Pingo Doce
This is the supermarket that we use almost all of our stay, it is a large supermarket wide enough for trolleys (they take 1€) and for loading up for a long stay, it is about 5 minutes walk from the apartment. From the exit to the block of apartments, cross the road and turn left, follow the building opposite ours to the end (only 20 metres or so) and turn right and then walk down the hill. You should be able to see Pingo Doce to your left. There is also a bakery section and a butchers. Opening hours winter: 8.30h to 20.30h Summer hours: 8.00h to 21.00h. Sundays and holiday 8.30 to 13.00. Personally, we prefer this to Lidls.Lidl
You will all know this brand from the UK. It is another large supermarket focussing on value - there is not as much choice for food as Pingo Doce particularly at the high end, although there is a good range of very cheap liquors. it is about 7-8 minutes walk from the apartment. From Pingo walk to the next roundabout and it is on the right. It is open every day to 9pm including Sundays.Ecomarche
This is a mini market but is absolutely stacked full. It is about 7-8 minutes walk and is on the main Avenida opposite the river. It is a great place to to top up over the week and has most items you will need but the aisles are not wide enough for trolleys. You will often walking past it on your way back to the apartment when returning from a walk into town and it is therefore ideal for small shops.The Fish Market
The Fish Market is definitely worth a visit for the experience alone. At the end of the Avenida it is easy to find and is a large building set over three floors. The fish market is set on the first floor, with over 30 vendors, 4 quality butcher shops and ice purchase. The 2nd floor has an abundance of fruit and vegetable stores as well as a coffee shop. The top floor features a terrace with a panoramic view of harbour, the marina and the coast line. This place is lively in the early hours of the morning as the fish vendors proudly display their day's catch. Another activity to add to your "must experience" list! It is worth getting to the Fish Market at 6am-7am for a good selection; this is a lovely time before Lagos awakes.The Saturday Fruit and Vegetable Market
There is a weekly Saturday market in Lagos, next to the bus station and only about 3 minutes walk from the apartment. It is great fun, very rustic and great for fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, figs, olives and much more (see below) and only a few minutes walk from the apartment. The sellers are all local people who are more than happy to sell you what they have grown themselves at a decent price and all very fresh.Other Markets
Lagos markets
- Market, at the municipal stadium (Estádio Municipal) on the 1st Saturday every month
- Cultural Centre (on the street 'Rua da Mata') on the 4th Sunday of every month
- Portimão market:- Gipsy / Flea market at the 'Fairs and Exhibition Park' in Portimão on the 1st Monday and 3rd Sunday every month
- Odiáxere Market- 4th Monday of each month in Largo do Moinho
Overview
For those who adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, traditional Portuguese restaurants can be a bit limiting. You won’t find many Portuguese vegetarians in the Algarve at the moment and the understanding of vegetarianism has only really been introduced by tourists over recent years. Although most of the local restaurants do offer vegetable soup, olives, omelettes and salads, this can obviously get a little restrictive if you are staying for a week or longer. It is always worth asking if they can prepare you a vegetarian dish as we have found some restaurants to be only too happy to oblige. If you fancy a bit of variety, try restaurants offering international cuisine. The Algarve has lots of Chinese, Indian, Italian and Mediterranean restaurants to choose from and they can be great for different vegetarian options. For vegans, it can be very difficult (or certainly restrictive) to eat out in the Algarve. Although restaurants are catering for vegetarians, most dishes include cheese and eggs and it’s hard to escape foods with any diary products in them, so you’ll often be faced with the single option of another salad!Vegetarian and Vegan foods in the supermarkets
Vegetarian products are now much easier to find than a few years ago. 'Intermarché' and 'Modelo' have branches in Lagos and stock a good range of tofu and soya products like sausages, burgers and grills, dried soya pieces and tofu blocks, soya spreads, soya milk plain and flavoured and soya desserts and vegetarian pate. 'Intermarché' also stocks vegan mayonnaise. 'Continente' has a particularly good health food section which includes vegan cheese, very reasonably priced fresh tofu blocks and various jars of flavoured tofu.'Pingo Doce' has 2 shops in Lagos and have recently started stocking dried soya chunks, 'steaks', veggie 'hot dog' sausages and tofu blocks and their health food section generally is expanding. Their own brand of soya milk also works well in hot drinks and doesn't curdle as many do. The Portuguese use a lot of beans ("feijões") in their cooking and these are plentiful in all supermarkets either canned or dried. Pulses are also readily available.
Gluten-free food:Gluten-free products are available in the 'Intermarché' and Continente Supermarkets and health shops and even some of the mini-mercados. They stock pasta, crackers and a range of biscuits. There is a huge Intermarche in Lagos and 'Continente' stores can be found in Portimão and at the Algarve Shopping Centre near Albufeira. They belong to the same group as 'Modelo' who have branches right across the Algarve, so some of those branches may stock 'gluten-free' products. The 'Continente' supermarket (which was 'Carrefour' until the end of 2007) at Portimão retail park (on EN125 between Alvor and Portimão) has a health food outlet which stocks Schar Gluten Free products including pre-baked bread.
Diabetic food:All of these stores also stock sugar free ('sem açúcar') biscuits, crackers, chocolate and preserves.
Baby foods:It's always difficult to know what to pack when you are travelling with babies, so we have checked brand equivalents for some popular baby milks.
- Cow and Gate baby milks are marketed under the 'Nutrilon' brand in the Algarve.
- Nutrilon 1,2 and 3 are equivalent to Cow and Gate Premium, Plus and Step-up.
- Nutrilon Omneo 1 and 2 are equivalent to Comfort 1 and 2.
- Nutrilon AR 1 and 2 are for babies with reflux.
- Nutrilon HA 1 and 2 are for babies allergic to dairy products.
- Aptamil milks are still marketed as Aptamil in the Algarve. 1, 2 and 3, being equivalent to First, Extra Hungry and 3.
- All of the main supermarkets and many of the smaller 'mini-mercados' also stock a good range of jars of baby food.