A Beautiful Evening At Ponto Final: A Dream Dinner Date In Lisbon

When we were planning our 5 night city break to Lisbon, dinner at Ponto Final was firmly on the list of things to do in this beautiful city.

I’d first seen this restaurant, with the most incredible views across the Tagus River, on a show called Somebody Feed Phil. The yellow chairs precariously perched on a jetty jutting out into the water looked very romantic, maybe also a little scary with the water lapping up on the edge of the concrete. It wasn’t scary enough to put me off wanting to enjoy dinner here though. Plus, the sunset views were unmatched – there are many places in Lisbon to watch the sun set over the city but with nothing in the way apart from the 25 April Bridge, the sunset here is uninterrupted.

Determined to enjoy a dinner date here, I fired off an email to make a reservation for dinner on one of our nights in Lisbon. 

I’d heard making a reservation was a must do as Ponto Final can get booked up months in advance. In fact, I think I booked ahead 2 months before arriving so we knew we had a space. We also asked for a seat by the water (I’m not sure if this helps decide where you sit on the night but it was worth a shot) even if I was a little worried about toppling in! I quickly had an email confirming our reservation – all we had to do was turn up at 7pm with a hungry belly!

It’s worth noting that everyone is seated at the same time with service on the evening we dined starting at 7pm.

Email Ponto Final and make your reservation at pontofinalrest@gmail.com

On the evening of our reservation, we caught the ferry to Cacilhas from Cais do Sodre – a lovely 10 minute ride across the Tagus River to the area of Almada. After a short wander, and a delicious happy hour margarita, we took a waterside walk to Ponto Final. It’s about a 15 minute walk and there’s loads of street art to see along the way as well as panoramic views of Lisbon.

Arriving a little early, we joined the queue of everyone else booked into this famous waterfront restaurant. There was also a queue of people not booked in but who were happy to take a chance on hoping there were spare tables. While it is easy enough to turn up, you might be waiting an hour or two for a table, or you risk missing the sunset – one of the main draws (as well as the food) of dining here during the evening.

Our table, on the edge of the water, with nearly a front row seat to the river wasn’t as terrifying as I first imagined. But the location and views were just as romantic as I’d hoped. 

Settling in, along with all the other guests here for good food and good views, we ordered a bottle of Vinho Verde (a delicious variety of Portuguese wine if you’re partial to a tipple) to start the evening. Placed in a cooler on the edge of the table, the wine was in easy reach all evening. The friendly staff recommended several items for our mains, but in the end we went for freshly grilled fish – let me tell you it was melt-in-the-mouth delightful. I had read some reviews that the food didn’t live up to the hype but we enjoyed every bite of our meal. It was fresh and flavoursome, just what we wanted after a day of wandering around Lisbon.

As the sky started to glow orange and the sun set behind the 25 April Bridge, I couldn’t think of a more perfect setting to enjoy a memorable dinner date in Lisbon. Chatting the night away, stuffing our faces with food, sipping on crisp wine and watching the sun set, the evening was so simple but so memorable. We soaked up every minute. The couples on the tables in front of us strangely didn’t stick around until sunset but I recommend you do, it’s just beautiful. Barely one head was turned away watching the view.

With our dreamy dinner coming to an end and thinking about how lucky we were to have such a lovely evening, we drank our last drops of wine and took a steady walk back to the ferry. In fact, it was such a steady walk that we missed the ferry back by a few minutes. There was about an hour to wait until the next departure so we wandered onto the main street and grabbed an ice cream at Artisani Cacilhas – a very popular spot for a late night ice cream with a good variety of flavours to pick from.

We made it back to Lisbon with full bellies and happy hearts, and a new appreciation of just how special this city is. If you want a delicious evening by the water – with your loved ones, friends, or even for a delectable solo date, make Ponto Final top of your list because it’s a super special spot.

Ponto Final Information

Email: pontofinalrest@gmail.com

Address: R. do Ginjal 72, 2800-285 Almada, Portugal

Would you want to enjoy a dinner date here? If you visit, let me know because I’d love to know what you think!