Hi just got back, yes the restaurants in the marina area can be expensive but it depends on what you call expensive, we had a lovely italian on the marina which was two starters, main course, two drinks and coffee for 64.00 euros, I don't think that is expensive to what we have paid in the UK it all depends on your budget etc.

The restaurants away from the marina are not as expensive though and just as good (you seem to pay for the view of the marina).

There are dozens of restaurants to choose from, you won't be disappointed.

Gail

64 euros for two people?!?
I'm portuguese and I go to Algarve on vacation as well and I'll tell you 35 euros for two people for a full meal is an above average price. Usually I'd pay 25 euros. So that wasn't a good price in any way, no matter how much you pay in UK for a meal... What you pay for a Macdonalds burguer in London is what I pay for a good meal in Porto :p

You must be getting special prices then! Most restaurants that I have been to charge around 5 euros for starters, 10-15 for a main course (or 5 if you have chicken piri piri), 5 euros for a dessert. That is at least 20 euros for one person without drinks! So witih a couple of glasses of win each you are at 25 euros per person. And if you want something more exotic for a main course, that can easily reach 15-25 euros increasing the price to 30 euros or more. Sure you can eat more cheaply (I noticed that one restaurant offered a 3 course meal for 18 euros per person), but the better restaurants are more expensive.

I now hope you will be able to give me some cheap eating places with superb food in the Carvoeiro area!

We only ate lunch in the marina but didn't think it was expensive.

The most expensive evening meal we had was €53.00 and that was at Wild and Co in Albufeira where a pint of Sagres was €5.00

Sorry, haven't been in that area for years! I prefer the other side of Algarve, really close to Spain (warmer and calmer waters, good prices)...
Maybe you'll get the better prices near Portimao, by the riverside don't stay in Carvoeiro beach to eat, the prices are probably too high and special for you tourists
My meals must come cheaper than yours because I don't drink wine
Mostly it's a starter, a main dish (in many restaurants that serves two!) and I don't usually have desert, just coffee... Never noticed you people eating so much lol