5 Best Restaurants in Macau, China

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.

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.

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.

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.