Why Restaurants Are Fully Booked on Sundays in Portugal
- Jorgen Kirchhoff
- Dec 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Understanding the most important day of the week
Summary
If you arrive in Portugal thinking you can simply walk into a restaurant on a Sunday, you will be surprised. Sundays are always full — and you need to book in advance.
The Sunday Culture You Don’t Expect
In Portugal, Sunday isn’t a quiet end to the week.
It’s the opposite.
Sunday is the day families come together.
It’s when several generations meet, when lunch becomes a slow celebration, and when restaurants fill with large tables, laughter and long meals that stretch into the afternoon.
A small personal discovery — and a cultural surprise
Coming from Scandinavia, I expected Fridays and Saturdays to be the main social days.
That’s when people go out, meet friends, eat late, maybe stay out longer than planned — and feel like the weekend is happening.
So in the beginning, I thought many Portuguese people simply never “went out” in the same way.
Restaurants were quieter on Friday and Saturday evenings than I expected, and I didn’t see the same kind of nightlife rhythm I was used to.
But I was completely missing the point.
What I hadn’t discovered yet was that many of the same people who take it easy on Friday and Saturday…
go all-in on Sunday.
Not in a “party” sense, but in a long-lunch, loud-conversation, several-bottles-of-wine-on-the-table sense.
It’s social, warm, relaxed — and yes, sometimes surprisingly lively.
Once I understood that, everything made sense.
What Happens on a Typical Portuguese Sunday
1. Families meet for long lunches
Lunch isn’t just a meal — it’s the event of the day.
Tables for 8, 10 or 14 people are completely normal.
2. Restaurants expect it — and plan for it
Most restaurants fill their entire Sunday service days in advance.
Some even prepare special dishes just for Sundays.
3. The rhythm of the country changes
Shops close.
Traffic slows.
Beaches fill with families after lunch.
And restaurants stay full until late afternoon.
It’s not a celebration — it’s tradition.
And it happens every single week.
When you visit — here’s what to know
(and why we think you should try it)
If you want to eat out on a Sunday, make a reservation — and expect a lively, social atmosphere where nobody is in a hurry.
It’s one of the most genuine local experiences you can have in Portugal: families gathered, long conversations, shared dishes, laughter and a sense of slowing down together.
Joining a Portuguese Sunday lunch shows you something essential about the country — warmth, connection and the joy of being together.
If you experience it once, you will understand why restaurants are fully booked every week.
Jorgen/Living on the West Coast of Portugal
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