For the more skeptical, we assure you that these desserts are so good that they surpass the timeless “house sweet”!
After an intense exploration, we’ve put together this list of 10 vegan desserts that you really have to try if you’re a fan of sweets and are concerned about eating more sustainably.
Some are offered by 100% vegan venues, others are on the menu at vegetarian restaurants.
But what really matters is that it’s all delicious and that guilt is lessened when you eat these sweets.
They’re good for your health, your waistline, the planet and they don’t use animal products.
A selection of sustainable sweets to try in Lisbon:
1 – Oreo, Peanut and Chocolate Tart
This dessert from Ao 26 – Vegan Food Project is described on the menu as “a tempting Oreo base with a creamy peanut filling topped with a chocolate and roasted peanut topping“.
When you taste it, the world freezes like in romantic movies, your heart races and there’s only you and it… Several times we wanted to order the whole pie, but our advice is to eat just one slice.
Address: Rua Vítor Cordon 26 (Chiado)
2 – Caramel No. 5
Imagine a dessert that is an ode to caramel and where cake, whipped cream, crunch and topping coexist happily.
Now imagine taking a spoonful and being able to taste this perfect harmony of textures and flavors… It’s perhaps O Botanista’s most famous dessert and, in this case, it has the fame, but it also has the profit. Divine!
Address: Rua Dom Luís I 19 (Cais do Sodré)
3 – White Chocolate and Baobab Pie
Every sweet tooth who visits Veganapati should give this tart a try. It’s made with white chocolate and a fruit called baobab, which grows on the embondeiro tree and is considered an African superfood, rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
The original combination of flavors works perfectly and one slice is the ideal size for sharing.
Address: Rua da Prata 242 (Baixa)
4 – James Brownie
Las Vegan is a place dedicated to sustainable food, but also to puns. It’s therefore not surprising that the name of this dessert is James Brownie, a clear reference to one of the kings of soul music.
The recipe is simple but unbeatable: dark chocolate and seasonal fruit (pomegranate and strawberries are some of the options already used). When you’ve finished, all you want to do is sing one of James Brown’s most popular songs: “honey, please don’t go / oh yeah, I love you so”.
Address: Rua Cavaleiro de Oliveira 53B (Arroios)
5 – Vegan custard tart
They say that “you don’t change a winning team” and the truth is that pastéis de nata are a winning team. But if the alternative is vegan pastéis de nata, which are just as creamy and tasty, we’re 100% for it!
We can already imagine ourselves at the counter of Pastelaria Zarzuela ordering a bica and 6 of these to go.
Address: Rua Bernardino Costa 23 (Cais do Sodré)
6 – Green Apple and Rocha Pear Crumble
What we like most in a good crumble is the perfect combination of softness, freshness and crunchy texture. And this version from The Green Affair does it perfectly!
Its full name is “green apple and rock pearcrumble with lemon thyme crème fraîche “ and all the flavors and aromas that make it up come together flawlessly. A lighter dessert, ideal for the more moderate sweet tooth!
Address: Avenida Duque de Ávila 32A (Saldanha) | Rua Serpa Pinto 15A (Chiado)
7 – Chocolate cake with peanuts
Chocolate cake must be the most requested cake in the world when we’re looking for a comforting sweet.
Between you and me, this dessert from Veganeats Caffe should really be called “Comfort Cake”. A light, fluffy and tasty chocolate base with crunchy peanut topping makes this one of the house’s most praised desserts. Is ordering a whole cake too much?
Address: Rua Cavaleiro de Oliveira 42 (Arroios)
8 – Vegan rice pudding
When we think of rice pudding, childhood memories and that wonderful recipe from our mother or grandmother certainly come to mind .
This vegan version from Organi Chiado is as creamy and appetizing as those family recipes! A perfect reinvention of one of the most traditional Portuguese desserts.
Address: Calçada Nova de São Francisco 2 (Chiado)
9 – Vegan Berliner
Summer is probably the only time of the year when we can eat Bola de Berlim without being devoured by guilt.
The cake is as much a part of the season as sunglasses, a swimsuit or sunscreen! When a vegan version comes along, we feel even less guilt. The problem is that they really are unbelievable and it’s so hard to eat just one… To try at the Moko Veggie Café.
Address: Rua do Forno do Tijolo 29D (Anjos) or Rua Luis Augusto Palmeirim 7B (Alvalade)
10 – Banoffee pie
The Banoffee tart at daTerra restaurant has long been a delight for vegetarians in the North. Since the space opened in Lisbon at the end of 2018, locals have also fallen for the charms of this dessert with “banana, cookie, vegetable cream, vegan condensed milk and vegan whisky liqueur”.
The chocolate shavings are the finishing touch to this otherworldly sweet!
Address: Rua da Rosa 55 (Bairro Alto)
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