Macau is a Special Administrative Region of China on the Pearl River Delta, about 60 km west of Hong Kong. Its compact peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane combine a UNESCO-listed Portuguese colonial old town, Cantonese temples and street food, and the glittering casino resorts of the Cotai Strip.
Macau cuisine combines Cantonese cooking with Portuguese influences and spices from Goa, Malacca and Africa to form Macanese food. Signature dishes include African chicken, minchi (spiced minced beef over rice), baked bacalhau and baked rice dishes, alongside Cantonese dim sum, wonton noodles and congee. Pastries are central: the Portuguese-style egg tart, almond cookies and pork chop buns are the essentials. Fine dining spans Michelin-starred Cantonese and French rooms in the casino resorts.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Macau.
Portuguese egg tart (pastel de nata)
Crisp pastry with a caramelised custard top, a Macau icon
Where to try: Lord Stow's Bakery (Coloane) / Margaret's Cafe e Nata
Price: MOP 11-15 (approx USD 1.5-2)
Pork chop bun
Fried bone-in pork chop in a crusty bread roll
Where to try: Tai Lei Loi Kei, Taipa Village
Price: MOP 25-35 (approx USD 3-4)
African chicken
Chicken in a peanut-chili-coconut sauce, a Macanese classic
Where to try: Restaurante Litoral / Fernando
Price: MOP 130-200 (approx USD 16-25)
Minchi
Spiced minced beef or pork with potato, served over rice with a fried egg
Where to try: Restaurante Litoral / Fat Siu Lau
Price: MOP 80-130 (approx USD 10-16)
Shrimp roe wonton noodles
Springy egg noodles with shrimp wontons in light broth
Where to try: Wong Chi Kei, Senado Square
Price: MOP 60-100 (approx USD 8-13)
Bacalhau (salt cod)
Portuguese salt cod baked, fried or in rice
Where to try: A Lorcha / Clube Militar de Macau
Price: MOP 150-280 (approx USD 19-35)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Cantonese
Cantonese Dim Sum
Chinese
French
Macanese
Food tours & tastings in Macau
Eat your way through Macau with a guide.
Browse food experiences in MacauWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Pork chop bun
Fried pork chop in a crusty roll
Find it at: Tai Lei Loi Kei, Taipa Village
Almond cookies and egg rolls
Crunchy souvenir snacks sold with free samples
Find it at: Rua de Sao Paulo and Rua da Felicidade
Pork jerky
Sweet grilled pork strips sold by weight
Find it at: Rua de Sao Paulo, Taipa Village
Ginger milk pudding
Chilled steamed milk pudding
Find it at: Rua do Cunha, Taipa Village
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Mercado de Sao Domingos
Historic municipal market near Senado Square; street stalls selling snacks around it
Hours: Daily approx 7AM-7PM (verify)
Mercado Vermelho (Red Market)
Red-brick Bauhaus market on Avenida de Horta e Costa with fresh produce and a cooked-food centre upstairs
Hours: Daily approx 7AM-7:30PM (verify)
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch usually runs 12PM-3PM and dinner from 6:30PM; many Portuguese restaurants close between sessions
Casino-resort restaurants often require reservations; Robuchon au Dome opens bookings roughly four weeks ahead
A 10% service charge is often added; extra tipping is not expected
Tap water is not widely drunk; order bottled water
Pay in MOP or HKD; MOP 1 is roughly USD 0.125 (1 USD = 8.0 MOP) and HKD 1 equals about MOP 1.03
- Vegetarian
- Limited in Macanese restaurants; Chinese vegetarian restaurants and hotel dining rooms offer meat-free options
- Halal
- Few halal restaurants; Indian and Pakistani restaurants near Rua da Praia Grande offer halal food (verify)
- Gluten free
- Rarely labelled; rice and congee dishes are the safest choices
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | MOP 40-100 per meal (approx USD 5-13) | Noodles, pork chop buns, congee and egg tarts |
| Mid-range | MOP 150-400 per meal (approx USD 19-50) | Macanese and Portuguese restaurants in Taipa, Coloane and the old harbour |
| Upscale | MOP 800+ per meal (approx USD 100+) | Michelin-starred French and Cantonese rooms in the casino resorts |