Manteigaria – Pasteis de Nata
You’ve seen it. You’ve heard about it. But is it worth it? Hell yes it is.
The most iconic pastry of Portugal, pastel de nata, can be found just about anywhere all over the country. While they may look like the egg tarts you see at your local dim sum restaurant, they are everything but.
Bite into a fresh pastel and the first thing you notice is the shattering pastry, rogue flakes flying with wild abandon. Not dissimilar to a croissant, the pastry dough is laminated with butter for alternating layers of crispy and tender. The filling is made of a silky-smooth egg yolk and cream custard that upon baking becomes slightly scorched, revealing a leopard-like pattern on the top. Hot out of the oven, the filling becomes so gooey it should only barely be able to hold its shape after it has bitten into. Altogether pastel de nata are a downright sinful combination of richness and decadence, ironic because they have their roots in monastery bakeries!
While the original pastel de nata were made from the famous Pasteis de Belem, they are now quite ubiquitous with just about any bakery making their own version. Our favorite is from the relative newcomer to the scene: Manteigaria.
With an open kitchen for all to see, the bakers make their pasteis in small batches so you are almost guaranteed to get one fresh out of the oven. A ring of the bell announces when a batch has just finished baking for all to come and enjoy. The crust is distinctively thinner and more delicate than that of Belem’s, made crispier by a greater proportion of butter. The custard is extremely smooth and has a creamy consistency even when cooled down that isn’t gummy. Sprinkle some additional powdered sugar and ground cinnamon on top for an extra sweet bite.
⭐⭐⭐ Pasteis from Manteigaria may not be the most famous, but they are definitely the best! Perfectly creamy, warm, soft, and sweet, these pasteis are definitely worth traveling around the whole world for! Skip the line at Belem and head to Manteigaria.
Manteigaria
Rua do Loreto 2, 1200-108
Lisboa, Portugal
Manteigaria
R. de Alexandre Braga 24, 4000-049
Porto, Portugal