7 Must-Try Foods in Macau

Macau has a similar nostalgic old charm and culture to Hong Kong, but the vibe is not as stressful and the pace of life is not as fast. Casinos are the main attractions for most people traveling to Macau, but Jayden and I prefer discovering the city’s delicious food. You’ll be able to find Portuguese food, Chinese cuisine and Macanese dishes. These unique fusion dishes were created in Macau through the many influences coming through the trading routes. Macanese food combines ingredients and inspiration from India, Africa and Portugal added to the local Chinese dishes. We’ve rounded up 7 must-try foods in this cosmopolitan city.

#1 – Portuguese Egg Tarts from Lord Stow’s Bakery

When you mention Portuguese egg tarts in Macau, “Lord Stow” will be the first name that pops up. The pastry is buttery, flaky and crusty on the outside, with a rich, sweet and creamy custard filling finished with a charred glaze on top. His version certainly differs from most egg tarts sold elsewhere. It’s hard to stop at one, and you should eat it piping hot when served straight from the oven.

Lord Stow’s Bakery
Address: 1 Rua do Tassara, Coloane Town Square, Macau (Original Shop)
Opening Hours: Daily 7am to 10pm
Contact Number: (+853) 2888 2534
Website: https://www.lordstow.com/

#2 – Crab Porridge from Seng Cheong Restaurant

Crab Porridge is one of Macau’s iconic dishes and we recommend you to try the one from Seng Cheong Restaurant. This restaurant’s signature dish features a distinct crustacean sweetness as it is made up of three types of crabs. The size of the crab and the amount of crab meat will surprise you. Do go earlier to avoid waiting in the long line.

Seng Cheong Restaurant
Address: 28-30 Rua do Cunha, Vila de Taipa, Macau
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm to 12am

#3 – Curry Crab Roe Noodles from 牛记咖喱美食

This little Michelin Guide recommended restaurant is highly frequented by locals and tourists. The signature here is their flavourful curry cab roe noodles, but this dish is always sold out by noon. They serve delicious chicken curry noodles too. We love the tender meat and springy noodles.

牛记咖喱美食
Address: Edificio Iat Fat, Rua de Cinco de Outubro, Macau
Opening Hours: Daily 6am to 11pm

#4 – Macanese Food

There are a number of restaurants serving Macanese food, so we’ll recommend the top two dishes that you need to try instead. If you’re one with a hearty appetite in the morning, go for Minchi – a dish containing steamed rice, stir-fried minced meat and spices, topped with a fried egg. Both Jayden and I rank Minchi as our top favourite Macanese food. African chicken is another interesting dish you should try. Inspired by the foods and ingredients from Angola and Mozambique, former Portuguese colonies, where the chef and creator of this dish traveled to, the tender chicken is cooked in a spicy rich gravy sauce, piri piri style.

#5 – Mango Desserts from 糖朝盛世

This takeaway stall features a variety of fresh mango desserts and drinks. We tried their bestselling item – 楊枝金撈 – a mango dessert consisting sweet mango chunks, mango puree, sago, coconut milk and pomelo bits. This refreshing dessert is perfect, especially when the weather is hot. The stall also serves a durian version 招牌榴莲飘香 which we heard was equally delicious but we did not try.

糖朝盛世
Address: 31 Rua da Restauracao, Macau
Opening Hours: Daily 2.30pm to 1am

#6 – Serradura Pudding from Gelatina Musang Mok Yi Kei

Gelatina Mok Yi Kei is an 80 years old ice cream shop renowned for their Serradura Pudding and Musang King Durian Ice Cream. Serradura, also known as sawdust pudding, is one of Macau’s famous desserts. It is made from a combination of whipped cream and crumbled Marie biscuit, and can be served either with the cream in between the Maria biscuits, or with ice cream.

Gelatina Musang Mok Yi Kei
Address: 9A Rua do Cunha, Taipa, Macau
Opening Hours: Daily 9am to 9pm

#7 – Pork Chop Bun from Tai Lei Loi Kei

Pork Chop Bun is one of the popular local food in Macau and you can easily find it at Tai Lei Loi Kei. One of their outlets is located strategically near St. Paul Ruins while the other outlet is inside The Venetian. Although this pork chop bun is highly raved about, we were pretty disappointed. The pork chop was big and well marinated but it was not as juicy as how people have described it to be. We found the pork chop too dry for our liking, but you can still give it a try since it’s one of Macau’s well-known dishes.

Tai Lei Loi Kei
Address: 25 Rua de São Paulo, Macau
Opening Hours: Daily 8am to 6pm

Macau is not a big city, and there are not many entertainment options available, unless you’re loaded and enjoy gambling. We feel that a day trip to Macau from Hong Kong is sufficient. Hope you’ll enjoy the food as much as we did!