8 Tapas: our little tapas hideaway in the alleys of Faro

Our little tapas spot, hidden in an alley of old Faro. The restaurant we end up returning to almost automatically, without really thinking, just because we know we’re going to eat well and have a good evening.

The first time we went there, it wasn’t even in the most glamorous context in the world: a few years ago, the clutch of our camper van broke down in the middle of the Algarve, and we found ourselves stuck in Faro for two weeks, waiting for repairs. So we were looking for places to relax a bit, eat properly, and find a pleasant atmosphere… and before we knew it, we stumbled upon this little restaurant hidden in the alleys of old Faro. And since we settled in Tavira, well, here we are, we go back almost every time we pass through.

A small terrace tucked away in old Faro

The restaurant is located in an alley of the historic center, with a discreet terrace that blends completely with the neighborhood’s atmosphere. In the evening, with the dim lights, people softly chatting around the tables, and the sounds of old Faro in the background, we easily end up staying longer than planned.

Inside, the restaurant is quite narrow, longer than wide, but everything is thoughtfully designed. The walls are covered with wood up to half-height, there’s a large chalkboard where customers leave messages, and plenty of small practical details that you notice especially when you come back several times.

For example, there are hooks to hang jackets right next to the tables or behind the seats, to avoid everything cluttering the passage. Said like that it seems trivial, but when you travel with bags, cameras, jackets, and the rest, you quickly appreciate this kind of detail. And honestly, the wine selection is quite impressive for a restaurant of this size.

Personally, we have always eaten either on the terrace or on the ground floor. There is also an upstairs, but we haven’t tried it yet (a perfect excuse to come back once more).

Gourmet tapas, but without the fuss

What we love here is that the cuisine is crafted, sometimes even refined, but without falling into the restaurant that tries to turn every dish into a mystical experience of interstellar molecular gastronomy (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit). We order a lot of small things, share everything, pick from each other’s plates, and the meal progresses slowly like that.

This time, Caroline started with an espumante while I went for a martini in which the waiter had added Schweppes. Said like that, it sounds a bit strange, but honestly, it worked really well. Then the first plates arrived, and there… Ah yes, okay, we immediately remember why we come back here.

The smoked cod tibornade, a big hit

The first huge favorite of the meal was the smoked cod tibornade. Served with honey, truffle oil, arugula, fried garlic, and some cherry tomatoes, the plate mixed a lot of flavors that could have almost become heavy together. Except that they didn’t.

And this smoked cod, honestly… I hadn’t eaten such good smoked fish since the east coast of Scotland, which remains quite a reference in the field. The smoke was present without being overwhelming, very subtle, with that little balance between the fat of the fish and the slightly sweet side of the honey. The kind of dish where you naturally slow down to try to understand why it’s so good.

And of course, discreetly, everyone looks to see if the other will finish their portion or not (the couple’s diplomacy version of tapas).

Even the sweet potato fries were excellent

And often, that’s where you recognize the good addresses: even the simple things are successful.

The sweet potato fries were served in a small fried basket with a homemade herb sauce. It sounds almost mundane told like that, but they were perfectly executed. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, well-seasoned, not greasy, in short, the kind of thing where you keep picking at it even when you’re already full (the famous technique of “just one more,” repeated about 17 times during the evening).

Crispy bao, vinho tinto, and chef’s suggestion

The restaurant mixes Portuguese inspirations and more modern influences without it feeling forced.

We then had a crispy chicken bao with teriyaki sauce, accompanied by a glass of vinho tinto. The contrast between the ultra-soft bread and the crispiness of the chicken worked really well.

And then there was the chef’s suggestion. Octopus and flambéed shrimp with a touch of orange at 40 degrees. Just the smell when the dish arrives at the table makes you immediately forget the ongoing conversation (sorry for the ultra-important debates about the camper van repairs).

The mix of seafood, citrus, and flambéing created something very generous, very Mediterranean, with that little flat side that you want to sauce up to the last drop even though you already know perfectly well that you haven’t been hungry since three plates ago.

The dessert, obviously shared

After all the tapas, we were already quite full, but it was impossible to leave without dessert. The restaurant offered us a small flan, then we shared a Toblerone-style tart.

And then, Caroline really enjoyed it. I, as an extremely gallant and totally selfless man (I can see you rolling your eyes), left her the last piece. Well, mostly because we had already devoured an astronomical amount of tapas before that, but still, the gesture is nice. Like the rest of the meal, the dessert was shared, each taking a spoon, tasting from each other’s, taking another piece, and in the end, that’s also what we love about this kind of place.

Who we recommend 8 Tapas to

Clearly, the restaurant is perfect for couples, small groups of friends, those who love sharing lots of plates, people who want to step away from traditional Portuguese grilled fish, or those who enjoy intimate restaurants without a pretentious atmosphere. The ambiance is calm, warm, dimly lit, and you mostly see couples or small tables of friends taking their time to enjoy the evening.

Conversely, if you’re looking for a huge noisy restaurant or 100% traditional cuisine, this is probably not the most suitable place.

Practical information

Why we keep coming back here

In the end, what we love about this restaurant goes beyond just the tapas. It will always be associated with that somewhat strange period when our camper van was stuck in Faro, where we spent our days between organizing, garage, and waiting, and where this little restaurant became almost our breathing point in the week.

Today it’s different: we live in Tavira, we go down to Faro for shopping, a package, or just to enjoy the vibe of a real city. And almost every time, we end up pushing the door of 8 Tapas. The context has changed, the pleasure hasn’t.

Sometimes a restaurant is just a place where you eat. Sometimes it becomes a travel memory in its own right. And 8 Tapas clearly belongs to that category for us.

Well, next time we should really try their main dishes instead of recommending tapas everywhere again. Well, that’s not guaranteed.