Pasteis de Belém

Pastéis de Nata, also known as Pastéis de Belém*, is one of the most beloved pastries in Portugal. A buttery, flakey crust filled with smooth, sweet custard and toasted to golden perfection, then sprinkled with cinnamon or powdered sugar… 

The portuguese affectionately call these pastries “Natas”, and–in general–agree that the monks at the monastery in Belém were the first to make them. The Pastéis de Belém pastry shop next to the Mosteiro de Jerónimos still uses the original recipe, which is a well-guarded secret. Apparently, the shop swears head chefs to secrecy before they hire them. Every day, this one shop makes hundreds of pasteis. 

Eat these pastries in their ancestral home for a cultural experience.  You can savour the warm pastries inside the beautifully tiled café or at the park in front of the shop…

If you’re in Belém don’t miss The Original Pastéis de Nata.