Experience Cooking Classes in Lisbon with Withlocals

"My boyfriend and I went to the class. Although it is slightly outside of Lisbon, it was worth the time it took to get there! Chef Manuel was an excellent teacher. He explained every part of the process, the history and how to make the deserts at home. He even converted all measurements for me in the US and my boyfriend in the UK. We had so much fun, learned alot and had some incredible Pastel De Natas to take home with us. I would HIGHLY recommend the experience to anyone looking to so something fun and engaging while in Lisbon."

"João was unable to teach our class due to an unexpected event that came up, so he asked his chef Manuel to teach us. Chef Manuel did an amazing job, he explained and showed us exactly how to make the pastel de nata which was expected, but he did much more than that. During each step he would explain what could go wrong, and what to do if that happened. He explained how to to store the pastries, how long they would last, and how either the dough or custard could be made in advance, and how to treat it if we wanted to do this. He also explained how to scale the recipe as needed. I had 2 young children in the class, who of course insisted on doing most of the cooking and Manuel was great with them. He even taught them how to separate egg whites from the yolks. \n\n My kids were not that interested in the class before we got there because we had tried the pastel de nata at a restaurant and they didn't like it that much. Their attitudes change 180 degrees after this class. They loved the way the ones they made tasted, and it was unanimous that the ones we were taught to make in this class were better than the ones we had found in Lisbon previously.\n\nAt the end Manuel had another store employee take a picture of all of us which he emailed to us, as a great memory of our time in the class. This class was well worth the money and something I'd recommend to anyone considering it."

"This was so much fun, and the pastries we made were fantastic! The class started with a few complementary pastries and a bit of information about the history of pastel de nata. After that, we went down to the professional kitchen and started cooking! He made the experience a blast, clearly explaining everything every step of the way. I’m no cook, but he didn’t mind, being very patient with me. He was fun, engaging and just a joy to be around. The pastries we made were delicious, both that day and the day after! \n\nHe was also very flexible, even when I had to make last minute changes! Finally, he is very LGBT+ friendly, my wife and I had no issues here :) I didn’t expect to, but it’s always something I look for in reviews so I thought I’d mention It. \n\nThank you João for making us feel so\nWelcome! "

"Our two families (four adults and four children 5, 8, 8, 10) met up with Joao over Spring Break to make and eat the famous Pastel de Nada. We had some issues with rental cars and getting to the bakery from downtown Lisbon, but Joao was very understanding, and we were still able to make it work. Joao gave us a brief history lesson of his family and his bakery, and we even touched on some of the customs and traditions of Portugal. We got to sample some other delicious Portuguese pastries and drink some tea and coffee before we headed downstairs to get baking. \n\nThe entire process was very interactive, and everyone got to help with different steps of measuring out ingredients, rolling dough, cracking eggs, and filling the cups with pastel de nada. Joao was very good with the kids and helped them with some of the more challenging aspects of the process. The final product came out great and we got to eat the labors of our hard work. Joao sent us the recipe and instructions as well so we could make them at home. You can also purchase a DIY kit that has some helpful tools and tiny tins used to bake the pastries, for a reasonable price. Overall, it was an enjoyable day for everyone, and we thoroughly enjoyed the process and would highly recommend it."

"Oh my goodness! We did this experience when we were in Lisbon and it did not disappoint. We went to Joao’s family bakery and learned how to make his family’s award winning pastel de nata. He was so warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable. We had great conversations and made wonderful memories! Cannot recommend enough! "

"Our family of four (kids ages 7 and 10) loved our cooking class with Manuel! This was the very first thing we did upon arriving in Portugal, and what a great way to kickstart our trip. The class was fun, interactive, and delicious! The staff were kind and very generous, and it was the perfect way to learn experientially. We would highly recommend this!"

"João was a fantastic guide into the mysterious world of the Pastel de Nata. Not only did he diligently disclose the alchemy that lies behind the creation of the perfect pastel de nata he also described its history and gave a fascinating insight into the friendly rivalries that exist between the different pasticcerias in Portugal and that seem to ever drive forward the perfection of this delicious craft. João was charming, very good humoured and both patient and encouraging towards the motley crew of geeky and ham handed misfits that I enlisted to join me in this wonderful experience. I can honestly say that the pastel de natas he helped us bake where the very best we sampled during our stay in lovely Lisbon. Muito obrigado!"

"Ontzettend leuk om te doen ! "

"Na een hartelijke ontvangst en kennismaking werden we aan het werk gezet. Pastel de nata maken van scratch! João maakt er echt een feestje van. Heel erg leuk om te doen, veel geleerd en we het was ook nog eens super lekker. Echt een aanrader!"

"Our time with Joao was one of the highlights if our 10 day trip to Portugal. He is the MASTER of Pastel De Nata's! We MADE the best one's that we tasted throughout our entire trip:) He also made the class incredibly fun and all 4 of my kids learned a lot about not only baking, but the wonderful country of Portugal. If you have the time and are looking for a personalized experience to remember, book this NOW!!"