03/06/2025: Ponto Final
If you follow Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil,” their first episode was set in Portugal and featured a restaurant at the end of the world, aptly named Ponto Final. Trust me, it’s easier to find your way around New York or Manila than this place.
After a ferry ride from Lisbon to Casilhas across the Tagus River, a bus ride where Google made us stop sooner (we should have listened to the old lady who told us to get off later), and navigating through graffiti-infested small alleys, we finally arrived at the edge of a cliff wall, deciding to what seemed like a torn-down cannery. It definitely felt like a scene from The Twilight Zone.
Descending nearly 80 steps, we finally saw those familiar yellow metal tables and chairs. Whew! We made it.
But wait, we had to wait an hour since we couldn’t get reservations. Finally, we got to sit down. This better be good, Phil, or I’ll stop watching Netflix. My sister recommended this place to us as well.
Our grilled sardines and fried horse mackerel were cooked to perfection, but the side of tomato rice was the real surprise. Everything was done just right, and who needs ambiance when you can hear the waves crashing about 10 feet from your table and enjoy the breathtaking view of Lisbon? If you’re lucky, you’ll get that table at the end where you can just fall into the ocean if you had one too many glasses of wine.
Getting back to the ferry was another adventure. Thankfully, the elevator was working (yesterday it wasn’t), and just imagine climbing that cliff wall while full of food.
Other than getting there and back, I would highly recommend Ponto Final for all the right (and even wrong) reasons. It will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark in our memories.
02/02/2025: You really can’t beat the location, it’s magical sitting and eating with the water around you, and central Lisbon in the background. Easy to get to on the public ferry (10 mins). The walk to the restaurant is very urban and some parts of the path are falling apart, so be warned if you have mobility issues.
We hadn’t book so did queue for a while (went inside and for a bottle of wine to share while waiting). This was in January and it was still packed - so def book in hotter months! Sardines, prawns and rice with beans were all fantastic. You may have to grab people for service but once you have their attention everyone was super friendly.
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