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Hours
Sun
16:00 - 23:00
Mon
16:00 - 23:00
Tue
16:00 - 23:00
Wed
16:00 - 23:00
Fri
16:00 - 23:00
Sat
16:00 - 23:00
Reserve a table
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Seafood, Mediterranean, European, Healthy, Portuguese
Menu
Bottle of water
€3,00
Coffee
€1,00
Details
About
Traditional Portuguese and Western cuisine
PRICE RANGE
R 134.00 – R 479.00
CUISINES
Seafood, Mediterranean, European, Healthy, Portuguese
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music
Contribute
4.5
1,717 reviews
Excellent
1,373
Very good
255
Average
54
Poor
17
Terrible
17
Alex F
Greater Manchester7 contributions
Feb 2020 • family
As a regular visitor to Funchal, we decided to skip the all-inclusive this time, and stay b&b, giving us the freedom to explore different restaurants in the evenings.
There are several places within a 5 minute walk of our hotel, and over the course of the holiday we tried them all.
Dona Nina however stood out. A gorgeous menu with a choice for everyone in our party, all top quality.
On our first visit, we tried pasta, lamb & steak dishes. All beautifully cooked and presented. The wine list pleased everyone, with a fantastic range of choices. Both white and red drinkers.
Service is friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Claudia and Maria are a credit to the place.
We returned of course, and thoroughly enjoyed our second visit as much , so it proved to not be a one-off.
I would recommend this restaurant to all visiting Funchal and will certainly be returning again on future holidays.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday.
Written 19 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Derek R
Iver Heath63 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
We first found this wonderful restaurant when we stayed at the Pestana Grand a few years ago. My wife, daughter and her partner were, therefore, bitterly disappointed to find that the Grand was closed due to Covid-19. Instead British Airways found us rooms in the Pestana Carlton. On our first day we walked up to see the area around the Grand and were delighted to find that although there was a reduction in tourists in the area, the Dona Nina was open for business.
We had a superb meal that evening, believe me the Steak on a stone is enjoyable for you to prepare at your table and melt in the mouth to eat. You get a large piece of steak and a very hot stone on which to cook it, together with various sauces to flavour it with, as it sizzles to whatever degree of doneness you desire.
All of the meals are superb value for money
Over the years we have eaten most of the meals on the menu and have never had a problem with any.
The excellent staff go out of their way to accommodate any ideas to make your meal a special part of your holiday.
Before we left we visited a second time to sample yet more of the fare on offer.
Unfortunately we were only in Madeira for a week, but look forward to visiting again soon and guess where we will be looking forward to eating.
Many thanks for making our visit such a pleasure - see you again when we are able.
Written 15 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday
Written 15 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Linda F
Horwich33 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
We have just returned from a 2 week holiday in Funchal. We ate at this restaurant 6 times great food and good value best peppered steak I have had and would highly recommend the beef stroganoff. The waitress Maria was very friendly and efficient.
Would recommend if you are in the area give it a try you will not regret it.
Written 24 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday
Written 24 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Annabel054
Leicester565 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
We were staying at the Regency Cliff Hotel, just a 10 minute walk away from this restaurant, and always like to eat out. Friendly waitress guided us to our table and so delighted to have a lovely meal here.
It started by being two small shots of medium sweet Maderia wine, on the house, and also some crackers with a mixture of seafood on top.
We shared a starter of bruschetta with tomato and cheese, before having our main courses. I chose the chicken skewer, which came with salad and chips, while husband had spaghetti bolognaise. We were too stuffed to have any desserts.
We returned on a second evening, and I tried the mushroom risotto, and other half had peppered steak with chips and salad, and we followed with crepes and banana with a scoop of ice cream.
If you book and reserve a table through The Fork, as we did, you receive a 30% discount on the food, but not drinks
Highly recommend, good service and freshly cooked food.
Written 8 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VOLODYMYR
Thank you for choosing our restaurant. We are glad that we did not disappoint you. We hope to see you again.
Written 9 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephen B
Hathersage65 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
The service, food, drink and atmosphere are all a delight in this restaurant. The waiting staff were extremely friendly, helpful and professional. There was a customer adjacent to us who couldn’t eat dairy or citrus and so was not going to have a dessert. The staff responded by making a lovely, individualised, presentable off-the-menu apple, grape etc. dessert. At the end of the meal the customers partner said to the waitress ‘ Thank you for making the impossible possible!’ True service. We had the limpets, octopus, steak on a stone and the reserve red house wine. All delicious! We are returning tonight. A measure of how good this restaurant was.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday.
Written 10 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gillian
9 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
What a great place to eat. Lunch or dinner both were excellent.
The food is really good and the staff are fab. Claudia was so efficient and really friendly. The other young ladies were lovely too.
It’s a real pleasure to eat well in a good atmosphere with nice staff.
They also leave food for the local animals which seems to happen everywhere in the area.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday.
Written 19 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Saija
Funchal6 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
We stopped at this restaurant on our way to the shopping mall that was nearby. The place was on next to a road - not the busiest one, but it was still quite noisy when buses and motorcycles occasionally passed by. The music was somewhat annoying but fitted the restaurants flow.
The waitress who served us was very polite and had an good sense of humour. We ordered some garlic bread, skewered shrimps & squid and tagliatelle primavera. My companion said that his dish (the skewer) was good but not quite to his taste. Which is a normal reaction when you are trying out new foods! Sometimes you like it and sometimes you don't!
I tried the tagliatelle primavera and the dish was just the perfect size for a small person like me. The plating was also very colorful and looked delicious. And it was!
We ate pretty quickly because of hunger and we were served with a pleasant pace! We were altogether very happy with our visit.
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GMD13
Manchester200 contributions
Sept 2020 • solo
Booked a table and asked for advice on what was gluten free and the waitress looked blank. Asked for risotto which was bland and very oily. Then a couple came in and she told them the special was tuna fish which is my favourite but this wash mentioned to me.
The waitress told me chocolate mousse was gluten free and when I asked what was in it she said “ just chocolate”
Something must have been in one of the two dishes I ate as I was poorly
Very disappointed and you advertise gluten free options.
Written 20 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
We're sorry you didn't like the risotto. If you had informed the waiter, we would have replaced you with something else. Chocolate The mousse is really gluten-free black and white mousse as two types of chocolate are mixed, white and black. Next time, we'll cook you the best tuna steak. Have a nice vacation.
Written 20 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David T
Redruth7 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
First visit to this restaurant since our disappointing visit in 2016. Have now deleted that review. The management team have obviously changed in the meantime. The food was excellent. Service was good. The tables are not too close to each other. A huge improvement.
However the wine prices are excessive. Our favourite white/green wine is Finca da Aveleda. We have been buying it at the local supermarket for €5. On the day of our visit it was on offer at €3. Three other local restaurants sell it for €12.90. Here the price was €16.90. In my opinion that is overpricing and not acceptable. If the wine was sold at the same price as other restaurants the rating would have been 5 stars.
Written 10 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
We are very grateful that you gave us another chance and we did not disappoint you. You are right about the fault, but it all depends on the supplier. There is not always this wine in the supermarket and it is not always at a discount and supermarkets do not always store wines correctly and we do not work with supermarkets on this. but we will report these prices to our supplier. And next time we will offer you another wine we hope You will like it. Have a nice holiday.
Written 10 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Adrian & Vivienne
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • none
We visited Dona Nina on the recommendation of a friend at our hotel. We had visited that hotel for 19 successive years (well, almost, bearing in mind Covid restrictions) but had not previously enjoyed a meal at the Dona Nina restaurant. We were warmly welcomed with a menu that was varied, well within our budget and capable of satisfying any kind of appetite. For our visiting family with vegetarian principles Dona Nina was happy to provide acceptable alternatives to fish and meat. The staff were friendly and helpful - not always a feature of a restaurant in any country - and we were pleased to enjoy an evening meal there on more than one occasion during our two weeks' holiday. The table was beautifully prepared, the food tastefully presented, and the evening was made hugely enjoyable in a setting that was spotlessly clean and comfortable. We are pleased to recommend Dona Nina to fellow travellers.
Written 11 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VOLODYMYR
Dear guest and member of Tripadvisor, we like to thank you for your kind words and to let you know that you will be always welcomed at our restaurant.
Written 13 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Katherine020
Scotland44 contributions
Mar 2022 • none
We not sure quite why this restaurant has so many rave reviews. It is a pleasant place, the service was friendly and very efficient.
The grilled squid starter came with quite a bit of (very heavily salted) sauce but spoons were not supplied until we asked. The beef espatada was nice but the accompanying salad was undressed & uninspired. With so much beautiful fresh produce available on the island salads should be absolutely wonderful, not something from an English 1970's Berni Inn style. The "chips" were awful, soft & over salted.
The passion fruit cheesecake was very nice.
Written 3 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VOLODYMYR
Thanks for visiting our restaurant. We're sorry you didn't like something. We'll get better and if you give us another chance I'm sure you'll like it.
Written 4 March 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Oaktreeriser59
Gloucester30 contributions
Feb 2020 • family
We have been coming to Madeira for 25 years and usually stay at the Beach Club as it is closer to Funchal and restaurants. We have always loved The Grand but it has been several years since we stayed as in the past there were very few restaurants in close proximity.
We decided that we would try The Grand again and I am happy to report we have found a fantastic little restsurant very close by. Basically walk towards the Forum and Dona Nina is second on the left.
It was noticeably all female staff, which is quite a rarity in holiday destinations in Europe, but a very pleasant change. The girls were all very friendly, helpful and professional.
We sat outside, although if like me you cannot stand being close to heat from radiators, they do have outside heaters which are a little stiffling (to be fair they turned the heater off by us).
We had a half bottle of white with our starters (white Douro) tomato/mozarela for my wife and melon/parma ham for me. Main course we both had beef stroganof washed down with a full bottle of House Reserva (Alentajo red).
Food portions and quality were excellent, and the wine was very good.
Total price was 65 euros which was amazingly good value.
Service was very good and we will certainly return later this week.
It does get quite busy so best to book if you want to sit outside.
Written 7 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday.
Written 10 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
liz
Ascot1 contribution
Aug 2021 • family
The service was great. At all times we felt looked after and waited on. However, the food was simply substandard.
We ordered two garlic breads. One came out very crunchy and the garlic butter hadn’t melted and the other came out soft.
The garlic prawns had hardly any garlic so just didn’t taste of much. The spaghetti Bolognese was warm-ish and served with noodles not spaghetti. My children had steak and chips. The steak was nice and tender but the chips were crinkle cut oven chips.
I’m so sorry that this review is quite blunt but in truth we were really disappointed. The other reviews showcased this place and I’m afraid to say it really didn’t live up to the experience.
Written 8 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VOLODYMYR
We are very sorry that you were not satisfied. We've just talked to all the staff and one of our guests has nothing to complain about. If you told you that you do not like something, we assure you we would replace your dish. And we are sure that you would like something different. All our products are fresh. The bread may have been confused because some customers are asking for a more toasted bread, perhaps by mistake it ended up on your table. But our staff is always there and if you reported this error, we would replace you. We would be glad to see you again and I am sure you would give us a higher rating.
Written 8 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
AJ F
1 contribution
Mar 2020 • couples
Visited for lunch, the server was very good and she also spoke very good english as well (we're not Portuguese speakers). Went straight for mains; steak with peppercorn sauce and a fish dish garnished with choice king prawns on top. Both meals were well prepared and of a good size. Don't normally have a dessert but we did this time choosing the apple pie and chocolate mousse. Absolutely delightful, the desserts alone are worth coming for, in fact we intend to visit again just to have double desserts! It was also good to hear they are all made on the premises and the quality shows this to be true. This is a restaurant to recommend.
Written 16 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DonaNina
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday
Written 20 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tomoPonT
Lagos10 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
A most enjoyable evening followed by another 2 days later as we rebooked. Very cosy setting and excellent service provided throughout. A nice welcome was a small glass of Madeira wine followed by well presented and tasty meals. We had the peppered steak and the beef Roquefort the latter being the best steak I have had some some while and on the second visit the Black Scabbard fish and peppered steak went down very well. Well worth a visit to this low key restaurant with a big fan base.
Written 17 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VOLODYMYR
Dear Guest, Thank you for your Review. I am glad that you enjoyed your time with us and had a great day. We hope to be able to see you again in Dona Nina next time you are here on holiday.
Written 17 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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