Museu do Arroz | The Comporta Factory Turned Restaurant

Dona Bia is specialized in fish and rice dishes

Restaurant Dona Bia is located along the road that separates Comporta from Carvalhal and it’s a mandatory stop for those who visit the region and enjoy eating well. Driving down the Alentejo coast on EN261, you will find Dona Bia, in between the rice fields, the beaches, and the Sado. Upon entering it’s impossible to guess the menu. The decoration is quite traditional, the wine list is modest, and there is even a mosquito screen on the window (of the utmost importance in the area, trust us!).

The Comporta region is known for the rice fields that are part of the scenery and, of course, the cuisine. It is precisely because of the latter that Dona Bia stands out. Rice, which feeds more than half of the world population, is the star in the premises. However, if you think that rice dishes are the only ones worth ordering here, think twice. We promise that you will also fall in love with the homemade bread (we are in Alentejo, after all), the fish, and the seafood - all of these fine quality products are masterfully cooked.

The menu is quite varied and it features a wide range of fish, seafood, and rice options. Among the starter options, there are asparagus with scrambled eggs, coriander rabbit, breaded, deep-fried octopus (pataniscas), octopus, grooved razor shells, grilled fish eggs and shrimp a la Dona Bia.

Moving onto the main dishes, there are fried sardines with cockle rice, John Dory fish fillets with a side of rice seasoned with the fish’s own head, wreckfish pasta or loins with shrimp and clams to choose from.

We recommend having some Alentejo wine with your meal and one of the several traditional sweets for dessert.

Dona Bia restaurant was opened over thirty years ago by a lady named Maria. Strangely enough, she also went by Dona Bia. She didn’t own it very long, however. As the years went by, different people bought the restaurant and the space was changed every time someone new took over. It wasn’t until 23 years ago that Paula Morgado, the current manager, bought the place.

The restaurant is ideal for those who enjoy a nice pitéu (a humorous Portuguese word for meal - add it to your traveler’s guide) - everyone, that is - and it takes pride in its fish dishes that add to the Portuguese cuisine’s already gigantic fame.  This is the ideal place to take someone out for lunch, as most dishes are meant to be shared. The portions are quite generous, both in quantity and taste.

Address: Estrada Nacional 261 Km, Torre, Alcácer do Sal, Setúbal

Telephone: (+351) 265 241 051

Opening and closing times: 11 am to 4 pm - 7 pm to 12 am

Website: facebook.com/Restaurante-Dona-Bia