Restaurant Cassumai is a local eatery in Santa Maria serving Cabo Verdean and West African food, with huge portions and local prices (400–600 CVE). Legendary €1 skewers, simple atmosphere and friendly service. Perfect for eating like locals and avoiding tourist traps.
When you walk in and realise this place wasn’t made for you
Cassumai isn’t designed to impress you. And that’s exactly why it works. You walk in and immediately notice there’s no effort to perform: simple tables, a local crowd, and a rhythm that doesn’t change just because you showed up.
If there are more locals than tourists, you’re in the right place.
A local canteen serving West African food
Cassumai is a local restaurant, heavily frequented by residents, serving traditional Cabo Verdean and West African food (Guinea-Bissau, Senegal). No fusion, no reinterpretations.
You come here to eat a lot, pay little, and move on with your day. Lunch or dinner, no reservations, no ceremony.
Food that fills you before you’re done
The pattern is very clear:
– Very large portions
– Local prices (around 400–600 CVE per dish)
– Straightforward, home-style cooking
Recurring mentions include jollof rice, meat stews, chicken, pork and, above all, the famous skewers. Chicken and pork skewers are described as “addictive”, “the best”, and cost about €1 each.
This is not delicate food. It’s food meant to keep you full.
Fast, friendly, no theatre
Service is one of the strong points: friendly, relaxed and efficient. No forced smiles, just people who want you to eat well.
The atmosphere is very basic, sometimes noisy, always local. If you’re looking for linen tablecloths or quiet dining, this is not your place.
No one asks if everything is okay here. They already know.
If you expect refinement
Cassumai only disappoints when people expect something it isn’t:
– It’s not elegant
– It’s not calm
– It’s not gourmet
A few reviews mention slightly tough meat in some stews, usually followed by the same conclusion: for that price, it’s more than fair.
How to eat like a local
Arrive hungry.
Order skewers even if you’ve already ordered a main dish.
Forget about looks and presentation.
They accept card payments, which is unusual for places like this.
And if you don’t know what to order, point at whatever is coming out of the kitchen.
When the trick is hiding nothing
Cassumai is one of those places that never claims to be “authentic”. It simply is. Because nothing has been changed to please visitors, and these days, that’s almost a luxury.
If the price surprises you here, you’re starting to understand the island.
