Local cook Lam Won Lun has taken a dim sum staple and made it his own. His innovative fare recently won over the taste buds of the Michelin Guide, earning the humble Lun Kee Rice Roll a spot on every foodie traveller’s itinerary of Macao.
The newly opened Casa Maquista offers an array of traditional dishes that encapsulate Macao’s rich gastronomic history, served up with love in a heritage home.
Amid Macao’s world famous fine dining scene, a less glamorous but deeply beloved option thrives: the cha chaan teng. Traditionally no-frills cafés offering budget-friendly comfort food, a new wave of tea restaurants is developing – still serving up nostalgia, but packaged for the modern age.
At the inaugural International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao showcased more than global cuisines. The SAR reinforced its strengths as a dining destination and host for major events.
Septuagenarian chef Sunny Ip Sio Man has been in the restaurant business since he was 12 years old. And a recent Bib Gourmand award is evidence that his respectful approach to culinary innovation is working.
So close to the city’s busiest tourist attraction and yet a tranquil world unto itself, chef Chio Chi Ngong’s localised take on this Japanese classic is one of Macao’s best-kept culinary secrets.
Lei Iat Wah is reaching the end of a decades-long career crafting tofu, just like his dad did. What’s kept this second-generation artisan going for so long? Morning swims, he says. And plenty of karaoke.
Macao’s proud culinary heritage merges with human history, at least where its beloved sauces and spicy pastes are concerned. We spoke with four local businesses about how mastering the art of the condiment has shaped the families involved.
For the past 80-odd years, Chion Chau café has borne witness to the ebbs and flows of Macao. Today, it’s run by a father-and-son team who are moving with the times while remembering the past.
Ching Kei is a Cantonese restaurant in Macao’s old town that’s barely changed since the 1960s. It’s earned its place in the government’s Distinctive Shops Programme – proof, in a way, of the role it plays in maintaining the city’s heritage.