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The secret is out. Portugal has earned a place in the top 10 visited countries of Europe, and when you step off the plane in Lisbon, you quickly see why: Gorgeous hills, pristine beaches, intact castles, and colorful building tiles galore. Then you eat a Portuguese meal. Portuguese food and wine tend to be both wonderful and affordable, which make many travelers quite happy indeed.

One Portuguese tradition that I consider a daily must-do while visiting Lisbon, is snack on Pastéis de Nata. These creamy egg pastries are everywhere, but as far as I’m concerned, only two producers are worth your time: Pastéis de Belém and Manteigaria.

Pastéis de Nata and an espresso, at Lisbon’s Manteigaria

Enjoying Pastéis de Belém al fresco in the Jardim de Belém

First of all, it must be said that the recipe for Pastéis de Nata originates in Lisbon’s Belém neighborhood, as a centuries-old creation by Catholic monks at the beautiful Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. It’s rumored the monastery created these crispy-custard tarts seeking a way to use discarded egg yokes, using the egg whites to starch their clothing. The egg pastry creation became popular in Portugal, then spread to other places worldwide, notably in parts of Japan, India, and Brazil. The Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém cafe was first opened in 1837 by direct descendants of the original monastery producers, and has baked top-notch pastry on-site ever since.

Inside Pastéis de Belém Cafe in Belém, Portugal

Making the trip to Belém, an easy 20-minute bus ride west of Lisbon center, is a must on any Lisbon itinerary. The breathtaking Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Torre de Belém, MAAT and Museu Nacional dos Coches are all essential sites worthy of your consideration. Since you’ll already be in Belém, you have no excuse to skip the historic Pastéis de Belém cafe. Unless you’re deterred by the inevitable line of tourists. Fear not; the line moves fast and you’ll have a hot pastry in hand in no time.

The Pastéis de Belém tarts are delicious, but does the pioneer producer still bake up the best pastéis in Lisbon today?

Part of the beautiful Pastéis de Belém shop interior

In the lively Chiado neighborhood of central Lisbon, you will find a relatively new producer of pastéis de nata, Manteigaria. The cafe is small, but visiting promises to be both educational and fun. There is seldom a line, and after ordering with the cashier, you can step into the cafe and eat while watching pastry chefs making the coveted tarts up close. While Belém keeps their process in a shroud of mystery, Manteigaria kindly lets you in on the secret. And it’s this confidence and immediate access to the chef’s kitchen, not to mention a central city location that stays open until midnight, that pushes some pastry connoisseurs towards Manteigaria as the winner of the tart rivalry.

Manteigaria in Lisbon’s Chiado neighborhood

Manteigaria in Lisbon, shown sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar

Pastry Chef at work in Lisbon’s Manteigaria cafe

We are all influenced by an excellent customer service experience, but this rivalry should probably come down to the flavor experience, right? Both producers of pastéis de nata have a wonderful crispy pastry crust, but there is a subtle difference in the custard. In my opinion, Manteigaria is ever-so-slightly more flavorful. I have a hunch that this rivalry will never have a clear winner due to the high quality and distinct customer experiences at both producers, but there is plenty of room for competition in this booming tourist town. I’m pleased to let them both share the stage.

Why not do your very own taste test and let me know which pastéis de nata producer wins over your taste buds in the comments below!