Bola de Berlim (Portuguese doughnut)
When you think of Portuguese sweet snacks, you’ll probably be thinking of the pastel de nata. And, unfortunately, that’s probably all most of us know about Portuguese sweets or pastry. But they have so much more to offer including this unsung hero. It is super popular in Portugal, but rarely found outside of the country except in Portuguese cafes. A Bola de Berlim is a Portuguese take on the Berliner classic, but instead of jam, egg-based Portuguese cream is used as the filling (this is a cream that is used in a lot of Portuguese desserts and pastry and don’t worry it isn’t eggy in taste). And I like that because I prefer cream over jam!! Also, the size is a notable difference – these are huge! With a capital H. They are simply irresistible. Fluffy, creamy and the right amount of sweet! Super addictive.
Lagoa Cafe
This quaint little Portuguese cafe is based in Luton near the train station. So, if you live in the town or are visiting, I’d strongly urge you to pop in one morning for a nice rendition of the Portuguese breakfast. Essentially, this can consist of sweet treats like the famous Pastel de Nata (which of course is a must at any Portuguese cafe) and or a Bola de Berlim with a strong cup of coffee. The staff here are super friendly and welcoming, the seating is very comfortable whether you’re coming here with family or alone to do some work in the morning. Above all, the food, especially the Bola de Berlim is insanely good.
What we tried
We got a Pastel de Nata, Bola de Berlim and a Rissol de Camarão.
The Pastel de Nata was of course splendid, but here the star was the Bola de Berlim! You cannot miss them due to their distinctive extra large size and the vibrant coloured Portuguese cream that is filled inside. This one here at this cafe was absolutely amazing. Sooo good it actually pipped the nata even to being my favourite thing from this quick breakfast meal (and that is saying a lot because I love the nata!!). It was fresh and the dough was soft and not tough. The cream complimented it perfectly. The Portuguese cream was something we had never tasted before and it was a nice variation on your usual cream filling. Very moreish. Perfect! This one here blew me away and I have been craving it since!
Overall, a great little Portuguese cafe serving some authentic goodies and the staff are always super nice. If in the area, make sure you check it out! Especially the Bola de Berlim!
Getting there:
Google Maps Location link: click here
