Q: Where can I find authentic Portuguese egg tarts?

A: Portuguese egg tarts are Macau’s most famous snack. They  are different from the egg tarts you’ll find in Cantonese dim sum restaurants. Macau’s more decadent version has a buttery flaky pastry shell with a custard filling that has a crème brulee-like consistency and a crispy caramelized sugar shell. Bite into the crisp top, sink your teeth into the creamy filling and chew on the buttery pastry – you’ll feel like there’s a party going on in your mouth. Make sure you get one fresh out of the oven. If you’ve taken-away the egg tarts, try to heat them up in an oven before eating them.

While egg tarts are available from bakeries all over Macau, the most famous are those from the Margaret’s Café e Nata (瑪嘉烈餅店) , which is near the Grand Emperor Hotel (英皇酒店) and Grand Lisboa hotel in Macau peninsula and Lord Stow’s Bakery (安德魯餅店) , which have several outlets in Coloane Village (路環村). 

Of course, Macanese desserts are not just about egg tarts. Click here to sample other sweet treats.

Q: Where can I find dessert stalls?

A: Make sure you try the famous two-layer milk curd, which you'll find at dessert shops located in Senado Square (議事亭前地) and around Avenida Almeida Ribeiro (新馬路). The sweet smooth cream literally slides down your throat. For homemade ice cream, go to Lai Kei Ice Cream (禮記雪糕) on Rua de Abreu Nunes (荷蘭園二馬路). There’s a large selection of ice cream flavors including distinctly Asian flavors sold by the scoop.

For a healthy thirst quencher, you’ll find stores selling fresh coconut juice, coconut ice cream and coconut flesh not far from Rua dos Mercadores (營地大街) and Rua da Tercena (果欄街). We like Hone Heng Cocos’ (洪馨椰子)  refreshingly light coconut ice cream made with fresh coconut juice. If you like modern sweets and desserts, Jing Yu Mang Tang (金玉滿堂) at Zone Barra and “Sweet and Sweet” (幾米陽光) in Taipa have many healthy and delicious desserts mostly made with fresh fruit. For traditional sweets and desserts like almond paste, walnut paste, sesame paste and rice balls, you can find dessert stalls on Rua da Felicidade (福隆新街).

Q: What are some other famous snacks I can find in Macau?

Almond cookies

That wonderful nutty smell you’ll come across while walking on the Rua do Cunha up to the Ruins of St Paul’s (議事亭前地) comes from the freshly baked almond cookies tourists bring home by the bagful. Other than almond cookies there are egg rolls, peanut and ginger candy and pastries. Try the free samples before deciding on your purchase.

Barbequed meat

Meat lovers will find it difficult to resist these thick and juicy slabs of meat which are seasoned with spices and served up in sheets. Similar to beef jerky, they are sweetened and seasoned with spices and usually made of pork and beef, though there are also gourmet wild boar and ostrich varieties. Eager stall owners standing outside their shops with large scissors are only too happy to snip off a chunk for you to try before you buy.

Shark’s fin

This delicacy is usually served up in fancy restaurants with an equally fancy bill at the end of the meal. But in Macau, there’s no need to wait for a special occasion to indulge in a piping hot bowl of tasty shark’s fin broth. Fook Lun New Street Rua da Felicidade (福隆新街), which is just opposite the area around Senado Square offer bowls at just MOP35 -  and they do a roaring trade. Simply pull up a stool and slurp away – but be warned, you may have to wait.

Pork Chop Bun

Macau’s Pork Chop Bun’s (or Ju Pa Bau in Cantonese) is simplicity at its best. It consists of a sizzling hot deep-fried or pan-fried pork chop sandwiched into a white bun. There are no condiments or dressings; the secret is simply getting the crispness of the bun and juiciness of the pork chop just right.

Restaurant Victoria (勝利茶餐廳) on Rua dos Mercadores (營地大街) in central Macau serves up a hearty half-inch thick filet which will satisfy any appetite. On Avenida do Conselheiro Borja (青洲大馬路) located in northern Macau, you'll find Lau Kei Restaurant (劉記美食), which serves up tender pan fried pork chops and chewy hand-made fish bass balls, both of which are loved by locals and tourists alike. Lau's is one of the few food stalls left from a bygone era, and is a great choice for tourists to get a sense of authentic Macau food culture.

Q: Where can I find goodies to take home?

Two local bakery chains famous for their cookies, peanut candy, egg rolls and other sweets are Choi Heong Yuen and Koi Kei. Their packed outlets are all over Macau – tourists looking gifts for friends back home can be seen carrying huge bags out of the stores.

Q: Where can I find other savory snacks from Southeast Asia?

A: Go to Rotunda de Carlos da Maia (三盞燈) and you'll find many Burmese restaurants serving flavorful fish soup served with fried noodles and bean pie, coconut flavored chicken noodles, and specialty marinated foods.  Other favorites include the painstakingly-made layer cake, deep fried chicken in pandan leaves, soft coconut custard and many other Southeast Asian specialties.

Also on Rua de S. Domingos (板樟堂), you’ll find Shanghai-style food of which the pan-fried dumplings are the best. They have less skin but more meat filling than the common dumpling and each bite is juicy and tasty. Go to the food stalls in front of the former Capitol Theater Commercial Center (國華戲院商場) next to Sun Star City (信達城) and you'll find fragrant snacks like egg ball and gateau.

Q: I'm looking for restaurants with a long history. Where should I go?

A: For a taste of the old Macau, go to Long Wa Restaurant (Tea House) (龍華茶樓) and Nam Peng Café (南屏雅敍). With over 40 years of history, Long Wa Restaurant (龍華茶樓) is a perfect representation of Macau’s old leisurely lifestyle. In addition to sampling the past and eating delicious food, tourists can enjoy an interesting artwork collection.  To get a feel for what Macau was like during the 70's, go to Nam Peng Café (南屏雅敍), a shop with a lot of history and tasteful antique decor. There's a strong sense of coziness in this place.  Relax as the veteran waiters bring you food just as it was in the old days. Homemade cakes and pastries, including the famous and almost extinct egg puff, can be found here as well.

Q: What are some popular Macanese and Portuguese restaurants you can recommend for local cuisine?

A: Camoes (賈梅士葡國餐廳) serves authentic Portuguese food in a typically Portuguese ambience. This restaurant is housed in a colonial style building in the theme park Fisherman’s Wharf (漁人碼頭) , next to the Macau Ferry Terminal. It is has a nice ambience with a good selection of Portuguese wines.

Henri’s Gallery (美心亨利) is a cozy family-run Macanese restaurant in a quiet part of Macau peninsula with great views of the lake and Macau Tower (澳門旅遊塔會展娛樂中心) . It has been around for 30-years and is not only popular with tourists from all over the world, but also locals. You’ll be given an apron to wear in this non-pretentious restaurant which has a quaint old-style charm with a nautical theme. A must try is the spicy African chicken and the Macau sole.

Near the Maritime Museum (海事博物館) and the A-ma Temple (媽閣廟) in Macau peninsula, are 3 very famous restaurants on Rua do Almirante Sergio. The most famous of the 3 is A Lorcha  - known as THE place to try for Portuguese cuisine. This warm, wooden café-style Portuguese restaurant has friendly staff, efficient service and serves up large servings which are value for money. Popular with large groups, you’d better book in advance to avoid disappointment.

On the same road Litoral (海灣餐廳) serves authentic Macanese food using recipes from the Macanese chef’s family and prides itself on using fresh ingredients. Another cozy and warm restaurant which serves up all the Macanese favorites, as well as Portuguese specialties.

Also a few doors down is O Porto Interior, a friendly and affordable Macanese and Portuguese restaurant decorated in colonial style. The 2-floor restaurant is popular with celebrities and tourists for its comfortable setting and ambience. There is a homely feel and a wide range of desserts for the sweet-tooth.

Q: What specialty Macanese and Portuguese dishes should I ask for?

A: Macanese cuisine has evolved over centuries as traditional Portuguese home cooking adapted Chinese techniques and ingredients as well as spices found by sailors traveling from Europe to Asia.  That’s why Macanese food tastes different from Chinese and Portuguese food.

Be sure to try African chicken, which is unique to Macau and not traditionally found in Portugal.  Different styles and flavors from around the world are used making African chicken and each restaurant has its own secret recipe. The standard recipe calls for brushing the chicken with a sauce made of garlic, peppers, white wine and vanilla. After the chicken is baked, the juices are mixed with the sauce and drizzled over top of the chicken. Its zesty and sweet taste has made this dish a favorite of locals and visitors for hundreds of years.  If you enjoy chicken dishes, also try the Portuguese chicken.  It’s served in large portions, made with many spices, and cooked in many steps. The sauce is aromatic and not too spicy and it goes great with rice. The chicken is tender and flavorful and melts in your mouth.

Other famous dishes include stir fried clams, bacalhau (codfish), curry crab, and baked vegetables in Portuguese sauce. For good restaurants that serve these cuisines, go to Restaurant Solmar (沙利文餐廳) and Litoral (海灣餐廳); Galo (公雞餐廳) and O Manel (阿曼葡國餐) in Taipa; and Espaço Lisboa (里斯本地帶餐廳) and Fernando's (法蘭度餐廳) in Coloane.

Q: Where can I find good dim sum or yum cha?

Dim sum, which is available in most Cantonese restaurants, is a similar concept to Spanish tapas. Small portions of food are served with Chinese tea usually for breakfast, brunch, lunch or afternoon tea. It is best to have dim sum in large groups, so that there is the opportunity to order more food, and taste a wider variety of dishes. It is common to see large groups of families or friends having a noisy reunion over dim sum. For many groups, it’s a mini reunion and an excuse to catch up with everyone.

There are savory meat, seafood and vegetable dishes as well as many types of dumplings on the menu. Congee, rice and noodle dishes are usually ordered at the end, just before dessert.

Most Cantonese restaurants will have a dim sum menu. Our pick of hotels with Cantonese restaurants serving good dim sum include The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel and Grand Lisboa in Macau peninsula, the Westin Resort Macau in Coloane and Pousada Marina Infante in .

Q: I'm going on a business trip to Macau. What are some good restaurants for entertaining clients?

A: For business travelers there are many fine restaurants inside the newer hotels. These restaurants  have efficient and knowledgeable staff, stylish interiors, a refined ambience and serve up consistently good food.  

Mezzaluna Italian Restaurant (月怡意大利餐廳) at the Mandarin Oriental Macau (澳門文華東方酒店) is a fine choice for the business traveler.  This restaurant has been praised for both its food and wine. It serves a variety of drinks and imaginative food sure to please. Il Teatro (帝雅廷) at Wynn Macau (永利澳門) is another Italian restaurant which overlooks Wynn’s musical fountain. It made Conde Nast Traveler’s Hot List 2007. Opened by world renowned French chef Joel Robuchon in 2001, Robuchon A Galera (法國餐廳) inside Hotel Lisboa (葡京酒店) is one of the best French restaurants in Asia.

Last but not least, Cafe Deco (峰景餐廳), located inside the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel (澳門威尼斯人-度假村-酒店), has over 30,000 square feet of space and serves a combination of Asian cuisines. Private booths are available for reservation. This is an excellent restaurant for your business and seminar needs.

Q: Aside from serious business, I want to relax a little. What restaurants do you recommend with a relaxing ambience?

A: Clube Militar de Macau (陸軍俱樂部) is housed in the exclusive Military Club near Hotel Lisboa. Although the Club is open to members only, you can enjoy the affordable Portuguese lunch buffet in one of Macau’s most distinguished colonial houses. Macau’s only revolving restaurant is the 360° Café (360度旋轉餐廳) in the Macau Tower, which serves up a buffet with different themes and flavors. On a good day you can not only see all of Macau and its islands, but all the way into Mainland China. Enter Restaurant Canton (喜粵) at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel (澳門威尼斯人-度假村-酒店) and find out what nouveau Cantonese dishes are all about.

For local cuisine as well as international delights, try the offerings of Café Bela Vista (薈景閣) inside the Mandarin Oriental Macau (澳門文華東方酒店). Finally, Antica Trattoria (經典意大利餐廳) on Avenida Sir Anders Ljungstedt (澳門倫斯泰特大馬路) serves tasty Italian food and offers refreshing country style coziness.