Ponto Final

Ponto Final is a small Portuguese restaurant on the south bank of the Tagus, on the Cais do Ginjal, the old riverside quay at Cacilhas in Almada. Its main draw, as Time Out Lisboa puts it, is a big terrace looking straight across the river at Lisbon, and that view is why so many people cross the Tagus by ferry and walk the rest of the way. With a lot of luck, you get the famous yellow table out on the jetty, right over the water.

For children, the trip is the adventure. You catch a ferry (the Portuguese call these river boats cacilheiros) at Cais do Sodré, cross the river in about ten minutes, and walk along the waterfront to lunch. Lisbon, the 25 de Abril bridge and passing boats are in front of you the whole time.

The kitchen is Portuguese. Time Out picks out the rice dishes, the fresh fish, pataniscas (salt cod fritters) and pezinhos de coentrada (pig’s trotters with coriander). Grilled fish with rice is the easy option for a child who eats fish, and pataniscas are a good halfway house for one who likes fritters.

There is no published children’s menu, and the restaurant does not have its own website. Ask about half portions when you order.

Transtejo Soflusa runs the ferry between Cais do Sodré and Cacilhas. The crossing takes about ten minutes, and around lunchtime the timetable had a boat every 10 to 20 minutes, on weekdays and at weekends. When checked in September 2026, a single was €2, or €1.60 using Zapping credit on a transport card, and children up to and including age 5 travel free on this route. You need a rechargeable card, which costs €0.50.

From the ferry terminal at Cacilhas, walk west along the river on the Cais do Ginjal to the restaurant. With a car, you can drive over the 25 de Abril bridge, but the ferry is part of the outing.

The Ginjal quay is lined with old riverside warehouses, many of them derelict. In April 2025 the quay was closed for safety reasons because several buildings were at risk of collapse. After works to make the route safe, the riverside walk reopened to the public on 31 July 2025. A large redevelopment of the area has been approved, with housing, a hotel and public gardens, but in August 2026 the news site 24 Notícias reported that the building work had still not started.

So expect a riverside path next to run-down buildings. Stay on the open walkway and keep small children close to you, because the path and the restaurant’s tables run right along the water with the jetty out over the river.

Ponto Final is small and popular, so book ahead by phone on 936 869 031, especially for a terrace table on a sunny weekend. It is closed on Tuesdays, and lunch ends at 16:00, so do not leave it too late. The terrace is outdoors, which is the point on a fine day and much less fun in wind or rain.

Next to the Cacilhas ferry terminal, the frigate D. Fernando II e Glória, a wooden sailing warship from 1843, sits in a dry dock with a submarine on the same ticket. Further along the river at the Jardim do Rio, the Boca do Vento panoramic lift carries you 50 metres up the cliff in a glass cabin to the old centre of Almada, every day from 09:30 to 23:30. From Almada you can also visit the giant Cristo Rei statue, with a lift to its viewing terrace.

How do you get to Ponto Final from Lisbon?

Take the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas, a crossing of about ten minutes, then walk west along the Cais do Ginjal to the restaurant.

Is it a good choice with young children?

It suits children who enjoy the ferry and can sit for a meal. Tables are right by the water and the quay has no play area, so toddlers need close watching.

Do you need to book Ponto Final?

Yes, it is best to book, especially for a terrace table at weekends.

Is the Ginjal quay open?

The riverside walk reopened on 31 July 2025 after a safety closure. The redevelopment had not started as of August 2026, so check local news before you go.

Do children pay on the Cacilhas ferry?

Children up to and including age 5 travel free on the Cacilhas route.