What to eat in Macao

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• What else should the list cover? Desserts and pastriesNon-alcoholic drinksLocal alcohol

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1. Try minchi

   The ultimate Macanese comfort staple: minced pork or beef stir-fried with onions, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and crisp potato cubes. It comes served over steamed rice crowned with a sunny-side-up egg.

   Served for lunch and dinner in Macanese bistros. Break the runny yolk into the hot meat and rice to create a rich, savory emulsion.

2. Try African chicken (galinha à africana)

   Chicken roasted under a thick, aromatic paste made of piri-piri chilies, garlic, shallots, coconut milk, peanuts, and toasted coconut flakes. Created in Macao in the mid-20th century honoring Afro-Portuguese roots.

   The thick sauce balances warmth with nutty richness rather than pure heat. Pair it with steamed jasmine rice or crusty Portuguese bread.

3. Try Portuguese chicken (galinha à portuguesa)

   Chicken pieces baked with potatoes, onions, and smoky chouriço under a vibrant yellow coconut-mild curry sauce flavored with turmeric. Despite the name, it is uniquely Macanese and nonexistent in Portugal.

   Mild and velvety without chili heat, this casserole is traditionally served bubbling hot straight from the baking dish.

4. Try a pork chop bun

   Macao's signature street snack: a seasoned, bone-in pork chop pan-fried until tender, tucked inside a warm, crusty bread roll with no sauce or salad. The meat is seasoned with garlic, soy, and sugar.

   Freshly fried chops hit peak demand around afternoon tea in Taipa. True versions always feature bone-in cutlets with juicy centers.

5. Try codfish cakes (pastéis de bacalhau)

   Crispy golden croquettes shaped from salted codfish, mashed potatoes, minced onion, and fresh parsley, deep-fried until crunchy on the outside and airy within.

   Ordered as a starter in Portuguese taverns. Quality versions show distinct strands of cod rather than pure mashed potato filler.

6. Try caldo verde

   Comforting Portuguese hot soup made with a smooth potato-onion broth, ribbons of finely sliced collard greens or kale, and smoky slices of chouriço sausage finished with olive oil.

   Served piping hot, usually with cornbread or crusty rolls on the side. Avoid spots serving it lukewarm or without garlic-infused olive oil.

7. Try Macanese curry crab

   Mud crab wok-fried and simmered in a luscious yellow curry gravy enriched with coconut cream, onions, ginger, and beaten egg ribbons for silkiness.

   Priced by weight at seafood houses along the waterfront. An order of steamed jasmine rice or crusty buns is mandatory to mop up the fragrant sauce.

8. Try tamarind pork with balichão (porco balichão tamarinho)

   A rare home-style Macanese hallmark: pork belly slow-braised with sour tamarind pulp and balichão, the historic local paste made from fermented krill, brandy, and spices.

   Delivers an umami profile balancing sweet, sour, and savory depth. Available almost exclusively at dedicated heritage Macanese family restaurants.

9. Try shrimp roe noodles (ha ji meen)

   Springy egg noodles tossed in lard and blanketed with roasted river shrimp roe. Served dry with a side bowl of clear, dried-flounder broth for sipping.

   An iconic Cantonese classic found at heritage noodle stalls. Do not pour all the soup into the bowl; sip it separately between mouthfuls.

10. Try curry fish balls

    Bouncy fish balls simmered in massive bubbling vats of spiced, fragrant curry gravy at street carts. Handed over on bamboo skewers or in paper bowls.

    A favorite after-dark street bite around Senado Square. Vendors let you choose your heat level from mild coconut curry to fiery chili broth.

11. Try Macanese tacho stew

    The Macanese winter holiday feast: a slow-simmered pot of pork, roast duck, beef brisket, Chinese lap cheong sausages, Savoy cabbage, and daikon in a savory broth.

    Typically prepared during cooler months (November to February) in family-run eateries. Highly filling and meant for sharing among a group.

12. Order a set of Cantonese dim sum

    The quintessential morning yum cha experience: bamboo steamers packed with translucent har gow shrimp dumplings, open-topped siu mai, and barbecue pork buns.

    Served strictly from early morning until lunch at bustling teahouses. Tick off your selections with a pencil on the paper order slip at your table.

13. Try Macanese pastel de nata Desserts and pastries

    Flaky puff pastry tart cups filled with rich egg-yolk custard torched until caramelized spots appear on top. In Macao, the recipe was refined to be slightly less sugary and creamier than in Lisbon.

    Best enjoyed warm straight from the oven in Coloane Village or Taipa. A sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top adds an authentic finish.

14. Try serradura pudding Desserts and pastries

    A Portuguese-Macanese layered dessert whose name translates to 'sawdust': whipped cream folded with sweetened condensed milk layered with finely crushed tea biscuits.

    Served chilled or semi-frozen with an ice-cream-like texture. Available in original vanilla, espresso, or green tea flavors.

15. Taste Macao almond cookies (hang yan beng) Desserts and pastries

    Crumbly, nutty cakes crafted from mung bean flour, almond powder, and lard with roasted almond chunks, traditionally baked over charcoal in wooden molds.

    The premier edible souvenir found along Rua do Cunha. Fresh batches have a subtle smoky aroma and crumble smoothly on the palate.

16. Try bebinca cake Desserts and pastries

    A celebratory Indo-Portuguese dessert adopted into Macanese tradition: a dense, multi-layered pudding of coconut milk, egg yolks, and flour, where each layer is baked individually.

    Boasts a resilient, chewy texture with deep coconut and nutmeg notes. Best sliced thin and served alongside strong afternoon coffee.

17. Drink yuenyeung Non-alcoholic drinks

    A potent cross between three parts brewed drip coffee and seven parts rich strained black tea, mellowed with evaporated milk. Named after mandarin ducks, signifying the pairing of opposites.

    Ordered hot in heavy ceramic cups or iced in tall glasses at cha chaan teng diners. Ideal for a morning caffeine surge.

18. Try pantihose milk tea Non-alcoholic drinks

    Robust black tea blend brewed vigorously and pulled multiple times through a sackcloth filter resembling pantihose, then blended with silky evaporated milk.

    The pulling technique aerates the tea for maximum silkiness. Sugar is often added to taste from jars on the diner table.

19. Try salted lemon 7-Up Non-alcoholic drinks

    A revitalizing thirst-quencher featuring a whole salted preserved lemon or lime muddled at the bottom of an ice-filled glass, topped up with fizzy 7-Up.

    A classic warm-weather staple believed to soothe scratchy throats. Crush the citrus flesh with your straw to release the salty tang.

20. Drink a glass of Vinho Verde Local alcohol

    Crisp, low-alcohol young white wine from northern Portugal featuring natural light spritz, bright acidity, and fresh green fruit notes. Available everywhere across Macao.

    Pairs cleanly with salted cod, clams, and rich coconut-based curries. Served thoroughly chilled in traditional carafes.

21. Try Macau Beer Local alcohol

    A refreshing golden blond lager brewed with a crisp malt profile and delicate floral hops, engineered specifically to beat the subtropical humidity of the enclave.

    Widely available at convenience stores and street stalls. Serves as a crisp palate-cleanser alongside spicy wok-fried street snacks.