eastern-asia
Explore 63 foods connected to Macao, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
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The local shortlist
10 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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The full directory
63 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
Macao
Galinha à Africana
One of Macau's most famous Macanese dishes; grilled chicken covered in a rich, spicy sauce made with coconut milk, peanuts, chilies, and spices; every chef has their own spin; a fusion of Portuguese, African, and Indian influences; reflects Portugal's colonial history; the dish that embodies Macanese fusion cuisine.
Lisbon, Portugal
Clams steamed with garlic, olive oil, lemon, and cilantro, a Lisbon seafood essential.
Portugal
Creamy salt cod gratin baked with potatoes, onions, and béchamel until bubbling.
Macao
Arroz Bacalhau
Macanese bacalhau with fried rice; salted cod shredded and mixed with eggs and rice; a delightful combination of savory and salty flavors; a Portuguese-influenced Macanese dish; the cod is usually shredded; the bacalhau fried rice that is a Macau fusion classic.
Portugal
Dried and salted cod, the backbone of Portuguese cooking.
Guangdong, Hong Kong
叉烧包
Steamed white buns that split into three at the top, filled with diced barbecued pork in a sweet-savoury sauce.
Portugal
A garlicky pork steak sandwich served in a flour-dusted roll.
Portugal
Crisp salt cod and potato fritters, a national snack found in every tasca.
Portugal
Bolo-rei
Crown-shaped brioche studded with candied fruit, traditionally eaten at Christmas.
Portugal
Caldeirada de enguias
Fisherman's fish stew with layered fish, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and white wine.
Northern Portugal, Portugal
Creamy potato soup ribboned with collard greens and a slice of chouriço.
Guangdong, Hong Kong
叉烧
Strips of pork shoulder lacquered with maltose, honey, soy and fermented bean curd, then roasted until the edges char.
Guangdong, China
粥
Rice simmered for hours until the grains dissolve into a smooth white cream, then flavoured with fish slices, preserved egg and pork, or beef balls.
Portugal
Chouriço de Portalegre
Smoked pork sausage seasoned with garlic, paprika, and red wine.
Macao
Ginger Coke
Coca-Cola boiled with ginger; a Macau specialty drink; the ginger adds warmth and spice to the cola; served hot; a comforting drink, especially in cooler weather; a unique Macau beverage; the ginger coke that is a Macau specialty.
Portugal
A mountain of boiled meats, sausages, and vegetables, Portugal's answer to pot-au-feu.
Macao
Diabo
Famous rich, spicy Macanese dish of mixed meats; traditionally served on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany; uses leftovers from Christmas and New Year; roast meats such as chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, lamb, and beef; two opinions on its name: so many meats and condiments that it is the very Devil, or so called because of its hot spices.
Macao
Ha Zi Noodle
A well-known Macau noodle dish; thin egg noodles topped with dried shrimp roe; the roe gives a intense umami flavor; the noodles are springy and chewy; a Macau specialty; the shrimp roe noodles that are a Macau classic.
Macao
Pato de Cabidela
Traditional Macanese dish of duck cooked in its own blood; rice cooked with the duck and its blood, vinegar, and spices; a dish with Portuguese and Malaysian origins; the blood gives the rice a dark, rich color and earthy flavor; a historic Macanese dish; the duck blood rice that is a Macanese tradition.
Guangdong, Hong Kong
蛋挞
A small tart of smooth egg custard in either a flaky puff shell or a shortcrust one, eaten warm.
Hong Kong
Gai Daan Jai
Hong Kong street snack of a bubble-wrap-like waffle; made from egg, sugar, flour, and evaporated milk; cooked in a special mold that creates a grid of golden, crisp balls; crispy on the outside, soft inside; sold by street vendors and small shops; a beloved Hong Kong snack; the waffle that looks like a sheet of golden eggs.
Portugal
Spit-roasted chicken basted with chili-garlic piri-piri oil.
Lisbon, Portugal
Sardinhas assadas
Sardinhas assadas are whole Portuguese sardines grilled over charcoal until the skin blisters and the oily flesh stays moist.
Northern Portugal, Portugal
A silky egg custard with lemon and cinnamon, finished with a brûléed sugar top.
Centro, Portugal
Wood-oven roast suckling pig with crackling skin and tender, juicy meat.
Macao
Hang Yan Beng
Macau's classic edible souvenir; crumbly and dry in a good way; made with a lot of almonds, meaning every bite is crunchy; recommended to eat with a drink because they are dry; pressed in wooden molds; sold in shops from Senado Square to the Cathedral; the cookie that every visitor brings home from Macau.
Macao
Niu Rou Gan
Macau's specialty snack; various types from beef, chicken, and pork; smoky, sweet, and savory; free samples are offered at every shop on Travessa da Sé; sold by the slab; a popular souvenir.
Macao
Caril de Galinha
Macanese chicken curry; chicken cooked in a curry sauce with coconut milk and spices; influenced by Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine; a Macanese fusion dish; served with rice; the chicken curry that is a Macau classic.
Macao
Camarões Balichão
Macanese chili shrimps; a standard Macanese curry dish; known for its spicy taste and thicker curry sauce; shrimps cooked in a sauce made with balichao (a Macanese fermented shrimp paste), chili, and spices; a fusion of Portuguese and Southeast Asian flavors; the chili shrimp that is a Macanese classic.
Macao
Curry de Caranguejo
Macanese crab curry; uses a whole Vietnamese mud crab; heavily influenced by Indian cuisine; unique spices and creamy coconut milk sauce combined together; served in big portions; best shared with 2-3 people; enjoy the crab meat and mix white rice with the curry sauce; one of the most expensive Macanese dishes.
Macao
Ginger Milk
Macanese ginger milk curd; hot milk poured over ginger juice; the milk curdles into a silky pudding; warm, sweet, and spicy from the ginger; a comforting dessert; resembles Hong Kong ginger milk curd; the ginger milk that is a Macau dessert classic.
Macao
Capela
Macanese meat loaf; a baked meat loaf made with minced meat, sausage, onions, and spices; topped with a layer of mashed potato; a Macanese comfort food; a fusion of Portuguese and Chinese ingredients; the meat loaf that is a Macanese home cooking classic.
Macao
Zhu Rou Fu
Macau's specialty snack; pork jerky in various flavors; smoky, sweet, and savory; sold by the slab; free samples at every shop on Travessa da Sé; a popular souvenir; the pork jerky that is a Macau street food staple.
Macao
Coelho Estufado
Rabbit stewed in wine, cinnamon, and star anise; a Macanese dish with Portuguese and Asian influences; the rabbit is slow-cooked until tender; the sauce is rich and aromatic; the rabbit stew that is a Macanese tradition.
Macao
Bacalhau Assado
Roasted bacalhau steak; a well-made grilled bacalhau has a unique softness and boasts a light taste to its cod meat; served with boiled potatoes and blanched vegetables; a Portuguese-influenced Macanese dish; the roasted bacalhau that is a Macau classic.
Macao
Salada Macaense
Traditional Macanese salad; tuna mixed with vegetables; dressed with olive oil and seasoned with salt; canned tuna is most commonly used, but high-class restaurants use fresh tuna; a Macanese classic; the salad that is a Macau staple.