When it comes to Macanese cuisine, typical tourists often only think of the high-end restaurants in Cotai, but what truly keeps this fusion cuisine alive are those old shops on the Macau Peninsula—stores that have been operating for ten to twenty years. They preserve the essence of four centuries of Sino-Portuguese cultural collision at more affordable prices.
What is the essence of Macanese cuisine? It's the triangular fusion of ingredients and seasoning habits brought by the Portuguese Age of Discovery, combined with cooking techniques from the coastal regions of Guangdong and Fujian, plus Southeast Asian spices. African Chicken, Curry Crab, Bacalhau—these names may sound exotic, but in reality, they are everyday flavors that local Macau people have grown up eating.
//Featured Highlights//
There are a few key dishes to master when coming to the Peninsula for Macanese food: First, "Portuguese-style Chicken"—this isn't really a Portuguese chicken, but a unique Macau invention—chicken curry made with coconut milk, butter, and turmeric. It looks golden yellow, resembles curry but has a much softer flavor, and pairs perfectly with plain rice. Second, "Bacalhau" is actually dried codfish. The Portuguese invented this method to preserve fish, and locals in Macau stir-fry it with potatoes and eggs to create the classic Portuguese "Sad Potatoes." Third, "Spicy Shrimp"—shrimp sautéed with garlic, chili, and white wine—almost every Macanese restaurant has it, but each has its own secret recipe. Fourth, "African Chicken"—its name allegedly comes from the roasting method that Portuguese sailors learned in Africa. The Macau version is marinated in garlic juice, chili, and coconut flakes before grilling, resulting in flavorful and spicy meat.
These dishes share a characteristic: unlike Japanese cuisine which pursues the original flavor of ingredients, nor Thai cuisine which emphasizes strong sour and spicy notes—they represent a compromise between two cooking philosophies. Portuguese style prefers heavy oil and dairy, while Chinese cooking emphasizes freshness and lightness, ultimately creating this unique style with creamy but not greasy, spicy but moderate flavor. With inflation these days, a complete Macanese set meal costs around MOP$80-150, less than half of hotel restaurants in Cotai.
//Recommended Locations//
1. Kun Kee Bamboo Noodles
Address: 16 Rua da Barca (near Guanyu Temple)
Specialty: Their shrimp roe noodles are the signature dish, but the hidden menu item is their Macanese curry crab. At MOP$95 per portion, when the crab meat is firm, the curry sauce carries a subtle coconut milk aroma with a hint of spiciness—more wok qi (stir-fry essence) than standardized chain restaurant preparations. The owner runs a decades-old establishment and goes to the fish market every morning to select live crabs, never selling overnight stock.。建议下午三點前去，螃蟹新鲜度和选择都最好。缺点是店面小，高峰期要拼桌。
2. WingKee Beef Offal
Address: Rua de Cinco de Outubro (in front of Kung紧)
Specialty: This is actually an offal stall, but the owner makes a unique "Portuguese-style Stewed Beef Offal." Beef tripe, tendon, and intestine are stewed with red wine, tomato, and potatoes for two hours until soft and flavorful. The authentic Macau way is to dip French bread into the gravy. A small portion is MOP$45, large is MOP$65. They set up at 4 PM and close when sold out. Some tourists complain about the price, but the fresh offal used isn't the frozen quality—you factor in labor and time, and the owner doesn't make much profit.
3. Seng Kee Tea Stall
Address: Rua do Mercado (near Sam Jia Association)
Specialty: This place specializes in "Portuguese Egg Tarts" and "Chicken Pies." Egg tarts are just MOP$8 each—half the price of those internet-famous Margaret shops—and the flavor leans more Portuguese: flakier crust, custard with cinnamon added, aroma and moisture more akin to the Lisbon style. Chicken pie is a savory pastry filled with chicken and mushroom. Paired with an iced lemon tea, it's a typical Macau afternoon tea. Go before 10 AM when egg tarts are fresh from the oven with the crispiest crust.
4. Chen Guang Restaurant
Address: Rua do Dr. Pedro (near Kiang Wu Hospital)
Specialty: This place has served "Spicy Fish" for forty years—actually grouper chunks cooked in thick curry, MOP$120 per portion. The fish is fresh, and the curry spice level comes in mild, medium, and hot—the owner will actively ask. The accompanying rice is tossed in curry until golden; the sauce alone is enough for a meal. In recent years with expensive beef, the shop quietly replaced some beef dishes with chicken or fish versions. Regular customers can't actually tell, and prices haven't increased.
5. Liu Kee Congee & Noodles
Address: Rua do Campo (near the foot of Penha Hill)
Specialty: Don't be fooled by the name—this place's "Water Crab Congee" is the hidden treasure. The congee base uses dried scallops and fish to make a rich broth, generous with water crab meat, topped with chopped green onions and fried dough sticks. MOP$55 for a small pot, enough for two people. Some seasoned foodies order an extra portion of "Fried Twisted" (fried dough wrapped in intestines) for 15 yuan, but that flavor isn't for everyone—the intestines are clean but have a strong fatty taste.
//Practical Information//
Transportation: The Macau Peninsula is compact—all five places are walkable. Starting from Ruins of St. Paul's, first visit Cheng Kee or Wing Kee, then head toward Rua do Mercado and Rua do Campo—the entire route takes no more than twenty minutes. For buses, routes 9A, 26A, and 33 cover these areas. It is recommended to download the "Bus Report" app to check real-time arrival times.
Price Range: Per person MOP$45-150; breakfast/afternoon tea MOP$15-35; full meals MOP$80-180. In Q1 2026, catering industry revenue increased 1.1% year-on-year, but per capita tourist spending has dropped from MOP$2,157 in 2024 to approximately MOP$2,000. Under this per capita spending trend, affordable yet authentic old shops actually have more competitive advantage.
Business Hours: Most of the above shops operate from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with Wednesdays or Mondays being common rest days—it is advised to call ahead to confirm. They usually close earlier on weekend afternoons as the owners head home to rest.
//Travel Tips//
First, Macanese cuisine emphasizes "wok qi" (stir-fry essence)—flavor degrades significantly when cold. Avoid large, empty-looking chain stores; small shops have better wok qi. Second, when ordering, you can ask "今日咩海鮮?" (What seafood is fresh today?), and the owner will tell you what arrived that day—fresh catch is better than items on the fixed menu. Third, if you find a sauce you enjoy, ask the owner if they sell bottled versions—some old shops make their own shrimp paste and curry paste for regular customers, great for mixing with noodles or rice. Fourth, Macanese portions tend to be generous—one main dish plus one vegetable is enough for two people. Don't order excessively like you would at mainland restaurants. Fifth, some old shops don't support electronic payment—bringing some cash (MOP$200-300) is safer. Most have QR payment now, but sometimes signal is poor.
One final note: The most important thing when finding food on the Macau Peninsula is to be "casual"—don't insist on those internet-famous shops from travel guides. Sometimes turning down an alley, you see an auntie stir-frying curry crab on the street—that is the true soul of Macanese cuisine.
Macau Key Data
Macau 2023: 28.7M visitors, GGR MOP 183.6B, 22 UNESCO monuments, 14 Michelin stars (2024).
| Indicator | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visitors | 28.7M | MGTO |
| GGR | MOP 183.6B | DICJ |
| UNESCO | 22 | UNESCO |
| Michelin | 14 | Michelin |
