The saying goes, “The way to someone’s heart is through the stomach.” The way to understand Macau is through its cuisine. Perhaps the world’s first Asian fusion, Macau’s cuisine dates to the early 19th century when Portuguese and Chinese cultures began an exchange in Macau. The Portuguese added to the mix flavors of other places visited, from South America to Africa and India.

It is hard to find another city with such a concentration of restaurants offering so many different culinary experiences suiting a variety of palates and budgets. For many years, visitors went to Macau to sample great dim sum and authentic Portuguese bacalhau. Today, one can still experience these dishes, as well as local specialties. Macau’s most popular dish is African chicken: Legend goes Portuguese Navy sailors from Angola and Mozambique brought their own recipes and suggestions on how to cook the local African dish. Given the lack of certain ingredients, chefs in Macau mixed and matched what was available locally and created an authentic fusion dish.

Walking the streets of Macau, visitors find many restaurants, ranging from the Chinese, Portuguese and Macanese to Thai, Malay, Japanese and Brazilian. This wide selection of cuisines caught the attention of experts including the renowned Michelin Guide. In its third edition, the guide for Hong Kong and Macau now lists 52 establishments from Macau (38 restaurants and 14 hotels).

When it comes to dessert, Macau has unique options. Portuguese egg tarts are Macau’s most famous snack. They have a buttery, flaky pastry shell with custard filling (a crème brulée-like consistency) and a crispy caramelized sugar shell. Get one fresh out of the oven. The most famous are from Margaret’s Café e Nata and Lord Stow’s Bakery in Coloane Village. Macanese sweets also include the famous two-layer milk curd, found at dessert shops located in Senado Square and around Avenida Almeida Ribeiro. Walking around Rua do Cunha near St. Paul’s Ruins, smell the sweetness of Macau’s almond cookies.

For travelers seeking to discover Macau’s culinary appeal, The Institute for Tourism Studies offers a selection of courses on authentic Macanese fare and invites visitors to sample the in-house restaurant. Other mouth-watering stops on Macau’s culinary map can be found in the Inner Harbor near the A-Ma Temple and the Maritime Museum; on Taipa Island; and on Coloane Island for authentic Cantonese cuisine.

For more information, please visit Macau Tourism Discovering Dining. 

Located on the southeast coast of China, Macau is easily accessible from the United States by flying into Hong Kong and taking a 50-minute high-speed ferry. Macau is unique for its fusion of Eastern and Western cultures living in harmony for nearly 500 years. Portuguese piazzas meet Buddhist temples; colorful villas cross traditional Chinese gardens; cobblestone streets meet bustling markets. Visit Macau Tourism here.