What’s Cooking: Aloha Nata brings iconic Portuguese custard tarts to Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Portugal’s iconic sweet custard tarts are now in Hawaii.

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Nic Barradas said he was surprised to see that the ‘pastel de nata’ was not available in the islands, after seeing other ways Portuguese immigrants helped shape Hawaii’s culture, from malasadas and linguica sausages, to bean soup and the ukulele. The name translates to “cream pastry” in Portuguese.

“I felt like I had to open this business. Hawaii has such a rich Portuguese history,” Barradas said. “Every time I met someone with Portuguese heritage who had never tried a pastel de nata, it felt like a missing piece of our story. Bringing it here felt less like a business opportunity and more like a responsibility.”

So he and his dad Agostinho started Aloha Nata a few months ago, combining generations of Portuguese culinary tradition with island ingredients and flavors.

The father-son duo showcased their treats on HNN’s Sunrise, including original, ube, coconut, macadamia nut and Manoa Chocolate.

Agostinho Barradas said unlike the Chinese egg tart, a Portuguese pastel de nata is more custard-forward, made with flour, eggs and sugar, but has a similar buttery, crispy, flaky crust. They were first created in the early 1800s by Catholic monks at Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.

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“We are a family of generational Portuguese bakers,” Nic Barradas said. “In the 1950s, Agostinho Barradas the first, my Avó (grandfather) opened his first bakery. Today we’re keeping that heritage alive here in Honolulu, Hawaii.”

“We use simple, premium ingredients and a whole lot of aloha to create a treat that feels both nostalgic and brand new. One bite, and you’ll understand why people call it ‘sunshine in pastry form,’” he added.

The Portuguese tarts are only available at the KCC Farmer’s Market near Diamond Head every Saturday 7:30 – 11 a.m.

They have a pre-order system at AlohaNata.com/Order, so you can skip the line and pick up frozen natas to go. Just bake in the oven when you’re ready to eat them.

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For more information, visit alohanata.com or follow @alohanata.hi on Instagram.