Lisbon flew under the radar for a long time. But those days are over. Europeans are taking cheap flights to The City of Seven Hills for long weekends, and Instagram Tourists have discovered the city’s visual delights.
But, never fear, there’s still plenty of places that are less discovered and compared to the rest of Western Europe, Lisbon is still cheap; for now.
Don’t be fooled into believing that eating in Lisbon is just a clone of Spanish cuisine. Portugal is unique as a great foodie destination in its own right and shouldn’t be overshadowed by its bigger neighbor.
Pastel de Nata is by far the most popular pastry in Portugal. Monks at Jerónimos Monastery in the Belem section of Lisbon used egg whites to starch their habits and, as a result, had lots of egg yolks left over. Starting in the 18th century, the monks used the leftover egg yolks to make a creamy, custard-like pastry, the Pastel de Nata. When the monastery closed, the monks sold the recipe to a local sugar refinery. The owners of the refinery opened a bakery, Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém, in 1837. That bakery is still churning out delicious custard tarts to this day and is run by descendants of the first owners.