Food Porn Nation

Portuguese Egg Tarts at Pastéis de Belém, Lisbon Portugal

Where Portuguese egg tarts (pastel de nata) all began, Pasteis de Belem (Pastries of Belem), Lisbon Portgual. It began in the early 19th century when the monks of the nearby monastery, Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) were expelled and forced to shut down due to the liberal revolution in 1820. The monks began selling Portuguese egg tarts to secure more revenue and over time this grew rapidly in popularity. The recipe was later passed on to the nearby sugar refinery, whose owners opened up Pasteis de Belem in 1837. To this day, the owners continue to savour and prepare the original recipe from this time honoured tradition.

Expect to see long queues winding out the door for this much loved pastry. Locals love it and international tourists have to have it. If you want to avoid sitting around and waiting. Just get this little babies to go. I took these to Starbucks and had them there.

The Portuguese egg tart is served fresh and hot to order which is quite uncommon. Most places will serve this at room temperature but are still very delicious.  The pastry is deliciously light and crispy, it is like you have opened a bag of chips. While the egg custard filling is deliciously warm and wobbly from arriving fresh out of the oven. The freshly caramelised singed surface of the tart also creates a lovely stickiness and adds an extra depth of flavour. Yes, fresh is best! Oh and the smell is incredible. I simply wanted to nuzzle my face into that pastry oven, risk being incinerated and suffocate myself into this delicious wonderfulness!!!

Locals like to cover it with cinnamon & icing sugar but I couldn’t bare to tamper with a good thing. Its cheap as chips and definitely worth the visit, especially if you are in Belem checking out the attractions.

Pastéis de Belém
Rua Belém 84-92, 1300-085 Lisboa, Portugal
+351 21 363 7423
Website: http://www.pasteisdebelem.pt/