Belém is a historic district in Lisbon. It is famously known as the birthplace of the iconic Portuguese custard tart, the Pastéis de nata. Legend has it that in ancient times, the monks at the Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) used egg whites to starch their robes. To avoid waste, the nuns used the leftover yolks to create sweet treats—thus, the beloved custard tart was born. Initially, these tarts were sold directly at the monastery. But later, production moved to the now-famous shop, Pastéis de Belém.

While researching, I learned that the takeout line at Pastéis de Belém is notoriously long, whereas the dine-in area often has fewer customers. With that in mind, I planned to sit inside and savor my tart at a leisurely pace. But when we arrived, the situation was quite the opposite. This left me no choice but to grab a box to go.

After arriving in Portugal, I sampled custard tarts several times. I’ve noticed they were quite different from what I had remembered. The versions I was used to had a flaky, soft crust. But the authentic Portuguese ones featured a hard, crunchy shell paired with a creamy, soft filling. At first, I thought the texture was due to the tarts sitting out too long in the shops. However, after tasting them at Pastéis de Belém, I realized that this crispier crust is exactly how traditional Portuguese custard tarts are meant to be—and they’re utterly delicious.