At Rua da Escola Politécnica 90, a small storefront facing the street is changing the way people enjoy one of the city’s most popular treats, the Bola de Berlim.
It’s called Berlina and is a small shop dedicated exclusively to this traditional beach treat.
The partners’ goal is simple: to serve a product that’s always freshly made, still warm, and capable of rivaling the love that Lisboners also have for the famous pastel de nata.
Will they succeed? Find out how our experience went!
A project with legs to walk on
In our opinion, this mission doesn’t seem all that complicated; after all, eating a Bola de Berlim on the beach is a tradition that many look forward to every year during the summer months.
It’s true that this cake is sold in practically every pastry shop we’ve ever visited in Lisbon; however, few people choose it from these display cases during the other months of the year , often opting instead for other sweet treats.
Well, from what we could tell after trying Berlina’s Bolas de Berlim, this situation could change overnight. That’s because Berlina’s bolas have something special about them: they’re always served warm, dusted with sugar, and filled with one of four fillings of your choice— pastry cream, raspberry jam, chocolate cream, or a salted caramel variant. You can also opt for the simplest version, without a filling, which is the cheapest at €2.50.
It’s precisely on this point— the price—that we’re a bit skeptical. Although they’re quite tasty —undoubtedly among the best we’ve ever had—and feature generous, delicious fillings, we feel the price is “sky-high, ” rising steadily as the cost of ingredients also increases:
- No cream for €2.50
- Classic (with pastry cream) for €3
- With chocolate for €3.50
- Raspberry flavor for €4
- With salted caramel for €5
The truth is that, the entire time we were chatting with João Cândido, one of Berlina’s partners, it was a “let’s see if we can keep up” kind of scene at this little shop, with more and more people stopping by and asking for one of these Bolas de Berlim before going on their way.
So it seems that price isn’t even an issue— at least for now—with this small shop having already sold out on several occasions.
The vision of the partners behind Berlina’s Bolas de Berlim
As João Cândido explained to us, the way this shop operates was designed to solve a common problem with this treat: in most bakeries and pastry shops, Bolas de Berlim are fried only in the morning, resulting in a product that loses its quality throughout the day, making it impossible to maintain the same texture for those who buy it in the afternoon.
As such, Berlina’s goal is to offer a Bola de Berlim tailored to the tastes of Lisboners, focusing on continuous production to ensure freshness.
But that’s not all! The technique used to make these pastries results in a dough characterized by its lightness, described by those who taste it as “a sheet of paper with cream.”
Also noteworthy is the frying process, which leaves the pastry ungreasy: the white paper napkins provided to hold the treat remain clean, with no visible oil drips, defying the typical image of these fried pastries.
The service is also very fast and geared toward immediate consumption on the sidewalk, but if you’re not in the mood to eat and walk, Berlina also offers cardboard boxes designed to safely pack the treats so you can take them home.
Useful information:
Address: Rua da Escola Politécnica 90 (Príncipe Real-Rato)
Hours: daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Menu: on the website
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