Il Gallo d'Oro

The story

Il Gallo d'Oro, Funchal: Two-Star Modern Cuisine at The Cliff Bay

Il Gallo d'Oro is at Estrada Monumental 147 in Funchal, Madeira, where the gourmet restaurant of The Cliff Bay serves modern cuisine with European and Spanish influences. The 2026 Michelin Guide awarded it two stars for excellent cooking. The restaurant is closed for refurbishment at the moment, and during the closure the team runs a more informal concept called The Atlantic Tribute by Benoît Sinthon.

The kitchen

French chef Benoît Sinthon has led the kitchen since 2004. The menu draws on Iberian cooking and puts Madeiran ingredients first, some of them grown in the PortoBay vegetable garden. Produce from other parts of Europe completes the list.

The dining room and terrace

The room was fully refitted when the restaurant reopened in 2021. Large windows run along the front, and green plants fill the space indoors and out. Guests enter through the wine cellar, which puts the wine list at the start of the evening. On the warmest days, the outdoor terrace looks out over the hotel gardens and the sea.