Santa Maria has loads of good restaurants and cafes where you can grab a bite to eat or sit down to a good meal.

With fresh fish coming in to the town pier every day, there are a number of places to go to taste the local fish and seafood.  

Odjo D’Agua is one of the oldest hotels and restaurants in Santa Maria. Situated on the beach just to the east of the town pier, the main restaurant sits out over the water. Just be careful not to sit close to the wall if there is a swell - you will get wet! They serve great fresh fish and lobster as well as traditional dishes. Watch out for the staff offering bread and olives and side orders as if they're included and then charging you for them…. Odjo d’Agua is one of the more expensive restaurants in town but the food is good.

Café Crioule is one of our favourites. A real local restaurant serving local food. Try the ‘Catchupa’ - a stew of meat and beans. This place is very popular with the local people so can get busy. Good honest food at good honest prices.

Americo’s on Rua Principal always has a good selection of local fish and seafood on display. This restaurant has been here for many years and has always been reliable for a good meal and a decent wine list. They have a terrace upstairs where you can eat with a view over the main street.

Aquarium is a restaurant and BBQ on the beach. Each night they have great entertainment with drumming and dancing. Unfortunately the food has not been so good recently but it is worth going along later in the evening to see the entertainment.

The Turtle Shack is just to the west of the town pier. Every Friday they have a BBQ for 3 euros and cheap grog for 1 euro. There is a fire on the beach surrounded by a circle of benches. Throughout the night they have various performances from bongos, an acoustic guitarist, a drum band and capoeira dancers. They put on an amazing show! Entry fee is 10 euros.

Chez Pastis is a small Italian restaurant serving fantastic food. With only 20 tables it might be worth booking as it fills up and stays that way. You can find it near the Jungle Bar & Tam Tams

Cultural Café is in the main square and has a big terrace outside. They often have live music but can be busy and service slows down….

Out to the west of town by the roundabout you can find Bombay, a small Indian restaurant and takeaway.