Lisbon · Portugal
Noobai Café
A practical guide to Noobai Café, the terrace at Lisbon's Santa Catarina viewpoint: what time to arrive for a sunset table, what to order, what it costs and what to watch out for at the viewpoint.
Yes, it's worth it for the view and the sunset, not for the food. Go for wine and a cheese board, get there early and don't expect fast service.
Noobai is the bar and restaurant on the terrace of the Miradouro de Santa Catarina, Lisbon’s classic sunset viewpoint, in the Bica neighborhood. It has two levels of outdoor tables facing the Tagus, the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Cristo Rei statue, a menu of Mediterranean and Portuguese small plates, and wines and beers meant for sitting and watching the sun go down.
Our experience
It was our last night in Lisbon. The Sintra tour dropped us back around 17:15, we rested for a while at the hotel, and at 18:30 we walked the five minutes to the viewpoint. Since the terrace can’t be booked, the idea was to get there before it filled up. We ordered a cheese board and vinho verde, and that was dinner.
We chose it to say goodbye to the city without complications: it was close, there was nothing to book, and at 20:35 the sun was setting over the river. Our train to Porto left at 9:00 the next morning, so from there we went back to pack. The rest of the day is in our day in Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais.
A bit of history
The viewpoint has existed since 1559, at the height of the Age of Discovery, when people watched the mouth of the Tagus from here as ships left and returned. The small Santa Catarina chapel nearby was lost in the 1755 earthquake.
In 1927 the city commissioned sculptor Júlio Vaz Júnior to make the statue of Adamastor, the giant Luís de Camões invented in Os Lusíadas (1572): banished to the Cape of Good Hope, he appears as a storm cloud threatening Vasco da Gama’s fleet.
After years of neighbors’ complaints about noise and drug dealing, in 2019 the city set a closing time and a fence at night. Noobai has been on the terrace for more than a decade. For more plans in the city, see our Lisbon guide.
What to see, in order
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The cheese board
Four or five Portuguese cheeses with marmelada (quince paste), honey, walnuts and crackers. The big names are Serra da Estrela, Azeitão, Évora and São Jorge. Order it as "Uma tábua de queijos, por favor".
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Vinho verde
A young white from the Minho, in northern Portugal: 9 to 11 percent alcohol, crisp and lightly fizzy. "Verde" means young, not green in color. It's the pairing for the cheese and what locals order.
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The lower terrace
The terrace has two levels. The lower one has the best angle on the bridge; if you see a free table there, take it.
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The 25 de Abril Bridge and Cristo Rei
From the railing you see the Tagus, the 1966 bridge, the Cristo Rei statue on the far bank and the rooftops of Bica and the Bairro Alto stepping down toward the river. At sunset the bridge turns into a silhouette.
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The Adamastor
The 1927 statue that dominates the viewpoint: the sea giant from Camões's Os Lusíadas, emerging from the rock. The plaque on the base quotes the original verse. Take your photos before you sit down; a line forms at sunset.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Order everything at once when you sit down. At sunset there are about three servers for some 80 seats, and it's 15–25 minutes between rounds.
- The bread, butter or olive paste that arrive without being ordered are charged, €2–4 each. If you don't want them, say "Não, obrigado".
- Glasses are reasonably priced; bottles cost 2.5 to 3 times retail.
- If they don't seat you outside, ask "Podemos sentar na esplanada, por favor?".
Do
- Keep your bag closed and in front of you on the open viewpoint: there are pickpockets on the steps and in the crowd.
- If it's pouring, change plans: TOPO Chiado has partial cover, and Pavilhão Chinês is an indoor bar full of collections, a few minutes away.
- Leave a 5–10% tip in cash if the service was good; service is almost never included.
Don’t
- Don't come looking for a big dinner: the food is fine, but the reason to come is the view.
- Don't accept the "free flower" or keep talking to anyone offering hash at the viewpoint. A "não, obrigado" and keep walking.
- Don't leave your phone or wallet unwatched on the table.
Frequently asked questions
Can you book a table at Noobai?
Not on the terrace. It's first come, first served; only some indoor tables take reservations.
What time should you arrive for sunset?
Before 18:30 or 19:00 on a weekday. At 19:00 the terrace starts filling up, and by 19:30 there may be no tables left outside.
How much does it cost?
For two, with a cheese board and a couple of glasses of vinho verde, between €30 and €55.
Is the Santa Catarina viewpoint safe?
Yes, with normal care. After years of complaints about noise and drug dealing, in 2019 the city set a 23:30 closing time and a fence at night. There are still people offering hash in the open area, without pushing, and pickpockets in the crowd.
What if it's full?
The Quiosque do Adamastor, on the upper level next to the statue, has cheaper drinks and picnic tables. Park Bar, on top of a parking garage two minutes away, has a similar view from another angle.