Along with pastéis de bacalhau, Portuguese pastéis de nata are small custard tarts (in Portuguese, nata means cream) made with puff pastry that capture the attention of both tourists and locals thanks to their irresistible taste. Their recipe, although said to be secret, is based on just a few ingredients placed inside puff pastry, and its origin has a story that makes them even more special. Many people, therefore, set out in search of the best pastéis de nata during their trip to Portugal, and many pastry chefs try to imitate the original recipe. You can judge for yourself whether they succeed or not, or whether you prefer to stick with the recipe from the original bakery. After years of baking, at the Pastéis de Belém factory, there are still long lines to get one of their custard tarts, and in this article you’ll find all the reasons why, as well as some places to try them that won’t disappoint you.

Origin of the Pastéis de Nata: A Journey Through Their History

In the very heart of the Belém district lies the origin of this exquisite dessert, specifically at the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. You can find more information about this monument in the article. What to do in Lisbon; 2 and 3 day route through the capital.

History tells us that in the 19th century, during a period of political instability in the country and amid events such as the Portuguese Liberal Revolution, the monastery struggled to survive. At this point, the monastery closed, and the monks who lived there had to reinvent themselves, beginning to make custard tarts due to the ease of obtaining the necessary ingredients. This dessert was likely already being made within the monastery, but it wasn’t until this time that they began selling them to the public. In this way, they started to gain popularity, and legend has it that the convent’s baker sold the recipe to a prominent entrepreneur. Seeing the success of the recipe, he opened a shop to sell them called Confeitaria de Belém, located next to the monastery in the Belém district. The original recipe is known as Pastel de Belém, and it is still produced in the same location as the original Confeitaria, now the Factory of Pastéis de Belem.

At the Pastéis de Belém factory, they can produce up to 40,000 pastéis de nata in a single day.

FUN FACT

Original recipe and their alternatives

It is said that the secret of the original recipe is known by only three people in the entire world. However, there are many bakeries and shops that, even if they don’t know it exactly, come very close. This Portuguese dessert, approximately 8 centimeters in diameter, is made with just a few ingredients, such as egg yolk, milk, and sugar, among others. On the outside, it has a puff pastry shell into which the liquid filling is poured before baking at a very high temperature (around 350ºC). One of the secrets is that the custard is not pre-cooked, as with traditional pastry cream, but sets during the baking process.

Do Pastéis de Belém have cinnamon? This long-standing debate about whether to put cinnamon on the dessert or not can be easily explained by looking back at the origin of the recipe. According to what is known about the original recipe, it did not include cinnamon, either inside or on top. However, when the first Confeitaria opened, it is said that the tarts were served with an espresso and two small jars on the side—one with sugar and the other with powdered cinnamon. This combination became so popular that many bakeries began incorporating cinnamon into the filling, giving it a slightly different touch. What is certain, though, is that today, at the original pastry shop, they provide a small packet of cinnamon on the side for anyone who wants to add it.

On the other hand, over the past few years, different adaptations of the tarts have been created, and one particularly curious one is the fusion of two traditional desserts: pastéis de nata and pastéis de bacalhau. The bacalhau custard tart has gradually been introduced in some bakeries and pastry shops to attract the more adventurous tasters.

The best pastéis de nata

We will focus on the most traditional shops so that you can decide which one catches your attention most—or try them all if you have the time. All of them, except for the original Pastéis de Belém factory, can be found in both Porto and Lisbon. One detail that characterizes these four shops is that the production is done in view of the public, so you can watch the making of the Pastéis de Nata during your visit. This small detail also gives a glimpse of the quality and transparency with which they craft their product.

First, we tried Manteigaria, a large chain that can be found in various locations across the country. The dough of these pastéis de nata incorporates cinnamon inside, which makes them one of the most intense of the three options. They were the first we tried, and we loved them—it must be said that the recipe is of high quality, and we would definitely recommend them. However, for those who love the original recipe, this one is perhaps the furthest from it, and personally, I think that although they are very good, their competitors are not far behind.

Next, we tried Atélier Castro. Although we initially hadn’t planned to, we were convinced by its high ratings on other blogs. In this way, this shop earned a very good position after we tasted a sweet with a subtle hint of cinnamon and a simple, authentic custard filling.

Finally, we tried the original Pastéis de Belém, located only in Lisbon. Of the three places, these were served much hotter than at the other bakeries, and we believe that this adds an extra touch when enjoying the flavor. The filling does not contain cinnamon, and the custard is the smoothest and creamiest of all, although quite rich.

On the other hand, we also tried Fábrica da Nata, a shop located near the Rua Augusta Arch. The taste of these tarts also has a hint of cinnamon, similar to Atélier Castro, but it is not very strong. In our opinion, these were our favorites because cinnamon is not one of our strong points.

In summary, if you’re looking for a custard tart without cinnamon, Pastéis de Belém is your choice. If you love cinnamon, Manteigaria will become your favorite. And if you want to enjoy a custard tart with an authentic, high-quality flavor and a hint of cinnamon to complement it, try Atélier Castro or Fábrica da Nata.

This dessert has been so successful that it is even sold in bakeries outside Portugal, in restaurants, or in well-known fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s. Likewise, for lovers of Portuguese custard tarts, other countries have similar desserts, such as Pasticciotto in Italy, Flan parisien in France, or the Custard tart in the United Kingdom, among others.

Finally, we want to remind you that this is just our opinion. There are many bakeries and pastry shops that are less well-known that we tried during our trip. All of them are delicious, as this dessert is so good that you want to try a different one on every street. This review covers only some of the most popular places, not shops that also have amazing recipes. However, we encourage you to try the smaller local shops, which will make the experience even more enjoyable, and to leave them in the comments so others can try them too. We’ll be reading!