Each time I enter Lisboa bakery, I think of two things: how nice it is to have a genuine piece of one of my favourite cities here in Budapest, and that this time I’m really going to get something other than the pastel de nata (the best custard tart imaginable, typical of the area of Lisbon known as Belém). So, I inspect the breads, the brioche sandwiches, the citrus meringue tart, the mil folhas (all awesome in their own way) and then get the pastel de nata- or, at least, something plus the pastel de nata too. It’s like a first love: others may come and go, but the feeling will never be the same again.
There have in fact been several attempts to replicate the famous Portuguese dessert in Budapest, but none ever tasted like the real thing until Lisboa bakery came along. The sublime creaminess of the tarts, fresh from the oven, rivals that of the Belém originals, but mercifully you don’t have to queue for ages — morning hours are quite busy, but nothing out of the ordinary for a popular café.
Coffee is indeed also to be had, of the dark roast variety favoured by the Portuguese themselves; lovers of hipster light roasts might thus find it somewhat bitter. The interior is well designed and pleasantly reminiscent of coffeehouses in Lisbon, yet in summer it’s probably a good idea to sit on the small terrace, situated at a comfortable distance from the crowds crossing through Gozsdú courtyard.
