Lisbon’s Best Pastries
This Christmas most people in Lisbon will follow the tradition and will buy a Bolo Rei, the traditional Christmas cake. That cake actually has its origins in France, but the recipe was brought to Portugal by the then-owner of Confeitaria Nacional, a pastry shop in the center of Lisbon. It literally means “King Cake” and is topped with glazed and dried fruits and nuts. But because a Christmas get-together with the family means long banquets and long banquets also mean lots of sweets, Lisbon sells more pastries in December than at any other time of the year. With that in mind, here are the best pastries in Lisbon and where to find them:
BOLO REI at Confeitaria Nacional
The traditional Christmas cake will be on display at the windows of most of Lisbon’s pastry shops. But for the cake’s original home (and still the place that does it best), you should go to Confeitaria Nacional. It’s conveniently located in Figueira Square, a shop worth visiting on its own, as the interior retains much of its 19th century charm.
CHOCOLATE CAKE at O Melhor Bolo de Chocolate do Mundo
What’s a dinner party without a good piece of chocolate cake at the end? As GoLisbon Blog has already told you here, a pastry shop in Lisbon claims to make the best in the world. While there’s no way of proving or agreeing with that, the cake is quite good, with a creamy chocolaty filling made with 53% chocolate.
The BREAD at Panificação do Chiado
Lisbon’s best bread is found in Chiado. It comes in various forms and topped with different seeds, and it’s just an excuse to go into this shop and also grab a number of its tempting pastries and sweets.
The CHOCOLATE CROISSANT at Benard
Usually you eat a chocolate croissant with your hands, but at Benard you need a knife and a fork. That’s because it comes dripping with chocolate inside and you’d have it all over you if you simply grabbed it with your hands. Make sure to have one earlier in the day when it’s fresh off the oven, since later in the day it will have lost much of its softness after waiting for hours for a gluttonous mouth.
ANYTHING at Pastelaria Versailles
It’s Lisbon’s most beautiful café and it also has be the biggest variety of pastries. While there’s no particular standout, expect to have to make some tough decisions as there are so many sugary choices displayed in front of you. But if you find yourself not being able to decide, simply ask to pack a few to take home. That is after you sit at the shop for a cup of coffee because you can’t leave without taking a good look at some of the details of the place. You’ll understand why it has the name of the famous French palace when you do.
The PASTEIS DE BELÉM at Antiga Confeitaria de Belem
If you’ve read anything about Lisbon, you know about this place by now. It’s Lisbon’s best contribution to the pastry world. Everyone will agree with that.
