Macau is known to be an expensive place, but it really isn't. I admit, it can be a pricey place, but not if you budget your way through it. Whether you want to try authentic food, local street foods, or eat at a fancy spot that gives you a taste of Macau, this blog will help you out. Now you don't have to eat in all of these places, but these are my personal suggestions and a majority of them are budget-friendly.
MUST EATS
Portuguese Egg Tart
Macau is famous for its round yellow flaky pastry filled with rich creamy egg custard. It's nearly impossible to go anywhere in Macau without seeing egg tarts. It's said there are no egg tarts like the ones in Macau anywhere else, so don't miss out! They are delicious and a must-try! They taste much better when they are straight out of the oven hot!
Price: Egg tarts are more about quality than price. The normal price is MOP10 (US$1.24) for each and sometimes MOP7 ($0.87)
Location: Margaret's Cafe e Nata (玛嘉烈蛋挞 )
Edificio Kim Loi, Nam Von (near Senado Square)
Lord Stow's Bakery - Taipa
14 R. do Cunha, Macau
They are sold pretty much everywhere in Macau. My advice would be to buy them anywhere in Nossa Senhora de Fatima (Gongbei Port area), but if you are nowhere near the local's spots, the locations above are two of the popular ones.
Gelatina Mok Yi Kei (莫義記) - Serradura Pudding
Serradura Pudding is one of Macau’s iconic desserts that is a much loved addicting dessert. It's a chill pudding, made out of layers of superfine crushed sweet biscuits, cream, condensed milk, and vanilla. Honestly, it's so tasty that you will probably end up getting two or more. The best place to get them is at Gelatina Mok Yi Kei which is located in the heart of old Taipa. They were the first ones to start selling them 80 years ago and they are now widely famous for their Serradura Pudding and Durian Ice Cream.
Price: MOP20-MOP40 (US$4-$5)
Location: 9A Rua da Cunha, Vila de
Lemoncello Gelato
Lemoncello Gelato is one of the authentic street deserts in Macau. They have many flavors such as rum and mojitos so you can get the best of both worlds. Honestly what more can you ask for? They are also known for their square-shaped cones.
Price: MOP30-MOP35 ( US$3-$4)
Locations: Trav. Se11 R / C, Senado Square
Perito Gelato 魄力兔意大利手拉雪糕
Perrito Gelato makes special flower-shaped and sometimes bear-shaped gelato that are tasty and picture worthy. It's on the pricey side, but you do get to choose from three different kinds of flavors.
Price: MOP45 ( US$5)
Location: Shop D, G/F, 14 Travessa da Se, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro
LOCAL SPOTS & RESTAURANTS
SKY 21
Located in AIA Tower, it's the best way to witness a remarkable view of Macau as the sun sets while indulging in some delicious food and drinks on the rooftop lounge.
Price: can be pricey but they have happy hours
Location: AIA Tower, 21F
Isaac Toast & Coffee Macau
Isaac's is a Korean comforting cuisine best for breakfast or lunch with all the tasty sauces, fillings, and ingredients wrapped in crispy toasts. Their frozen drinks like Frappes aka frozen cappuccinos are amazing. The food is delicious, but the place is small. It's very comfortable when it isn't crowded.
Kimishi Gimba (gimbap) is one of their signature dishes which looks like sushi but it's different because it is wrapped in seaweed. It's also crunchy and a bit spicy.
Price: reasonable
Location: Edificio Seng Chon No. A Deihaa Block B,33 Avenida do Coronel MEsquita St. Anthony Parish Macao S.A.R China
Dinner at a Casino
If you can afford to splurge, treat yourself to dinner in one of the Casinos. I was treated to dinner at Grand Emperor Hotel by a family I met in Macau on my first trip, but trust me, you are not missing out on any experience if you don't eat at the casinos. It really isn't worth the hype. You are better off eating Macau's street foods.
Cafe E.S. KIMO
This is a casual Macau funded western-style restaurant with a majority of Chinese and Taiwanese dishes. It offers tasty smoothies and shakes that are highly popular.
Price: reasonable
Location: 173 R. Sul do Patane, Macau
KIKA Japanese Gelato
KIKA is a Japanese style gelato shop that uses ingredients both from Japan and Macau. Their special flavor is Sakura which is salt marinated and to make their gelato smooth and healthy, they use natural coloring and few additives. The gelato is softer than Italian gelato but it still has a nice texture.
Price: MOP30-MOP35 ( US$3-$4)
Location: GF-B Fok Wan building, 11 Travessa Da Se
It's right next to LemonCello in Senado Square.
Bitter Sweet 必達士 - Serradura Ice cream
It's a small simple dessert shop that has a small selection of Serradura based cakes and ice creams
Price: MOP35 (US$4.34)
Location: 92 Rua Do Cunha, Taipa
Bitter Sweet is in the same area as Gelatina Mok Yi Kei. There is an open ally and if you walk down that ally you will come across Bitter Sweet 必達士
STREET FOODS
Arabian Kebab
Arabian Kebab is a middle eastern food that has been in Macau for over a decade now. It's the perfect place if you want something savory and fulfilling. The shawarma sauce is homemade and delicious! The owner is very welcoming and sweet. His gestures and seeing the way the food gets prepped gives you a homey feeling. I definitely recommend this place.
Price: MOP30-MOP58 (US$3-$7)
Location: Shop M Centro Comercial Teatro Capitol, Travessa dos Anjos No. 45-51
This place might be hard to find
Local Sea Food
You can get a bowl of seafood anywhere In Macau. You get to choose what you want in your bowl and your food is then ready within 2-3 mins. It's fairly quick. There are a variety of sauces you can add to give it a kick.
Price: ranges per location
Location: Seafood stands are all over Macau.
Wei Xiao Bao Fair
The best way to discover amazing local street food is to walk around. I discovered this place in the Nossa Senhora de Fatima area which is the local residential and work area. This area is the best place to find amazing and unique eateries. I tried fried chicken that had a unique sauce and cheese stuffed inside. They grill it for about a minute in which the sauce and the cheese intertwine flavors inside the chicken piece. You then get a hot and delicious quick snack. Totally worth it!
Price: MOP35 (US$4.34)
Location: Unfortunately, I forgot to pinpoint my location since I randomly discovered this place. I tried looking it up on google but I had no luck so far. If I get the address, I will update this post.
Kam Wai Beef Offal (錦華牛雜)
Beef Offal is a Cantonese cuisine that gets braised in different entrails for hours. It's a traditional street food in Hong Kong and Macau but it isn't to everyone's taste, so if you don't like the smell, don't waste your money. If you don't pay attention and specify that you want the MOP35 Beef Offal you could end up paying more. The women are nice but also sneaky with the price, so pay attention to what they are saying.
Price: MOP35-MOP90 (US$4-$11)
Location: G/F, 12 Travessa da Se, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro
Prince Coffee Gourmet - Tàizǐ kāfēi měishí (guān zhá diàn)
This is a random spot I discovered walking around the local areas. I believe one of the best ways to get a taste of Macau is checking out local restaurants that are away from all the touristy spots.
Price for beef noodles: MOP38 (US $4.72)
Location: Macau - Nossa Senhora Fatima
Almond Cookies
These cookies are the perfect gifts if you are looking to take something home from Macau. Almond cookies are regarded as the king of the local specialty snacks. They aren't the best cookies you will ever have but they are tasty and a taste of Macau.
Price: price ranges depending on size and where you buy it I bought four from local stores for MOP30 (US$3.72), MOP38 (US$4.72), and two for two for MOP19.50 (US$2.42)
Location: I bought them from different local stores near Gongbei Port
Durian pudding
This Asian fruit isn’t to everyone’s taste, you will either love it or hate it. There is no in-between. My tip, buy it from a corner store and take it home to share with your people. That's what I did. I spent about MOP12 ( US$ 1.49) for a pack of 6 rather than MOP35 ( US$4.34) for 1.
BAKERIES
A trip to Macau wouldn't be complete without a visit to one of the bakeries. There are all types of bakeries all over Macau, in every street corner. You can’t miss it.
King Cake Shop - Pastry
This spot is the locals favorite.
Price: MOP5 (US$0.62)
Location: Macau - Nossa Senhora Fatima ( Right before you enter Gongbei Port)
Cafe Free
Best selection of breakfast bread with a variety of stuffing. Their bread-like pastries are not like anything you will find in Macau. It's quite different. They also offer international cakes, so if you are celebrating an occasion this is a good place to get small deserts from.
Price: varies
Location: 澳門南灣大馬路655號及大堂斜巷2號地下AB座
SUPERMARKETS & VENDORS
Don't feel obligated to always eat out during your stay in Macau. In fact, local supermarkets and vendors offer cheap snacks, drinks, veggies, and fruits.
Supermarket
Visiting supermarkets is the best way to find odd snacks as well. I found green tea Kit-Kat at a random store, and as much as I always wanted to try it, I was pretty disappointed. It tastes like matcha. Now, if you don't know what matcha is, it's powdered green tea leaves. In other words, blended grass. It smells like grass, it tastes like grass.
Local Vendors
I got water and fruits mainly from local vendors every day since it was the cheapest alternative for me.
