Is vital for the wellbeing of those who work tirelessly all week, but it leaves many fervent foodies in the industry, hungry to explore the bites of their peers, without anywhere to eat when we finally have a day off ourselves. AND YET this all changed when Tavira’s Mesa Farta decided to welcome guests for lunch – we jumped at the chance.

Huddled under umbrellas sheltering from one of March’s endless downpours, we ran straight into the midst of a cosy, full and buzzing scene. Mesa Farta brims with an easy, modern energy – an open kitchen, tables packed with friends passing plates, and walls lined with bold, playful artwork.

Among the diners, I spot some familiar faces, including local chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs and hoteliers, the people who usually spend Sunday scrolling Google maps for a good meal or driving two hours to Spain or Lisbon for a fill.

We are told that Mesa Farta is all about sharing – food that brings people together, rooted in local traditions but never bound by them and always prepared, using the season’s best ingredients from land and sea – so far, so my bag. The kitchen is led by João Viegas, the recipient of Chef do Ano in 2015, who honed his craft in some of the most esteemed kitchens in the world. His résumé includes time spent in Spanish kitchens at Mugaritz and the legendary El Celler de Can Roca, and also with early experience at São Gabriel which many of our readers will have known as an Algarvian institution. At Mesa Farta, it’s his goal to bring that experience home, but instead of fine dining formality, to deliver something far more relaxed and generous, overflowing with seasonal ingredients, handled with respect but never overcomplicated.

The house sourdough with its deep tang is the perfect companion for oysters ‘escabeche’, lightly marinated to enhance their sweetness with pickled carrot. Then came crispy octopus rissoles, golden and hot, hiding tender octopus inside, served with ink mayo and lime, a jet-black swirl of briny, citrusy sumptuousness. Next, horse mackerel ‘alimado’ with preserved lemon, and ocal squid, grilled over fire and paired with fried garlic and açorda, a velvety traditional take on bread porridge.

Then, our ‘large plate’, a bubbling roasted goat rice presented as in ancient times, in a terracotta pot. The rich, slow-cooked meat infused every grain of rice, salty, salubrious and creating the kind of deep, comforting flavour that is part of that nostalgic Sunday service.

Unable to resist, we go all in on dessert. Portuguese sweet rice is given a new life with tonka bean and crisp meringue, and a carob pudding with white chocolate and lavender – sticky and rich, with a hint of floral perfume.

Ending our meal with a deep sigh, I reflect on my thought that Mesa Farta feels like a place created by people who truly love food. The menu is driven by seasonality and locality, good ingredients, treated well. The open kitchen adds to the warmth and artwork give it personality.

It’s a restaurant that’s serious about flavour but never takes itself too seriously – the perfect place to linger, share, and leave full and happy. Tavira and all savvy Sunday lunchers are lucky to have it.