When we moved to Lisbon for the summer, I made it my mission to find the best pastel de nata in town. If you haven’t had the pleasure of indulging in a pastel de nata yet, it’s a warm, creamy egg custard tart, with a flaky crust and a dust of cinnamon and sugar. If you’re looking for the best pastel de nata in the Lisbon area, most people will tell you to head straight to Pastéis de Belém, just a 15 minute tram ride from the center of Lisbon. Even with everything to see and do in Belém, it’s still worth a visit just to pick up a few of these Portuguese custard tarts from the bakery that’s been churning them out since 1837. While we wish we could make the quick trip to Belém every time we want some pastéis de nata, it would be a bit impractical (because, well, we want them every day). Thus, we set out on a search for the best pastel de nata in Lisbon within walking distance of our summer digs, closer to the center of the city.
Criteria for the best Pastel de Nata in Lisbon
In order to find the best and make a fair comparison, we set out a few criteria to assess these scrumptious little custard tarts.
First, crust
The pastry shell will make or break your tart. If it’s soggy or tastes like old lard, it’s hard to enjoy the filling. Thus we, wanted a crust that was light, crisp and flaky, with just a hint of buttery flavor.
Then, filling
We like our filling thick, creamy and smooth, but not too sweet.
Also, presentation
We looked for pastéis de nata that had a rippled, caramelized top, but wasn’t burned. Cinnamon and powdered sugar must be readily available to sprinkle on top.
And most importantly, served hot!
Even the best pastel de nata in the world wouldn’t be that great served cold. In order for the crust to stay crisp and the creamy custard to melt in your mouth, it must be warm!
And the winner is…
Manteigaria
Manteigaria is a little shop on the edge of Barrio Alto that is fairly new on the scene. It only does one thing and it does is right. From the minute you set foot in this modern, narrow pastelaria, you’re greeted by the wafting smell of cooking custard and freshly ground cinnamon, with warm trays of pastéis de nata on display.
The tarts at Manteigaria have by far the lightest, flakiest, crispiest crust. Perhaps this is blasphemy, but dare I say even better than Pastéis de Belém. The custard is thick and and with just the right hint of sweetness. If you squeeze your way past the standing counter to the back of the shop, you’ll see the pastry chefs pressing the perfect amount of dough into round tins, ready to be filled with custard and baked right on site and served warm.
The location is central, just few steps away from Largo do Camões. Plus, it’s open from 8am to midnight every day. We pick one (or two) up each time we pass by on our way home to Campo de Ourique, justifying that we need sustenance for the journey back uphill.
Runners up for the Best Pastel de Nata in Lisbon
Pastelaria Cristal If you find yourself in the Lapa neighborhood, this pastelaria makes a solid tart that’s won best pastel de nata in Lisbon in recent years.
Pastelaria Aloma This pastelaria has its original location in our neighborhood of Campo de Ourique. With such a close proximity, we had to employ a lot of restraint. They’ve also won the best pastel de nata award in Lisbon, which they proudly tout on their window panes (and their website. The address is www.omelhorpasteldenatadelisboa.com, so that should clear things up. 🙂 )
This pastelaria opened up additional locations, one near Manteigaria and a bit further down the street from Largo do Camões, and the other in the Time Out Mercado da Ribeira.
Eats at a Lisbon layover (LIS) – YXU and Beyond
Saturday 16th of February 2019
[…] de nata. A Lisbon must eat. Eater had several recos. Fortunately, I was able to try Manteigaria, the best according to locals. And it did not disappoint! Buttery, flaky, crispy, & warm. The bad news […]
A weekend of Pastéis de Nata, Port, and Palaces in Lisbon – Microtripping
Tuesday 21st of August 2018
[…] While the guides organized the masses, we ducked into a local bakery to indulge in the famous Pastel de Nata, Lisbon’s signature pastry: a warm, creamy egg custard tart with a flaky crust and dusting […]
Virginia
Saturday 23rd of September 2017
I love this sweet Portuguese treat - I tried Pastéis de Belém and loved the experience. Thanks for sharing yours!
10 Tips for Visiting Lisbon with Kids | No Man Before
Wednesday 28th of June 2017
[…] amazing gelaterias around town. If you’re hunting for the best pastéis de nata, check out our post here on where to find them in Lisbon. And if you want a guide to everything else in the display case, see a list of our […]
Sami
Sunday 28th of May 2017
That's on my list too! We always go to Belem, but glad to know there are better ones around!
Kelly Barcus
Sunday 28th of May 2017
I think eating pasteis de nata is first on my list the next time I'm in Portugal. I'm sure you'll love the ones at Manteigaria, but it never hurts to do a taste test and try them both again, right? ;)