Where to Find the Best Pastel de Nata in Lisbon

Last Updated on 7th August 2024 by Charlotte Nadeau

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Sweet, creamy, and small enough to be devoured in one indulgent mouthful, the pastel de nata is emblematic of Lisbon, as are its many steep hills and status as the capital of Portugal.

However, with a shop selling pastries on nearly every street corner, it can be hard to choose the best place to buy the top sweets in Lisbon. Here’s your guide on where to find the best pastel de nata in Lisbon!

What is the pastel de nata?

The small sweet custard egg tart was first created in the 18th century. Monks and nuns in monasteries and convents across Lisbon would require egg whites for starching clothes such as habits, as well as in wine production, and would use the remaining yolks to make an assortment of tasty cakes and other sweets.

Monks from the Jerónimos Monastery in Santa Maria de Belem (an ecclesiastical complex which can still be visited to this day) eventually came up with the perfect solution for the yolks by creating the patel de nata, a small sweet with commercial value.

Following the Liberal Revolution of 1820, when many religious orders were disbanded, the monks realised that the pastel de nata would be a way of generating income to prop up their dwindling finances. The religious men would sell their sweets to a sugar refinery, who in turn would tout the wares to the public.

The sweet became almost an instant success, though the monastery was eventually closed and the refinery was sold to the people who would open up Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém (one of the pastel de nata shops we feature later on in the list!)

Of all the things to do in Lisbon, sampling a pastel de nata is one of the best activities. Picking up one of the melt in your mouth pastries is also a great souvenir from Portugal.

Even if you only have one day in Lisbon, be sure to add sampling this sweet egg custard tart to your itinerary. If you want to discover even more about the pastel de nata with a local guide, consider booking a food tour like this one.

Pastel de nata or pastéis de nata?

If you’re reading about the pastry, then no doubt you’ll have come across the term pastéis de nata. This is no different from the pastel de nata and is just the Portuguese term for describing pastries in the plural.

So when you see ‘pastel de nata,’ this is referring to one custard tart, whereas ‘pastéis de nata’ refers to several (which is why you’ll see both terms written in a single article).

Best places to find a pastel de nata in Lisbon

Truth be told, it’s hard to find a bad pastel de nata in Lisbon. Competition for clients is understandably fierce, though if you want a particularly fresh nata, it’s good to go to a shop with high turnover as their natas will likely be the freshest.

Many locals opt to consume their pastéis first thing in the morning together with a shot of espresso (known as bica  -pronounced beeca- in Portuguese). This makes for the perfect breakfast, though there is no rule as to the best time of the day to eat one of the little custard egg tarts!

Pastéis de Belém

Though some might believe that it’s an overhyped institution that doesn’t merit the queues outside, there’s no denying that Pasteis de Belem is one of the most iconic and reputable pastel de nata houses in Lisbon.

This was by far my favourite pastel de nata that I sampled in Lisbon, and I’m obviously not the only one! On average 20,000 pastéis de nata are made by this Portuguese bakery every day, reaching a figure of 40,000 in the height of summer.

Originally known as Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém (Belém being translated into English as ‘Bethlehem’), this is the store which makes the original Pastéis de Nata and has used the same original (and oh-so-secret) recipe since 1837.

As you might imagine, this is the most popular place to buy pastéis de nata in Lisbon, particularly thanks to its proximity to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.

If you want to avoid the crowds and aren’t that bothered about visiting the monastery, then head to Pastéis de Belém on a Monday when the monastery is closed.

Confeitaria Nacional

Yet another bakery which has become something of an institution in the city is Confeitaria Nacional, which is situated just a few minutes’ walk from the Santa Justa lift. The café itself was founded in 1829 and boasts a beautiful interior of a traditional Portuguese bakery.

Confeiteria Nacional also has a shop in Terminal 2 of the airport, meaning that you can easily pick up a pack to bring home with you as a souvenir from your time in Portugal (if they even manage to last the plane ride home!)

Fábrica da Nata

Close to some of the must-see tourist attractions of the city including the illustrious Dom Pedro IV Square and the Archaeology museum, this pastry shop has even won awards for the quality of its sweet offering even though it’s only been open since 2016.

What is particularly great about the Fábrica da Nata location is that they have both an indoor space, as well as an outdoor terrace where you can enjoy your egg custard pastry together with a hot or cold drink.

If you still have room after, you can head to a Ginjinha bar and do as the locals do: enjoy a shot of sour cherry liquor.

Pastelaria Santo António

“Eat a custard tart and ask Saint Antonio for a miracle” proclaims the sign outside the door to the pretty touristic Pastelaria Santo António. Situated close to the top of a particularly steep hill (where you can enjoy some amazing views of Lisbon), this pastry shop isn’t far from the Saint Jorge castle.

This store boasts a beautiful tile façade and, once inside, there is all kinds of treats on offer, including a Portuguese croissant. What differentiates a Portuguese croissant from a normal croissant? Well, the addition of eggs, of course!

This shop is a two storey affair, with cute seating upstairs where you can hide from the rain or take a break from the hot sun. There’s also a glass pane on the ground floor where you can see the bakers working on all of the little pastéis de nata.

Pastelaria Versailles

The chance to admire the Art Nouveau decor of this pastry store’s interior is enough to merit a visit to the shop in of itself, though the natas are also some of the best for sale in Lisbon. Pastelaria Versailles also has a shop in Terminal 1 of the airport.

Manteigaria

There’s actually a few branches of this chain dotted across the city, including in the Chiado and Baixa districts. If you ask most locals what their go-to pastel de nata is, this is the name which they’ll likely reply with. Incidentally, this is also the producer of my best friend’s favourite pastel de nata!

After all, this chain can be found all across the city, as well as in Porto, and the bonus is that there is rarely a line to buy a pastry. Manteigaria is quite literally translated into English as ‘butter’ and this rather obvious ingredient is one of the main reasons behind the sweet treat’s success.

At most locations, it’s also possible to watch the bakers through glass windows making the pastries, resulting in an even more immersive and memorable experience.

Manteigaria’s original shop is a narrow slice of a store in the Chiado district close to the oldest bookshop in the world, Livraria Bertrand and there are also plenty of hidden gems worth checking out close by.

Aloma

Yet another place to get one of the best pastel de natas in town is Aloma, which is of such quality that it has won the National Contest of Pastel de Nata competition three times (2012, 2013 & 2015). There are now several Aloma locations across Lisbon.

VeganNata

If you are vegan or dairy free then fear not, as time goes by, more and more locations in town are offering their own vegan versions of the pastel de nata. One of the more popular in town is VeganNata, which is located in the Campo de Ourique neighbourhood.

Though I unfortunately wasn’t able to make it here during my trip to Lisbon, many claim that these vegan renditions of the pastel de nata boast a crumbly crisp exterior filled with a creamy inside- just like the original egg custard ones!

How do you eat a pastel de nata?

The good news is that there is no right way to eat a pastel de nata! While some people prefer to eat the pastry is one single mouthful, others prefer to eat it over several bites, savouring each little morsel.

Why are there black spots on my pastel de nata?

Don’t worry if you have black spots on the top of your pastel de nata if it is fresh from the bakery. This is caramelisation and some people prefer the taste than a less cooked one.

Many Portuguese people have their own preferences as to how much caramelisation they prefer and so you can ask to have more/ less cooked natas when ordering.

Should I add sugar and cinnamon to the top of my nata?

Traditionally, you can sprinkle the top with cinnamon powder on the top of your pastry and many pastéis shops across the city have little cinnamon duster cans on their tables.

Whether you choose to dust your pastel de nata with cinnamon is down to personal preference, and I personally enjoy my pastry without a coating of cinnamon. You can also add a little bit of icing sugar to the top of the pastry, which will in turn melt if the pastel de nata is still hot.

Does my pastel de nata need to be hot?

There is also a debate as to whether the Portuguese pastry should be eaten at room temperature or warmed up. Again, there is no right way and how you choose to eat your pastry is completely down to personal preference. I personally prefer the pastry slightly warm and gooey as it feels less like an omelette to me than its cooled down counterpart.

Learn how to make pastel de nata in Lisbon

If you truly want to get to grips with the little pastry for yourself, then you might consider booking a cooking class in Lisbon. This Lisbon course takes place over several hours and in it you’ll learn the secrets of how to make an authentic pastel de nata before ending the experience with drinks and enjoying your creation. Check prices and availability here.

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