Anyone who knows a little about me and my favourite foods will know my long time love for pastel de nata (see this post and this one) as well as my recent discovery of what I feel now is my favourite doughnut i.e. the bola de berlim (see this post). So, when this super authentic Portuguese cafe popped up in our radar, I knew it had to go on our list of places to try in London. Lisboa Patisserie is as authentic as you’re going to get in London. Located in trendy Notting Hill, you’ll feel like you’re transported to a cafe of Lisbon. The interior is rustic and you are greeted and served by friendly Portuguese staff as you queue up behind and in front of the numerous Portuguese clientele. As I said, very authentic! There are a few seats inside as well as a few outside. Outside, you’ll see Portuguese people again sipping on coffee and enjoying beautiful Portuguese patisserie. Have I mentioned how authentic this place feels? So, how was the taste and how does it rank with other places we’ve tried? Read on to find out.
Brief background on what we got
Pastel de nata – if there’s one thing the Portuguese cuisine is famous for, it has to be this thing right here. It is quite possibly my favourite sweet snack of all time. Nothing beats a good fresh pastel de nata. It is basically a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry in other words the best bite you will take in your life!
Bola de berlim – this is the Portuguese version of the famous German Berliner. A huge doughnut filled with unique Portuguese cream. It is quite distinctive and it might have become my favourite doughnut at the moment. So good!
Our experience
In terms of the vibes and service it felt very authentic as mentioned in the introduction. We liked that. So, we’ll move directly onto the taste of what we got. The pastel de nata was incredible as it usually is when it is fresh and from a bakery. Never ever buy a pre-packaged one, please! Always, get one from a bakery. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad one out of a bakery, even the Lidl one was superb! However, was this as good as the one I had in Portugal? Was it way better than the more commercial cafe de nata? The answer to both is no. The one I had in Portugal was just magical and I was hoping to get that taste here. Unfortunately, not quite. It was just like any other bakery (which is still insanely good by the way). And it wasn’t miles ahead of cafe de nata, which is more commercial than authentic, so not really making it worth the extra trek if not nearby.
The bola de berlim, on the other hand, was quite disappointing. We’ve had this now at a couple other places and in particular one Portuguese cafe in Luton does an absolutely banging one! So good that it has possibly become my favourite doughnut ever. I was hoping this one here will top that if not at least equal it. However, it was actually nothing like it. The doughnut felt more like a brioche than an actual doughnut, it just didn’t have that doughy taste. Quite disappointed with this one to be honest.
Getting there
Parking: Side roads are free evenings, after 1:30 on Saturday and all day Sunday. If arriving before 1:30 on a Saturday, Wornington Road is pay and display.
Nearest Mosque: Al Manaar | The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre
Nearest station: Ladbroke Grove
