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Where are you going?
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Lisbon, Portugal
5(604)
15 Guests Max
3 hrs
24h Free CancellationPastel de Nata (plural Pastéis de Nata) might just be Portugal’s biggest export since Cristiano Ronaldo, satisfying sweet tooths all around the world. And yet until relatively recently, these sweet egg custard tart pastries were barely known beyond the country’s borders. What is Pastel de Nata? Where is the best place to try it? And what—apart from being drop-dead delicious—explains its soaring popularity?
The Pastel de Nata dates back to before the eighteenth century. However, until the mid-1830s, it was in the preserve of a small community of Catholic monks at Santa Maria de Belém’s Jerónimos Monastery, on the outskirts of Lisbon.
Back then, monasteries and convents used large quantities of egg whites to starch clothes and religious habits for friars and nuns. Instead of wasting leftover eggs, it was common for friars and nuns and sisters to use the leftover egg yolks to make cakes and pastries. Some of these monastery-made products would be consumed by members of the order; others would be sold to support the monastery, resulting in the proliferation of sweet pastry recipes throughout the country.
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Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon’s district of Belém – the birthplace of the Pastel de Nata
The Liberal Revolution of 1820 brought about the dissolution of many of these religious orders, and in the face of the impending closure of many convents and monasteries, the monks of Jerónimos Monastery started selling pastéis de nata at a nearby sugar refinery to bring in revenue. In 1834, the monastery was closed and the recipe passed into the hands of an enterprising Brasilian businessman, Domingo Rafael Alves.
Alves purchased the recipe for these beloved pastries, and in 1837 the production of these pastéis resumed in Alves’ nearby sundries shop, Antigua Confeitaria. Today, Alves’ descendants shift about 20,000 of these sweet custard treats a day.
Today Jerónimos Monastery is a major tourist hotspot and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But for those who prioritise pastries over pilgrimages, it’s the nearby Antigua Confeitaria that is the destination of choice.
Crisp, flaky layers of pastry with a delicious, creamy egg-custard filling and a dusting of cinnamon make the Pastel de Nata tastier than a prime Cristiano Ronaldo penalty.
What is Pastel de Nata? Find out on our Lisbon Food Tour
Trying some tapas-style treats on our Lisbon Food Tour
If you’ve only recently heard about Pastel de Nata, that’s because this succulent Portuguese sweet is still relatively recent on the sweet-toothed food scene.
Way back when in 2009, The Guardian listed Pastéis de Nata as one of the “50 best things to eat in the world”. (Actually they listed Lisbon’s “custard tarts” as one of the best things to eat, but we can forgive them since they clearly meant well). More recently, in April 2019, Bloomberg published an article about how Pastel de Nata is on course to become as globally beloved as the croissant.
More and more bakeries around the world are trying to meet demand by producing their own Pastel de Nata. But by far the best place to try this sweet custard tart is in Lisbon, at the source.
Visiting the Portuguese capital? Immerse yourself in its culinary culture through our award-winning Lisbon Food Tour.
Recently voted one of the world’s top food experiences, this indulgent food tour introduces you to the best of Lisbon’s famous food scene. Treat your tastebuds to presunto, chourico, seafood and more, all perfectly paired with four local beverages. Savour the country’s favourite drink, Ginjinha, and indulge in the flavours of local wines including the iconic vinho verde or “green wine”.
Customer enjoying some traditional seafood on a Lisbon Food Tour
And of course, no tasting is complete without the sweet treat star of the show: Pastel de Nata!
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