Vila Joya

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A home above the Atlantic

Above the cliffs of Praia da Galé, on the Algarve's iconic coastline, Vila Joya has been quietly setting the standard for fine dining in Portugal since 1982. What began as a private family residence, acquired and transformed by founder Claudia Jung, has grown into one of the most quietly distinguished addresses in European gastronomy — a place that describes itself, with good reason, as "a home, not a hotel."

The story behind the stars

Claudia Jung started reshaping the estate in 1982, and in 1991 she brought in Austrian chef Dieter Koschina. The partnership proved transformative. Vila Joya earned its first Michelin star in 1995, its second in 1999, and has held both for over two decades — making it the first restaurant in Portugal to reach that distinction. Chef Koschina's daily-changing menus, rooted in French and Mediterranean tradition with the finest seasonal seafood, have kept Vila Joya among the most sought-after tables in the Algarve and well beyond. The restaurant's reach was confirmed internationally when it appeared in The World's 50 Best Restaurants three years running, peaking at number 22 in 2014.

Since 2003, Claudia's daughter Joy has managed the property, weaving her own passion for art and detail into the fabric her mother created — preserving the Moorish architectural character while introducing a quietly modern sensibility.

Where the cooking happens

The heart of the experience is Chef Koschina's restaurant, where the menu changes daily and dinner is served in a single evening seating. French technique and Mediterranean instinct meet the best of what the Atlantic provides, presented with care and precision. For something more relaxed, Vila Joya Sea — the property's beach shack — offers cuisine inspired by "The Roof of the World" alongside modern Japanese-influenced dishes, with the ocean as a constant backdrop.

The setting itself

Four rooms and nine suites, each with its own Atlantic view, sit within lush gardens where cypress and palm trees frame limestone cliffs and sand dunes. The understated elegance extends through every detail: antiques, maritime art, private Jacuzzis, terraces open to the night sky. It is a place built for people who want beauty without noise.

Vila Joya remains, above all, a rare thing — a two-Michelin-star restaurant that still feels like someone's home.