I witnessed Santa Nata bring the irresistible magic of Lisbon straight to Covent Garden by adding its own rich flavour to the lively atmosphere of the Piazza. On any given afternoon, the historic square is a sensory overload of buskers, rushing theatregoers, and tourists checking maps on their phones. But if you drift toward the Market Building, the ambient noise of Central London yields to something completely tempting: caramelised sugar, scorched dairy, and warm, buttery pastry.
On a warm, sunny Saturday, I ventured to Santa Nata to satisfy my craving for their signature artisanal pastel de nata and see what else they had on offer. What I encountered was the unmistakable scent of a Portuguese bakery that has perfected the art of Lisbon’s custard tart right in the heart of the West End. It immediately transported me back to the streets of Portugal without having to travel far.
While Santa Nata keeps pace with contemporary trends by offering doughnuts, matcha, and soft-serve ice creams, the true heart of the operation lies in a 300-year-old monastic tradition.
The truth is that while many cafés try to cater to everyone’s preferences or succumb to every single trend, Santa Nata stands out because it anchors its identity in a singular yet flawlessly executed masterpiece. Walking up to the store, I instantly felt the buzz at their grab-and-go location, with lively crowds lining up out the door, all eager to get their hands on the fresh bakes from Santa Nata.
The Masterpiece of the Pastel de Nata
The experience of waiting in line at Santa Nata is entirely elevated by the theatre of the bakery itself. Through the large glass window, you can watch the pastry chef meticulously rolling the dough, shaping it into perfect rounds, and filling them before sliding the trays into the roaring oven. Seeing the raw ingredients transform into golden pastries right before my eyes makes the anticipation even sweeter.
The crust is a marvel of lamination. It is not a shortcrust pastry that crumbles into sand upon impact. Instead, you get these beautifully thin, buttery layers that shatter with a loud crunch. They purposely bake the bottom until it is a deep brown, which gives the pastry the perfect amount of bite to contrast the creamy custard waiting inside.
The custard filling is the real star of the show. It completely avoids that rubbery, overly eggy texture you get with cheap supermarket knockoffs that end up tasting more like sweet omelettes. Instead, the centre is a rich, velvety cream that is perfectly set yet still incredibly smooth. The tarts are baked under intense heat to get those signature dark, scorched spots on top, adding a lovely bittersweet caramel flavour that breaks up the richness of the dairy.
I enjoyed it warm straight out of the oven with a quick dusting of cinnamon. It is easily the quickest way to escape to the streets of Portugal without leaving central London.
Modern Sips and Ice Clouds in the Piazza
For those looking for something refreshing alongside or instead of the pastel de natas, the drink menu brings a fun, modern twist to the table. It is packed with creative textures and temperatures that pair brilliantly with the warm bakes.
Take their ice cloud matcha range, for example. Now, matcha can be tricky to get right when you are surrounded by sweet pastries, as its earthy bitterness easily clashes with heavy dairy or gets completely lost in sugar. But here, you can add a flavour to match every mood: Mango, Strawberry, Banana, Pistachio, Taro, or Coconut.
I ordered their Banana Cloud Matcha and watched the staff meticulously whisking the pure matcha powder behind the counter. When they handed it over, the drink was cold and incredibly smooth. The banana gave it a natural sweetness and a creamy texture that beautifully softened the earthy kick of the green tea.
If you prefer your coffee with a bit of everything, the iced coffee chai caramel latte is an unexpected win. On paper, it seems like a lot is going on, mixing a sharp shot of espresso with warming chai spices and rich caramel syrup. But over plenty of ice, it actually works beautifully. The spicy notes of cardamom and cinnamon in the chai keep the caramel from tasting too sugary, while the espresso cuts through the milk so it still feels like a proper caffeine fix rather than a melted dessert.
Beyond the Counter with Doughnuts and Soft Serve
While the star of the show is undoubtedly the pastel de nata, the other treats on the menu at this Piazza location deserve a shoutout too. The bakery knows that people exploring Covent Garden love options, so Santa Nata have added some fantastic casual treats to the lineup here.
They offer pillowy doughnuts, if you want a more substantial, classic bakery treat. Then, there is the soft-serve ice cream. On a sunny afternoon in the Piazza, you will see plenty of people walking around with a swirl of velvety soft serve topped with crunchy pastry crumbs. It is a brilliant take on those classic custard flavours, making the shop a great spot to hit whether the London weather is warm or typically grey.
It is worth keeping in mind that the Covent Garden Piazza shop is a lively, fast-paced spot built for grabbing your food and heading out. If you want to sit down and take your time, you can walk just a few minutes over to their New Row branch, or visit their spot at Battersea Power Station, both of which have proper indoor seating. But for pure atmosphere and the simple joy of eating a hot pastry on the cobblestones under the open sky, the Piazza spot is impossible to beat.
My take on this is that the best way to experience it is to grab a big box of warm tarts to share with your friends or family. I snagged two boxes of pastel de natas with four in each box and shared them amongst friends.
Ultimately, Santa Nata works so well because it fits right into the fast rhythm of London life without cutting corners on quality. It is the perfect quick pitstop while shopping, a great place to pause and people-watch, and a reminder that some classic recipes simply cannot be bettered.
