Although Macau is much smaller than Hong Kong and its nightlife is not as boisterous as that of its larger neighbor, this fascinating city still prides itself for having some of Asia's nicest and homiest restaurants, as well as some excellent cafés, cake shops, bars, pubs and, of course... extravagant casinos, where drinks, food and entertainment are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year...
Macau's unique history has contributed to its Portuguese-influenced cuisine and, in fact, the best Portuguese food outside Portugal can be enjoyed here ... Moreover, the Macanese cuisine has its own special dishes which you are not likely to find elsewhere on earth...
Homey restaurants with cozy ambience and friendly owner-host are just a stone's throw from swanky establishments, where fois gras and truffles are carefully prepared by internationally known chefs... Old-style Portuguese cafés, that looks as if they were taken from one of Fellini's films, are just across the street from Chinese eateries that serve delicious dim-sum and Wanton noodles at affordable prices and flashy casinos are neighboring ostentatious shopping malls...
No matter what you are up to, Macau's nightlife is not likely to let you down...
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Largo do Senado and Avenida Almeida Ribeiro: The City Centre
The "Casino Belt" and "Macau's LKF" (Docas)
The Inner Harbour (Porto Interior)
Taipa Island and Cotai: Old style vs Ultra modern
Coloane Island: Village Ambience and good food
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1) Largo do Senado and Avenida Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lo)
The large open piazza of Largo do Senado, with its black-and-white Portuguese-style cobblestone paving, and the classic historic buildings that surround it, are forming the heart of Macau town and although newly opened arenas like Fisherman's Wharf, Macau Tower and the colossal Venetian have taken some of the action away, you can still find some of Macau's best restaurants and cafés around the square and its environs.
Recommended places include Wong Chi Kei (A well established eatery, specializing in Cantonese noodle dishes), Tou Tou Koi (specializes in Chinese hotpot (steamboat) dishes and old style cooking...), Afonso III (generous portions of delicious Portuguese fare at a reasonable price), Boa Mesa (A lovely Portuguese café), Fat Siu Lau (Macau's oldest restaurant, serving classic Macanese cuisine), Platao (fantastic Macanese Portuguese fare in lovely surroundings), Long Kei (one of Macau's favorite Cantonese eateries, serving delicious dim sum), Leitaria I Son (a small takeaway shop, extremely popular for its milk-based puddings and desserts), La Bonne Heure (a superb French bistro), Restaurant Cheong Kei noodle (serves some great Cantonese dishes with a traditional "Macanese touch"...) and Lemon Cello Gelato (one of Macau's nicest ice cream shops).
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2) The "Casino Belt", Fisherman's Wharf and "Macau's LKF"
The relatively newly developed areas, southeast of Largo do Senado and the old Town-Centre, are concentrating the better share of the city's casinos, hotels and wine & dine venues...
The Fisherman's Wharf, at the northern section of Avenida de Amizade, next to the glittery Sands Casino, is one of Macau's prominent tourist attractions. Opened in 2005 after five years of construction and a total investment of roughly MOP$ 2 billion, the complex occupies an area of more than 110,000 m2 and boasts more than 150 shops and restaurants, various family rides, a slots hall, a boutique hotel and a casino. The Legend Boulevard is Fisherman's Wharf largest and nicest section, with a collection of European and coastal town architectures, replicating streets and suburbs from cities all over the world...
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There is a fairly good choice of restaurants, cafés and shops around this area, and the architectural replicas are actually quite nice... At the end of the boulevard there is a luxurious colonial-style boutique hotel (The Rocks - where the stylish rooftop Sky Lounge is) and a "boutique casino" (Babylon). Our recommended wine & dine venues include Camoes (Portuguese restaurant), Afrikana (an African themed buffet restaurant, specializing in BBQs) and Al's Diner (an American resto-bar, serving some nice burgers, steaks and other cholesterol rich delicacies...)
Macau's "Casino Belt" stretches along Avenida de Amizade and its neighboring streets, a few minutes west of the Fisherman's Wharf. Some of the city's best hotels and casinos can be found here, alongside many fabulous restaurants, bars, cafés and entertainment clubs... most of which are located within the hotels themselves...
Recommended venues around this area include 888 Gourmet Place (A Las Vegas style buffet at the Sand's casino, offering one of the most amazing deals in town...), Copa Steakhouse (one of the best places in town for gourmet steaks and grills), Restaurante Perola (fantastic Portuguese and Macanese cuisine, with a slight Chinese influence), Mezzaluna (one of the best Italian restaurants in Macau), NAAM (a splendid Thai restaurant), Temptations (Located on level 16 of the StarWorld Hotel, Temptations is actually a complex that combines a splendid buffet-restaurant and an elegant Whisky and Cigar Bar), Inagiku Japanese Restaurant (the Macau outlet of an internationally known Japanese fine-dining chain), Il Teatro (an upscale Italian restaurant), Sky21 club (a stylish resto-bar and nightclub, and a good place "to see and to be seen"), The Grand Buffet at the Grand Lisboa (one of Macau's best and richest buffets), Robuchon a Galera (one of Macau's finest and most exclusive dining venues), Portas do Sol (serves some of the most delectable Chinese haute-cuisine in Macau), Don Alfonso 1890 (A true Italian splurge), Solmar (one of Macau's oldest Portuguese restaurants and a well-known gastronomic institution...), Clube Militar (one of Macau's classiest and most elegant establishments, serving splendid Portuguese cuisine), Aruna Indian Curry (Macau's best Indian food), Aux Beaux Arts (A Parisian brasserie - serving homey, authentic French cuisine in a lovely environment), Imperial Court (this sumptuous restaurant serves superb Chinese cuisine in a graceful environment) and MGM Pâtisserie (possibly the best place in Macau to indulge on a rich, delicious cake and other sweet goodies...)
A couple of minutes walk south of Avenida de Amizade, on the corner of Avenida Sir Anders Ljungsted and Avenida dr. Sun Yat Sen (opposite the big statue of Kun Iam) there is a stretch of restaurants and bars that is popularly nicknamed "Macau's Lan Kwai Fong" (after Hong Kong's famous nightlife area), or "The Docks" (Docas). This area is alive until fairly late at night...
Recommended places in this area include Moonwalker (one of Macau's most popular resto-bars, with good live music from time to time), Antica Trattoria (serving excellent Italian cuisine in a lovely environment), Ping's Shark's Fin (superb shark's fin specialties), Dom Galo (a popular restaurant, specializing in Macanese-Portuguese food), Carlos (Owned by a family of cooks, this restaurant serves splendid Macanese-Portuguese food in a nice, yet unpretentious environment), La Comedie Chez Vous (This Cute, French bistro serves both classic French cuisine and casual Café stuff in a lovely environment) and Bex Café (located at the Macau cultural centre, just a minute away).
Down the road from "The Casino Belt", there are several recommended venues along Avenida da Praia Grande and Avenida da Republica (both are facing the "lakes") and, of course, at the Macau Tower...
Pousada de São Tiago is an atmospheric boutique hotel, built amidst the ramparts of the ancient 17th century Portuguese fort, at the southern tip of Macau Peninsula. Dining wise, there is a charming 'alfresco' terrace café there, as well as an exceptionally good restaurant (La Paloma), serving Macanese-Portuguese cuisine. Henri's Galley (has been serving delicious Macanese and Portuguese fare for more than thirty years) and Ali Curry House (fantastic Indian curries with a touch of Macanese flair) are both on Avenida da República
Praia Grande (Portuguese and Macanese specialties in a lovely environment, and with occasional live music performances) is on Praia Grande, facing the Cybernetic Fountain
In Macau Tower 360 café (an excellent revolving buffet-restaurant, where you can watch the city and its environs from a height of more than 200 mtrs.), 180° Lounge & Grill (offers a combination of an excellent Grill restaurant, with breathtaking views and a stylish lounge bar...) and Lua Azul (fusion of Chinese cuisines) are the most recommended.
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3) The Inner Harbour (Porto Interior): From A-Ma Temple to the Ponté 16 complex
This name is given to the area which faces the city of Zhuhai, on the Chinese side of the border, and the Inner Harbour (or "the river", as it is sometimes called...). Rua do Almiranté Sergio and its continuation, Rua das Lorchas, are the main thoroughfares of this area and although this is not a designated wine & dine precinct, some of the best restaurants in Macau can be found just here...
At the southernmost end of the street, near A-Ma Temple and the Maritime Museum, there are some fantastic Portuguese-Macanese restaurants, like
A Lorcha (Considered as the "crème de la crème" of Macau's Portuguese restaurants...), Restaurante Litoral (excellent Portuguese & Macanese food), Pizzeria Toscana (Italian cuisine), O Porto Interior (another gastronomic institution, serving excellent home-style Portuguese food) and Barra Nova (Hearty portions of flavorful, home-style Portuguese and Macanese specialties).
Further north, along Rua de Cinco de Outubro, you can find some old-style traditional establishments which are very recommended both for their food, ambience and affordable prices... Wong Chi Kei (A well established eatery, specializing in Cantonese noodle dishes), Nam Peng Café (this old café retains some Macanese nostalgia) and Casa de Cha Tai Long Fong (this old-style teahouse is the right place to go for traditional Macanese yum cha and Cantonese opera)
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4) Taipa Island and Cotai: Traditional versus ultra-modern
Taipa Village is the original village on Taipa Island and one of the only two remaining traditional communities in Macau. It's basically a small cluster of narrow lanes and alleys, most of which are for pedestrians only, with old colonial houses painted in hues of yellow, blue, and green... There are quite a few good restaurants and cafés around "The Village" and, as a matter of fact, it is one of the only places in Macau which can be described as a true "dining precinct..."
Just Across the road from Taipa Village, on the reclaimed land of Cotai, there is a bunch of flashy hotels and casinos, including the profligate Venetian, where the world's largest casino can be found, together with the Grand Canal Shoppes and quite a few world class restaurants and bars.
Restaurante Dumbo (A gastronomic institution, serving Macanese-Portuguese food) and Cozinha Pinocchio (this extremely well known establishment has been serving excellent Macanese and Portuguese food for the last thirty years or so...) are very famous among visitors, but that doesn't necessarily means they are better than the others...
Here are some other recommended venues around Taipa Village and the neighboring streets:
A Petisqueira (this cozy Portuguese-owned restaurant is famous or its cheese platters and char-grilled specialties), O Santos (small and homey restaurant, serving fabulous Portuguese food in a lovely environment), O' Manuel cozinha Portuguesa (Owned by a Portuguese and his cheerful Chinese wife, this tiny restaurant serves some of the best Grilled Bacalhau and Grilled sardines in Macau), Galo (another well known culinary landmark, where you can get the classics of Portuguese cuisine, with the chef's own touch), Dom Galo (this popular Macanese-Portuguese restaurant specializes in Bacalhau and seafood dishes, as well as Portuguese style steaks and BBQs, and is a good place to catch up with friends...), Seng Cheong (this relatively humble eatery has made a name for itself for its famous Crab Porridge, which people come from far and wide to enjoy), Old Taipa Tavern (an English-style resto-pub, where you can enjoy great food, great ambience and great live entertainment), Serradura (this popular place serves a variety of delicious Serradura - the "national" dessert of Macau), Gelatina Mok Yi Kei (One of Macau's favorite dessert shops), Antonio Restaurante (owned by Antonio Coelho, one of Macau's best known chefs, this fantastic restaurant features authentic and scrumptious Portuguese food), Amagao (this tiny "private-kitchen-style restaurant" serves some of the best Portuguese-Macanese food in Macau), Aruna Indian Curry (the best Indian food in Macau), Don Quijote (a very nice Spanish restaurant, with a good variety of tapas and paella), La Cucina Italiana (serves lovely traditional Italian fare in a warm and homey environment...) and Malaysia Kopitiam (great Malaysian and Singaporean fare at affordable prices)
There are also some other excellent restaurants in Taipa, and although they are not right within the "authentic" village, they are well worth knowing about...
Le Bistrot (this "Parisian bistro" serves traditional French-home cooking at its best, full of flavor and body...), Aurora (World class French and Italian food, in a lovely surrounding and at relatively reasonable prices) and Restaurante Bee Vee (scrumptious Portuguese seafood specialties and great views towards Macau town and the bridges, are drawing many local Macanese to this restaurant)
At the Venetian, you can enjoy world class restaurants (at matching prices) but the ambience is just like any international city... nothing "Macanese" in particular:
Morton's (possibly the world's most reputable upscale steakhouse chain), McSorley's Ale House (Victorian-style resto-bar, serving delicious western stuff and a wide variety of beers, ales, wines and spirits), Fogo Samba (Brazilian style churrascaria, with excellent grilled-meats and very friendly service), Grand Edo Japanese Restaurant (stylish restaurant, serving fantastic Japanese food in an upscale environment), Cecconi's (inspired by one of Melbourne's most sought-after Italian food chefs, Harry Lilai, this swanky restaurant serves fantastic Italian fare in a posh surrounding) and Blue Frog Bar & Grill (this stylish and modern resto-bar features an all-day dining concept, with predominantly American menu, and a well stocked bar with good music).
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5) Coloane Island: Village ambience, beautiful beaches and good food
Macau's southernmost island is the territory's greenest and most spacious piece of land. Occupying an area of slightly more than 8 km², the island consists mostly of large forested hills and sandy beaches that make a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of the urban peninsula.
Coloane Village, the island's original fishermen's settlement, looks as if it belongs to another place in time... with narrow alleyways and small temples and churches...
Here are some of Coloane Island's recommended places: Restaurante Fernando / Fernando's (Legendary Fernando's is a mecca for Portuguese food lovers, and on weekends the restaurant is chock-a-block with both locals and tourists), Café Nga Tim (a lovely open-air café, serving splendid Macanese, Portuguese and Chinese fare at affordable prices), Restaurante Espaco Lisboa (Housed in a traditional house, right in the center of Coloane's old village, this cozy and charming restaurant serves outstanding country-style Portuguese food), CaCarola Restaurant (a true taste of authentic Portuguese country-style cuisine), Pousada de Coloane (gorgeous views and cozy, casual ambience are what this restaurant is all about), Ristorante La Gondola ( Located along Macau's most picturesque beach, this lovely restaurant serves delicious Italian fare in a splendid environment) and... of course... Lord Stow's (a legendary bakery and café, serving some of the best egg-tarts in Macau, alongside scrumptious sandwiches and salads)
There are other great restaurants and cafes in Macau which were not mentioned in this article, simply because they are not within one of the main wine & dine areas...
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