Palm Spot Restaurant — Restaurant in Ponta do Sol

We arrived for lunch on 14th May with my wife. The young waiter seemed quite nervous and didn’t appear very confident. When we asked him, “Which poncha would you recommend?”, his answer was, “I don’t know, I don’t like poncha.” I think that’s a very bad answer.

For food, we chose a "poke bowl" and a tofu tortilla. I’m putting "poke bowl" in quotation marks because it was a mockery of what a poke bowl should be. It was dry tofu and mushroom and a large portion of plain white rice mixed with a few grains (really, very few!) of wild rice, even though only wild rice was listed on the menu—no mention of white rice. The menu also said it came with tahini sauce… well, it was as dry as a shoe sole. Unfortunately, my wife could only eat a few bites of it.

Thankfully, the waiter was cooperative and we didn’t have to pay for that dish (that’s why I’m giving 3 stars instead of 1). My tofu tortilla turned out to be more like a quiche, topped with vegan cheese, which was not indicated on the menu. If I had known that in advance, I might have ordered something else. Mushrooms also weren’t mentioned on the menu, but they were in the dish—luckily, I happen to like mushrooms. The dish was supposed to come with a salad, but the waiter only brought it out when I had already eaten half my meal—he had forgotten it earlier. :(

Overall, the restaurant didn’t seem very organized, even though there were only two other tables besides us. The young couple at the neighboring table also had their order messed up—the guy got what he ordered, but the girl received something completely different, so the guy finished his meal first, and only after that was the girl’s food ready. It was a rather sad sight.

Be careful what you...

From the moment we stepped inside, we could tell we were in for something truly special. The ambiance was a perfect balance between elegance and coziness, and the staff were not only attentive and knowledgeable, but also genuinely passionate about the food they served.

As a vegetarian, it’s often a challenge to find great dining options — but this place was the absolute gem of our trip to Madeira Island. In fact, we loved it so much we ended up going twice! The first night, the restaurant was fully booked, but I wanted to try their food so bad that we ordered takeout and had dinner on the beach right in front of the restaurant, watching a stunning sunset. The food was so delicious that we made a reservation on the spot for the next day and we had a wonderful dinner!

We met the owner of the restaurant Ricardo -and he was very welcoming and friendly and made us feel right at home. You could tell that he truly cares about every guest’s experience.

I can’t wait...

Palm Spot Restaurant is a true gem in Ponta do Sol! From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the beautiful ambiance and warm hospitality.

We started the evening with refreshing drinks, homemade bread, and a stunning sunset view – the perfect way to set the mood.

The shrimp tempura with coconut and lime was a unique and creative starter that left us wanting more. Both our main courses were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious, showcasing incredible attention to detail.

To finish, the Bolo Invertido de Ananás was a sweet and delightful ending to a perfect dinner.

Every moment here was unforgettable, and we can’t recommend this place enough for anyone visiting Madeira. Outstanding food, incredible flavors, and a setting that takes your...