Macau has a rich local gastronomy, but minchi might be its best local dish hands down. The late Anthony Bourdain gave it his seal of approval when he was in Macau and it combines Macanese and Chinese influences perfectly. The name originates from the English word “mince”, since minced meat is at the heart of the dish (traditionally beef or pork). It’s a comforting, flavorsome dish which mixes soy sauce and sweetened minced meat with fried potatoes and an egg on top. Almost every local establishment will have minchi on the menu, but a true foodie will want to try the best in town. Here are our top five places to have minchi in Macau.
Café Esplanada
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The name of this restaurant might be misleading since it seems like they might only serve coffee and snacks. However, Café Esplanada is one of the best places in town for lunch or dinner since it’s one of the few restaurants with an alfresco space. Their menu can be puzzling, since they offer a wide range of Asian dishes, including Korean, Indonesian, Chinese and Thai. Nevertheless, we suggest you try their minchi. Esplanada’s take on the classic dish is quite exquisite and different from the version found at a lot of local joints. Here, you are not only paying for the chef’s artistry and the quality of the ingredients, but also the opportunity to enjoy their alfresco area.
Café Esplanada Wynn Macau, Avenida 24 de Junho, Macau, +853 2888 9966, www.wynnmacau.com/cafe-esplanada
A Vencedora
Named “the winner” in Portuguese, this restaurant is centrally located on Rua do Campo. It offers several dishes, but their minchi is undoubtedly one of the best in town. They also do boiled codfish with vegetables and beef steak served with french fries and rice. This a great place to head to when you’re in a rush and the only thing on your mind is to quickly have a good, fulfilling and savory meal on the table. Definitely one of our favorite places for minchi in Macau.
A Vencedora 264 Rua do Campo, Macau, +853 2835 5460
Photo credit: La Famiglia Facebook page
La Famiglia
Florita Alves is the owner of this sumptuous yet “familiar” (as the name indicates) restaurants tucked away in Taipa Village. Serving some Macanese dishes one can’t easily find everywhere in town, minchi is still one of their fortes. With crunchy potatoes, soft and freshly cooked beef and a perfectly fried on-point egg, this is surely one of a kind. While there, try some of the sweets on their dessert list, including bebinca and others. If you find yourself in Taipa Village and wanting to try out Minchi, this is a great place for that.
La Famiglia 76 Rua dos Clérigos, Taipa Village, +853 2857 6131, www.facebook.com/famiglia.macau
Riquexó
Riquexó is one of the oldest and most renowned food joints in town so trying out their minchi is a must. Aside from their complete menu, they also offer daily lunch sets comprising of soup, main dish, dessert, and a beverage–minchi is but one of the options. If you are looking for a cheap meal, look no further, as you definitely won’t be spending more than MOP $100 here. The restaurant is tucked away in a local alley, hidden from traffic and people. They also have an alfresco dining area, welcoming smokers and those who enjoy the outdoors. This is one of the most local joints serving minchi in Macau.
Riquexó 69 Avenida Sidonio Pais, Macau, +853 2856 5655, www.facebook.com/Riquexó
Sab 8 Café
This place is located close to one of the most beautiful areas of the city, Rua da Nossa Sra. do Amparo. If you’re visiting the central area and checking out the Ruins of St. Paul’s or Mount Fortress, take a break and dive into the hidden alleyways through Rua dos Mercadores and Rua de Tercena to find an array of unique vintage stores and new contemporary ones. If you’re looking for some delicious minchi in Macau, had over to Sab 8. Opened in Patio Chon Sau, a world away from all the crowds which is great especially if you want to have a quiet meal. Their minchi is mouthwatering and most importantly, fills you up with warmth and comfort.
Sab 8 Café GF, 10 Pátio De Chon Sau, Macau, +853 2835 8191, www.facebook.com/Cafesab8
Restaurante Litoral
Named Litoral–coastline in English–this is a to-go spot when in search of Macanese delicacies. The minchi here is very popular amongst locals and tourists, and tastes very good indeed. As most traditional minchis served in Macau, this too is made with lots of care and tradition, based on a family’s recipe. With freshly fried potato cubes and tender meat, seasoned with soy sauce and other secrets, it’s a comforting dish, very characteristic and worth experiencing it. Be it at their Inner Harbour or Taipa village restaurants, order up a plate of minchi and we’re sure you’ll be satisfied.
Restaurante Litoral (Inner Harbour) 261 GF-A Rua do Almirante Sérgio, Macau, +853 2896 7878, www.facebook.com/RestauranteLitoralLimitada
53-57 Rua do Regedor, Block 4, Wai Chin Kok, Taipa Village, +853 2882 5255, www.facebook.com/RestauranteLitoralTaipa
Also read: Filipe Ferreira: Macanese Food and Keeping It Authentic
Belos Tempos
Tucked in a tiny entrance on the left side of Rua da Felicidade, there lies Belos Tempos. Besides traditional Macanese dishes such as tacho (mainly served during winter) and many others, minchi is the queen of Belos Tempos’ menu. With a beautiful fried egg placed on top of the minced beef and potato mix, it comes with a side of plain rice–just the way we like it! Their minchi has just the right balance of saltiness and sweetness, which goes perfectly well with the plain rice and the fried egg.
Belos Tempos 10 Rua da Felicidade, Macau, +853 2893 8670, www.facebook.com/belostempos
Also read: 10 Must-Eat Macau Dishes
This article as originally written by Macau Lifestyle in October 2017 and updated by Leonor Sá Machado in April 2020.
