Ponta Preta is a beach restaurant in one of Sal’s most beautiful spots. Stunning views and sunsets, food that can surprise — or disappoint. Service is uneven and tour groups affect the experience. Best enjoyed with time, flexibility, and relaxed expectations.
When the place is so beautiful you forgive too much
Ponta Preta wins you over before you even reach a table. Wide beach, clean sand, soft dunes, sunsets that keep cameras busy, and that clear feeling of “this is exactly what I came for”.
And there’s the restaurant, almost planted in the sand, quietly promising that everything will be fine.
Sometimes it is. Sometimes… not so much.
A big beach restaurant on a beach that sells itself
Ponta Preta is, above all, a beach restaurant in one of Sal’s most beautiful areas. It works as a stop for day-trippers, organised tours, and anyone wanting to watch the sunset away from Santa Maria’s centre.
The setting is the main act. The restaurant supports it. When it tries to lead the experience, things get complicated.
Clear highlights and persistent shadows
Some dishes come out well fairly often: fish, carpaccios, octopus salads, rice dishes and certain grilled items. Several reviews mention tasty food, generous portions and recognisable Cape Verdean flavours.
Tuna tataki often appears as one of the better-performing dishes — when the day is on its side.
But there’s also an uncomfortable constant: inconsistency. Cold tuna, fish that isn’t what was ordered, fried dishes when grilled was expected, or food that’s fine but uninspiring. Here, “depends on the day” isn’t an excuse — it’s part of the system.
Where the experience breaks or gets saved
This is the most delicate point. Service generates radically opposite opinions.
Some people describe friendly, attentive and efficient staff… others call it the worst service on the island, with waits of over an hour, rude responses and zero apologies.
Organised tour groups have a big impact: when large groups arrive, noise levels rise, waiting times stretch, and individual diners fade into the background.
At Ponta Preta, you don’t know if you’re having a calm meal… or practising patience.
It’s not just the waiting
The harshest criticism isn’t really about food, but attitude when something goes wrong: mistakes not acknowledged, short replies, and the feeling that asking questions is an inconvenience.
In a place you’ve come to relax, that weighs heavier than a mediocre plate.
How to enjoy it without getting annoyed
It works best during the day or at sunset, with a cold beer, something simple, and no rush.
If you plan to eat, stick to clear, uncomplicated dishes.
Don’t arrive starving or expecting polished service.
And assume you’ll need a taxi or car to get there and back — it’s not a short walk from Santa Maria.
A place you can’t judge by the plate alone
Ponta Preta is one of those places where the setting compensates a lot. A lot.
When everything clicks, you wonder why anyone complains. When it doesn’t, all the complaints suddenly make sense.
It’s not the island’s best restaurant. But it is one of the places where a sunset can make you forget an average meal… or a bad experience can ruin a perfect view.
You don’t come here just to eat. You come to see whether the day decides to be kind to you.
