{"id":17755,"date":"2024-10-24T08:44:36","date_gmt":"2024-10-24T08:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/pasteis-de-belem-lisbon\/"},"modified":"2024-10-24T08:45:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T08:45:52","slug":"pasteis-de-belem-lisbon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/pasteis-de-belem-lisbon\/","title":{"rendered":"The Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m: Lisbon\u2019s Best Past\u00e9is de Nata"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Calling all food lovers! What\u2019s a trip to Portugal\u2019s capital without a stop at the city\u2019s most iconic bakery to taste the unforgettable Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m? <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive in! <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Contents: <\/strong>
> What is a Pastel de Nata?<\/a>
> A Brief History of Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/a>
> Onwards to the Antiga Confeitaria de Bel\u00e9m!<\/span><\/a>
> Food Tours & Cooking Classes in Lisbon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 Insider<\/strong> Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2b50 Top Tip<\/strong>: Free guided tour of the capital <\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Hotels accommodation: a<\/strong> selection of value-for-money accommodation. <\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What is a Pastel de Nata? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A pastel de nata (plural: past\u00e9is de nata) is a small custard tart with a crispy, caramelized top, a bit like a mini flan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key ingredients? Flaky puff pastry and a rich custard made from egg yolks, milk, and sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re best enjoyed warm, often with a sprinkle of cinnamon or powdered sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every food lover\u2014from first-time tasters to the most renowned food critics\u2014agrees on one thing: the Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m, made from a secret recipe in the kitchens of the Antiga Confeitaria de Bel\u00e9m, are the best past\u00e9is de nata in the world. With their perfectly crisp pastry and irresistibly creamy filling, they easily outshine the competition! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only thing left to do is try them for yourself and see what all the fuss is about! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Paste\u0301is<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Brief History of Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Origins of Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The story of Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m begins in the cloisters of the Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Believe it or not, it all started with a need for starch! The monks used vast quantities of egg whites to starch their habits<\/strong>, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

leaving them with an excess of egg yolks.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faced with the question of how to use them up, they found a delicious solution: and just like that, Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m were born!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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From Monastery to Bakery<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In the 1820s, the Liberal Revolution in Portugal led to the closure of many monasteries<\/strong>, including the Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The monks were forced to leave, and in 1837, one of them decided to sell their secret custard tarts to make a living<\/strong>. They sold their tarts in a small shop next to a former sugar cane refinery, just steps away from the monastery, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

and the now-famous “Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m” were officially named.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even back then, the Bel\u00e9m district attracted numerous visitors eager to explore the Monastery of Jer\u00f3nimos and the Tower of Bel\u00e9m. The monks’ sweet pastries became an instant hit<\/strong>, and the small shop quickly turned into an institution! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m Today<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Since 1837, the recipe for Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m has been passed down in strict secrecy<\/strong> to only a handful of pastry chefs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, just 3 of the 180 employees <\/strong>working at the Fabrica dos Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m know the exact recipe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The success of these custard tarts is nothing short of extraordinary: the shop now produces nearly 20,000 of them every single day!<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Onwards to the Antiga Confeitaria de Bel\u00e9m! <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know everything about the history of Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m, it\u2019s time to move on to the best part\u2014tasting them! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A True Institution<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finding the Antiga Confeitaria de Bel\u00e9m couldn\u2019t be easier: just look for the long line of eager foodies waiting to get their hands on these legendary Lisbon pastries! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be put off by the queue outside the shop\u2014most people are there to buy their treats to go. To avoid a long wait, step inside the bakery; it\u2019s much larger than it appears, with nearly 400 seats. You should be able to find a table to enjoy your Past\u00e9is de Nata, accompanied by a nice cup of coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019re there, take a moment to appreciate the timeless decor, with its iconic blue-and-white azulejos tiles. You can also catch a glimpse of the bakers hard at work in the open kitchen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t expect to steal the secret recipe for Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m! The puff pastry and custard are made in the \u201cOficina do Segredo\u201d (the Secret Workshop), a room accessible to only a select few chefs. While the exact proportions of the main ingredients (eggs, milk, sugar) remain a mystery, it\u2019s rumored that the Past\u00e9is de Nata recipe includes a secret ingredient that no one has managed to uncover! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Paste\u0301is<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Practical Information<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Head to the Bel\u00e9m district, west of Lisbon\u2019s city center. The Antiga Confeitaria de Bel\u00e9m is housed in a historic building, just a short walk from the Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery<\/a>, Bel\u00e9m Tower<\/a>, and the Monument to the Discoveries.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nearest transport options are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n