A Lisbon Must-Do for Pastéis, Coffee & a Little Old-World Charm…read more
First trip to Lisbon = Pastéis de Belém had to be on the itinerary! I had read up on the famous bakery before our visit and knew that arriving early was key. So we did -- and I'm very glad we did because this place gets busy FAST!
There was a little confusion at first about which entrance to use and where to line up for a table, especially with people coming through different doors. Thankfully, we only waited about 5-10 minutes, which really wasn't bad at all.
We weren't lucky enough to be seated in the beautiful old section of the café, but we did get to wander through it -- and wow! The historic rooms are incredibly charming, with gorgeous old-world details that make the whole experience feel like a little step back in time. We were seated instead in the much larger, newer dining hall.
Our waiter was friendly, although definitely a little stern-ish, and after scanning the QR menu, we took a few minutes to decide what we wanted. Our waitress came by, took our order and quickly disappeared into the sea of tables. And honestly, I get it -- this place was HUSTLING!
Of course, we ordered the famous Pastéis de Belém because... well, when in Lisbon! We also added a Torte de Chocolate because apparently one pastry each wasn't going to cut it, plus a couple of lattes. I actually loved that the menu included photos -- sometimes you just need to see the pastry before committing!
Our order arrived surprisingly quickly, and the pastéis were delicious. The pastry was flaky, the custard was creamy and they absolutely hit the spot. I had expected them to arrive warm, though, and ours weren't, so I'm not sure how fresh from the oven they were. Still delicious nonetheless. The lattes were hot, tasty and served in pretty little glasses -- always a nice touch.
One thing I did notice was that the tables, chairs and menus could have used a little more attention in the cleanliness department. That said, considering the sheer volume of people moving through this place every day, it's easy to understand how quickly things can get a little messy.
Before leaving, we took another stroll through the historic portion of the bakery and café, which was definitely worth a look. There's so much character and history tucked into those rooms.
And by the time we walked out? The line was already stretching outside! If sitting down isn't your thing, there's also a quick-order counter where you can grab your pastéis and keep exploring Lisbon.
So, would I stop here again? Absolutely.
Is it a leisurely, quiet café experience? Definitely not. It's busy, bustling and very much a Lisbon institution. But experiencing the history, seeing the beautiful old bakery, sipping a latte and eating one of these iconic Portuguese pastries is part of the fun.
Put it on your Lisbon itinerary -- just go early, embrace the crowds, and save room for pastries!