Macao is a haven for good food, with 17 Michelin-starred restaurants, dozens of private kitchens, and a bustling street food culture that make it a gourmet paradise. But what makes Macao a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy is the abundance of innovative and immersive dining experiences on offer.
While travellers can easily find popular dining spots in Macao online, such as the famous egg tart stall or pork chop bun restaurant, discovering standout dining experiences requires insider knowledge. Watch the following video for Travel Weekly Asia editor’s picks of Macao's must-visit dining spots, showcasing why this vibrant city is a top destination for food lovers.
Beyond the delectable options featured in the video, Travel Weekly Asia has also round up more unique and memorable dining options to incorporate into your Macao trip itineraries:
Must-visit bars in Macao for unique cocktails
A beautiful and innovative cocktail served at City of Dreams Macau’s Lan Bar. Photo Credit: City of Dreams Macau
Macao’s bar scene brims with avant-garde concoctions that will surprise visitors. The best drinks in the city combine flavour and storytelling at the hands of inventive mixologists.
Couples seeking a romantic getaway, for instance, can drink to the Cocktail and Love Series at City of Dreams Macau. The Circle of Love at L’ATTITUDE restaurant, for instance, features four cocktails representing different stages of a romantic relationship, while Lan Bar offers the more playful Merry Go Round to symbolise the process of courtship.
Even the drinks in Macao are infused with local flavour at The St. Regis Bar, which has been listed among Asia’s 50 Best Bars of 2024. Its signature Maria do Leste, a Lusophone-inspired Bloody Mary, is spiced with black pepper, cinnamon powder, and various chillies, while the exquisite Macao Egg Tart uses rum, toasted bread, and condensed milk to create the perfect nightcap.
The St. Regis Bar, with its iconic mural depicting Macao’s history as a trading port, serves up unique drinks inspired by iconic local dishes and ingredients. Photo Credit: The St. Regis Macao
Named after the near-extinct Macanese creole language that fuses Chinese, Portuguese, Malay and Sinhalese, Bar Patuá at MGM COTAI brings the heritage of these different cultures to life through its signature cocktails. The Patuá, for instance, blends Chinese liquors and Indian spices, while the Rossio — named after King Pedro IV Square in downtown Lisbon — features traditional wild cherry liqueur from Portugal’s coastal Estramadura region.
Delicious fusion cuisine unique to Macao
Speaking of ingredients, even the most adventurous foodies will find something to conquer in Macao. The city’s history as a trading hub has led to the birth of Macanese food — often considered the world’s first fusion food — as well as a culture of experimentation with rare and unique ingredients.
Porco bafassá (braised and roasted pork) is a good dish to start with: the meat is marinated with turmeric before being twice cooked, giving it a bright golden hue and sweet earthy flavour. For this and more down-to-earth Macanese food done the traditional way, those in the know head to APOMAC Canteen. This local association for retirees welcomes diners from all walks of life.
Apomac Canteen, which is frequented by Macao’s elderly residents, is a local favourite for Macanese dishes. Photo Credit: Apomac Canteen
International cuisines also abound in Macao, so travellers can taste the world right within the city. For instance, Thai restaurant The Mews at The Londoner Macao offers a daring dish in its crispy amadai fish with young mangosteen. Mangosteen is a tropical fruit rarely found in Macao, but to top it off, the restaurant’s senior chef Nongnuch 'Nuch' Sae-eiw tops the dish with a cracker made from ant eggs, which are often eaten in Northern Laos and Thailand.
Families with young children can also head to Broadway Food Street at Broadway Macau, which gathers some of Macao’s best-loved local eateries in a casual setting. Beef offal and whelk broth are just a few of the unusual foods to try here, alongside popular Cantonese favourites like roast goose.
It’s easy to find international flavours in Macao – The Mews reinvents specialities from Thailand with a contemporary spin at The Londoner. Photo Credit: The Londoner
Restaurants in Macao with stunning views
The best meals indulge more than just one’s sense of taste and smell: in Macao, diners can treat themselves to visual and auditory spectacles too. Families will find the best vantage point at Macau Tower, where the revolving 360° Café shows off the city’s spectacular landscapes while guests take in a leisurely afternoon tea or buffet meal.
Views don’t have to be through windows, though, as SW Steakhouse demonstrates. The Las Vegas cabaret-style restaurant at Wynn Palace is known for its exceptional steaks and seafood, but also livens up the atmosphere by putting on 3D shows featuring animations, puppetry, and animatronics.
At SW Steakhouse (Wynn Palace), a whimsical animated show whets diners’ appetites.
Finally, serious epicureans will delight in a seat at the legendary Robuchon Au Dôme, which has been award 3 Michelin stars for 16 consecutive years. Perched atop the Grand Lisboa Hotel, guests will have magnificent views to match the restaurant’s menu of French contemporary cuisine. Of course, reservations will have to be made well in advance due to the restaurant’s immense popularity.
Macao: a true city of gastronomy
With so many culinary gems to enjoy, every meal in Macao is an essential part of the experience. From traditional Macanese dishes to innovative international cuisine, Macao's diverse food scene promises to delight every palate. Find out more about why this city is a must-visit destination for food lovers here.
This article is brought to you by Macao Government Tourism Office