December 22, 2025
Supporting the local São Tomé restaurants recommended in this guide provides a far richer experience than sticking to hotel dining. Whether you are looking for high-end European fusion or the “best chicken on the island” served in a tin foil package, the city’s food scene is diverse, authentic, and often surprisingly fast.
If you own aSão Tomé restuarant and want to be featured here, get in touch at hello@thechocolateislands.com. We can add your own page, publish an English menu, and include QR codes for menus, location, and booking details.
Formally known as Sum Secreta: The Best Dining Experience in São Tomé City
I consider this restaurant to be the best São Tomé resturant. Unlike many local establishments where “Leve-Leve” service (slow and relaxed) is the standard, this team operates with an efficiency that is rare on the island. While other São Tomé restaurants often treat tourists as a commodity, the atmosphere here is genuinely welcoming—you are treated more like a friend or family member, without being crowded during your meal.
Location and Atmosphere: Conveniently located just a two-minute walk from the city center, it is easily accessible from all major hotels. It is, in my opinion, a significant cut above better-known spots like Papa Figo. The owners, Alex and Sonia, speak English and are always happy to share local advice. Their son, also Alex, has excellent English and is a fantastic resource for insider tips on São Tomé if you happen to catch him while he’s around.
The Menu: Local Flavors with a Twist It isn’t just the hospitality that earns this restaurant the top spot in this guide; it is the quality of the food. They serve a sophisticated mix of local and European cuisine, always incorporating a unique São Tomé twist rather than the generic “international” menus found elsewhere.
The Specialty: Their snails—both land and sea varieties—are widely considered the best in town.
A Personal Note: As they are snails, I can only report the consensus of others; you would never catch me eating them. I’ve always believed that nobody has ever looked at a snail and thought, “I bet that tastes good.”
The Social Scene: On Friday nights, you will often find a friendly group of expats and locals gathered around the top left-hand table. If you see us, please come over and say hello—there is a good chance I will be among them.
The Bottom Line: This is one of the few places in the capital that truly earns its reputation rather than living off past name recognition. For excellent food and unusually efficient service in São Tomé, this is the city’s standout destination.
It is not strictly a restaurant, but nor is it strictly a roulotte. It is not called Stadium Chicken either. It is a shack with no name on the front. This is São Tomé and Príncipe, we do things differently. Just down from the stadium, heading towards the UN buildings, there is an outstanding chicken place on the right.
On the island, chickens are not produced the way you may be used to. They are a little wilder, and noticeably better. Queue up and ask for two or three pieces. The standard order at this São Tomé restaurant is barbecued chicken with banana fritas, chips made from plantain. This is not the KFC style. It is slow cooked, then finished on the barbecue.
Service is rough and ready. Expect a tin foil package on a plate, covered in sauce, with mayo and ketchup on the side. You eat in the open air at basic tables along the edge. The payment set-up is also a little strange the first time: they weigh the chicken, take it to the side counter, you pay, order your drinks, then go back with your token to collect the food. It comes out hot and properly delicious. Watching the heat coming off the grills, you will also be glad you are the customer, not the person working them.
Local Tip: Ask for it São Tomé style. They sometimes soften the flavour for tourists, though it is not especially spicy even at full strength.
PM Beach is only a short walk away, or a few minutes by moto. It is a good place to sit in the evening with your feet over the wall, the tide lapping beneath you, eating what is, in my view, the best chicken on the island.
One small request. If you eat at the beach, and you should, do not throw your bones into the water. They wash back onto the sand the next morning, splintered and sharp, and kids can get injured. There are bins as you leave the beach.
Located on Avenida das Nações Unidas, Papa Figo is one of the most best known rSão Tomé estaurants. Its central location and frequent mentions in older guidebooks ensure it remains a primary stop for visitors. However, for those seeking an authentic dining experience shared with locals, it often falls short.
The Local Perspective: While popular with tourists and wealthier residents, Papa Figo is often viewed by locals as overpriced compared to other city restaurants offering similar cuisine. It functions more as a convenient landmark than a culinary destination. Those expecting a deep dive into the “real” São Tomé and Príncipe food scene may find the atmosphere tailored more toward familiarity than cultural depth.
Service and Standards: While the restaurant’s reputation was once high, many now consider it to be living off past name recognition. When the kitchen is at its best, the food is exceptional; however, inconsistency has become common. Shortcomings in service or quality are often overlooked, leading to a mediocre experience that has become the standard. For those who know the city well, Papa Figo is rarely the first choice for a meal.
It is, however, located directly opposite Diogo Vaz, which, although expensive, is a genuine must-visit attraction for the best ice cream on the island.
A relatively new arrival to the São Tomé restaurants scene, this rooftop venue offers a distinct culinary shift from the local norm. While it has brought a fresh energy to the capital, the experience is currently defined by a significant gap between its potential and its operational execution.
The Menu and Food Quality The restaurant holds a unique position as the provider of the best (and only) hummus available on the island. While the menu is well-conceived, availability is frequently limited, with many items often unavailable.
The Shwarma: While flavorful, the shwarma is sized more like an appetizer than a main course.
Insider Tip: For those seeking a more substantial or higher-quality shwarma, the roulottes (food trucks) near the river are a superior alternative. Specifically, the right-hand roulotte has the best shwarma on the island, if one of these ever do doner kebabs or chicken kebabs they would make a killing.
Service and Consistency Issues The staff are generally friendly and attentive when handling drink orders, but the kitchen management remains a primary drawback. Food wait times can extend into hours, and service can be highly unpredictable. The last time I was there, a group of five wait an hour for starters only to be informed that the kitchen has closed before the main courses were prepared.
To reach its full potential, the establishment would benefit from paring back the menu to focus on consistency and speed of service rather than variety.
Location and Access The restaurant is located in a central area above a supermarket. To find the entrance, you turn left as you pass the shop; the doorway is located directly on the left.
Accessibility Warning: The entrance consists of steep stairs with no lift access. This makes the venue unsuitable for those with significant mobility issues.
If you are looking for the quintessential São Tomé restaurant dining experience in São Tomé, O Pirata is usually the first place people suggest. Located right on the Estrada de Pantufo (Avenida Marginal), its breezy, rustic terrace offers what I consider the best oceanfront views in the city. It is the kind of place where you go to watch the sunset with a cold Nacional beer and feel like you’ve truly arrived in the tropics.
The Standout Dishes While many places in town offer generic grilled fish, the kitchen here has a few genuine specialties that keep it from being just another tourist stop.
The Octopus (Polvo): This is the star of the menu. It is frequently cited in reviews as the most tender grilled octopus on the island—lightly charred and perfectly seasoned. If they have it available, order it.
Búzios (Sea Snails): Similar to the land snails found elsewhere, the búzios salad here is a local staple. Even if you aren’t a fan of the texture, the garlic and oil preparation is the authentic way to eat them in São Tomé.
The “International” Side: You will also find pizzas and burgers on the menu. They are useful if you have children or want a break from seafood, but they aren’t the primary reason to visit.
Service and Nightlife: You have to manage your expectations when it comes to the clock. Unlike the efficiency you find at Sum Secreta, Oh Pirata is firmly in the “Leve-Leve” camp. Service can be notably slow, and it isn’t uncommon to find that several items on the menu are unavailable.
It is also worth noting that the atmosphere shifts dramatically depending on the day., much like other São Tomé resturants. On Thursday and Friday nights, the quiet dining terrace often transforms into a vibrant nightclub. If you are looking for a peaceful, romantic dinner, check the schedule first—otherwise, you might find yourself eating your octopus to the beat of loud music.
The Bottom Line: It is more expensive than the local roulottes and can be frustratingly slow, but for the ocean views and the octopus, it remains a necessary stop. It earns its place through its location and specific culinary highlights rather than its consistency.
I believe that if you are looking for the best burgers in São Tomé, Xicos is the definitive choice. While many São Tomé restaurants in the city offer a basic patty as an afterthought, the team here makes it a priority, with generous portions and served with a perfect fried egg. Located near Praça Amizade e Solidariedade, the interior is distinctive, with a warm, wood-heavy setting that feels far more inviting than the city’s more utilitarian options.
Menu and kitchen: They are known for their pork dishes and high-quality burgers. One highlight for me is the transparency of the preparation. You can see the food being cooked in an open area on the right as you enter.
Service: Unlike the slower pace found at many waterfront spots, I have found the service fast and efficient.
Quality: The food at this São Tomé resturant is consistently good, which makes it my reliable choice for a mid-day meal.
Atmosphere and potential: Xicos usually opens during the daytime and is generally quiet. It is an establishment that I think deserves to be much busier than it is. The building has real potential that remains untapped. With its back balconies, it is perfectly positioned to become a landmark coffee shop. If they ever want to make a fortune, they should use that space to serve iced coffee, which there is currently none of on the island. It would easily become a major destination for both locals and the few dozen expats who have found a home in this paradise.
Location and accessibility: Situated in a convenient central location near Mercado Grande, it offers a peaceful retreat from the busier main streets. The combination of speedy service and the quality of the meat makes it a perfect stop if you want a high-standard meal without the lengthy wait times typical of the capital.
Bottom line: Xicos offers the best burgers on the island in a unique, wood-clad setting. It is a quiet, high-quality spot that provides a fast, reliable alternative to the more well-known tourist destinations.
I only feature restaurants where I have personally eaten. This site is built on first-hand experience to ensure the guide remains an authoritative and honest resource. If you own an establishment and would like to be featured, please drop me a line; and I’ll try to get along to try out the food.
If you have visited any of these restaurants, please share your thoughts in the comments box below. Your feedback on the food and service is essential for keeping this guide accurate for other travellers. More information on restauraunts can be found on the official São Tomé and Principe goverment’s tourist guide.