Booking choice: The Lisbon baking class, from $61 per person. Check dates Tour details
The pastel de nata is cheap, everywhere and very uneven. A great one shatters when you bite it and the custard is still warm and just set. A tired one has sat under glass since breakfast.
This guide names the bakeries with the best claim, explains how the city's annual contest picks its winner and gives you a checklist for judging any tart yourself. If you want to see how the good ones are made, a two-hour class in Lisbon shows you.
The quick answer
Go to Pastéis de Belém for the original, Manteigaria for tarts baked in front of you in Chiado, the Time Out Market or Belém, and Pastelaria Aloma in Campo de Ourique for the 2026 winner of "O Melhor Pastel de Nata", its sixth win. Eat them warm, one or two at a time, with a bica. The Lisbon baking class shows you how they are made, from $61.
Where is the best pastel de nata in Lisbon?
Three bakeries lead most lists: Pastéis de Belém, the original since 1837; Manteigaria, which bakes all day in open kitchens; and Pastelaria Aloma, winner of the city's contest in 2026.
- Pastéis de Belém, Rua de Belém 84 to 92. The only place that sells pastéis de Belém, from a secret recipe. Open every day from 8 AM.
- Manteigaria, with shops in Chiado, the Time Out Market, Belém, Rossio, Príncipe Real and more. Tarts bake in front of you, and a bell rings when a batch comes out.
- Pastelaria Aloma, Rua Francisco Metrass 67, Campo de Ourique. Open since 1949, and the 2026 winner of "O Melhor Pastel de Nata".
Our pastel de nata vs pastel de Belém guide explains why only the first can use the Belém name.
Who won the best pastel de nata in 2026?
Pastelaria Aloma, for the third year running and the sixth time in all. 7 Desejos in Ericeira came second and Casa do Padeiro in Odivelas third.
The final of the 17th "O Melhor Pastel de Nata" took place on 28 September 2026 at the Congresso de Cozinha in Oeiras. The table shows the last two podiums.
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Pastelaria Aloma (Lisbon) | 7 Desejos (Ericeira) | Casa do Padeiro (Odivelas) |
| 2025 | Pastelaria Aloma (Lisbon) | O Pãozinho das Marias (Ericeira) | Confeitaria Glória (Amadora) |
Bake the tart the judges argue over, step by step in a kitchen near Belém, with port and ginjinha. 4.9 stars from 3,331 reviews.
Check dates for the Lisbon baking classHow does the "O Melhor Pastel de Nata" contest work?
It started in 2009, organised by the gastronome Virgílio Gomes and Edições do Gosto, for bakeries with their own production in the Lisbon area. Twelve finalists face seven judges.
The judges taste blind and score the look, the pastry, the custard and the overall flavour. In 2026 the contest added a mystery-customer round in early September, which judged the tarts as shoppers get them over the counter and counted for 30% of the final score. That rewards a bakery that is good every day, not only on the day of the final.
Our blog covers the 2026 result in detail.
Is Manteigaria better than Pastéis de Belém?
They are different visits. Pastéis de Belém is the historic original with big tiled rooms; Manteigaria is a counter where you watch every step and eat a tart minutes old.
Manteigaria makes one thing. Its shops show the whole process behind glass, the custard, the dough, the roll and the oven, and there is always a batch about to come out. No booking is needed. Its Chiado shop is the classic stop, its stall in the Time Out Market is handy for lunch, and two shops on Rua de Belém sit a few doors from the original.
That makes a tasting easy. Buy one at each in Belém, eat them on the same bench and decide for yourself.
Where is Pastelaria Aloma?
At Rua Francisco Metrass 67 in Campo de Ourique, a residential quarter west of the centre. Tram 28 runs out to the neighbourhood.
Aloma opened in 1949, according to the city's register of historic shops, Lojas com História. Its manager told the register that the bakery does not make its tarts in series and that each one is opened by hand. It has also won the Peixe em Lisboa festival prize, in 2012, 2013 and 2015, says Time Out.
Campo de Ourique has the feel of a village, with a market and good cafés. Pair Aloma with a walk there rather than a quick dash.
Work inside a real bakery kitchen in the Baixa with a professional pastry chef, laminate puff pastry from zero and leave with a certificate and 3 tarts.
Explore the bakery masterclass Tour detailsWhich other Lisbon bakeries are worth a detour?
Pastelaria Santo António by the castle, Confeitaria Nacional in the Baixa, Fábrica da Nata on Restauradores and Pastelaria Alcôa in Chiado all make Time Out Lisboa's list.
Each has its own reason to stop. Use the table to fit them into your route.
| Bakery | Area | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Pastelaria Santo António | Castelo | Won the Peixe em Lisboa tart prize in 2019 |
| Confeitaria Nacional | Baixa | A grand old shop that brought bolo-rei to Portugal, recipe unchanged since 1875 |
| Fábrica da Nata | Restauradores | A glass-walled bakery where you watch the tarts made |
| Pastelaria Alcôa | Chiado | Convent sweets from Alcobaça; the tarts are baked in-house daily |
| O Pãozinho das Marias | Ericeira | Second in the 2025 contest, worth it on a beach day |
What makes a great pastel de nata?
Pastry that shatters, custard that is just set and still trembles, dark blistered spots on top and a tart that is warm, or at least baked that morning.
- The pastry. Thin, crisp layers you can see in a spiral underneath. Soft or bready means old or badly laminated.
- The custard. Silky, never rubbery or grainy, and not too sweet.
- The top. Spotted dark brown, almost burnt in patches. Pale tops mean a cool oven.
- The timing. A busy counter means fresh batches. Go where the tray turns over fast.
Ten bakers at most in Algés, just west of Belém, making the pastry and custard from scratch. A new class: 5.0 stars from 10 reviews.
Check dates for the Algés baking classHow many pastéis de nata should you eat, and with what?
One or two, says Manteigaria: the first to discover, the second to confirm. Drink a bica, the Lisbon espresso, or a glass of port or a ginjinha.
Cinnamon and icing sugar are optional. Manteigaria says there are no rules, and that it is best to wait a moment so you do not burn your tongue. Each tart is about 200 kcal, by its count, less than most Portuguese pastries.
Want them warm without the hunt? In a class the tray comes out of a professional oven in front of you. The Lisbon baking class pours port and ginjinha, and the bakery masterclass serves a barista coffee.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best pastel de nata in Portugal?
Lisbon has the strongest claim, with Pastéis de Belém, Manteigaria and the 2026 contest winner Aloma. In Porto, Manteigaria has shops at Bolhão, Clérigos, Santa Catarina and Largo São Domingos.
Is Manteigaria worth it?
Yes. It bakes all day in front of you, needs no booking and its tarts are usually minutes old. The Chiado shop and the Time Out Market stall are the easiest to reach.
When is the best time to eat pastéis de nata?
Any time, says Manteigaria: breakfast, afternoon snack or dessert. Go early in the day at smaller bakeries, when the first trays are fresh.
Can you buy a box to take home?
Yes. Bakeries pack boxes, and Manteigaria takes orders of any size, by email one working day ahead or by phone on the day, paid in cash or by Multibanco in the shop.
Ready to book
Choose your class
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Lisbon Pastel de Nata Baking Class
- All ingredients and utensils
- Chefs or instructors
- Homemade juice, coffee and water
Pastel de Nata Masterclass in a Real Bakery
- 3 pastéis de nata
- A barista-made coffee or cold drink
- Certificate of participation
Small-Group Pastéis de Nata Class by Belém
- Pastry-making lesson
- Your own pastéis de nata
- Coffee, tea and water
