Tomar travel guide for food lovers

Most travelers who end up in Tomar go there because of the Convent of Christ (pictured below), a UNESCO World Heritage site. The convent and castle are really impressive, with seemingly neverending cloisters and one of the most striking Manueline windows in the country. But we believe you should never come to Tomar, visit this monument and carry on with your trip, as taking your time here can be rewarding if you’d like to enjoy everything else this city has to offer.

Feat photo by Rota dos Templários

Photo by Património Mundial do Centro

Tomar sits in central Portugal, in the Ribatejo region, on the banks of the Nabão river, about 135km north of Lisbon. It is easy to reach Tomar from Lisbon as a day trip, either by car, which takes around 1.5 hours via the A1 and A13 motorways, or by direct regional train from Lisboa Santa Apolónia or Oriente, which drops you a short walk away from the historic center. 

It is small enough to walk everywhere, so if you don’t have a car you wouldn’t be missing all that much. The historic center was laid out in a cross shape, with convents at each cardinal point, a reminder that this was once a carefully planned power base for the Templars and, later, the Order of Christ, set up to control land, river routes and people from a tight grid full of symbolism.

Photo by Rota dos Templários

Everything in Tomar radiates out from the Convent of Christ and the Templar castle (pictured above), so that is where we’d recommend you start your visit. You climb up through the Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes, a patch of forest that once belonged to the Order of Christ, and arrive at this complex where you can marvel at five centuries of architecture. You walk from a round 12th century church inspired by the Holy Sepulchre straight into late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque spaces without leaving the building. From the walls, the views drop down over Tomar’s tight grid of streets and the Nabão snaking below, and it becomes very clear who controlled what around here for a long time.

Photo by Filipefirix on Wikipedia

When you come back down into town, the pace changes. You cross into Praça da República, with the church of São João Baptista (Rua São João 135) at one end and the town hall at the other, and this is where you finally have time to sit with a coffee and just watch Tomar go about its business. From here, Rua Serpa Pinto pulls you into the old commercial artery, lined with traditional shops, pastelarias, and the kind of slightly faded but still elegant façades that Portugal does so well.

Photo by Portugalidade Magazine

A few streets away, the tiny synagogue (located in Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 73), one of the oldest in Portugal, now houses a museum, the Museu Hebraico Abraão Zacuto, about the Jewish presence in the region.

Photo by Médio Tejo

At the water’s edge, Mouchão Park sits on an island in the river with an old wooden waterwheel. This is a pretty place where you can let kids run or just lie down in the grass and pretend you are not here with a packed itinerary. Along the Nabão, the old industrial Levada area is being slowly brought back to life, with former mills and factories turned into cultural spaces and small museums, including a surprisingly charming matchbox museum, the Museu dos Fósforos de Aquiles da Mota Lima.

Photo by Tomar na Rede

If you have a car or feel like stretching your legs, the Aqueduto dos Pegões is worth the detour. Built to bring water to the convent, it marches across the landscape in long stone strides, and you can hike sections of it, as long as you do not suffer from vertigo. 

Photo by Ponto de Partida

On hot days, locals head out towards Castelo de Bode reservoir and the surrounding river beaches, where there are pine trees, freshwater and grilled food stalls that say a lot about real Portuguese life.

Photo by CM Tomar

Every four years, during Festa dos Tabuleiros, Tomar celebrates with women walking in procession carrying tall headpieces with bread and flowers, and the whole town turning out to watch one of Portugal’s most striking traditional parades. The celebration is linked with the old Holy Spirit and harvest traditions, with each “tabuleiro” (literally tray) stacked with loaves of bread and decorated with paper flowers and wheat, symbolising abundance, community and the sharing of food.

When it comes to the local food culture, it’s important to give context by understanding that Tomar is in the Ribatejo, a land of hearty flavors and dishes that were designed for people who actually worked in the fields. Game, for example, is part of the local repertoire, and so are river fish when in season, especially eel and lamprey, often in rice dishes or stews.

Photo by 24Kitchen

But where Tomar really stands out is in the pastry department. Like many old convent towns in Portugal, it has a serious sweet tooth, born from centuries of nuns and friars finding creative ways to use egg yolks and sugar while the whites went off to starch habits and clarify wine. The signature fatias de Tomar (pictured above) are cooked slices of pure yolk batter made in a special tall pan, then cut and served with a glossy syrup, almost like a richer cousin of sponge cake. Alongside them come beija-me depressa (“kiss me quickly”, pictured below), which are small sweets dusted with sugar that live up to the name because they tend to disappear as soon as they hit the table (or the lips); and queijinhos doces, little “cheeses” that are actually almond and egg confections pretending to be dairy. You find these in traditional pastry shops in town, such as the ones we recommend further below.

Photo by A Vida Portuguesa

Eating out in Tomar can be a real treat, no matter if you go to a local tasca, a themed medieval tavern, or a pastry shop. 

Best restaurants for Portuguese food in Tomar

Taverna Antiqua

Right on Praça da República, facing the church of São João Baptista, Taverna Antiqua is where Tomar reminisces about its Templar past while tasting good food. Picture the place with stone walls, candlelight, clay cups, heavy wooden tables and staff in pseudo-medieval outfits, creating an atmosphere that may not always be historically accurate but that is fun nonetheless as long as you’re in the mood for it. The kitchen takes classic Portuguese flavors and dresses them up for the “old kingdom”. Expect hearty soups like cream of mushrooms with chestnuts (creme de cogumelos com castanhas), slow-cooked pork shin, wild boar pie (empada de javali) with apple purée, rich beef stews and bacalhau à mercador for the inevitable salt cod moment. There are usually one or two vegetarian or even vegan plates that are more substantial than a side salad. Desserts embrace Portugal’s love for convent style sweets, including a very good pudim Abade de Priscos. Come to Taverna Antiqua knowing that the medieval fantasy atmosphere is supposed to be half of the experience, and that you’re signing up for dinner but also for a bit of theater, and you’re likely to enjoy the experience, especially if along with your stew you order a big jug of wine.

📍Praça da República 23, 2300-556 Tomar

http://tavernaantiqua.com

Photo by Table Agent

O Tabuleiro

If you want a reality check after the medieval cosplay of Taverna Antiqua, O Tabuleiro is where Tomar eats like itself. This family-run spot on Rua Serpa Pinto, just off the main square, does straightforward traditional Portuguese food, and that means big portions, no fuss, and lots of regulars who keep coming back for more. Come here for lunch after the Convent of Christ or for a low-key dinner when you want proper, home-style cooking, particularly focusing on comfort dishes from central Portugal. House favorites include arroz de peixe packed with fish and flavorful broth, bife à Tabuleiro for steak people, and a very popular oven baked cod with cream (bacalhau com natas). On the heavier side, there’s white beans stew with cuttlefish (feijoada de chocos), stewed cheeks of Iberian black pig (bochechas de porco preto), oven roasted duck rice (arroz de pato), and Portugal’s national dish cozido à portuguesa. Prices are friendly, but even then, don’t be tempted to order too much as even half portions are in many cases enough to share.

📍Rua Serpa Pinto 146, 2300-592 Tomar

www.facebook.com/restaurante.otabuleiro.tomar

Photo by j2006v on TripAdvisor

Taverna d’Talha

Taverna d’Talha is the place to go in Tomar when you’re more in the mood to graze than to face a full plate of meat and two sides. It’s a tavern style spot in the historic center, a short walk from the main square, where the menu is built around petiscos, that is, small portions perfect for sharing and also for trying a little bit “of everything”. That includes grilled chorizo (chouriço assado), cheese and cured meat boards, generous bruschettas and addictive crispy potato skins with oregano, pepper and salt (delícias de batata frita). For dessert, they usually keep it simple, with things like local small baked cheese and egg pastries called queijadas. The portions are quite generous, so you may want to keep ordering as you go, instead of asking for too much variety to begin with. The space itself is cozy and slightly rustic, but without the type of medieval reenactment you’ll find in places like Taverna Antiqua above. On some special nights, they even have live music. As a tavern, drinks are taken seriously, with plenty of wine options by the glass and even a great house sangria. Taverna d’Talha is a great pick for a relaxed evening of wine and snacks after a day at the Convent of Christ, or for anyone who wants to see how Tomar does bar food rather than sitting down to a several course meal.

📍Largo Pelourinho 24, 2300-549 Tomar

www.instagram.com/tavernadtalha

Photo by Gastroranking

Clandestino

Tucked in the historic center not far from the old synagogue, Clandestino prepares modern comfort food without losing its Portuguese soul. The menu lives somewhere between petiscos and full-on mains, so you can either share a spread or stick to your own plate. Expect things like Brás style salt cod, made shredded cod with onions, matchstick potatoes and egg (Brás de bacalhau lascado); their house version of “broken eggs” (ovos rotos à Clandestino); and a proper francesinha sandwich, which is the infamous meat and cheese stack from Porto, drowned in spicy beer sauce. There are also burgers, creamy rice with steak strips (arroz cremoso com tiras de bife da vazia) and, unusually for this style of place, decent vegetarian options like a tofu steak sandwich (prego de bife de tofu) or veggie “broken eggs”, without the meaty bites. Clandestino is a great choice for a casual dinner with friends, especially if you want to mix classic flavors with a slightly more urban vibe than the old-school tascas. It fills up fast so, at peak times, we’d recommend booking ahead.

📍Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 48 A, 2300-577 Tomar

www.facebook.com/clandestino.n16

Photo by Clandestino on Facebook

Tabernáculo do Rio

Tabernáculo do Rio’s menu is half Portuguese tavern, half world tour via a plate of fries. Allow us to explain. On one hand, you’ll find things like veal stew (vitela estufada) which is served in a metal pot with rice, chips and salad; chicken casserole baked in a typical clay pot (frango na púcara), simple grilled meats and a couple of vegetarian plates. On the other side, you’ll find a variety of dressed-up chips inspired by different countries, from British-style curry chips, to Canadian poutine, and patatas bravas from Spain. It’s fun, affordable food designed to share. If you have a big sweet tooth, you may want to go solo when it comes to dessert, for example to enjoy their wonderful chocolate mousse. Set on Rua Marquês de Pombal, just up from the old bridge and the Nabão river, Tabernáculo do Rio is a relaxed neighborhood spot with a slightly bohemian atmosphere and a crowd that mixes tourists with Tomar regulars. The prices are more than fair, so you’ll easily have the budget to explore their inviting list of wines by the glass, or perhaps share a jug of sangria. On Thursdays there’s usually live music, which is always a nice bonus.

📍Rua Marquês de Pombal 60, 2300-510 Tomar

www.facebook.com/tabernaculodoriothomar

Photo by Gastroranking

Chico Elias

Chico Elias should be on your radar if you’re curious to explore Tomar’s regional cooking. It sits a couple of kilometers outside the center, in the village of Algarvias, in what used to be a workers’ tavern that slowly turned into a destination restaurant. It’s traditional and rural in feel, but the cooking is certainly not stuck in time, which is why people will happily drive out from Tomar just to eat here. Reservations are essential, though. The menu is a tribute to Ribatejo’s best dishes, including starters like snail and bean stew (feijoada de caracóis), black pudding with rice (morcela de arroz) and tiny sardines baked in the oven (petingas no forno). A lot of the main dishes are oven roasted, for example cod with pork (bacalhau assado no forno com carne de porco), eel fricassée (enguias de fricassé), hare baked inside a whole pumpkin (coelho na abóbora, pictured here), slow-roasted kid goat (cabrito assado no forno), duck with garlicky bread crumbs (pato com migas) and the house cabbage with pork and Port wine (couves à Dom Prior). Even their bread is baked in-house, so this is definitely a restaurant for those who are serious about exploring the best of local cuisine. To finish, you can never go wrong with the local fatias de Tomar, or have a classic which is beloved all over the country, leite creme queimado, that is, Portugal’s take on crème brûlée. For a regional meal without counting calories, as long as you’re also not too worried about your budget, Chico Elias is simply hard to beat.

📍Rua Conde de Tomar 92A, 2300-302 Tomar

www.instagram.com/chicoelias.restaurante

Photo by Tastyrank

D’o Costume

Meat lovers rejoice, visiting D’o Costume, which is all about steak and burgers, prepared with more care than at your regular fast food joint. Their signature plates come off the grill and include a juicy rib eye steak that regulars rave about, a house burger (hambúrguer da casa) that is stacked and messy in all the right ways, and a rich potato casserole (caçarola de batata), which is basically an upgraded potato gratin that is honestly as good as the meat itself. Instead of regular fries, they prepare crispy mille-feuille-style chips (batatas mil-folhas), served in thin layers. If you still have space, go classic with a crème brûlée for dessert, and find out for yourself why this is one of the most popular sweets here. You can come to D’o Costume and treat yourself without breaking the budget. Book ahead for dinner, especially at weekends, and keep this one in mind for the night you feel like trading petiscos for a serious steak and a good glass of red wine.

📍Rua São João 135, 2300-568 Tomar

www.instagram.com/docostume

Photo by Echo Boomer

Sabores ao Rubro

Sabores ao Rubro sits a little away from the main tourist streets, on Rua dos Moinhos, and feels very much like a local favorite rather than a place designed for visitors. Their approach to food is very straightforward, focusing on regional Ribatejo cooking, with plenty of food on the plate. No wonder this place fills up quickly with families and groups of friends who come here to eat and drink well, and be happy with life’s simple pleasures. If you feel like meat, we’d suggest trying the ribatejano-style steak in cream and pepper sauce (bife Sabores ao Rubro), or the grilled rump cap served with fried banana, orange and grilled pineapple (picanha grelhada). If you prefer something from the oven, look out for the house octopus roasted with olive oil and garlic and served with smashed potatoes and bread crumbs (polvo à lagareiro), or the “house cod” (bacalhau à casa), which is a fillet of salt cod with a light cornmeal crust, one prawn on top and a rich sauce made with onion, pepper and tomato. There are also shrimp and cuttlefish skewers (espetada de camarão e choco), individual seafood rice (arroz de marisco), cuts of black pork grilled over the coals (secretos de porco preto grelhados or churrasquinho de porco preto) with a mouthwatering mash of bread and sausage. Unusually for such a traditional kitchen, there is a proper vegetarian section with things like mushroom “à Brás” (cogumelos à Brás), and seitan or tofu “à casa”, and the staff are used to dealing with dietary restrictions. Desserts are traditional options such as caramel mousse (baba de camelo), chocolate mousse or cheesecake with red fruits.

📍Rua São João, 49 & Rua dos Moinhos 76A, 2300-568 Tomar

https://saboresaorubro.com

Photo by Sabores ao Rubro

Casa das Ratas

Casa das Ratas is one of Tomar’s classic tascas, operating since 1939 in what used to be a grain warehouse, just down the street from the old synagogue. The kitchen runs on daily specials (pratos do dia) and solid regional staples rather than a huge menu. You might find duck rice (arroz de pato), oven roasted duck (pato assado no forno) or lamb and kid goat on weekends, and there is almost always some form of salt cod, like cod with garlicky bread crumbs and greens (migas de bacalhau), baked cod with chickpeas (bacalhau com grão) or even octopus baked with olive oil and potatoes (polvo à lagareiro). Starters include the classic tasca fare, featuring marinated olives, Portuguese cheese, cured meats (enchidos), and maybe liver strips in wine sauce (iscas de fígado). Desserts also stick to the greatest hits, with options like chocolate mousse or crème caramel, because Casa das Ratas is one of those Portuguese restaurants that doesn’t innovate, but does what it does really well and we love it because sometimes you feel like having something that you just know will hit the spot.

📍Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 7, 2300-577 Tomar

www.facebook.com/p/Casa-das-Ratas-Casa-Matreno-100046370027711

Photo by Casa das Ratas

Alpendre

Alpendre is located just outside Tomar, in the area of Marianaia, and it’s one of those proper roadside restaurants where Portuguese families go for a good weekend lunch. If you are not driving, you can get here by taxi, and it’s far enough from the historic center that it stays mostly on the radar of people who actually live in the area. Eating at Alpendre you’ll probably get to feel like you’re eating at a hidden gem. House recommendations include smoked sausage with fried egg and fries (alheira com ovo e batata frita), thin grilled steak with egg, rice and chips (bitoque do lombo), and the local style sirloin steak (bife à Marianaia do lombo). From the oven and grill you will also see octopus with potatoes and olive oil, roasted kid goat (cabrito no forno) and mixed seafood platters if you feel like sharing. Portions are generous, prices are fair and we just love the unpretentious vibe that somehow tells us we can easily anticipate a mighty fine meal.

📍Rua Principal 13, 2300-178 Tomar

https://restaurante-alpendre.com

Photo by Jorge Santos on Alpendre

Restaurante Sellium – Cervejaria Claustro

Sellium, which is also the old Roman name for Tomar, is a hybrid between a classic Portuguese eatery and a modern beer house (cervejaria). The kitchen focuses on Portuguese cooking with a few crowd pleasers from elsewhere. From the sea, there is usually grilled or oven-baked fish and octopus, sometimes in polvo à lagareiro, that typical Portuguese way of roasting octopus with potatoes, garlic and olive oil. Meat eaters often like the house steak in sauce (bife à portuguesa), the fried pork and clams Alentejano style (carne de porco à alentejana), or whatever slow-cooked dish is on the daily specials board. You might also spot a francesinha sandwich on the menu, if you’re in the mood for “countless” layers of meats, cheese and spicy beer sauce, perfect for dunking some fries in. If you come by for a drink and a quick snack, the chicken wings are known to be addictive. As this is also a place for drinks, beer is taken very seriously here, with several draft options and usually at least one IPA on tap, plus a decent list of wines by the glass.

📍Rua Serpa Pinto 48, 2300-592 Tomar

www.facebook.com/restaurantesellium

Photo by Goto Where

Biscaia

Biscaia is a small, clean, no-fuss spot with a terrace that fills up fast at lunchtime with locals and visitors who know exactly what they’re here for: seriously good sandwiches and a glass of something refreshing on the side. The house specialty is slow-cooked pork knuckle sandwiches (sandes de pernil), done in several versions. There’s the Bisgode, with bacon and fried egg; the Bisconde, with buttery cured sheep’s cheese; the Biscate, with bacon; or the simpler Bissimple, “just” the pork, which doesn’t actually feel simple at all once you bite in. There is also a proper vegetarian option, the Bisveggie, a sandwich with mixed vegetables and brie, plus a short list of petiscos like stewed gizzards (moelas) and a comforting collard greens and potato soup known as caldo verde. To end with a very Portuguese sweet note, we’d recommend going for a rice pudding (arroz doce), or a soft sponge cake (pão de ló Ti Piedade).

📍Rua da Silva Magalhães 77, 2300-390 Tomar

www.instagram.com/biscaia.tomar

Photo by Biscaia on Facebook

Cova Funda

Cova Funda opens mainly for lunch on weekdays, so it naturally becomes the “canteen” of people who live and work in Tomar rather than a fancy stop for travelers. This doesn’t translate into a particularly appealing décor, but it sure means that it is a good representation of what Portuguese home style cooking is all about. House signatures include slow-roasted pork cheeks (queixadas assadas no forno), the house-style baked salt cod (bacalhau à Cova Funda), grilled pork tripe (tripas grelhadas) and cod fritters with rice and salad (pataniscas de bacalhau), plus daily specials that often feature things like white bean and cuttlefish stew (feijoada de chocos) or oven-baked ribs (entrecosto assado no forno). Portions are properly generous and prices are still in the “locals can actually afford to eat here often” bracket, that we get to experience less and less here in Lisbon. For dessert, trust us and order the homemade egg pudding (pudim de ovos), which has a brilliant reputation.

📍Rua Infantaria 15 nº65/67, 2300-583 Tomar

www.facebook.com/p/Cova-Funda-100050740581834

Photo by Richard P on TripAdvisor

Restaurante Piri-Piri

Restaurante Piri-Piri is a family run restaurant that has been doing the same thing for over three decades in the historic center of Tomar. The headliner is, unsurprisingly, the piri-piri chicken (frango de churrasco com piri-piri), charcoal-grilled and brushed with a house chilli oil that has some heat but doesn’t blow your head off. Apart from their best seller, they also have Portuguese comfort dishes like cod baked with a cornbread crust (bacalhau com broa), black pork steaks with garlicky bread crumbs and greens (bifinhos de porco preto com migas), and a surprisingly wonderful fish soup (sopa de peixe). Prices are very reasonable, especially considering how generous the portions are, and there’s usually house wine on tap plus sangria by the jug. If you’re not sure what to order, the BBQ chicken is always a safe bet.

📍Rua dos Moinhos 54, 2300-575 Tomar

www.facebook.com/restaurantepiripiri.tomar

Photo by StephH73170 on TripAdvisor

O Mouchão

O Mouchão is the kind of restaurant you pick in Tomar when you want to splurge a little or go on a special date. It’s located right in Jardim do Mouchão, the little island garden in the middle of the Nabão river, with big windows looking out over the water and an outdoor terrace that comes into its own on warm days. Inside, it is modern and polished without being too over the top, that is, still with a relaxed vibe. There is also a separate bar area, so you can come just for a cocktail or a glass of wine and a starter if you don’t want to enjoy a full meal. If you’re hungry though, you’ll be presented with a wonderful menu of contemporary Portuguese food, with some broader Mediterranean touches. From the sea, there is squid ink spaghetti with prawns in a shellfish bisque and lemon (spaghetti nero gambas, molho bisque e limão), cod loin with chickpea purée and confit cabbage (lombo de bacalhau, puré de grão e couve confitada) and a generous seafood rice (arroz do mar). Meat dishes include sous-vide duck breast with pumpkin purée and spicy honey sauce (magret de pato no sous-vide, puré de abóbora e molho de mel picante), black pork cheeks with truffled mashed potatoes (bochecha de porco preto com puré de batata trufado) and rump steak with pear, walnut and Roquefort risotto (maminha com risoto de pera, nozes e queijo Roquefort). Those following a plant-based diet are actually looked after here, with pumpkin ravioli in tomato ragù (ravioli de abóbora com ragout de tomate) and a wild mushroom and tofu risotto (risotto de tofu e cogumelos selvagens). Desserts change but often include a “Mouchão special”, a mille-feuille style creation and other modern takes on the usual suspects. Along with such good food, it’s recommended to explore their enticing wine list too.

📍Rua Parque do Mouchão, 2300-586 Tomar

https://restaurantemouchao.pt

Photo by O Mouchão on Facebook

Gira,sol

If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just tired of yet another plate of meat and potatoes, Gira,Sol is your safe harbor in Tomar. This is a small vegan restaurant where everything on the menu is plant-based by default. Food here is proper comfort cooking, just without the animal bits. There’s usually a daily plate (prato do dia) plus a short menu of regulars. Think shiitake stroganoff with rice and salad (strogonoff de shitake), a vegan version of Brás-style “cod” made with tofu instead of fish (tofu à Brás), or a Brazilian-inspired chickpea stew with vegetables in coconut and coriander sauce (guisado de grão com leite de coco e coentros). You might also spot roasted pepper stuffed with couscous, seitan and sultanas (pimento recheado com cuscuz, seitan e sultanas), tomato pesto pasta and a surprisingly convincing homemade mushroom “sausage”. Desserts follow the same homey line, featuring coconut and orange pudding with chocolate and almonds, vegan cheesecake, or pear poached in red wine with chocolate (pêra bêbeda). The food is honestly delicious and filling, the prices are friendly, and even committed meat-eaters tend to walk out saying they had a wonderful meal at Gira,sol.

📍Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 16, 2300-577 Tomar

www.instagram.com/gira.sol.vegetariano

Photo by Gira,sol on Facebook

Where to eat breakfast or enjoy a sweet snack in Tomar

Estrelas de Tomar

If you only have time for one sweet stop in Tomar, you could make it Estrelas de Tomar. This is a classic café, bakery and pastry shop, preparing wonderful convent style sweets since the 1960s. As you would expect in a typical Portuguese pastelaria, they have a glass counter full of Portuguese pastries, so there’s always a good excuse for something sweet to go with your coffee. But what makes this place stand out is that a lot of Tomar’s signature sweets were created, or at least popularised here, and some of them are still house exclusives. The star attraction is beija-me depressa (“kiss me quickly”), small, soft cakes based on egg yolks and sugar (doce de ovos) with a moist crumb and a dusting of sugar, invented in the 1960s by the founder Jacinto Teixeira de Carvalho. The cheeky name was deliberate, so couples could have a bit of fun bringing a box home. Right next to them you’ll spot queijinhos doces (“sweet cheeses”), little sweets shaped like domes, made with egg and ground almond, and the almond-based Estrelas de Tomar, the shop’s own creation. Of course they also bake the local classic fatias de Tomar, dense slices of slow cooked yolk batter served in syrup, originally linked to the Convent of Christ but now available in local pastelarias such as this. As you are visiting Tomar, we would suggest ignoring anything you already know from other parts of Portugal and go straight for what was born in Tomar.

📍Rua Serpa Pinto 12, 2300 Tomar

https://estrelasdetomar.pt

Photo by Estrela de Tomar

Tomar Tropical

Around since the early 2000s, Tomar Tropical is your typical Portuguese pastelaria. Locals come here for a quick coffee by the counter, a Portuguese style breakfast, a snack on the terrace or to grab a box of cakes to take for a family lunch. The atmosphere truly is like an old-school pastelaria, that is, with the constant clatter of cups, a glass counter loaded with pastries, and the TV murmuring in the background. They do not have one “must try” specialty, but many usual pastelaria types of cakes, such as custard tarts (pastéis de nata), sweet brioche rolls topped with egg jam and shredded coconut (pão de deus), or flaky croissants. If you prefer something savory, you can ask for fresh bread rolls with butter or cheese and ham, or order a grilled ham and cheese toast (tosta mista), or a simpler sandwich on crusty bread. They also sell bread for take-away. Their counter also displays bigger cakes and slices, ranging from chocolate cake and fruit tarts to seasonal king cakes, like bolo rei and bolo rainha, which are brioche style Christmas breads with candied fruits and nuts. If you arrive in Tomar early in the morning, consider fueling up with breakfast at Tomar Tropical, before you head out sightseeing.

📍Rua Prof. Andrade 2, 2300-515 Tomar

www.facebook.com/p/Pastelaria-Confeitaria-Tropical-100063575022241

Photo by Restaurant Guru

Pastelaria & Geladaria Pic Nic 

Pic Nic is a brand of pastry and ice-cream shops with a couple of locations around Tomar – see full addresses below. They are great stops for everything from breakfast to mid-afternoon sugar cravings. The vibe is the same across both branches, featuring the usual big glass counters one has come to expect in Portuguese pastelarias, a regular influx of locals, and that reassuring smell of coffee and fresh pastries that can turn a so-so day into a great one. They cover pretty much every Portuguese café need. At breakfast, regulars go for milky coffees, simple bread rolls loaded with cheese and ham (sandes mista), or something sweet like a custard tart. If you come here around lunch time, you could enjoy light options such as sandwiches or assorted Portuguese savory snacks. For those moments of indulgence we all crave every now and then, enjoy crêpes made on the spot, topped with fruits and ice creams. Or go traditional Portuguese and explore their offering of convent sweets, including fatias de Tomar; queijinhos doces, and the super rich barrigas de Iria (literally “Iria’s bellies”), which are dense sponge-like cakes soaked in syrup and named after Tomar’s patron saint. 

📍Alameda 1 de Março, 12–14, 2300-431 Tomar

📍Rua de São João, 63, 2300-568 Tomar

www.instagram.com/picnictomar

Photo by Pic Nic on Facebook

If Tomar has opened your appetite for exploration, don’t stop here. Browse our blog for more travel guides for food lovers, featuring destinations within easy reach of Lisbon as a day trip. You can also get our latest articles straight to your inbox by subscribing to Taste of Lisboa’s newsletter.

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Óbidos travel guide for food lovers

Day trips from Lisbon that we locals also enjoy

Real people, real food. Come with us to where the locals go.

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