Food of Macao
Macao's cooking blends Cantonese cooking with Portuguese touches from its long history as a trading port, a style often called Macanese. Seafood, rice, coconut, curry and custard desserts appear alongside stir-fries and noodles. Small cafes and bakeries serve pastries and tarts with strong coffee or tea. Meals mix local ingredients with European techniques in a distinctive way.
Minchi
Macanese comfort dish of minced meat and diced potatoes in a savory soy-sweet sauce, topped with an egg.
- Main dishes (6)
- Breakfast (2)
- Street food (3)
- Soups (1)
- Desserts and sweets (4)
- Drinks (2)
- Fruits and produce (2)
Staples
- rice
- seafood
- pork
- coconut
- potatoes
Signature flavors
- curry
- garlic
- bay leaf
- soy sauce
- coconut milk
- turmeric
Main dishes
Macanese comfort dish of minced meat and diced potatoes in a savory soy-sweet sauce, topped with an egg.
Key ingredients: ground beef, potatoes, onion, soy sauce, egg
Grilled chicken in a spicy, garlicky coconut-peanut sauce.
Key ingredients: chicken, chili, garlic, coconut, peanutsBaked duck rice with crisp edges and savory juices.
Key ingredients: duck, rice, onion, bay leafCrab simmered in a coconut curry sauce.
Key ingredients: crab, coconut milk, curry powder, garlicPrawns sauteed with plenty of garlic and herbs.
Key ingredients: prawns, garlic, parsley, olive oil
Pan-fried pork chop in a crisp roll, a favorite quick lunch.
Key ingredients: pork chop, bun, pepper, garlicBreakfast
Rice porridge for a simple morning meal.
Key ingredients: rice, ginger
Sweet crusty bun served with butter.
Key ingredients: flour, sugar, butterStreet food
A fried pork chop in a bun; a local favorite for a quick snack.
Key ingredients: pork, bun
Sweet-savory dried meat sold in strips as a snack.
Key ingredients: beef, sugar, soy sauce
Crisp almond cookies sold in the old streets.
Key ingredients: almonds, flour, sugarSoups
Portuguese-style potato and greens soup eaten in Macao homes.
Key ingredients: potatoes, kale, olive oilFull guide →Desserts and sweets
Macanese-style tart with a caramelized top.
Key ingredients: eggs, cream, sugar, puff pastryFull guide →
Layered whipped cream and crushed biscuit dessert served chilled.
Key ingredients: cream, condensed milk, biscuits
Warm, silky milk custard set with fresh ginger juice.
Key ingredients: milk, ginger, sugarCrumbly almond cake sold as a souvenir treat.
Key ingredients: almonds, sugar, flourDrinks
Strong black tea with milk.
Key ingredients: black tea, evaporated milk
Sweet cold juice sold on the street.
Key ingredients: sugarcaneFruits and produce
Sweet fruit grown across southern China and enjoyed fresh.
Key ingredients: freshFull guide →
Small sweet fruit in summer markets.
Key ingredients: fresh, driedDish guides from Macao
Explore Macao on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of Eastern Asia
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Minchi e bacalhaus: K.Y.K.Z.K., CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- African Piri Piri Chicken: Valeva1010, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Porkchopbun: No machine-readable author provided. Chensiyuan assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Chinese rice congee: Daiju Azuma, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pineapple buns: Party Lin, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Bak kwa: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Amandines de Provence, poster by Leonetto Cappiello, 1900: Leonetto Cappiello, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Caldo verde: Mateus Hidalgo, CC BY-SA 2.5 br (Wikimedia Commons)
- HK SSP 長沙灣 Cheung Sha Wan 深盛路 Sham Shing Road 泓景滙商場 Banyan Mall shop 蛋撻王 King Bakery Studio December 2019 SS2 egg tarts: LNAM Haoi, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Serradura: Popo le Chien, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ginger Milk Pudding: Chika, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Hong Kong Milk Tea, Cha Chaan Teng-style with Black and White cup: Nikoletic126, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sugarcanejuice: Food Trails, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Litchi chinensis fruits: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Longan tree at Pine Island Nursery: Pouletic, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
