The Best Pastéis de Nata in Lisbon
Six bakeries for custard tarts and one for convent sweets, from the 1837 original in Belém to prize winners in Campo de Ourique and Alfama, with addresses and hours.
The best pastéis de nata in Lisbon come from a short list of bakeries: the 1837 original in Belém, the Manteigaria shops, two neighbourhood winners of the city’s tart contests and a Chiado trio worth a detour.
This is our list of the best pastéis de nata in Lisbon, the one we would give a friend after walking these streets with visitors. Addresses and opening hours were last checked in October 2026. Hours change, so a quick look at Google Maps on the day is still wise.
If you only have time for two, go to Pastéis de Belém for the original and Manteigaria for a tart eaten warm at the counter. Add Aloma in Campo de Ourique, which has won the national “Melhor Pastel de Nata” contest five times between 2012 and 2025. Eat tarts fresh, one or two at a time, with a bica.
What are the best pastéis de nata in Lisbon? Seven stops at a glance
Pastel de nata (plural pastéis de nata) is the Portuguese custard tart: a flaky shell, an egg custard and a blistered top. Every bakery below makes its own, and each has a different style, from the pale and creamy tart of Belém to the darker, caramelised ones in Chiado. Here is where to find each one.
Opening hours come from each bakery’s own site where it publishes them, and from Time Out and local listings for the rest. Sources do not always agree, so treat the times above as a guide.
Tell us your date and we will check the light and plan a relaxed route through Lisbon, with a coffee-and-tart stop wherever it suits you.
See Lisbon photographer sessionsIs Pastéis de Belém worth the queue?
Yes, once. Pastéis de Belém has been baking since 1837 on Rua de Belém, beside the Jerónimos Monastery, and says its recipe comes from the monastery and is still secret. The shop is open every day, 08:00 to 21:00, and until 22:00 from 1 July to 30 September.
The long line you see outside is usually for takeaway. Walk past it into the tiled rooms behind the counter, find a table and order from there: sitting down is often quicker, and the tart arrives on a plate with cinnamon and sugar to hand. Eat it fresh, because the shell loses its crunch within hours.
- Sit inside. Ignore the takeaway queue and ask for a table. Several guides report that the dining rooms move faster at busy times.
- Go early or late. Right at opening, and in the last hour, the crowd thins out. Weekdays are quieter than weekends.
- Want no wait at all? Manteigaria has a shop on the same street, at Rua de Belém 1A, and reviewers describe it as a quick alternative to the main queue.
- Getting there. The train from Cais do Sodré takes about 10 minutes. Tram 15E is slower and often packed. Our guide to getting around Lisbon explains both.
Belém is also one of the best places in the city to be photographed, so a tart stop fits naturally into a morning there. If you are deciding where to spend your time, read our comparison of Belém and Alfama for a photoshoot or the shorter guide to a couples photoshoot in Belém.
Manteigaria or Pastéis de Belém: which tart should you pick?
Both are good, and they taste different. Most guides describe Belém as lighter and creamier, and Manteigaria as darker, more caramelised and a little more intense. The easiest way to settle it is to eat one of each on the same day.
Pastéis de Belém
The original, in tiled rooms beside the monastery. A pale, delicate custard in a crisp shell, served with cinnamon and sugar.
Best for: the full historic experienceManteigaria
Founded in Chiado in a 1900s building, with the bakers working behind glass. A bell rings when a fresh batch leaves the oven.
Best for: a warm tart at the counter with a bicaThe Chiado original is at Rua do Loreto 2, open daily from 08:00 to midnight. There are also shops in Time Out Market, Campo de Ourique and Belém, so you are rarely far from one. Stand at the counter like the locals do, and if you hear the bell as you walk past, go in.
Taking tarts home? Eat them the same day if you can. Warming a day-old tart for a few minutes in a hot oven brings back some of the crunch, but nothing beats one straight from the tray.
Which Lisbon bakeries have won the best pastel de nata title?
Two neighbourhood shops have beaten the famous names in tasting contests. Both are worth the trip, and neither is on the main tourist trail.
Pastelaria Aloma is at Rua Francisco Metrass 67 in Campo de Ourique, a residential district west of the centre. It was named best in the national “O Melhor Pastel de Nata” contest in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2024 and 2025, and its tarts are made by hand. The shop opened in 1949 and is open daily. Tram 28 runs to Campo de Ourique, though Carris has changed the service here for roadworks before, so check carris.pt on the day.
Pastelaria Santo António is at Rua do Milagre de Santo António 10, in the Castelo neighbourhood just above the Chapitô. It won the tart contest run by the Peixe em Lisboa festival in 2019, and the shop has an open kitchen where you can watch the pastry being stretched. There is seating upstairs, and the line can be long around midday.
Our guide to the best viewpoints in Lisbon covers the terraces nearby, so you can eat your tart with the river in view.
Where can you eat a good pastel de nata in Chiado and Baixa?
Chiado and Baixa are where most visitors spend their first day, and three good stops sit within a few minutes of each other. Castro and Alcôa face each other on Rua Garrett, and Manteigaria is round the corner on Rua do Loreto.
Castro
Rua Garrett 38. A small, polished shop with a window onto the bakers and only a few tables. You order and pay at the counter.
Best for: a quiet second tart after ManteigariaFábrica da Nata
Praça dos Restauradores 62-68, with a second shop on Rua Augusta. Opened in 2016 and built around the tart, with the bakers visible from the room.
Best for: a seat, coffee and a break between sightsAlcôa
Rua Garrett 37-39. Born in Alcobaça, with tile panels by Querubim Lapa and a counter of convent egg-and-sugar sweets. We could not confirm its tart, so come for the sweets.
Best for: conventual pastries and coffeeFábrica da Nata and Castro both sit on streets you will walk anyway, so they cost you no detour. If you are arriving in Lisbon and want a first stop, our first night in Lisbon guide has more ideas close to Baixa and Chiado.
How do you plan a pastel de nata crawl in one day?
You can taste four bakeries in a day without feeling ill if you share tarts and leave gaps. This route follows the geography, so you spend the day eating rather than travelling.
- Morning, Belém. Arrive near opening, at 08:00, and have one tart at Pastéis de Belém or Manteigaria Belém before the crowds build. Then see the monastery and the tower.
- Late morning, Chiado. Take the train back to Cais do Sodré and walk up to Manteigaria on Rua do Loreto. Compare it with Castro on Rua Garrett.
- Afternoon, Castelo. Head up to Pastelaria Santo António, then take in the view from the nearby terraces.
- End, Campo de Ourique. Finish at Aloma, away from the visitor crowds, with a final tart at the counter.
Our 3-day Lisbon itinerary shows how to fit these neighbourhoods into a longer stay, and the guide to what to eat in Lisbon covers the savoury side, including where to eat bacalhau.
How should you eat a pastel de nata like a local?
- Eat it warm. A tart from the oven in the last few minutes has the creamiest custard and the crispest shell. Ask when the next tray comes out.
- Cinnamon and sugar are optional. Most shops put shakers on the counter. Many locals add a little of each, and purists eat the tart plain.
- Order a bica. A short espresso cuts the sweetness. A garoto (espresso with a splash of milk) works too.
- Share tarts on a crawl. Two or three a day is plenty unless you plan to skip lunch.
- Do not hunt only for famous names. Almost every neighbourhood bakery makes its own, and you will find some very good ones by walking in.
If you are travelling from outside the EU, check our Portugal entry requirements guide before you fly, so the first thing you eat in Lisbon is a tart rather than a surprise at the border.
Can you book a photographer for a Lisbon food walk?
Yes. Our sessions run in Chiado, Alfama and Belém, the same streets this guide covers, and a coffee stop is easy to include. Tell us the neighbourhoods and the time you have, and we will plan the route and check the light.
Each session covers up to two people, with more able to join, and includes a private online gallery within 7 days. You can browse our couple photography in Portugal and solo travel photography pages for examples. To book, pick your session on the booking page, where the current prices are, then message us to check availability or pay by card, and we confirm the details on WhatsApp. Choose “Surprise me” if you would like us to pick the location.
Tell us your dates and we will check availability and suggest the best time for the light.
Book your Lisbon sessionCommon questions
Where can you eat the best pastel de nata in Lisbon?
Pastéis de Belém is the original, and Manteigaria is the most popular alternative. Aloma in Campo de Ourique has won the national Best Pastel de Nata contest five times, most recently in 2025.
Is Pastéis de Belém worth the queue?
The takeaway queue can be long, but the dining rooms behind it often move faster, so ask for a table. It is worth doing once for the history and the setting.
What is the difference between a pastel de Belém and a pastel de nata?
Pastéis de Belém is the registered name of the original Belém bakery’s tart, made from its own recipe. Tarts from other bakeries are called pastéis de nata. All are egg custard tarts in a flaky shell.
Where can I get a pastel de nata without queuing?
Manteigaria has several shops, including one on Rua de Belém, and these are usually quicker than the main Belém line. Early mornings are quieter at most bakeries.
Should I eat pastéis de nata warm?
Yes. Fresh from the oven is best, with the custard creamy and the shell crisp. Many shops have a bell or an open kitchen so you can tell when a tray is out.