If you really want to get under the skin of Lisbon, head to a pastelaria<\/em>.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn every neighborhood of the city, old ladies brush shoulders with hipsters, inspecting the mind-boggling array of pastries laid out behind glass.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Taking a few minutes out of your day to sit down, pause, and enjoy a coffee and a pastry is a central part of the city\u2019s culture. And the kings of the pastries are the past\u00e9is de nata<\/em>. Egg custard inside a flaky pastry crust, with a mottled browned surface, nothing could be more Lisbon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"You](\"https:\/\/wordpress-assets-devourtours.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pasteCC81is-de-nata.png\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPhoto Credit: Marco Verch<\/a>, Text Overlay:\u00a0Devour Lisbon Food Tours<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA Pastry Born in a Monastery<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
You might also hear past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> referred to as past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/em>. To understand why, we need to take a trip back in time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFrom some time in the middle of the 18th century, monks in the Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery, located in Bel\u00e9m, along the seafront from the city center, would use up leftover egg yolks to make these sweet treats. After Portugal\u2019s Liberal Revolution in 1820, and the subsequent closure of the monasteries, the monks were forced to find new ways to get by.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Thinking on their feet, they started selling their beloved custard tarts from a storefront round the corner. Eventually, they sold their secret recipe to a local family, who continue selling the original past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/em> from their eponymous cafeteria<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor many, this is still the<\/em> place in the city to taste the treats, but pastry shops around the city now make their own versions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/wordpress-assets-devourtours.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/lisbon-in-january-mosteiro-dos-jeronimos-1.jpg\")
\r\nThe Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery is the original birthplace of the\u00a0pastel de nata.<\/em> Photo Credit: Sandra Henriques Gajjar<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSo what makes the perfect pastel de nata<\/em>? Really, there\u2019s not much to it: this is all about achieving perfection through simplicity. The pastry should be flaky and buttery, cracking to the bite but maintaining its form till the last bite. The egg custard, a perfect balance of smooth and firm, with its browning just on the point of being burnt. Finally, an optional dusting of sugar or cinnamon adds the finishing touch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDo it yourself:<\/strong> Make past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> at home with our Portuguese custard tarts recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMaking Time for Past\u00e9is De Nata<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To understand the significance of the pastel de nata<\/em> is to understand a little more about Lisbon life. It\u2019s not something to eat on the go, or to slave hours over in the kitchen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nContemporary dancer, Lisbon local, and custard tart aficionado David Marques explains: \u201cIt\u2019s not family baking. For me, it\u2019s a cake from the street, from the neighborhood caf\u00e9. The perfect accompaniment to a quick coffee at the bar, or the best cake to have at home: everyone likes them.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Whether stopping for a few minutes during a hectic day at the local pastry shop or taking a box round for coffee and catching up with an old friend, past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> are all about a little bit of indulgence in everyday life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Pastries](\"https:\/\/wordpress-assets-devourtours.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pasteis-de-nata-pastelaria-1.jpg\")
\r\nA typical Lisbon pastelaria: take your pick! Photo Credit: Theo K<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s why there are few better ways to start an argument with lisboetas<\/em> than to ask which pastelaria<\/em> makes the best ones. Perhaps surprisingly, the revolution in Portuguese cooking over the past few years seems to have left the pastel de nata<\/em> largely untouched. Some newer establishments have put their own twist on things: Manteigaria Lisboa<\/a> offer a pastel de nata com bacalhau<\/em>, adding salt cod<\/a> to combine two Lisbon classics in one.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut by and large, instead of competing over ever more fanciful creations, pastry chefs fight to execute the classic recipe flawlessly. According to Marques, that\u2019s because it forms part of the fabric of the city: \u201cFor the Portuguese, it\u2019s almost like bread: something that you don\u2019t question, because it\u2019s always been there. It\u2019s the most discreet and reliable cake, not something to be made into an icon.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In Search of the Perfect Tart<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In a sense, this simplifies the debate about the best pastel de nata<\/em> in the city. The best one is in the pastry shop on your corner, where you know the barman, and where you meet with your friends on a lazy Saturday morning to put the world to rights. That said, part of the joy of exploring Lisbon is finding your own personal favorite.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAre you coming to Lisbon?<\/strong>
Don’t waste a single meal\u2014check out our ultimate foodie guide to
where to eat in Lisbon<\/a>!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are a few you shouldn\u2019t miss, of course. Pastelaria Aloma<\/a> in Campo do Ourique have been in business since 1943, winning many awards for their tarts. Fabrica da Nata<\/a>, meanwhile, offer a fantastic-value custard tart and port wine pairing. But if you really want to understand the meaning of the pastel de nata,<\/em> head out on your own.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhile exploring the city, pop into local pastry shops for a break. Order a coffee, survey the offering, point to the tart you want (with the perfect browned-burnt balance!), and find your own favorite. Then, you\u2019ll truly be living Lisbon like a local.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n![\"Discovering](\"https:\/\/wordpress-assets-devourtours.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pasteis-de-nata-favourite-1.jpg\")
\r\nPast\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m is one of our favorites: now it’s time to find yours! Photo Credit: Jennifer Wu<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPhoto Credit: Marco Verch<\/a>, Text Overlay:\u00a0Devour Lisbon Food Tours<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You might also hear past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> referred to as past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/em>. To understand why, we need to take a trip back in time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n From some time in the middle of the 18th century, monks in the Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery, located in Bel\u00e9m, along the seafront from the city center, would use up leftover egg yolks to make these sweet treats. After Portugal\u2019s Liberal Revolution in 1820, and the subsequent closure of the monasteries, the monks were forced to find new ways to get by.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Thinking on their feet, they started selling their beloved custard tarts from a storefront round the corner. Eventually, they sold their secret recipe to a local family, who continue selling the original past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/em> from their eponymous cafeteria<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For many, this is still the<\/em> place in the city to taste the treats, but pastry shops around the city now make their own versions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n So what makes the perfect pastel de nata<\/em>? Really, there\u2019s not much to it: this is all about achieving perfection through simplicity. The pastry should be flaky and buttery, cracking to the bite but maintaining its form till the last bite. The egg custard, a perfect balance of smooth and firm, with its browning just on the point of being burnt. Finally, an optional dusting of sugar or cinnamon adds the finishing touch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Do it yourself:<\/strong> Make past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> at home with our Portuguese custard tarts recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To understand the significance of the pastel de nata<\/em> is to understand a little more about Lisbon life. It\u2019s not something to eat on the go, or to slave hours over in the kitchen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Contemporary dancer, Lisbon local, and custard tart aficionado David Marques explains: \u201cIt\u2019s not family baking. For me, it\u2019s a cake from the street, from the neighborhood caf\u00e9. The perfect accompaniment to a quick coffee at the bar, or the best cake to have at home: everyone likes them.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Whether stopping for a few minutes during a hectic day at the local pastry shop or taking a box round for coffee and catching up with an old friend, past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> are all about a little bit of indulgence in everyday life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n That\u2019s why there are few better ways to start an argument with lisboetas<\/em> than to ask which pastelaria<\/em> makes the best ones. Perhaps surprisingly, the revolution in Portuguese cooking over the past few years seems to have left the pastel de nata<\/em> largely untouched. Some newer establishments have put their own twist on things: Manteigaria Lisboa<\/a> offer a pastel de nata com bacalhau<\/em>, adding salt cod<\/a> to combine two Lisbon classics in one.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But by and large, instead of competing over ever more fanciful creations, pastry chefs fight to execute the classic recipe flawlessly. According to Marques, that\u2019s because it forms part of the fabric of the city: \u201cFor the Portuguese, it\u2019s almost like bread: something that you don\u2019t question, because it\u2019s always been there. It\u2019s the most discreet and reliable cake, not something to be made into an icon.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In a sense, this simplifies the debate about the best pastel de nata<\/em> in the city. The best one is in the pastry shop on your corner, where you know the barman, and where you meet with your friends on a lazy Saturday morning to put the world to rights. That said, part of the joy of exploring Lisbon is finding your own personal favorite.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Are you coming to Lisbon?<\/strong> There are a few you shouldn\u2019t miss, of course. Pastelaria Aloma<\/a> in Campo do Ourique have been in business since 1943, winning many awards for their tarts. Fabrica da Nata<\/a>, meanwhile, offer a fantastic-value custard tart and port wine pairing. But if you really want to understand the meaning of the pastel de nata,<\/em> head out on your own.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n While exploring the city, pop into local pastry shops for a break. Order a coffee, survey the offering, point to the tart you want (with the perfect browned-burnt balance!), and find your own favorite. Then, you\u2019ll truly be living Lisbon like a local.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA Pastry Born in a Monastery<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nMaking Time for Past\u00e9is De Nata<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nIn Search of the Perfect Tart<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Don’t waste a single meal\u2014check out our ultimate foodie guide to
where to eat in Lisbon<\/a>!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n