Simon Calder discovers an irresistible food scene in and around the archipelago’s capital

If you don’t arrive in Madeira with an appetite, you will soon acquire one. Few people enjoy eating and drinking more than I do, which makes Madeira a very happy place for me.

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Among the formidable chefs and winemakers on the island, the accent is emphatically on locally sourced food and drink. And given the closest point of mainland Portugal is 500 miles away, that makes perfect sense. Much of it is centred on Funchal, the capital. The best way to begin a gastronomic exploration? Start with the raw materials.

Market values: Funchal is a hub for freshness

The vibrant capital of Madeira, Funchal, is awash with heritage. But those of us who live to eat are drawn to a 1940 landmark building on the edge of the Old Town. The double-deck Mercado dos Lavradores – or Farmers’ Market – is brimming with fresh produce from across the island, with added dazzle delivered by exotic flowers. It’s an essential component of daily life for local people.

The life and colour makes the market a great place for visitors, who can also pick up some colourful crafts. One example: the carapuça, or pigtail cap. Agricultural workers wore them in the 19th Century. The hat has a shallow crown and a single pigtail soaring heavenward. If you were a woman and there was no knot tied in the pigtail, that meant you were single.

Fresh takes: Funchal, where the food is the celebrity

Madeira’s capital spoils the hungry visitor for choice. Kampo is a new arrival on Funchal’s dining scene. It was created by the celebrity chef, Julio Pereira. With an open kitchen and all kinds of culinary innovation, including the odd blowtorch, this is gastronomic theatre – as well as being very tasty. Chef Liliana Abreu says there is “food for everybody” – from gourmet delicacies to steak and chips. “It’s easy to please everybody,” she laughs.

Deep appreciation: the scabbard fish

Across town, there’s plenty of friendly competition to make visitors’ culinary dreams come true. Chalet Vicente was founded in 2011 in a family mansion now converted into one of Madeira’s most popular restaurants. “If you don’t bring an appetite, you will find it here,” insists co-owner Guadalupe Brito.

It is an excellent place to sample espada – scabbard fish – a Madeiran speciality that lives in the depths of the ocean and tastes one thousand times better than it looks.

Camara action: this fishing village with outstanding culinary credentials

The fishing village of Camara de Lobos, just three miles west of Funchal, is well provisioned with restaurants. At Vila da Carne the chefs create a local speciality extremely well. Espetada comprises chunks of beef cooked on a skewer, smothered with butters infused with garlic and laurel, and therefore dripping with flavour. I always find that Madeira soothes my mind. And at the same time, I feel really revived with all the great food and drink on offer. Good for the body, good for the soul.

Full Monte

At Patio das Barbosas in Monte, you can find lunch with a view. I enjoyed the Prego, a sandwich filled with thinly sliced beef. It’s called prego because that means “nail”. The idea is you can wolf it down quickly and it will nail your hunger until dinner time.

Drinking it in

Back in the heart of Funchal, the rooftop bar of the Barcelo Old Town is known as B Heaven. It is a 1960s song come to life: as the great Carole King wrote: “Right smack dab in the middle of town, I found a paradise that’s trouble proof. Up on the roof.” Cool off in the rooftop pool, then choose a cocktail to sip with the sunset – and to sharpen your appetite for the next feast.