Mexican culture is rich and diverse, and a large part of it is the cuisine. Its popularity has grown way beyond the Mexican border, or even the continent thanks to the bold flavors, the abundance of fresh ingredients in the recipes, and spices to tantalize taste buds. Thus, many foodies across the globe would name Mexican or Tex-Mex food among their favorites. While Macau does not have a restaurant specializing only in Mexican food, there are plenty of spots that serve authentic dishes or creations inspired by la cocina Mexicana. Keep reading to learn where to find the best Mexican food in Macau!
Splash
(See featured image above)
What can you expect from a place with the “Four Seasons” tag on it? For starters, outstanding quality of food and flawless service is a guarantee. At Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, all the dining destinations deserve the attention, but the best place to spend warm afternoons and evenings has to be Splash. Located by the poolside, this alfresco restaurant will instantly make you feel like you’re on vacation, leaving all the worries and daily troubles behind. Sit back on the comfy wicker armchairs observing lush greenery of Four Seasons’ gardens around and listen to the sound of water mixed with pleasant music while you wait for the food.
The Splash menu is a combination of various cuisines. Healthy salads, juicy burgers, bar food such as fish and chips, or chicken wings make up for a promising dinner with your mates or family. Their Mexican dishes feature a personal twist from Four Seasons chefs. The crispy codfish burrito is a mix of a classic Mexican burrito and fish and chips. Succulent cod with veggies are wrapped in a thin tortilla and served with salty French fries and a selection of sauces–ketchup, chipotle, and salsa verde.
If you wish to order something to share with your companions, go for cheese nachos, crispy corn chips topped with creamy guacamole, cilantro, peppers, cheese, and shallots. Our personal Mexican favorite at Splash is BBQ pork ribs tacos. A serving has two hard shells filled with tender pork, wasabi coleslaw, jalapeños, and shallots. You can make it even tastier, adding some garnish of guacamole, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
Splash Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, Estrada da Baía de Nossa Senhora da Esperança, Cotai, +853 2881-8888, www.fourseasons.com
Nachos and shrimp tacos
Coast
A spacious restaurant at MGM Cotai filled with carefree chatter and natural light, Coast stands for West Coast of the US and somehow you can even feel those laid-back Californian vibes. Behind the creation of this restaurant is a celebrity chef Graham Elliot. Their menu includes local, as well as Western favorites. Expect a level up from a regular American eatery because at Coast they are meticulous about the ingredients sourcing and the culinary team’s skills are exceptional.
The Mexican selection at Coast is small, but everything is excellent, especially the tacos. Sure, meat tacos are great, but how about substituting meat with seafood? That is what they did at Coast, putting juicy shrimps inside hard shells and adding some coleslaw with avocado. With guacamole and spicy salsa on the plate, this dish goes to our list of the best tacos in town! Another Mexican specialty is nachos, which they make from scratch in-house. Unlike some of the nachos, the ones at Coast are not topped with minced beef so even vegetarians can enjoy them! Meat lovers will appreciate juicy steak skirt grilled medium-rare with black beans and avocado salsa.
Coast MGM Cotai, Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, +853 8806 2328, www.mgm.mo/en/cotai/dining/coast
Pork taco
Larry’s Place
A compact eatery steps away from crowded Senado Square, Larry’s Place attracts its guests with healthy food choices, reasonable prices, and Larry’s charisma. The owner often spends time at his business and is always happy to give more details on what’s on the menu or what’s cool in town.
Among their fresh salads, yummy sandwiches, and burgers, do not miss out on the home-made tacos with their signature pulled pork filling. At Larry’s, they wrap tacos in a grilled soft shell tortilla and serve it with fresh salad–lettuce and cherry tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper. To make pork tender and juicy, they marinate it for hours before cooking.
Larry’s Place 2 Beco do Gonçalo, Macau, +853 6528 9786, larrysplacemacau.business.site, www.facebook.com/larrysplacemacau
Fish tacos
OTT – Old Taipa Tavern
The vital gravity center for expats and locals, OTT is a bar in Taipa Village known for the welcoming service where they call patrons by their names and remember what drinks they usually order. Although Macau locals know it primarily as a bar, it includes “tavern” in its name for a reason. Here, they offer home-style dishes and gastropub classics such as burgers, pasta, and small bites like spring rolls and onion rings. In a nutshell, there is nothing pretentious, but the flavors are in place.
OTT’s Mexican selection is humble–there are nachos, vegetarian quesadilla, and tacos–but worthy of trying out, especially to pair your chilled Corona with. With your choice of filling, white fish, chicken or vegetables, generously topped with cheese, hard-shell tacos are a real treat.
OTT 21 Rua dos Negociantes, Taipa Village, +853 2882 5221, www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Taipa-Tavern
Breakfast burrito and Mexican fiesta salad
The Blissful Carrot
If you don’t eat animal-based protein, it doesn’t mean you can’t have anything Mexican. A pioneer of conscious choices and an expert on plant-based food, The Blissful Carrot has you covered! Among their diverse and vibrant menu, you will find several recipes inspired by traditional Mexican dishes but made without meat. That includes Mexican grilled cheese with beans and veggies, breakfast burrito, Mexican fiesta salad, and quesadilla.
Besides, they offer all-day breakfast, which is a dream for those of us who crave egg-courses at a random time of the day. A breakfast burrito for dinner? Give us two! Packed with vegetables, this dish is filling and so satisfying. Scrambled eggs with avo, zucchini, black beans, asparagus, eggplant are wrapped in a home-made tortilla. Instead of French fries, there are healthier purple sweet potato fries cooked in an air fryer to avoid them being too oily. That spicy salsa they make in-house adds some spiciness and freshness to the burrito with a healthy bonus of a serving of fresh fruit.
Another outstanding item inspired by Latin flavors is the Mexican fiesta salad. The mix of quinoa, black beans, avocado, fresh crispy lettuce, organic cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, grilled corn, onion, and crumbles of feta is perfectly seasoned and dressed with spicy chipotle sauce. The portion is large, so it is suitable for a substantial lunch, especially when paired with their in-house made Blissful Bombooch kombucha. Healthy and so tasty!
The Blissful Carrot 79 Rua Direita Carlos Eugenio, Taipa Village, +853 6298 8433, www.facebook.com/blissfulcarrot
Chili con carne, shredded beef, and chicken tinga burrito bowl
Healthy Habits Superfood Cafe
If you care about how many calories you consume and the balance of fats, carbs, and protein on your plate, you have probably already discovered Healthy Habits Superfood Cafe. If not, it is about time to do it! Located in the financial district of Macau, this small cafe is all about healthy food. Their menu features a wide selection of international dishes, all of which are cooked with ingredients that are good for your body. Moreover, they use cooking methods that help preserve micronutrients. Whether you are on a vegetarian, keto, or gluten-free diet, it would be easy to have a guilt-free meal that tastes great.
Among their Mexican-inspired dishes, some of those especially worthy of the attention are chili con carne, shredded beef, and chicken tinga burrito bowl. Chili con carne, meaning chili with meat, is a traditional Mexican stew cooked with tomatoes and spices. At Healthy Habits, they serve this with brown rice that has a higher content of fiber and minerals compared to white rice, broccoli, and jalapeños. Shredded beef is a juicy and spicy dish with sweet potatoes and some tomato salsa. The tinga bowl is a kind of deconstructed burrito with brown rice, beans, avocado, flavorful shredded chicken, and a bunch of fresh veggies.
Healthy Habits Superfood Cafe R/C A, 203 Avenida Comercial de Macau, Edifício La Bahia, Macau, +853 2859 3386, www.facebook.com/healthyhabitscafe
Quesadilla
The Roadhouse Macau
One of the best nightlife havens with live music, The Roadhouse Macau, is a one of a kind place in town. Apart from guitar riffs and rhythmic drums of live rock’n’roll bands, as well as an extensive collection of rock and sports memorabilia, Roadhouse has much to offer when it comes to comfort food and pub favorites. Filipino specials, burgers, pizza, and even Irish dishes made by a hardworking cooking team have a simple presentation, disappear from your plate in a jiffy.
Their list of Mexican courses is rather large, focusing on all-time favorites, such as nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadilla, and fajitas. The carne asada burrito is finger-licking good. Top it up with extra jalapeños to add some fire–you wouldn’t want to share it with anyone! If you do wish to share some food with your hungry mates, go for their cheesy quesadilla with crispy tortilla or nachos with chili con carne. Occasionally, they introduce special offers and promotions on both food and drinks. Not to mention, The Roadhouse Macau has a daily happy hour for beer, wine, and liquors!
The Roadhouse Macau E-G016-G019 Broadway Food Street, Broadway Macau, Avenida Marginal Flor De Lótus, Cotai, +853 2875 2945, www.broadwaymacau.com.mo
Factory burrito grande
The Cheesecake Factory
If you’ve ever visited the US, there is a good chance that The Cheesecake Factory is not an unfamiliar name for you. The legendary American restaurant chain arrived at Macau in 2019 and settled down at Sands Cotai Central, causing a buzz among the foodie community right away. What makes it so great? Possibly, the key to their success is more than generous portions or simple yet excellent recipes, among them are the signature cheesecakes. The Cheesecake Factory’s menu is enormous and features a multitude of dishes popular in the States. A whole page on “glamburgers”, a selection of salads, pasta, and so much more can leave one indecisive about choosing between the tempting options.
Naturally, an American chain like this had to include Tex-Mex dishes so beloved everywhere globally, not just the Land of Liberty. Enchiladas, tacos, burritos–the list goes on as there are plenty of things to share with friends or family. Indeed, it is better to come in a group as the portions are American-style big and include various side dishes, as well! Among the Tex-Mex choices, the absolute winner is grilled steak tacos in a hard shell (four per serving), with a side of cilantro rice and black beans. Most of the Mexican courses here are served with these accompaniments, including a gigantic chicken burrito that you can easily feed two or three grown men with. Thus, a monster burrito, as it is described in the menu, makes total sense to us.
One more main that you should savor here is chicken enchiladas. If you are not familiar with it, enchiladas are corn tortillas with a filling, sauce, and cheese. At The Cheesecake Factory, enchiladas have chicken inside and red chili sauce with melted cheese on top, black beans, cilantro rice, and corn salsa. It’s absolutely perfect home-style cooking!
The Cheesecake Factory Shop 2203D-E, Level 2, Shoppes at Londoner, The Londoner Macao, Estrada do Istmo. s/n, Cotai, +853 2882 3398, www.sandscotaicentral.com
Mexican beans salad and classic lamb fajitas
Tacos
A quirky little spot in Taipa Village, Tacos is a cozy tavern that serves Mexican and Portuguese dishes. Friendly service, Latin rhythms, and a myriad of peculiar decor elements make it a great location to spend an evening with friends over some margaritas. Besides this party-starting citrusy tequila-based cocktail, there are plenty of all-time Mexican favorites and lesser-known recipes. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas don’t require any introduction, but we’d also suggest checking out their Mexican bean salad with red beans, and chili rellenos, minced beef stuffed in bell pepper.
Despite the name of the place, we recommend skipping tacos this time and going for some sizzling fajitas. A Tex-Mex mix of meat strips with onion and bell peppers is marinated in spices and lime juice, then grilled. The traditional way of serving fajitas (and that is how Tacos does it) is on a hot iron skillet with tortillas and some garnishes. There are three types of fajitas at Tacos, classic beef, lamb, and margarita with chicken or pork marinated in tequila. Take one tortilla, spread sour cream and guacamole, put that fragrant meat and top it with tomato salsa. Wrap your tortilla up and enjoy it!
Tacos GF-H Hei Loi Tang Plaza, 38 Rua das Virtudes, Taipa Village, +853 2875 0151, www.facebook.com/TACOS
This was originally written by Joana San Jose in December 2016 and updated by Ksenia Kuzmina in August 2020.
Photo credits: Ksenia Kuzmina.
