Portugal has claimed the top two places in TasteAtlas’ latest ranking of the world’s 100 best desserts. The food and travel guide awarded first place to Pastel de Belém, followed by the closely related Pastel de Nata, two custard tarts that have become symbols of Portuguese cuisine. The annual ranking is based on thousands of ratings submitted by users and celebrates traditional desserts from around the world. According to TasteAtlas, more than 160,000 ratings were submitted this year, of which nearly 108,000 were recognised as legitimate and used to compile the final list.
Although the two pastries look almost identical, their names reflect different histories. Pastel de Belém can only be made at the historic Fábrica Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon using a closely guarded recipe dating back to 1837. The original recipe was created by monks from the nearby Jerónimos Monastery, who used leftover egg yolks in their baking. Similar custard tarts produced elsewhere are known as Pastéis de Nata, which have since become one of Portugal’s best-known culinary exports and are now enjoyed around the world.
While Portugal claimed the top two positions, the ranking shows that excellent desserts can be found across the globe. The rest of the top 10 includes:
3. Antakya künefesi, Türkiye
Dessert made with shredded pastry, filled with unsalted cheese, baked until crisp and soaked in sweet syrup.
4. Cornish clotted cream ice cream, England
Rich ice cream made with the region’s famous clotted cream, giving it a smooth and creamy texture.
5. Strudel, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
Flaky pastry traditionally filled with apples, raisins, cinnamon and pine nuts.
6. Gelato al pistacchio, Italy
One of Italy’s most popular gelato flavours, made with pistachios, often sourced from Sicily.
7. Fıstıklı sarma, Türkiye
Pistachio-filled variation of baklava wrapped in a thin layer of phyllo pastry.
8. Tembleque, Puerto Rico
Coconut milk pudding topped with cinnamon that is especially popular during celebrations.
9. Gaziantep baklavası, Türkiye
The city’s famous pistachio baklava, considered one of the country’s best-known traditional sweets.
10. Crêpes sucrées, France
Thin sweet crêpes served with fillings or toppings such as fruit, chocolate, whipped cream or sugar.
The full Top 100 demonstrates just how diverse the world’s dessert traditions are. Italy features repeatedly with regional specialities including tiramisù, different gelato flavours, brioche con gelato and pistachio-based desserts. France is represented by classics such as crème brûlée, chocolate soufflé, crêpes Suzette and kouign-amann, while Greece, Brazil, Poland and Peru each have several entries. The Netherlands also makes the list with Nonnevot, Appeltaart, Stroopwafel and Poffertjes, showing that many countries are known for far more than a single signature dessert.
Many of these desserts also reflect centuries of cultural exchange. Portugal’s famous custard tarts inspired similar pastries elsewhere, including Hong Kong’s popular egg tarts, which developed after Portuguese influences reached nearby Macau. Italian tiramisù depends on ingredients such as coffee, chocolate and sugar that arrived through international trade, illustrating how recipes often evolve through the movement of people and products.
For travellers, these desserts have become attractions in their own right. Visitors travel to Lisbon to taste the original Pastel de Belém fresh from the bakery, while Türkiye’s cities of Gaziantep and Antakya are renowned for their baklava and künefesi. Italy continues to draw visitors with its regional gelato culture, and many travellers make a point of stopping at local cafés and pastry shops to sample traditional sweets. Whether it is enjoying a Belgian waffle in Liège, a stroopwafel in Gouda or a slice of Basque cheesecake in San Sebastián, desserts often provide a delicious introduction to a destination’s history and culinary identity.
TasteAtlas says the list is intended to celebrate local food traditions rather than provide a definitive verdict on the world’s best desserts. To produce the ranking, the platform filters out suspected bot activity and local patriotic voting while giving greater weight to users it considers knowledgeable about food. The result is a list that showcases both internationally famous classics and lesser-known regional specialities. Readers looking for more sweet inspiration can explore the complete Top 100 ranking on the TasteAtlas website.
