Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém is simply the birthplace of the world-renowned Portuguese pastry known as pastéis de nata ("custard tarts"), invented by Catholic monks before the 18th century.

Since its opening in 1837, the original recipe has been kept a secret. Some say that the magic happens due to the use of lard instead of butter. This is allegedly the main difference between the pastéis de nata found in Belém and the ones bought in other pastéis de nata places in Lisbon.

Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém's single shop is notably the most popular place to buy pastéis de nata. It is located right next to Mosteiro dos Jerónimos ("Jerónimos Monastery"), and is one of the highlights of the neighborhood of Belém.

Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém offers both takeout and sit-in services and sells over thousands of pastéis de nata every day!