31 Best Restaurants in Macau, China

Vastly popular A Lorcha (the name means "wooden ship") celebrates the heritage of Macau as an important port with a maritime-theme menu. Save room for serradura (Macau sawdust pudding, made with biscuits and whipped cream).

The first traditional American steak house in Macau serves premium-quality steaks and seafood in a space that evokes 1960s Las Vegas. A large fireplace that pops and crackles during the winter months blends in perfectly with the vintage chandeliers and celebrity photos hanging on the walls. Sip a cocktail at the bar and brace yourself for huge slabs of beef, grilled to juicy perfection before your eyes in the open kitchen. A 20-ounce cowboy wagyu steak from Australia tops the list at MOP$998. Other dishes include Norwegian salmon fillet and seared Hokkaido scallops when in season. For dessert, try the sinfully rich crème brûlée.

"Quirky" springs to mind when describing the colorful decor, with plastic monkey puppets and funky chicken toys hanging from the ceilings. The eclectic clientele includes graphic designers, gambling-compliance lawyers, and 10-year-old Cantonese kids celebrating birthdays.

Originally a modest, traditional bakery opened by a young Englishman named Andrew Stow in 1989, Lord Stow's Bakery is now a culinary landmark in Coloane, just off the town square. Locals sit on nearby benches munching the signature hot and flaky pasteis de nata (custard tarts) straight from the oven. Inside the little shop, breads, muffins, cookies, flapjacks, and other homemade goods are on offer, but be sure to walk out with at least one tart. The neighboring Lord Stow's Café (853/2888–2174) has sit-down meals as does the outpost in the Venetian Macao (853/2886–6889).

Occupying a converted two-story house with a small but pleasant balcony overlooking Coloane Village, this restaurant is Portuguese owned and has a Portuguese chef—so it’s no surprise that it is a favorite of Portuguese residents.

Everyone in Hong Kong and Macau knows about Fernando's, but the vine-covered entrance close to Hác-Sá Beach is difficult to spot. The open-air dining pavilion and bar have attracted beachgoers for years now, and the enterprising Fernando has built a legendary reputation for his Portuguese fare.

With its southern Italian fare inspired by the Puglia Region and sweeping views of the Macau Peninsula, Aurora is popular with a high-level business clientele and those seeking modern romance. Chef Michele dell'Aquila's menu focuses on seafood, spotlighting pan-roasted cod, Adriatic red snapper, crabs, prawns, and oysters, but there are also plenty of pastas and meats, as well as over 2,000 bottles in the massive wine cellar. A seafood buffet is served from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm on Sunday and costs MOP$488.

This 1930s-style Parisian brasserie in the MGM Macau is one of the trendiest restaurants around. Diners are particularly fond of its catch-of-the-day seafood, French mains, and chic decor.

Inspired by its sister restaurant Made In China in the Grand Hyatt Beijing, Beijing Kitchen features northern Chinese cuisine. One of the signature dishes is the Peking duck, which is cooked in a wood-fired oven, roasting away the fat and leaving the skin crispy. The home-style pan-fried pork dumplings have a delicately thin skin. The open kitchen, exposed brick, high ceilings, dark-wood furnishings, and modern Chinese decor give the eatery a sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere. The dessert menu contains Chinese sweets such as mango pudding and homemade ice cream.

Located next to the Four Seasons' Bali-inspired poolside, Belcanção offers an impressive buffet spread featuring Portuguese, Indian, Chinese, Italian, and a smaller selection of Japanese dishes. The dessert and salad bars are amply stocked, and the service is impeccable. Try the codfish with chickpeas salad, have a slice of thin-crust pizza, and wash it all down with fresh fruit juice. Follow up with an egg tart or serradura.

Founded in 1870 as a private military club, the stately pink-and-white structure was restored in 1995 and reopened as a restaurant. The languid Old World atmosphere perfectly complements the extensive list of traditional Portuguese dishes.

Well known to both locals and visitors from Hong Kong, Fat Siu Lau has kept its customers coming back since 1903 with delicious Macanese favorites and modern creations. A second branch, called Fat Siu Lau 3, is in Taipa Village and offers the same great food albeit in more modern settings.

With its dedicated view of the Wynn Macau's Performance Lake show and the flashing glows of the Lisboa casinos providing ambience, one of the most romantic restaurants in Macau plays host to Asian celebrities and well–heeled travelers alike. Popular among the impeccable southern Italian delights are tenderloin carpaccio and cioppino starters and sweet potato and pancetta gnocchi, accompanied by chilled wine from an exhaustive list. Desserts range from crispy cannoli to homemade sorbets and ice cream imported straight from Italy. Window seats in particular are at a premium and are best reserved three weeks in advance. The dress code is "casual elegance," which means long pants, closed-toe shoes, and no open shirts for men; this is not the place for children under five.

Next to Aurora and with the same stunning views of the peninsula, Kira serves quality Japanese fare. Its wasabi, for example, comes fresh and doesn't burn badly—truly sublime mustard is a sign that something fresh is taking place in the kitchen. Outdoor deck seating is a nice way to enjoy Kira's carefully cut sashimi, subtle seaweed soups, and fine cuts of wagyu beef. This is an excellent choice for entertaining guests and for family dining, but there are also private booths if you're in the mood for something intimate.

Specialties at this Spanish restaurant firmly ensconced in the 17th-century Pousada de São Tiago include seafood paella, "casserole" of pigeon with rice, Iberian Parma ham, beef sirloin, garoupa (grouper), and fresh sole. Don't miss the afternoon high tea, available from 3 to 5 daily; it's served on the brick terrace shaded by hundred-year-old trees, in the air-conditioned interior with a view of the South China Sea, or at the mirror-walled Cascata Bar built inside the ancient fortress.

Look for the small cow sign marking the out-of-the-ordinary Leitaria i Son milk bar. The decor is cafeteria-style and spartan, but the bar whips up frothy glasses of fresh milk from its dairy and blends them with all manner of juices: papaya, coconut, apricot, and more. Known for: silky steamed milk; cold milk custard with red beans; long lines at peak hours.

In a tasteful setting, with whitewashed walls and dark-wood beams, one of the most popular local restaurants offers authentic Macanese dishes that are simple, straightforward, and deliciously satisfying.

Not far off the main drag but somewhat hidden down an alleyway, Margaret's Café e Nata offers a cool—albeit increasingly crowded—place to sit, outside under fans and awnings, with some of the best custard tarts in town, plus fresh juices, sandwiches, homemade tea blends, and pizza slices. .

A novelty in its adopted home, Morton's draws nostalgics and newbies to its isolated outpost of Yankee rib eye and Aussie porterhouse. A dark-wood decor and low lighting make for a Godfather-like ambience. Tucked away in a corner of the Venetian Macao's massive gambling floor, Morton's is particularly popular with convention clients and the city's casino management set—the big bosses from Vegas and Atlantic City.

Come here for traditional Portuguese food that relies on meats, seafood, and heavy sauces. The grilled prawns, African chicken, and various curries are excellent. But it's the design that makes this place so special—picture an elegant two-story facade, brilliant white colonnades, and Iberian arches tiled with azulejos (glazed and painted Portuguese tiles) complemented by marble steps and bridges. Reservations are a good idea on weekends.

A busy little eatery in the heart of Taipa Village, O Santos serves up classic Portuguese fare without frills or fluff. It has a similar menu to many of the diners in Macau, but the personality here is warm and lively. It's not a place for a romantic night out, but the food is great—try the steak and fries, the fried sardines, and, to finish, the serradura (a Portuguese dessert containing cookies and cream).

The house-made sangria is terrific.

Walking toward the Ruins of St. Paul's, you will likely be accosted by salespeople forcing Macanese snacks into your hands and enticing you to enter one of the street's pastelarias. Competition is fierce, but Pastelaria Koi Kei is one of the oldest and best.

The owners, who have roots in Pisa, created a warm, rustic interior to match the refined comfort food on their menu. The bresaola involtini (air-cured beef with shredded Parmesan) and fresh salmon carpaccio antipasti are tasty ways to begin your meal. Move on to the grilled king prawns, homemade tortellini, and, of course, the perfect wood-fired pizzas.

To find the place, walk up the hill from Barra Square and look on your left for the door leading downstairs, just across from the yellow-and-white Moorish Barracks.

Despite the Portuguese name, exquisite dim sum and Chinese haute cuisine are Portas do Sol's specialties. Tiny, sweet Shanghainese pork buns, turnip cakes, and soup dumplings are some of the traditional offerings; there are also innovative new creations that look like miniature jewels on the plate. For dessert you can choose from a wide variety of Chinese sweets, including a fish-shaped chilled mango and coconut pudding, double-boiled papaya with snow fungus (a tasteless mushroom that becomes gelatinous when cooked), and deep-fried sweet milk with longan fruit. Reservations are a good idea on weekends, as this place fills up with Hong Kong and mainland visitors.

Mediterranean beauty is in evidence inside and outside, with a gleaming white facade opening into a dining room with graceful arches, terra-cotta floors, and wrought-iron furniture. The menu is creative, with dishes ranging from African chicken to pork and clams cataplana (in a stew of onions, tomatoes, and wine).

Designed by Hong Kong's Alan Chan, The Eight is an opulent-looking restaurant where the food is as impressive as the decor—it was awarded three Michelin stars in 2014. The chefs here prepare fine Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisine; signature dishes include braised abalone with Chinese herbs, steamed Japanese bean curd with dried seafood, and steamed fish-shaped shrimp dumplings. The wine cellar contains more than 14,100 different labels; teetotalers can enjoy teas from an extensive menu that includes a pu er that has been aged for 49 years.

Lunchtime diners can choose from a menu that boasts over 50 types of dim sum.