Calling all adventurous foodies with a sweet tooth: if you haven’t tried the local custard tarts in Lisbon, book a trip right away.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It won’t take long after arriving in Lisbon to notice Portugal’s affinity for sugar. Caf\u00e9s showcase long, glass counters filled with everything sweet from cookies and cakes to a variety of tarts. And soon, you may notice a few of the usual suspects that are always on display. The most popular sweet is arguably Lisbon’s pastel de<\/em> nata.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s fine to ask for a custard tart. Everyone knows what that means. Sound like a local, however, by asking for a pastel de nata<\/em>. What are they? Past\u00e9is de nata<\/em> are custard tarts filled with sweet egg cream and covered in flaky pastry dough. And they fit in the palm of your hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now the difficult part: with so many amazing spots in the city, how do you choose one? Luckily, most locals recommend a few of the same places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can’t wait until you get to Lisbon?<\/strong> Make our Portuguese custard tarts recipe<\/a> at home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Credit: larissapabreu<\/a>, Text Overlay: Devour Lisbon Food Tours<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Begin your quest for custard tarts in Lisbon in the neighborhood where it all started: Bel\u00e9m. During the Liberal Revolution of the 19th century, monasteries and convents began shutting down. The monks from the Mosteiro dos Jer\u00f3nimos sold pastries in the sugar refinery next door to raise money. Over time, the owner of the sugar refinery bought the recipe and the refinery became Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m<\/a>, a caf\u00e9 that still sells the original custard tart recipe<\/a>. Creamy and sweet on the inside and perfectly flaky outside, this recipe is Portugal’s best-kept secret and only found at Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n