A Vencedora is another family-run restaurant that has endured the test of time. Established in 1918, this unpretentious little eatery has a loyal following among the Macanese community owing to its simple but mouthwatering grilled dishes, very reasonable prices, and always friendly service.

Founded in 1961, Solmar Restaurant is famous for its Portugal chicken and spicy African chicken, both of which are classic Macanese - rather than Portuguese - dishes. The Solmar spicy prawns are also not to be missed.

 

Riquexo Cafe is decidedly off the beaten tourist track, but if you want to experience a slice of Macanese life, there may be no better place to go. Configured more like a cafeteria than a cafe, it serves food from a steam table, but don't let that put you off. The recipes have been handed down through generations and include African, Indian, Malay, Chinese and Portuguese influences. This is Macanese food in its purest form. 

Of slightly more recent vintage are two restaurants that opened in the 1990s, A Lorcha and Restaurante Litoral. Located on the Interior Harbour, A Lorcha serves classic Portuguese cuisine, while Litoral serves traditional Macanese fare.

Three of the city’s oldest Macanese and Portuguese restaurants are located in Taipa  which, until a couple of decades ago, was a sleepy little backwater. The oldest of these eateries is Cozinha Pinocchio, which was originally situated at the back of a small alley off the Rua do Cunha in Taipa Village. There, you could watch television through the windows of an apartment next door, dogs begged at the table, and if you asked to see the wine list you would be directed to a refrigerator to pick up the bottle of your choice.

Serving home-style Macanese fare, the open-air cafe's curried crab is legendary. Having undergone several incarnations, the restaurant is now housed in a multi-storey edifice just off the entrance to the village's main drag. It is hugely popular with day-trippers from Hong Kong.

Rubbing shoulders with the shops selling dried meats and freshly baked cookies sits O Santos Comida Portuguesa Taipa, which dates back more than a quarter of a century. This unpretentious little eatery has long been favoured by Macau's Portuguese community for its yummy, home-style dishes from Portugal's Alentejo region.

Established around the same era, Galo Portuguese Food is famous for its African chicken, octopus salad, giant prawns and pig trotters. It’s housed in a traditional white-washed farmhouse with blue-trimmed shuttered windows and features a kitschy interior decorated with assorted Chinese and Portuguese artifacts.

One of Macau's most celebrated Portuguese restaurants is situated on Coloane. Restaurante Fernando needs no introduction. Established in 1986, it is so well-known among Hongkongers that having a meal there is almost synonymous with dining out in Macau. 

Situated at the other end of the beach, Miramar Portuguese Food attracts an entirely different crowd. Here you'll find large gatherings of local families or group of friends feasting on traditional Portuguese fare, with hardly a tourist in sight.

Where to dine

A Vencedora: G/F, 264 R. do Campo, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Macau;
(853) 2835 5460

Riquexo Café: 69 Avenida Sidonio Pais, Macau;
(853) 2856 5655

A Lorcha: 289 Rua Almirante Sergio, Sao Lourenco, Macau;
(853) 2831 3195

Cozinha Pinocchio: 38 Largo dos Bombeiros, Taipa Village;
(853) 2882 7128 or 2882 7328

Galo Portuguese Food: 45 Rua do Cunha, Taipa;
(853) 2882 7423 or 2882 7318

Restaurante Fernando: Hac Sa Park, Hac Sa Beach, Coloane;
(853) 2888 2264