A little Portuguese sweetness. A whole lot of South African spirit.

South Africans know a thing or two about bold flavours, great food and bringing people together around the table. And when you’ve helped put a little peri-peri heat on the map, perhaps the natural next step is to give South Africa something sweet to talk about.

Meet Casa das Natas.

Established in March 2022, Casa das Natas was born from a love of great food and the belief that every good meal deserves an equally memorable ending. Our inspiration comes from Portugal and its iconic pastel de nata: a delicate, flaky pastry filled with rich custard and shaped by centuries of baking tradition.

Portuguese in inspiration and South African in spirit, Casa das Natas brings a little taste of Portugal home.

A little tart with a big history

Every great classic has a story, and the pastel de nata has a particularly delicious one. Its origins are closely linked to Portugal’s conventual baking traditions. Egg yolks left over from using egg whites to starch clothing found a second life in the kitchen, helping inspire the rich custard pastries that became a defining part of Portuguese baking.

The pastel de nata we know and love today is a celebration of that heritage: paper-thin layers of buttery pastry, folded and baked until golden, crisp and beautifully flaky, wrapped around a smooth, creamy custard and finished with a delicately blistered top. The first bite brings a light crackle, followed by the softness of the silky centre.

From its roots in Lisbon, this little Portuguese icon has travelled the world, finding a home in cafés, bakeries and the hearts of pastry lovers everywhere. Its popularity continues to earn international recognition. In TasteAtlas’s Top 100 Desserts in the World for 2026, Portugal claimed both of the top two places: Pastel de Belém at number one and pastel de nata at number two.

Pastel de Belém is the celebrated original made by the historic bakery in Belém, while pastéis de nata are the beloved custard tarts inspired by that same Portuguese tradition and enjoyed around the world. At Casa das Natas, we’re proud to share this much-loved tradition with South Africans through our own freshly baked natas.

Explore the TasteAtlas Top 100 Desserts in the World: 
TasteAtlas – Top 100 Desserts

Tradition, baked fresh every day

Some things are classics for a reason, but that doesn’t mean their story has to stand still. We bake our natas fresh every day, honouring the contrast that makes them so irresistible: delicate, buttery pastry with crisp, golden layers wrapped around smooth, velvety custard. It’s a simple commitment, but one that makes all the difference. A pastry this special deserves to be enjoyed at its very best.

While we respect the traditions that made the pastel de nata a Portuguese icon, we’re always looking for ways to refine the experience and discover new flavours that excite our customers. For us, great food is about more than following a recipe. It takes care, curiosity and craftsmanship, along with a passion for creating something people genuinely love.

A good nata is a small moment of indulgence: a taste of another culture and a reminder that some of life’s best experiences are often the simplest.

Whether you’re already a devoted pastel de nata fan or discovering this Portuguese classic for the first time, Casa das Natas invites you to pull up a chair, take a bite and make it part of your own story.