six courses including a hot vegetable soup presented in a ceramic bowl ensconced in a hollowed out slate cube with dry ice below that emitted steam as the dish arrived. Every course was presented in such an artistic fashion using fresh local produce, meat, and fruits. The presentation would rival the best big city experience. Everything was seasoned perfectly. My only regret is that by the time the veal arrived, I was too full to finish my portion - my grandson eagerly cleaned up my plate, though! As a chocolate lover, my appetite returned for the decadent chocolate dessert. If you find yourself in the Sabugal area of Portugal, you should give your taste buds a treat and dine here.More

Seemingly in a class above anything else surrounding, this humble regional restaurant is more likely something a visitor might experience in large, cosmopolitan city - not in a small village among the modestly magnificent and rugged countryside southeast of Guarda, Portugal. Even the twisty, winding...journey through the hilly Berias landscape and then the narrow, high stonewall bordered road in Casteleiro village to the restaurant has one wondering, can it really be that exceptional??? Be assured - one will be amazed! We opted for the more formal dinning room (rather the buffet which we found mostly locals were seeking for lunch) and the accompanying 5+ course epicurean treat (which includes wine) all for 26 euros per person!! Each dish is inventively created by the chef/owner, Rui and his staff using only fresh local, hand-selected produce. From a delightful local twist on cornbread using two grains, to its own brewed balsamic, to drying local goji berries in add a special surprise in the salad - detail in supreme harmony and savored not only in each mouthful, but visually. As each artistic plate is served as its own event. Rui makes a point to personally describe each element. There is also ample choice in high quality regional Portuguese wines at very reasonable prices. Even if you weren't planning on being in this region, a long repast here is an unforgettable and precious experience...More

This is by far the best restaurant in a large area around. The Chef is using local products and he provides a wonderful gastronomical experience.

Three things I know I'm about to experience each time I go to Casa da Esquila... 1. A warmth welcome and overall nice thoughtfull service; 2. A great meal! The food is undeniable very very good; 3. Flavour discovery! There are always new wonderfull season...flavours and dishes to enjoy. There is a remarcable atention to local and season ingredients mixed and combined like only a great Chef does! This last time I was lucky to experience lot's of different mushroom dishes. Love'd them all! Already eager for going back next Fall.More

This is the best restaurant in the area, I have no doubts on that. Staff is friendly and there are three types of meal you can have: *the economic meal in the economic room with a dish of the day; *the gourmet menu *the gourmet...tasting Me and my husband went for the gourmet tasting both times we were there (2 times in 5 days!). We paid a lot, but it was well worth it! Meal was amazing, different, yet it felt very portuguese. Well served (a lot of food in the plate). There are only one thing I would change in here: the gourmet room is a bit big and being the only couple dining it felt weird... maybe a couple of room dividers or curtains to make it feel less empty and big.More

This is probably one of my top 5 restaurants in Portugal. My lunch experience today was excelent! Lovely view, excelent service, excelent cuisine. Soups are a gastronomical treat. The "Bacalhau com broa" was one of the best I had anytime in my life. I'll return...soon for sure!More