Sal has two distinct dining scenes: the tourist restaurants of Santa Maria, dominated by grilled fish, pizza, and international menus aimed at European package tourists; and the local restaurants of Espargos and the smaller villages, which serve cachupa, grilled tuna, and lobster at considerably lower prices.
Cachupa is Cape Verde's national dish — a slow-cooked stew of maize, beans, and seasonal vegetables, with fish or meat stirred in. The version eaten for lunch by working people (refogada) is lighter; the weekend version (rica) adds more protein and simmers longer. Any local restaurant in Espargos will do a good one.
Fresh tuna and wahoo are regularly landed at Palmeira harbour on Sal's west coast. Several restaurants in both Santa Maria and Espargos serve grilled tuna steaks at prices that make European visitors do a double-take.