Pasteis de Belem
By: Sonia Gandhi, Wharton ’19
Mota-Engil – Porto, Portugal
Being a vegetarian while traveling is not typically easy. Spending the past couple of weeks in Porto, Portugal has been no exception! At work, whenever people hear that I’m from the US, they immediately ask if I have tried francesinha, a traditional delicacy, or other typical Portuguese foods. However, most of these foods are meat-based, so I am unable to experience this part of the local culture. Despite the trouble I have being able to try Portuguese traditional meals, I have no trouble finding desserts! Luckily, there are enough pastelerias and bakeries around each corner to satisfy my sweet tooth and each sells a variety of different desserts unique to Portugal as well as those that are familiar worldwide.
While traveling to Lisbon last weekend with one of my roommates and one of her friends, I was able to experience a unique part of Portuguese culture through its desserts. Pastels de Nata are a type of Portuguese pastry found in every window display of every bakery in Portugal. Prior to my trip to Lisbon, I had not tried a Pastel de Nata during my first two weeks in Porto. The uniquely Portuguese dessert has a custard-like texture and a flaky crust. In Lisbon, specifically, in Belem, there is a bakery called Pasteis de Belem that is known for its Pastels de Nata, what they call Pastels de Belem. The bakery states that it has been making Pastels de Belems since 1837 using a recipe from Jeronimo’s Monastery located right next door to the bakery. Since then, their pastels have been known throughout Portugal and are highly recommended by the local people if you tell them you’re traveling to Lisbon.Â
At the shop itself, there is a long line trailing out of the building. If you enter to find a table, you won’t find a free seat! While the line was long for takeaway pastries, it was fast moving and we were at the front in no time. After we got our desserts, we found a nice spot across the street to sit down and enjoy them. It was nice to relax after a long day of exploring the city with desserts in one hand and a view of the beautiful monastery. I personally was not a huge fan of the pastels since I felt like it was lacking flavor – maybe I’m used to the overly sweet desserts we find in the US, but I’m glad I was able to try my first one from the best bakery in Portugal!
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