Pastéis de Belém is a traditional Portuguese cream pastry that came about in the nineteenth century during the liberal revolution when all of the convents and monasteries in Portugal were shut down. In an attempt to survive, someone who once worked at the monetary made these treats to sell them in the shop.
Belém, the originating town, is a bit outside of Lisbon, but visitors often came by boat to see the grandeur of the monastery and the Torre de Belém. Tourists became used to savoring these tasty treats during their visit, and it slowly became a staple of the area.
The original secret recipe has gone unchanged since the start and has been passed down only to the master confectioners, to be enjoyed by thousands of visitors to Belém each year.