32 Best Restaurants in Macau, China

Tucked into a charming cobblestone courtyard in Macau’s historic St. Lazarus district, Albergue 1601 serves up classic Portuguese flavors in a setting steeped in Luso culture. Chaves-born chef Pedro Almeida’s specialties—seafood rice stew, braised Ibérico pork cheek, piri piri chicken, grilled octopus bathed in garlic and olive oil—pair beautifully with a deep Portuguese wine list. When the weather’s right, dine alfresco beneath century-old camphor trees.

Overseen by the two Portuguese brothers/chefs behind Albergue 1601, this spot celebrates Macanese cuisine in a unique setting: one of the charming, century-old Taipa Houses. The menu revives heirloom recipes rarely shared outside family kitchens. Think turmeric-infused porco bafassá, port wine-kissed vaca chau chau parida (stir-fried beef with ginger and wine), and fragrant shrimp curry with okra. Surrounded by antiques and Macanese decor, you can savor dishes passed down through generations in a setting as storied as its cuisine.

Cantonese chef Tam Kwok Fung creates transcendent hyperseasonal cuisine based on the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar. His signature tasting menu changes every two weeks, in line with subtle seasonal shifts. No matter the solar term, the menu will always feature a soup and a seasonal fish dish, both of which Tam—one of the most respected figures in Cantonese cooking—layers with intricate flavors. You can also order à la carte—the dim sum is highly recommended—or opt for a fixed tasting menu, which features favorites like seasonal fish with chicken jus in fig leaf, deep-fried lobster dumplings, and noodles tossed with abalone, barbecued pork belly, and fish roe.

Founded by local culinary legend Florita Maria Natália de Jesus Morais Alves, La Famiglia is one of the city’s best places to try Macanese food. Homestyle dishes like minchi (wok-fried pork and potato hash topped with a fried egg), capela (Macanese-style meatloaf), and stuffed shrimp sautéed with butter and garlic represent the fusion of flavors that define the cuisine. Order a lot to share, and when the weather is pleasant, dine with views of Taipa village on the third floor.

Time stands still inside A Lorcha (“wooden ship”), a cozy Portuguese restaurant that has delighted local diners and travelers since 1989. The menu has barely changed since it opened; nor have the portions. Order dishes to share like dobradinha (spicy beef tripe and chickpea stew), pataniscas de bachalau (salt cod fritters with vegetables), and Macanese coconut and turmeric chicken. But save room for the serradura (“sawdust”), a Macau specialty made with layers of biscuits and pudding.

Watch in awe as chefs slice, dice, and pull noodles at staggering speed from within the show kitchen in the center of the room. Spectacle aside, the combination of Sichuan cuisine and dishes from China’s northeast are the true stars of the show at this handsome, red and black restaurant. Try the cumin-laced lamb served with bao buns, Chongqing-style deep-fried boneless chicken with dried chili, Shanxi-style braised beef noodles, and rich and spicy mapo tofu.

Occupying a converted two-story house with a small but pleasant balcony overlooking Coloane Village, this restaurant is Portuguese-owned and has a Portuguese chef—so it’s no surprise that it is a favorite of Portuguese residents. The food sticks to home-style classics, including one of the better versions of baked duck rice in town.

Everyone in Hong Kong and Macau knows about Fernando’s. The open-air dining pavilion and bar have attracted beachgoers for years, and the enterprising Fernando has built a legendary reputation for his Portuguese fare. Look for the vine-covered entrance close to Hác Sá Beach. Outside of summer, try to get a table in the outdoor garden. 

This grab-and-go spot hidden in an alley in the historic center isn’t much to look at it, but it really nails its specialty: Macau’s signature pork chop bun. Since 1965, the shop has served juicy, bone-in pork chops wedged between crusty bread and fluffy scrambled eggs. To wash it down, opt for either the cold milk tea or coffee, both brewed in a clay pot over charcoal. It may be simple, but Sei Kee has received Michelin Bib Gourmand status year after year for a reason. If you miss out here, join the queues at its other branch in Taipa. 

Part of the Macao University of Tourism (UTM), this restaurant is a training ground for students pursuing future careers in hospitality. They work in the kitchen, the bakery, and the front of the house on a variety of Macanese, Portuguese, and Western dishes, and they do it all at a high level. At lunch, order à la carte to try Macanese dishes like shrimp toast and chicken sautéed with turmeric and ginger, or come for dinner for the five-course set menu, including Macanese laksa, tamarind pork, and more made to pair with Portuguese wines.

With its fresh Italian fare and sweeping views, Aurora is a local favorite for both business lunches and dinner dates. The menu focuses on seafood, spotlighting Patagonian toothfish, Hokkaido scallops, Boston lobster, and seasonal oysters, but there are also plenty of pastas and grilled meat dishes, plus excellent wood-fired pizzas made from 48-hour fermented dough. Pair it all with one of the hundreds of bottles of wine in the cellar as you admire Macau at night through floor-to-ceiling windows.

This Parisian-style brasserie in the MGM Macau delivers refined renditions of classic dishes, from beef bourguignon to lobster bisque, in a setting that recalls old-world France. Imagine mahogany walls, rattan chairs, and cast-iron coat racks. The wine list runs a whole 85 pages and consistently ranks among Macau’s best.

Located next to the Four Seasons’ Bali-inspired poolside, Belcanção offers an impressive buffet spread featuring Portuguese, Indian, Chinese, Italian, and a smaller selection of Japanese dishes. The dessert and salad bars are amply stocked, and the service is impeccable. Try the honey-glazed pork, have a slice of thin-crust pizza or a sashimi platter, and wash it all down with fresh fruit juice or a glass of wine. Follow up with an egg tart for good measure.

The Taiwanese chain is famous for one thing above all: soup dumplings. Paper-thin wrappers encase fillings like truffle and pork, snow crab and scallop, and chicken. Pair a steamer of soup dumplings with barbecued pork buns, thin noodles in sesame sauce, and bok choy fried in a hot wok with scallion oil. There’s another branch in Studio City, too. In a part of town where it can be hard to find quality food for affordable prices, Din Tai Fung is a sure bet.

Quirky and one-of-a-kind, long-standing Dom Galo is as famous for flamboyant decor—rooster paraphernalia, bright yellow chairs, spray-painted disco balls strung from the ceiling—as for its generously portioned Portuguese dishes. The clientele ranges from couples on dates to gambling-compliance lawyers and Cantonese families celebrating birthdays and special occasions.

Designed by Hong Kong’s Alan Chan, The Eight dazzles with its food as well as its decor, both of which have kept it in the Michelin guide for more than a decade. The red and gold interiors feature swimming goldfish motifs and the number eight—considered lucky in Chinese culture. The chefs here prepare fine Cantonese cuisine and dim sum, including signatures like tea-smoked pigeon and Cantonese-style sautéed lobster. The wine cellar contains a staggering 17,800-plus labels, and the tea selection is just as exceptional.

Lunchtime diners can choose from 40 different types of dim sum.

A Macau institution since 1903, Fat Siu Lau keeps locals and visitors coming back for its legendary roasted pigeon, shek ki—a family recipe perfected over generations. Still run by its founding family, the restaurant blends classic Macanese flavors with modern creations, making it a popular stop for those craving a taste of history.

This popular bar-restaurant moved from Taipa to Broadway in 2024, trading a narrow, multifloor building where food and drinks were served via dumb waiter for a more spacious ground-floor setting. Now more restaurant than bar, Goa Nights still specializes in the creative Goan and Indian flavors that long made it an expat favorite. Order pulled pork vindaloo bao and Goan curry to share, and wash it down with one of 15 cocktails inspired by Vasco da Gama’s voyages across the Portuguese world.

The W Hotel’s market-inspired buffet hits all the right notes with an incredible spread that features Western classics, including Portuguese dishes, alongside Chinese, Thai, and Indian cuisine. There’s a walk-in seafood room filled with lobster, oysters, snow crab, and more, plus a loaded dessert station where you can try Macau diner classics, including the black ox (Coca-Cola with a scoop of chocolate ice cream). On top of that, the price is right, especially for the semi-buffet lunch (one main plus coffee/tea, salad, and desserts for MOP$128). You can dine for four hours. And the restaurant overlooks the faux Eiffel Tower outside the Parisian.

A packed house is always a good sign. The Artyzen Grand Lapa’s elegant Cantonese restaurant draws local diners daily with its refined setting—crisp white linens, Chinese artwork, plush carpeting—and a menu of classics like Peking duck, tea-smoked fried chicken, and crabmeat baked in the shell. Lunchtime dim sum shines with juicy shrimp dumplings, truffle-flecked spring rolls, and delicate rice flour rolls with porcini mushrooms, and there’s a great plant-based menu of Cantonese dishes.

Lakeside Trattoria delivers classic Italian flavors in a scenic setting overlooking Nam Van Lake. Roman-style pizzas, handmade pastas, and seafood dishes shine, but don’t miss the chef’s lasagna with hearty meat ragù. End on a sweet note with Nutella pillows or scoop of rich gelato. When the weather is warm and breezy—basically anytime but summer—grab a veranda seat by the lake for the best experience.

Look for the cow logo marking Leitaria I Son, the original shop of Yee Shun Milk Company on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro. This nostalgic milk bar is known for its silky steamed milk and ginger pudding desserts, served hot or cold, plain or with toppings like red beans. Other specialties include frothy fruit milk shakes in flavors like papaya and banana, all enjoyed in its signature green-and-white cafeteria-style setting.

Just up the road from A-Ma Temple, this popular family-run restaurant has served Macanese and Portuguese favorites since 1995. The menu runs the gamut from hard-to-find specialties like bafassá (pork braised with saffron or turmeric) to Macau’s unofficial national dish, minchi (wok-fried pork and potato hash topped with a fried egg). Don’t overlook Litoral’s famed African chicken, though. On weekends, expect large crowds lingering at their tables with bottles of wine, admiring the white-washed walls and timber frames, and ordering lavishly. There is another branch in Taipa, too.

Hungry diners keep coming back for its traditional noodles kneaded the old-fashioned way: by bouncing on a bamboo pool. Once ready, they’re tossed into a fish-based broth, sprinkled with dried shrimp roe or served with braised beef, and paired with fried wontons and fish balls. The restaurant, located a short walk from Sofitel Macau, is small, simple, and open late—an ideal late-night snack.

Founded by the ex-wife of the late Andrew Stow (of Lord Stow’s fame), Margaret’s Café e Nata has been dishing out piping-hot egg tarts since 1992. Nestled in an alleyway between the Grand Lisboa and Senado Square, the café provides a cool, shaded environment to enjoy its buttery, caramelized tarts and a signature milk tea or iced coffee.

A British-style horse stable might not scream high-end Thai, but it works at The Mews. Designed by Ashley Sutton (known for Bangkok bars Iron Fairies and Maggie Choo’s), this venue is full of surprises; enter through the “stable” (the bar), then a secret door reveals a dining room with Thai lanterns and wood carvings. Expect refined takes on Thai classics—red curry with grilled wagyu, stir-fried Sri Lankan crab with glass noodles, mango sticky rice—paired with Thai-inspired cocktails from the aforementioned bar.

A busy little eatery in the heart of Taipa Village, O Santos serves up classic Portuguese fare without frills or fluff—but with a lot of warm and lively hospitality. Decorated with Portuguese soccer paraphernalia, the gregarious owner’s navy keepsakes, and global currencies tacked to the walls, it’s not a place for a romantic night out, but the food is great. Try the suckling pig, baked duck rice, and, to finish, the serradura (a Portuguese dessert containing cookies and cream).

The house-made sangria is terrific.

Located across the street from the Moorish Barracks, this decades-old Italian restaurant keeps it simple with pizzas, pastas, grilled dishes, and timeless desserts like tiramisu and gelato served inside a warm, rustic space. What it lacks in “wow” factor it makes up for with affordable prices, satisfying flavors, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Favorites include the beef carpaccio, homemade tortellini and ravioli, and, of course, the wood-fired pizzas.

Despite its Portuguese name, Portas do Sol is one of Macau’s top destinations for exquisite dim sum. Traditional favorites—barbecue pork buns, pan-fried turnip cakes, and delicate soup dumplings—share the menu with Chinese seasonal delicacies and haute cuisine creations. Desserts are just as refined, from fish-shape mango and coconut pudding to peanut-covered sticky rice dumplings filled with black sesame paste. With Hong Kong and mainland visitors packing the tables on weekends, reservations are a must.

Vic’s Restaurante stays true to Portuguese traditions but lifts them up using top-tier ingredients and tools. Succulent 40-month-aged black Ibérico pork is put to use in a few different ways, while whole lobster rice, made for two to share, is cooked in a traditional Algarve copper pot. The food and service are excellent, but the breezy terrace facing the waterfront elevates it to a higher level. It’s one reason the restaurant has become a favorite among Macau’s Portuguese expat crowd.