A bakery dedicated to the Pastel De Natas is giving Mancunians a taste of Portugal without having to leave the city centre.
Pastel De Natas are a traditional egg custard tart pastry dusted with cinnamon, and have become synonymous with Portuguese culture.
The bakery- run by the brains behind the hugely popular Federal Cafe- has joined the likes of Viet Shack, Piazza MCR and Yangtze at the dining section of the Arndale shopping centre.
Owner and managing director Claudio Ribeiro has brought his own Portuguese influence to the Federal, with regular pasteis de nata baked and presented proudly on the counter, but now they’re dedicating a whole site to the delicacy.
Claudio previously told the M.E.N : "We only have a very small kitchen in the Northern Quarter and the quality of our food is a huge testament to our chefs.
"I'm happy with the concept we've created and we want to continue with that.”
A single Natas will set you back £2, with prices reaching up to £25 for a box of 16 tarts and the dessert can be washed down with an Espresso for £1.
Flavours range from the traditional to the experimental; highlights include Chocolate, Sea Salt and Espresso, Cherry and Apple Crumble, with a rotation of special offerings changing weekly.
The bakery has also recently started offering a plant-based alternative to their traditional natas, so vegans can also tuck into the delicious treat.
The bakery has received many accolades since opening, with one reviewer describing them as serving the ‘Best Natas outside of Lisbon!’.
One reviewer said: “The cherry and coconut tarts caught my eye and wow!! The most delicious food I've put in my mouth. Soft, gooey and subtle flavour! Still warm from the oven. Yum!”
Another enthused: “Omg. I'm almost weeping with delight at these little pots of dreams. They are just sublime. I was dreading working back in Manchester but NOW...well. Now I'm just going to eat Nata!”
A third added: “What can I say except WOW it was absolutely beautiful a little bit of heaven in a cup.
“It was amazing, the pastry was perfect and the filling was just divine. An absolutely perfect combination.”
They even offer a Deliveroo service so you can get the sweet treats direct to your door, although you need to order six tarts minimum to be eligible.
If you’re looking to sit in and tuck into the tarts, their sister site Federal Cafe is just around the corner and often has a selection of tarts, as well as plenty of other sweet and savoury options to choose from.
Just Natas is open seven days a week, from 10am-5pm, or until they run out. The bakery is located at Unit FC2, Arndale Market, 49 High Street, M4 3AD. For more information, visit their website, or follow their Instagram here and Facebook here.
