Pastéis de Nata and Pastéis de Belém: Where to Find the Best in Lisbon

When we visited Lisbon, we fell head over heels in love. With its picture-perfect neighborhoods, elegant shopping streets, and glittering waterfront, I thought there was no way that Lisbon could get any better. Then I discovered a little taste of heaven – Pasteis de Nata.

So what's all the fuss about? A pastel de nata is a Portuguese egg custard tart baked in crisp, flaky puff pastry, best eaten warm with a dusting of cinnamon. After three visits to Lisbon and three months living in Portugal, I have eaten my way through a lot of them, and this guide rounds up where to find the best pastéis de nata in Lisbon, how they differ from the famous pastéis de Belém, what they cost, and how to order one like a local.

Before even setting off for the Portuguese capital, I had experienced many of the small traditional pastries that you can find in just about every guidebook in Hawaii and at Portuguese-American events in the San Francisco Bay Area.

For some reason, Pasteis de Nata seemed to court hushed tones amongst city experts and those in the know about Portuguese food. Their elevated status intrigued me. They were only pastries; how special could they be?

There was only one way to find out…

What Is the Difference Between Pastéis de Belém and Pastéis de Nata?

The difference between pastéis de Belém and pastéis de nata is simply where they are made. Only the original Casa Pastéis de Belém can call its tarts pastéis de Belém, using a secret recipe passed down from the Jerónimos Monastery since 1837. Everywhere else in Portugal, the very same custard tart is called a pastel de nata. So every pastel de Belém is a pastel de nata, but only the ones from that one bakery in Belém carry the protected name.

As I experienced firsthand in the charming town of Belém, Pasteis de Nata (singular: Pastel de Belém), or Portuguese ‘custard tarts’, are small, papery pastries filled with deliciously sweet, gooey egg custard. When seasoned with cinnamon and icing sugar, they are the ultimate accompaniment to a tiny but mighty cup of Portuguese coffee.

Pasteis de Nata are sold all over Lisbon but are most closely associated with Belem. In fact, the cafés near the Jerónimos Monastery are as popular as any other tourist attraction dotted around this historic Lisbon suburb.

Belem’s maze of traditionally tiled coffee shops is a mecca for cake and coffee fans, but Casa Pasteis de Belem is, by all means, the mothership. The café’s history is a compelling enough reason to visit.

Casa Pasteis de Belem has its roots in the liberal revolution of 1820 when all convents and monasteries in Portugal were shut down. By 1834, clergy and laborers had been expelled from ecclesiastical buildings, so many were facing destitution. Times were tough by all accounts, so in an attempt to supplement their income, a group of enterprising clerics in Belem offered to sell their pastries to the general store located next to the sugar cane refinery.

Around the same time, the architectural splendor of the Torre de Belém (Belem Tower) was attracting tourists who, over the years, had grown accustomed to dropping by to enjoy some of the monastery’s pastries.

In 1837, Casa Pasteis de Belem set up shop in the buildings attached to the sugar cane refinery, using the monastery's secret recipe. To this day, the recipe is shrouded in mystery and is only passed on to trusted master confectioners who bake the pastries in the ‘ secret room’.

How to Get to Belém

Belém sits about 6 km (roughly 3.5 miles) west of central Lisbon, and it is easy to reach without a car. The classic way is tram 15E, which you can catch at Praça da Figueira or Praça do Comércio and ride west along the river for about 20 to 25 minutes. The quicker option is the train from Cais do Sodré on the Cascais line: hop off at Belém station, and it is a short walk to the bakery, usually about 10 minutes. A rideshare or taxi from the center takes about 15 minutes. Casa Pastéis de Belém is on the left as you approach along Rua de Belém.

A quick tip from experience: the queue at the takeaway counter can look terrifying but moves fast, and the sit-down rooms inside are huge, so do not be scared off. Come before about 10 am or in the later afternoon to dodge the biggest crowds.

Address: Pastéis de Belém, Rua de Belem, 84

How to Order and Eat a Pastel de Nata

Order at the counter and ask for your pastéis de nata warm if you can; they are worlds better straight from the oven. On the table you will find cinnamon and icing sugar: locals dust on a little of both. Eat it in two or three bites, ideally with a bica (a Lisbon espresso) to cut the sweetness. One is never enough, so do as the Portuguese do and order a couple. Expect to pay around €1.30 to €1.70 each, a little more at Belém.

Where to Find the Best Pastéis de Nata in Lisbon (Beyond Belém)

Pasteis de Nata are found all over the city, and on every trip to Lisbon (I have been there three times now and spent three months there), I discover more. These are the spots I send friends to, with the neighborhood and roughly what you will pay. 

Aloma (my personal favorite!)

Address: Rua Francisco Metrass 67, Campo de Ourique

Do not let the low-key Campo de Ourique setting fool you. In 2025, Aloma was crowned Lisbon's Best Pastel de Nata, its fifth win in the competition's history, so this neighborhood favorite is a genuine heavyweight. The custard is rich, and the caramelized top is spot on. Worth the short trip out from the center.

We stayed in Campo de Ourique for 2 months, and I am not ashamed to say I ate these daily!

They also have locations in Porto, so now whenever I head to Porto from where I live in Braga (a 45-minute job), I make sure I grab a few, a real treat!

Manteigaria

Address: Rua do Loreto 2

If Belém is history, Manteigaria is the modern champion. The tarts come out of the oven all day long in the Chiado shop, and there is a real thrill to catching a warm batch when the little bell rings. Crisp, blistered pastry and a just-set custard, all for about €1.30. There is also a stand inside the Time Out Market if you are already there.

They have locations in Porto and in Braga, where I live, and I stop by weekly!

Fábrica da Nata

Address: Praça dos Restauradores 62-68

Handy and central, right on the Restauradores square, with a pretty tiled interior. A reliable stop when you are exploring the Baixa, and they offer a small tasting pairing of a tart with a glass of port if you want to make an occasion of it.

Pastelaria Versailles

Address: Av. da República 15-A

A grand old Lisbon café with chandeliers, stucco, and waiters in waistcoats. The pastéis de nata are excellent, but half the reason to come is to sit under all that belle époque splendor with a coffee and watch the city go by. A proper old-world experience away from the tourist trail.

Confeitaria Nacional

Address: Praça da Figueira 18B

Open since 1829, this is one of the city's oldest pastry shops and a lovely stop right on Praça da Figueira. Beyond the nata, it is a treasure trove of traditional Portuguese cakes and sweets, so come hungry and curious.

Pastelaria Cristal

Address: R. Buenos Aires 25A

A local, unfussy neighborhood pastelaria where the nata are fresh, and the prices are kind. This is the kind of everyday spot where you get a sense of how Lisboetas actually eat their custard tarts, standing at the counter with a coffee.

Pastelaria Santo António

Address: Rua Milagre de Santo António 10

Tucked into Alfama near the cathedral, this small, welcoming pastelaria has become a favorite for its warm, generously filled nata. It is the perfect reward after climbing Alfama's hills, and a lovely, less touristy alternative to the big names.

Pastelaria Alcôa

Address: Rua Garrett 37

A prize-winning pastry house from the town of Alcobaça with a jewel-box shop on Rua Garrett in Chiado. Their pastéis de nata are beautifully made, and while you are there it is almost rude not to try one of their famous conventual sweets too.

Vegan or dairy-free?

Head to VeganNata, with shops in Chiado and Campo de Ourique, for a plant-based pastel de nata that genuinely holds its own against the classic.

Quick reference: my top picks at a glance (NEW)

Bakery	Neighborhood	Known for	Price
Pastéis de Belém	Belém	The original 1837 monastery recipe	€1.50
Manteigaria	Chiado	Warm all day, crisp and blistered	€1.30
Aloma	Campo de Ourique	2025 Best Pastel de Nata winner	~€1.30
Pastelaria Santo António	Alfama	Cozy local favorite near the Sé	~€1.30
Pastelaria Alcôa	Chiado	Prize-winning pastry house	~€1.40
Fábrica da Nata	Restauradores	Central, with a port pairing	~€1.40

Prices are approximate for 2026 and typically run €1.30 to €1.70 per tart.

Pastéis de Nata Recipes:

• Leites Culinaria
• Food52
• Tasting Table

Pastel de Nata Workshop

What if you could learn to make these little slices of heaven at home? Then yes, you would miss Lisbon and Portugal, but you would be armed with the tools to make Pasteis de Nata, and I promise you, you would instantly feel better!

What better way to experience Lisbon than to take a cooking class, meet other pastry fans, and have a treat? I did this in Paris and have the fondest memories! My friend Cindy of Travel Bliss Now took the Pastel de Nata Workshop in Lisbon, I am super jealous and will do this on my NEXT trip – promise!

Pastel de Nata Cream!

I am a HUGE fan of Benamor, the Portuguese beauty line that makes delicious-smelling hand and body creams. Until recently, my favorite scent was jacaranda, whose trees you find in Lisbon, but Benamor just recently released a new scent, and you guessed it…it's called Nata and smells just like warm Pastel de Nata! You can get it on their website or through Amazon! I bought some, and I am LOVING it!

Pastéis de Nata FAQ

Ready to Eat Your Way Through Lisbon?

Here is the truth I keep coming back to after all my time in Portugal: the best pastel de nata is almost always the warm one in your hand right now. Chase the famous names in Belém, but leave room to wander into a tiny neighborhood pastelaria and let it surprise you.

That is where the real love affair begins. If you make it to Lisbon, I would love to know which one wins your heart, so come back and tell me in the comments, and share this guide with the friend you already know you will be splitting a box with.

How about you? Have you tried Pastéis de Nata or Pastéis de Belém?

Like it? PIN it!

Are you in love with Portugal like I am? Check out these posts:

• Exploring In and Around Lisbon
• Cruising Portugal Douro Valley
• How to Order Coffee in Portugal
• Codfish in Lisbon, a must-try!
• The Tradition of Bacalhau
• Costa Vicentina