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Macau (ๆพณ้), similar to Hong Kong (้ฆๆธฏ), has a unique history and culture from most other parts of China (ไธญๅ) because it was once a Portuguese colony. Itโs a quick high speed ferry ride away from Hong Kong and is perfect for a day trip from Hong Kong. The city is known for its glitzy casinos, beautiful colonial architecture, and delicious eats.
To put it simply, Macanese cuisine is a delightful fusion of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines, but it also includes spices and flavors from other Portuguese colonies in India and Africa. Youโll see these influences in dishes using turmeric, coconut milk, cinnamon, and piri piri.
Fun Fact: Macanese cuisine uses a lot of local Chinese ingredients in place of ingredients typically found in Portugal or other Portuguese colonies. For example, dishes requiring chorizo were met with Chinese lap cheong (่่ ธ) sausage and coconut milk was used in place of milk.
As they say, the best way to experience a culture is to try their food! And try the Macanese must eat food we did!
Here are some of the top things to eat in Macau and where to get it!
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Portuguese Egg Tarts (่กๆป/Pastรฉis de Nata)
These egg tarts are the most famous thing to get in Macau (and in Portugal too for that matter), but they are so delicious! I mean, if KFC came out with a version of it, YOU KNOW THEYโRE AMAZING!
Portuguese egg tarts are similar to the typical Cantonese style custard egg tart except they include egg yolks, heavy cream, and a caramelized top. Their crusts usually tend to be more crispy with a creamier filling.
Where to get it:
- Lord Stowโs Portuguese Egg Tart (ๅฎๅพท้ฒ่กๆ)
1 Rua da Tassara, Coloane Island, Macau ๆพณ้่ทฏ็ฐๅธๅๆด็ดณ็ฆฎ่ก1่ๅฐไธ - Margaret’s Cafรฉ e Nata (็ชๅ็่ๆปๅบ)
Kam Loi Building, 17B Rua do Comandante Mata e Oliviera, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Macau ๆพณ้ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏ้ฆฌ็ตฑ้ ่ก้ๅฉไพๅคงๅป17Bๅฐ่
Visiting Hong Kong? Hereโs where to find the best Hong Kong-style egg tarts!
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Pork Chop Bun (่ฑฌๆๅ /Bifana)
The juicy pork chop surrounded by a warm bun is a street snack to be savored. It is said that this pork chop bun based upon the Portuguese bifana sandwich, which is made with marinated pork chop topped with caramelized onions.
The Macanese version is definitely much simpler (with less veggies) but also super delicious!
Where to get it:
- Tai Lei Loi Kei (ๅคงๅฉไพ่จ่ฑฌๆๅ
)
25 Rua de Sรฃo Paulo, Macau ๆพณ้ๅคงไธๅทด่ก25่ๅฐไธBๅบง - Sei Kee Cafe (ๆพณ้ไธ่จๅๅกๅค่ณฃๅบ)
G/F, Edf Cheong Son, 7-15 Patio Da Palha, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆพณ้ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏ่ณฃ่ๅฐ้7-15่้ทไฟกๅคงๅปๅฐไธ
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Crab Congee (ๆฐด่น็ฒฅ)
Crab congee isnโt technically Portuguese fusion, but itโs one of the best things to get in Macau.
They use crab roe to flavor the congee and thatโs also why itโs slightly yellow in color, as opposed to the typical whiter rice porridge. The porridge itself also has great fluffy texture. Youโll also find pieces of crab in your bowl, as proof they put actual crab in it!
Where to get it:
- Casa de Pasto Seng Choeng (่ช ๆ้ฃฏๅบ)
28-30 Rua do Cunha, Vila de Taipa ๆฐนไป่ๅๅๅฎไน่ก28-30่
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Almond Cookies (ๆไป้ค )
This is one of Macauโs famous exports, yes, traditional Chinese almond cookies. This is the stuff my mom and grandma grew up with so it holds a special place in their hearts.
Although Iโm not the hugest fan, these crumbly cookies have entire almonds in them! Theyโre super fragrant and I highly recommend them to nut lovers (which I am not).
Aside from almond cookies, Macanese bakeries also usually sell other souvenir-worthy items like other types of Chinese bakery pastries such as cookies, egg rolls (not the fried ones, ACTUAL egg rolls), and candy. Some even sell Portuguese egg tarts too!
BONUS: Walnut Cookies (ๆ ธๆก้ ฅ), Cashew Cookies (่กๅผ่ ฐๆๆฒๅฅ), Egg Rolls (่ๆฒ), Coconut Peanut Nougat (ๆคฐ็ตฒ่ฑ็่ป็ณ), Peanut Candy (่ฑ็่็ณ)
Where to get it:
- Choi Heong Yuen Bakery (ๅ้ฆๅ้ค
ๅฎถ Pastelaria Choi Heong Yuen)
G/F, 209 Avenida Alemida Ribeiro R/C, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏ209่ๅฐไธ - Koi Kee Bakery (้
่จๆไฟก/Pastelaria Koi Kee)
70-72 Rua Da Felicidade, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏ็ฆ้ๆฐ่ก70-72่ๅฐไธ
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Macanese-style Portuguese Chicken (่กๅ้)
This dish is also super popular in Hong Kong style cha chaan tengs, itโs basically a creamy, coconut milk based chicken curry served with rice though some places will serve it in a bread bowl too. Itโs one of my favorite things to get and is so yummy.
Where to get it:
- Est. de Comida Portuguesa “Porto” (ๆณข็พๅ)
G/F, Block 4, Ka Hoi Court, Phrase 1, Chun Fok Village, Rua do Regedor, Vila de Taipa ๆฐนไป่ๅๅๅฐๅ ก่กๆณ็ฆๆฐๆ็ฌฌ1ๆ็ฌฌ4ๅบงๅ้้ฃๅฐไธ - A Lorcha (่นๅฑ่กๅ้คๅปณ)
Rua Almirante Sergio No.289, Sao Lourenco ไธ็ฐๆฒณ้ๆฐ่ก289่
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Meat Jerky (่ไนพ)
Assuming youโre American, these arenโt the types of jerkies youโre used to as in โ dried strips of beef, pork, or turkey. While these are also cooked and cured, they are completely different. This is what I like to call โChinese-style jerkyโ, it is pressed strips of meat cooked, air-dried, drenched in a salty-sweet sauce.
Typically, these have a higher water and sugar content so your hands will get sticky! They are usually made of pork, beef, or mutton.
Where to get it:
- Choi Heong Yuen Bakery (ๅ้ฆๅ้ค
ๅฎถ Pastelaria Choi Heong Yuen)
G/F, 209 Avenida Alemida Ribeiro R/C, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏ209่ๅฐไธ - Heong Kei Jerky (้ฆ่จ่ไนพๆไฟก)
G/F, 4-6 Travessa Auto Novo, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏๆธ ๅนณ็ด่ก4-6่ๅฐไธ
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Seafood Rice (่กๅผ่ฅไป็้ฃฏ/Arroz de Marisco)
There arenโt many things Chinese people love more than rice! So what better way to enjoy Macanese cuisine than with a seafood rice. Just make sure youโre not expecting a paella valenciana with this one!
This Portuguese style rice is definitely more saucy so it is definitely on the soupier side, but fresh seafood is what makes it amazing!
Where to get it:
- Portvgรกlia (่กๅคๅฉๆญฃๅฎ่กๅ่)
G/F, 5 Rua dos Negociantes, Vila de Taipa ๆฐนไป่ๅๅ่ฒท่ณฃ่ก5่ๅฐ่ - A Lorcha (่นๅฑ่กๅ้คๅปณ)
Rua Almirante Sergio No.289, Sao Lourenco ไธ็ฐๆฒณ้ๆฐ่ก289่
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African Chicken (้ๆดฒ้)
Though itโs called โAfrican Chicken,โ this is yet another Portuguese dish adapted by Macanese chefs during the colonial era. The dish uses a mixture of ingredients including oyster sauce, peanut butter, curry powder, coconut milk, and olive oil. Itโs truly a delicious melting pot of spices and flavors from around the world.
Where to get it:
- Restaurante Escada
G/F, 8 Rua da Se, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏๅคงๅ ่ก8่ๅฐ่ - Albergue 1601 (ๅฉไปๅฑ1601)
8 Calcada da Igreja de S. Lazaro, Ferreira de Almeida ่ท่ญๅๆๅพทๅ ็ๅ ๆๅทท8่
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Portuguese Roast โSucklingโ Pig (่กๅผ็ไนณ่ฑฌ/Leitรฃo ร Bairrada)
Thereโs nothing like the crispy roasted skin or the tender juicy meat of a suckling pig, yum! In Macau, it is sometimes served with rice or a side of fries. ย
The absolute best thing about this dish is the crispy skin, when itโs cooked all of the fat melts away and youโre left with a delicious pig skin chip.
Where to get it:
- Restaurante Escada
G/F, 8 Rua da Se, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏๅคงๅ ่ก8่ๅฐ่ไป่ๅๅๅฐๅ ก่กๆณ็ฆๆฐๆ็ฌฌ1ๆ็ฌฌ4ๅบงๅ้้ฃๅฐไธ - O Santos Comida Portuguesa (ๅฑฑๅบฆๅฃซ่กๅผ้คๅปณ)
20 Rua da Cunha, Vila de Taipa ๆฐนไป่ๅๅๅฎไน่ก20่
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Serradurra (Sawdust) Pudding (ๆจ็ณ ๅธไธ)
Some people don’t love this dish because they feel like it’s “nothing special” and just tastes like vanilla ice cream. But the most unique thing about this pudding is the textures. It’s creamy, a tad grainy, but it blends together so well in the cup. You canโt go to Macau without getting this dessert! Itโs one of my favorite things to get and so distinctly Macanese.
This creamy layered-pudding dessert is typically made of Marie biscuits, whipped cream, and condensed milk, which is also known as the โoriginalโ version. Today, there are many more flavors of this dessert, ranging from fruity strawberry to coffee, green tea, and Oreo.
Where to get it:
- Gelatina Mok Yi Kei (่ซ็พฉ่จ)
9A Rua da Cunha, Vila de Taipa ๆฐนไป่ๅๅๅฎไน่ก9่A่ - Serrdura (ๆฒๅบฆๅจ)
Shop AA, G/F, Block 6, Phrase 1, Chun Fuk Sun Chun, Rua do Regedor, Vila de Taipa ๆฐนไป่ๅๅๅฐๅ ก่กๆณ็ฆๆฐๆ็ฌฌ1ๆ็ฌฌ6ๅบงๅ่ฃ้ฃๅฐไธAA่
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Portuguese Braised Ox-tail Stew (็็ๅฐพ)
This traditionally Portuguese dish is insanely good especially when itโs braised in Port or Madeira. The stew is usually super flavorful with the ox tail falling off the bone and is best when served with rice. Most places offer some form of it with red wine, but there are a couple of places offering a more creative curry option too.
Where to get it:
- A Lorcha (่นๅฑ่กๅ้คๅปณ)
Rua Almirante Sergio No.289, Sao Lourenco ไธ็ฐๆฒณ้ๆฐ่ก289่ - Ali Curry House (ไบๅฉๅๅฑๅฑ)
G/F, 4K Avenida da Republica, Sai Van ่ฅฟ็ฃๆฐๅๅคง้ฆฌ่ทฏ4K่ๅฐไธ
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Portuguese Salted Cod Fritters (้ฆฌไปไผ็/Pasteis de Bacalhau)
Anything fried is always good right? Well this applies for salted cod fritters too! Of course, thatโs assuming you like salted fishesโฆ
These are some of the most popular Portuguese foods and are typically made of fried balls of salted cod, potatoes, eggs, parsley, and onion. Theyโre usually ordered as an appetizer and are crispy on the outside and super soft and creamy on the inside.
Where to get it:
- Restaurante Escada
G/F, 8 Rua da Se, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro ๆฐ้ฆฌ่ทฏๅคงๅ ่ก8่ๅฐ่ไป่ๅๅๅฐๅ ก่กๆณ็ฆๆฐๆ็ฌฌ1ๆ็ฌฌ4ๅบงๅ้้ฃๅฐไธ - A Lorcha (่นๅฑ่กๅ้คๅปณ)
Rua Almirante Sergio No.289, Sao Lourenco ไธ็ฐๆฒณ้ๆฐ่ก289่
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Garlic Steamed Clams (้ฆ่็่/Amรชijoas ร Bulhรฃo Pato)
This dish is absolutely amazing and so full of flavor! Itโs obviously best if the clams are fresh, but essentially itโs clams cooked in a garlic white wine sauce. So much yum all in one bowl of clams, itโs a definite must-have if you love seafood.
Where to get it:
- A Lorcha (่นๅฑ่กๅ้คๅปณ)
Rua Almirante Sergio No.289, Sao Lourenco ไธ็ฐๆฒณ้ๆฐ่ก289่ - Restaurante Fernando (ๆณ่ญๅบฆ้คๅปณ)
9 Hac Sa Beach Coloane, Praia de Hac Sรก ้ปๆฒๆตท็้ปๆฒๆตท็9่
Map of the Eats
As you can see, Macau is full of amazing places to eat. There are literally too many must-have things to eat in the city. Let us know in the comments what your favorite Macanese eats were!ย
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