I went to this restaurant yesterday and I loved it! For 1 the food was phenomenal ( do not pass out the Pastéis de Nata cause they are absolutely delicious) and Manuel, our server, was so knowledgeable and gave us amazing recommendations. For appetizers We had the basket of bread, which was so warm, the caldo verde with their authentic chouriço (would highly recommend trying if you like soup) and the shrimp in a lemon and garlic sauce which was divine. For entrees we had the octopus, YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS DISH and the Bacalhau and it was absolutely amazing, it felt like I was back in Europe. The food was so so so good that we just dug into it and forgot to take pictures! But we have one of the Pastéis de Nata, which is the original recipe from Lisbon.
Peter K.
First time visiting even though it's been around for years. Old world charm and service. We had 6;30 reservations and by 7;30 it was fully booked. I had the rack of lamb which cooked perfectly. Likewise my wife's steak, our friend's octopus and seafood combo. The selection of Portuguese wine we chose complimented the food perfectly and the 10-year-old Port after dinner rounded off a perfect meal. We missed out on many years, but we will now return often. Highly recommended!
LikeMike
This gem offers a taste of Portugal in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The menu features authentic dishes prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients. I loved the seafood caldeirada and the calamari. The staff was friendly and attentive, making our dining experience truly delightful. Highly recommend for a cozy and delicious Portuguese feast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari
Howard Dubowitz
Nova Europa is a comfy neighborhood restaurant where one can actually hear what your company is saying, admittedly on a quiet week night. Still, a rare treat. I asked Manuel, the chef, for a classic Portuguese dish. He recommended the octopus. The generous portion was the best I've had. My friend's request to switch out potatoes due to his diabetes was nicely accommodated. We ended the meal with the delicious pasteles de nata - a custard tart, with a recipe going back to monks hundreds of years ago. Do not miss this! The pleasant old world ambience, terrific food and good service made for a lovely evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carl Schwartz
We have dined at Nova Europa almost from the time it opened and visit often now. The atmosphere is quiet and peaceful at the times we go, it's classically continental, a neighborhood legend, family run: the very professional staff give us personal attention: Manuel, Maria, Tony, Martha and others. The regular menu dishes are excellent and the specials are the real treat. Lately Grilled Octopus has been one of the specials. It is a classic preparation and tender. The Early Bird, Twilight Dinner and Lunch specials are a great value. One of the classic Portuguese dishes is Bacalau - Salt Cod in olive oil. Nice wine selection and great drinks from the bar. Deserts are first rate.Parking: Lots of parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari, French Onion Soup, Appetizers, Chicken Marsala, Escargot, Veal Marsala, Salad, Chocolate Mousse, House Salad, Rack of Lamb, Lamb Chops Rosemarino, Early Bird, Caldo Verde, Caldo Verde Soup
Valerie
We had a wonderful dinner at Nova Europa from start to finish. Maria is the server we normally ask for and we were fortunate to get her. She is extremely wonderful in every way from start to finish.
Geoffrey J B.
This place is a gem! The food was delicious, well presented, and very reasonably priced. The star of the show is the service. The owner, Manuel made a point of introducing himself to us and told us the incredible history of the restaurant and his journey from Portugal. Seriously... check this place out!
GioRodri
We celebrated Dad's 87th birthday. Our party of four enjoyed a delicious dinner served by a couple of outstanding wait staff - Marta and Maria - and the presentation of our Baked Alaska dessert was a great mini-show accompanied by the Happy Birthday song! The complimentary round of amaretto shots made the entire outing extra special.
Tony Lee
My friend Don has been dining here since high school days, which would have been more than thirty five years ago. The clientele definitely showed it’s age, and the menu reflected that also, but this is what we love, good food, good service, and great value.Parking: Plenty of free parking in front of the restaurant, easy to get in and get out.
The food is delicious, and the staff is very attentive. The noise level was quiet enough to be able to enjoy a conversation. Their Portuguese house wines are a notch above usual in quality. At the end of the meal we were comp'ed one free dessert and two shots of amaretto.
Manuel was very friendly and welcoming, made us feel like family! Delicious food, excellent service, and great prices. Surprising suburban gem in a strip mall. Don’t let that put you off. Worth a visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chocolate Mousse, Rack of Lamb
Kevin Caffrey
Great restaurante the food is cooked right and the service is always
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mandi Cohen
I love this place. Very fond memories coming here as a child, my family comes here for special occasions. The people are magnificent and the food is delicious and unique. The decor is a little dated, but I think that adds to the flair. It’s not often local restaurants like this stick around so long and it feels like you’re being taken back in time. I hope they stay for many more years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pamela
We have loved going here for the past 40 years and one of our favorite things is to take foodie friends to Nova Europa. The same old waiter has been there forever and the menu is much the same. Love it!
williamj
The food was the best my party of 6 had eaten in several years. Fresh, authentic, homemade, and absolutely amazing. We had veal, steak, lobster tail, and octopus, and every bit of it was amazing. And the homemade salad dressing could not be any more delicious. The owner, Manuel, was also our server and was amazing. My brother-in-law, who is Portuguese, and from out of town, found this restaurant online. I have lived in Silver Spring for many years and never knew it existed. This restaurant will be our go to dining place for years to come.
I went to this restaurant yesterday and I loved it! For 1 the food was phenomenal ( do not pass out the Pastéis de Nata cause they are absolutely delicious) and Manuel, our server, was so knowledgeable and gave us amazing recommendations. For appetizers We had the basket of bread, which was so warm, the caldo verde with their authentic chouriço (would highly recommend trying if you like soup) and the shrimp in a lemon and garlic sauce which was divine. For entrees we had the octopus, YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS DISH and the Bacalhau and it was absolutely amazing, it felt like I was back in Europe. The food was so so so good that we just dug into it and forgot to take pictures! But we have one of the Pastéis de Nata, which is the original recipe from Lisbon.
First time visiting even though it's been around for years. Old world charm and service. We had 6;30 reservations and by 7;30 it was fully booked. I had the rack of lamb which cooked perfectly. Likewise my wife's steak, our friend's octopus and seafood combo. The selection of Portuguese wine we chose complimented the food perfectly and the 10-year-old Port after dinner rounded off a perfect meal. We missed out on many years, but we will now return often. Highly recommended!
This gem offers a taste of Portugal in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The menu features authentic dishes prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients. I loved the seafood caldeirada and the calamari. The staff was friendly and attentive, making our dining experience truly delightful. Highly recommend for a cozy and delicious Portuguese feast!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari
Nova Europa is a comfy neighborhood restaurant where one can actually hear what your company is saying, admittedly on a quiet week night. Still, a rare treat. I asked Manuel, the chef, for a classic Portuguese dish. He recommended the octopus. The generous portion was the best I've had. My friend's request to switch out potatoes due to his diabetes was nicely accommodated. We ended the meal with the delicious pasteles de nata - a custard tart, with a recipe going back to monks hundreds of years ago. Do not miss this! The pleasant old world ambience, terrific food and good service made for a lovely evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We have dined at Nova Europa almost from the time it opened and visit often now. The atmosphere is quiet and peaceful at the times we go, it's classically continental, a neighborhood legend, family run: the very professional staff give us personal attention: Manuel, Maria, Tony, Martha and others. The regular menu dishes are excellent and the specials are the real treat. Lately Grilled Octopus has been one of the specials. It is a classic preparation and tender. The Early Bird, Twilight Dinner and Lunch specials are a great value. One of the classic Portuguese dishes is Bacalau - Salt Cod in olive oil. Nice wine selection and great drinks from the bar. Deserts are first rate.Parking: Lots of parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari, French Onion Soup, Appetizers, Chicken Marsala, Escargot, Veal Marsala, Salad, Chocolate Mousse, House Salad, Rack of Lamb, Lamb Chops Rosemarino, Early Bird, Caldo Verde, Caldo Verde Soup
We had a wonderful dinner at Nova Europa from start to finish. Maria is the server we normally ask for and we were fortunate to get her. She is extremely wonderful in every way from start to finish.
This place is a gem! The food was delicious, well presented, and very reasonably priced. The star of the show is the service. The owner, Manuel made a point of introducing himself to us and told us the incredible history of the restaurant and his journey from Portugal. Seriously... check this place out!
We celebrated Dad's 87th birthday. Our party of four enjoyed a delicious dinner served by a couple of outstanding wait staff - Marta and Maria - and the presentation of our Baked Alaska dessert was a great mini-show accompanied by the Happy Birthday song! The complimentary round of amaretto shots made the entire outing extra special.
My friend Don has been dining here since high school days, which would have been more than thirty five years ago. The clientele definitely showed it’s age, and the menu reflected that also, but this is what we love, good food, good service, and great value.Parking: Plenty of free parking in front of the restaurant, easy to get in and get out.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Appetizers, Calves Liver, Escargot, Veal Marsala, Chocolate Mousse
The food is delicious, and the staff is very attentive. The noise level was quiet enough to be able to enjoy a conversation. Their Portuguese house wines are a notch above usual in quality. At the end of the meal we were comp'ed one free dessert and two shots of amaretto.
Restaurantji Recommends
Manuel was very friendly and welcoming, made us feel like family! Delicious food, excellent service, and great prices. Surprising suburban gem in a strip mall. Don’t let that put you off. Worth a visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chocolate Mousse, Rack of Lamb
Great restaurante the food is cooked right and the service is always
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love this place. Very fond memories coming here as a child, my family comes here for special occasions. The people are magnificent and the food is delicious and unique. The decor is a little dated, but I think that adds to the flair. It’s not often local restaurants like this stick around so long and it feels like you’re being taken back in time. I hope they stay for many more years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We have loved going here for the past 40 years and one of our favorite things is to take foodie friends to Nova Europa. The same old waiter has been there forever and the menu is much the same. Love it!
The food was the best my party of 6 had eaten in several years. Fresh, authentic, homemade, and absolutely amazing. We had veal, steak, lobster tail, and octopus, and every bit of it was amazing. And the homemade salad dressing could not be any more delicious. The owner, Manuel, was also our server and was amazing. My brother-in-law, who is Portuguese, and from out of town, found this restaurant online. I have lived in Silver Spring for many years and never knew it existed. This restaurant will be our go to dining place for years to come.