Restaurants and Cafés

In the interior of the walled town of Monsaraz, the restaurant Xarez is part of a natural setting of great beauty, given the superb views from the terrace and the glazed veranda that look over the plains dotted with olive trees lost in the horizon. It is a restaurant decorated with simplicity but with extremely good taste and is divided into three spaces. In the first room, the azulejo panels in tones of green and white stand out for their beauty and their allusion to former dwellings in the region; on the veranda our attention is drawn to the shale emerging in parts of the whitewashed walls and on the terrace to the breath-taking landscape.  

The cuisine, based on typical dishes and appetisers, is simple, albeit carefully prepared, and Xarez appeals to those who want a good lunch or good dinner but also to those who only feel like a cup of tea or a glass of wine and want to enjoy the view. 

The menu, short but well-balanced where the flavours of the Alentejo region have been revisited by Salvador Acabado, who has given them a touch of modernity, starts with the traditional couvert of bread and well-seasoned olives, followed by vegetable soup.   

The fish dishes always include charcoal-grilled bacalhau and octopus, whereas the meats that are especially sought after are fried sirloin steak and stewed Alentejo pork cheeks. The list of appetisers is longer and the most popular include the hare tart with salad, farinheira with scrambled eggs and asparagus migas with eggs, in addition to a small plate of different sausages. Cheeses include Serra Cheese with jam, cured goat or sheep’s cheeses and soft sheep’s cheese, among others. Desserts are all homemade and the sericaia with Elvas Plums PDO, chocolate cake and bolo rançoso are irresistible. A good selection of mostly Alentejo wines. Service efficient and friendly!