Lovely Lisbon has been one of the most in-demand tourist spots of recent years, and whilst folks regularly sing the praises of the charming architecture, fascinating museums, and tranquil parks, it’s always something sweet that tops the list. The beloved pastéis de nata are a city treasure — in fact, our sister site Lisboa Secreta handily rounded up the city’s best — and it’s surprisingly easy to get a taste of them here, as Santa Nata opened not one but two cafes in Covent Garden back in 2019.
Santa Nata Covent Garden
It’s so good they had to put two of them there. You’ll find one over at Covent Garden Market, and it’s easy to spot too, given it’s adorned with pretty flowers. Scoot over to New Row, and you can go for pasteleriaround-two, which is smartly decked out with chairs in the courtyard to pretend you’re out in the Lisbon sun and not grey old blighty.
Now, Santa Nata might just be my idea of heaven; wall-to-wall custard tarts, just waiting for someone with an empty stomach and reckless disregard for their waistline to come along. You know The Simpsons bit where Homer is in hell, and being “tortured” with endless doughnuts? Yeah, that’s me and pastéis de nata, to be honest.
The pastelaria’s glass frontage shows off the process of creating the tarts, as the master pastry chefs roll, shape, and fill batch after batch. With Santa Nata owned by a family of second-generation bakers, you can be sure that this recipe has been perfected over the years. They’re also serving coffee, indulgent hot chocolate (which provides a delightful dunking opportunity), and even the world’s first pastel de nata doughnut, which is every bit as glorious as it sounds.
With no flight required, it looks like Lisbon has come to us!
Find Santa Nata at 17 Russell Street, Covent Garden, WC2B 5HP or 7 New Row, Seven Dials, WC2N 4LH.