Poncha, the Madeiran way
Poncha is Madeira’s own drink: sugar-cane spirit, lemon and honey or sugar, stirred with a wooden stick and served in a small glass. Start with a regional, try a pescador, and drink it in a venda rather than a hotel bar.
My quick take
Poncha is what Madeirans drink with friends at the weekend. Order it where locals stand at the counter, and in winter have it without ice.
- My order
- Regional or pescador
- My favourite bar
- Taberna da Poncha, Serra de Água
- Comes with
- A dentinho, a little something to eat
- Driving?
- Pick a driver who stays off it
Six ponchas, glass by glass
The first two are the classics. Bars like Rei da Poncha list many more fruit flavours.
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Pescador
Poncha à pescador
The original, from the fishing boats of Câmara de Lobos: aguardente, lemon and sugar. Sharp and strong.
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Regional
Poncha regional
Aguardente, honey, lemon and orange. The one to start with.
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Passion fruit
Poncha de maracujá
Sweeter and fruity, which makes it easy to drink faster than you should.
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Tangerine
Poncha de tangerina
Softer and rounder than the regional, with the smell of the fruit.
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Tamarillo
Poncha de tomate inglês
Madeirans call the fruit tomate inglês. Tart, a little sweet, and hard to find outside the island.
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Mint
Poncha de hortelã
Fresh and green. Not on every menu, so order it when you see it.
A drink from the fishing boats
Visit Madeira dates poncha to the 18th century, when a drink the English brought from India, the “panche”, was adapted on the island. The first poncha is said to come from Câmara de Lobos, made to keep fishermen warm on cold nights at sea. That is why the original is called poncha à pescador, the fisherman’s poncha.
Other versions of the story exist and the written record is thin, so take the dates loosely. What nobody argues about: the aguardente de cana and the wooden mexelhote are never left out.
History and ingredients: Visit Madeira: Poncha, checked 2 November 2026.
How a poncha is made
Three ingredients and a wooden stick. Leave out the sugar-cane spirit and it is not poncha: it has to be aguardente de cana, distilled from sugar cane, never another rum or brandy.
- 1
Squeeze the fruit
Fresh lemon for a pescador; lemon and orange for a regional. Fruit ponchas use passion fruit, tangerine or tamarillo.
- 2
Add honey or sugar
Honey for a regional, sugar for a pescador, then the aguardente de cana.
- 3
Work the caralhinho
The mexelhote, or caralhinho as every Madeiran calls it, is not stirred round like a spoon. You hold it upright between your palms and rub them fast back and forth, so the head spins and whips the honey into the spirit.
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Lupin beans
Tremoços
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Peanuts
Amendoins
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A hot bite
Each bar its own
Every poncha comes with a dentinho
In Madeira a poncha is never served alone. Almost every bar and tasco puts a dentinho next to the glass, and I do not know one of the places on this page that does not: peanuts, lupin beans or a small hot plate of pasta or meat in sauce, and each place has its own.
That is the local habit: leave work, have a poncha and eat a little something to take the edge off your hunger before dinner.
Where locals drink poncha
Recommendations, not paid placements. Each one opens the guide to its area. Hours change, so check before a special trip.
Funchal · Hands-on
Learn to make poncha yourself
If you want to go home able to make it, this workshop in Funchal is the shortcut. I have not taken it myself; this is what the listing includes.
- The history of poncha and why it is still at the centre of Madeiran parties
- Making your own the traditional way, with a local guide
- Tasting different versions to find your favourite
- A bottle of poncha to take home
Check dates for the poncha workshop“A great course to learn a little more about Madeira’s culture. Thank you for the lovely moments.”
Florian, Germany, GetYourGuide review (translated)
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Questions about poncha
What is poncha made of?
Poncha is made with aguardente de cana (sugar-cane spirit), lemon juice and honey or sugar, whisked with a wooden stick that Madeirans call the caralhinho (officially the mexelhote). Fruit versions add or swap the juice: passion fruit, tangerine or tamarillo.
What is the difference between poncha regional and poncha à pescador?
Regional is sweetened with honey and always has orange as well as lemon. Pescador, the original from the fishermen of Câmara de Lobos, is aguardente, lemon and sugar, so it tastes sharper and stronger.
Where is the best poncha in Madeira?
My favourite is Taberna da Poncha in Serra de Água, up the valley from Ribeira Brava. In Funchal I go to A Mercadora, and in Câmara de Lobos to Sete Mares by the dock. See the bars I recommend.
What is a dentinho?
A dentinho is the small bite that comes with a poncha: peanuts, lupin beans or a little plate of something cooked, depending on the bar. Almost every bar and tasco serves one, and each has its own.
Is poncha strong?
Yes. The base is sugar-cane spirit, and the honey and fruit hide it well. Go slowly, eat the snack that comes with it, and whoever is driving should skip it.
Can I learn to make poncha in Madeira?
Yes. A poncha workshop in Funchal covers the history, lets you make your own with a local guide, includes tastings and sends you home with poncha. See the workshop.
A trip with the right poncha stops in it
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel. We put the vendas and bars where they fit your days, with a driver plan for the evenings. A personal plan from our family is €149 for up to 5 days (€199 for 6 to 8), ready in 48 hours.