Pastelaria Havaneza

According to Torres Vedras council, the filling is known locally as the espécie and is made from almonds, white beans, egg yolks, sugar and water. It sits in a thin pastry case, the forra or capa, made of flour, vegetable fat, water and salt. The finished tart is golden with a satin shine, and it is small enough for one person to eat in a few bites.

Most children will not guess the beans. Tell them after they have tried one.

The heavy use of sugar, egg yolk and almond gives away its roots in convent baking. The council traces the recipe to Joaquina Júlia Rodrigues da Silva, a woman from Castelo Branco who lived in Torres Vedras in the mid-19th century and used to treat her family and friends to bean tarts. Her recipe was passed down and became the one the town knows today. The first written mentions date from the last quarter of the 19th century, and in 1896 it was one of 38 local sweets chosen for the Portuguese Ethnographic Exhibition.

About 30 producers make pastéis de feijão in the Torres Vedras area, and the council is working to have it registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP), the same kind of protection as a regional cheese or wine.

The Havaneza has other specialities worth trying. It sells broas dos Santos, a spiced cake that in Torres Vedras is normally baked only around All Saints’ Day on 1 November, all year round. Its own Delícia Havaneza is a small puff pastry cake with an egg and almond filling. Reviews also praise the pastéis de nata, the custard tarts, and there is breakfast and coffee.

When D de Delta magazine profiled the shop, its owner José Rodrigues de Sousa, originally from Monção in the far north, had worked there for more than 60 years and still arrived at 6:45 every morning. The building has also housed the headquarters of the local football club, Torreense. Over the decades the Havaneza has been a grocer, a crockery shop, an ice cream parlour and a snack bar; today the side section is a newsagent selling Portuguese and foreign newspapers and magazines. In 2015 the Chimarrão café group bought it and kept the same team.

The shop is open every day of the year, including Christmas. Full opening hours are not published, and Google Maps showed a 20:00 closing in September 2026, so check before you plan around it.

The terrace faces the square and is pleasant on summer evenings. Google Maps lists a step-free entrance and an accessible toilet, and cards are accepted.

Carnival week in February or March is a different world. The Torres Vedras Carnival is one of the biggest in Portugal, and many revellers end their night at the Havaneza; it closes for only two or three hours a day to clean. Older children may love the atmosphere, but it is a lot for a toddler.

Parque Verde da Várzea is the town’s big free park, with a five-zone playground, a zip line and water jets. On a warm day, Santa Cruz beach has rock pools at low tide, and Dino Parque Lourinhã, with its life-size dinosaurs, is a short drive north.

What is a pastel de feijão?

A small tart from Torres Vedras filled with white beans, egg yolks, sugar and almonds in a thin pastry case.

Is the Havaneza open on Sundays?

Yes. It opens every day of the year, including Christmas; check closing times before you go.

Is it suitable for a child with a nut allergy?

No. The pastel de feijão filling contains almonds, and so does the Delícia Havaneza.

Can you sit outside?

Yes, there is a terrace on Praça da República.