Where To Eat And Sleep In Comporta, Portugal, Now

A former fishing village that’s become one of the most posh spots in Portugal, Comporta is still gathering steam. Between the rice fields, cork forests, and long white beaches, there has been a slew of new openings this year, as well as upgrades to existing properties (and some that needed no changes at all) and lots of construction in the works. Here’s what’s worth a look—especially now that the peak summertime crowds have started to head home.

Eat

Praia na Comporta

The latest project from the group behind Praia na Villa in the Algarve and Praia no Parque in Lisbon is Praia na Comporta. Even though the building is on stilts above the dunes of Praia do Pego, the design—overseen by artistic director and sometime Comporta resident Philippe Stark—stands out by taking its inspiration from a ski chalet. (It’s rather eclectic, in fact, including colorful cushions and textiles on some of the seating, and wooden canoes hanging from the ceiling.) The menu is also organized around skiing with sections like “Bunny Slope” (starters) and “Off Piste” (land animals), though the food is international and Portuguese-with-a-twist, like a dish that combines pica-pau beef with big red carabineiro prawns.

JNcQUOI Beach Club

Lisbon’s impeccably stylish brand JNcQUOI has also recently transported itself to a prime beach. A short walk from Praia na Comporta and with a boho-beach-chic design, it’s a welcome newcomer to the region’s dining scene. They’ve opted to make Portuguese fish and seafood the stars of the show. The extensive menu by chef Jerónimo Ferreira (who has worked at the Four Seasons in London and in Lisbon) includes cold and hot seafood starters and a selection of soups, pastas and rice dishes. Guests can also choose a whole fish from a display.

Jacaré da Comporta

The beloved Sublime Comporta brand (which already has an award-winning hotel and highly popular beach club) expanded its reach this summer with a more diverse, international outpost. At Jacaré, they’re importing quite a few Italian ingredients, and some goodies from Bahia, some of which are used to turn out pizzas with perfectly toasted crusts and smoky aromas. There are also a few visual nods to Brazil, as well as local elements like Alentejo blankets and wheat sacks.

Cavalariça

This is one of the best spots in Portugal for inventive cuisine in a stylish but casual room. About six years ago, two ambitious young chefs came back to the country after cooking in some high-powered kitchens around the world, including Nuno Mendes’s Michelin-starred Viajante in London. They took over a horse stable in the center of the village and set about designing a menu of diverse small plates including grilled brioche with chicken liver paté and orange chutney, and kale and shiso tempura with white bean hummus.

Comporta Café

Among the seaside restaurants that double as beach clubs, one of the most timeless is Comporta Café. It’s the standard-bearer for the region, having been in operation for more than 20 years. There are bling-ier, more fashionable beach restaurants, with their designer boutiques and sound healing activations, but this classic stands the test of time. The food—grilled fresh fish, sharable seafood—is yummy without being fussy. It’s worth noting that they’ve signed a partnership with one of Portugal’s most innovative gins, Baleia, and are donating a share of the profit from every G&T sold to support marine conservation in the Azores.

Sleep

Sublime Comporta

This is the hotel that helped put Comporta on the international map five years ago, and even now, it’s difficult to overlook it. The place is gorgeous, well integrated with nature, full of beautiful people from all over the world, and a very good spot for sleep. It’s set on a 42-acre estate full of cork oaks and umbrella pines, and its 23 rooms and suites are distributed in several buildings. There are also 22 villas, ranging from two to five bedrooms and designed in the village’s traditional thatched-roof style, each with a pool, fireplace and terraces. Its intimate Fire Circle dinners, in which everything is served in the middle of the extensive organic garden, were one of the first fancy fire dining experiences in Portugal.

Alma da Comporta

Brand new this year, Alma da Comporta (“soul of Comporta”) is a collection of three private homes in front of the rice fields that were created (with the help of Lisbon architect Luís Pereira Miguel) by two transplants who fell in love with the area a decade ago. Each one has a luminous architecture, integration with nature, respect for local traditions and materials, and an infinity pool with a beguiling view of the meadows and fields. Simplicity and authenticity were their guiding principles.

Quinta da Comporta

Wellness and slow living are cornerstones of this locally inspired hotel. It’s designed like a typical farmhouse, with airy, nature-infused guest rooms in what might have been the workers’ quarters, a 130-foot-long solar-heated infinity pool and two massive barn-like structures made of recovered wood beams that date from more than 100 years ago. One houses a spa, and the other an elegant but relaxed restaurant, where chef Miguel Fortunato draws heavily on produce from the hotel gardens.

AlmaLusa Comporta

A spinoff of the stylish AlmaLusa hotel in Lisbon’s historic center, this new hotel has the distinction of being right in the village, within walking distance of its best restaurants and boutiques, and just 15 minutes on foot from the beach. In summer, the rooftop bar is a highlight, with live DJs spinning well into the night on weekend evenings. The dining options are casual, including a grab-and-go counter for picnics on the beach.

Spatia Comporta

Nature is at the forefront of this small hotel, whose rooms are modeled on traditional straw-roofed fisherman’s cabins but with modern comforts. The name Spatia comes from the Latin word for “space,” and there’s plenty of it here (each room is more than 400 square feet), with modern, minimalist architecture with clean lines that highlight the region’s traditional crafts. This summer it added 18 more cottages—bringing the total to 38—and a new clubhouse. It’s a family-friendly place with a separate children’s pool and plenty of athletic offerings, from yoga to pickleball.