Best Food and Restaurants in Hong Kong to Macau Day Trip: Quick Answer
If you are planning a Hong Kong to Macau day trip, the best food strategy is to enjoy classic dim sum or cha chaan teng breakfast in Hong Kong, then dedicate most of your eating to Macau’s historic centre and Taipa Village—sampling iconic Macanese pork chop buns, Portuguese egg tarts, and Portuguese–Chinese fusion dishes at trusted spots like Tai Lei Loi Kei (Taipa), Lord Stow’s or Margaret’s Café e Nata (egg tarts), and Rua do Cunha’s snack streets—before returning to Hong Kong for a late-night meal or dessert near the ferry terminal or bridge connection.[6][7]
This focused guide supports Homejourney’s broader Hong Kong–Macau travel pillar, especially Homejourney's Ultimate Hong Kong to Macau Day Trip Guide 2025 Homejourney's Ultimate Hong Kong to Macau Day Trip Guide 2025 , by zooming in on the best food and restaurants so you can plan a safe, efficient, and rewarding culinary day trip while also considering longer-term lifestyle and property decisions in Singapore and across Asia.
Why Food-Lovers Should Do a Hong Kong–Macau Day Trip
As someone who has done multiple Macau day trips from Hong Kong—including as a Singapore-based traveler using both the high-speed ferry to Macau from Sheung Wan and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge bus—the biggest surprise is how compact yet diverse the food scene is.[2][7] In a single day you can cover Cantonese cha chaan tengs, heritage Portuguese bakeries, and modern Macanese fusion restaurants within walkable distances around Senado Square, the Ruins of St Paul’s, and Taipa Village.[1][3][7]
For Singaporeans and regional investors, this same-day loop is useful beyond tourism: it lets you compare three very different lifestyle environments—Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore—before using Homejourney’s verified data tools such as property search Property Search and projects directory Projects Directory to make longer-term decisions about where to live, work, or invest in Asia.
How to Get from Hong Kong to Macau (Safely and Efficiently)
You have two main options to reach Macau from Hong Kong for a food-focused day trip: the traditional ferry to Macau and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (via bus or organised tour).[2][7]
1. High-speed ferry to Macau
The classic route is the high-speed ferry from Hong Kong Island (Sheung Wan Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal) or Kowloon (China Ferry Terminal) to Macau’s Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal.[7] Ferries typically take around 55–60 minutes each way, and many Singapore travellers like the early-morning sailing (around 7–8am) so they can hit Macau just in time for a mid-morning snack and lunch.[7]
From the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, it is roughly a 10–15 minute taxi ride to Senado Square, or around 25–30 minutes by public bus depending on traffic.[7] I usually opt for a taxi first thing in the morning to save time, then walk between all the food stops in the historic centre.
2. Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge day tour
Another option is a Macau day tour from Hong Kong via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, often bundled with transport, lunch, and guided sightseeing.[2][4] These tours typically include hotel pickup in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island, a bus crossing over the 55km bridge, lunch at a vetted restaurant, and a return to Hong Kong by high-speed ferry in the evening.[2]
This is a good choice if you are travelling with family, seniors, or clients and want safety, predictability, and minimal planning—similar to choosing a trusted agent on Homejourney’s agent directory rather than going it alone.
Best Food to Eat on a Macau Day Trip
The main reason to structure your Macau day trip carefully is that queues for famous eateries can easily eat up 30–45 minutes per stop. Below is a realistic route I’ve personally used, optimised for taste, walking distance, and time.
Morning: Snacks and Street Food near Senado Square
Once you reach the Historic Centre of Macau (around Senado Square and the Ruins of St Paul’s), nearly every second shop will try to sell you almond cookies, jerky, and egg rolls.[1][7] The trick—similar to hawker centre tactics in Singapore—is to avoid the most aggressive touts and look for places where you see more locals than tourists.
- Almond cookies and jerky along Rua de São Paulo – Sample small pieces first; many shops offer free tasting. I usually buy from the slightly less crowded stores one or two blocks away from the Ruins, where prices are similar but service is calmer.
- Fish balls and skewers – Near Senado Square, small carts sell curry fish balls and other skewers. These are good for a quick bite if you are used to Singapore spice levels, but always check freshness and choose stalls with high turnover.
- Local milk tea and coffee – Several cha chaan teng–style cafés around Senado Square serve strong milk tea comparable to Hong Kong’s, perfect if you skipped coffee on the ferry.
Midday: Pork Chop Buns, Macanese Mains & Portuguese Classics
By late morning or lunchtime, move to Taipa Village, about 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Historic Centre (slightly longer by bus).[3][6] This is where many of Macau’s best-known Macanese restaurants are clustered within short walking distances.[3]
- Tai Lei Loi Kei (Taipa) – Famous for its pork chop buns, usually served in a crispy bun with a thick, well-seasoned pork chop. Expect to pay roughly MOP 30–45 per bun depending on toppings (prices fluctuate), and note that peak lunch hours can have queues of 20–30 minutes.
- Rua do Cunha (Taipa Village) – A narrow street full of snack shops and small eateries. Here you can try peanut candy, almond cookies, and ice cream; think of it as Macau’s answer to a compact, tourist-friendly food lane, somewhat like a denser version of Haji Lane meets Bugis street snacks.
- Portuguese & Macanese restaurants in Taipa Village – Several restaurants serve staples like African chicken, codfish (bacalhau), and baked duck rice. These are excellent for groups where some want heavier mains beyond snacks.
In my experience, a pork chop bun plus one Macanese main shared among two people is enough for lunch if you plan to keep eating throughout the afternoon.
Afternoon: Egg Tarts and Coffee Breaks
Macau’s most famous food export to Singapore is arguably the Portuguese egg tart, with several key players:
- Lord Stow’s Bakery – The original shop is in Coloane Village (about 20–30 minutes from Taipa by bus or taxi), but there are outlets in other parts of Macau. The Coloane store has more of a neighbourhood feel and is worth a visit if you are doing a slower day trip.
- Margaret’s Café e Nata – Located nearer to the commercial centre of Macau Peninsula, this café is very popular; expect queues but quick turnover. Ideal if you are looping back from the Historic Centre to the ferry terminal.
Prices for egg tarts are typically in the MOP 10–15 range per piece. I usually take away a box for the ferry ride back to Hong Kong—similar to how Singaporeans pack extra snacks home from Johor Bahru.
Evening: Buffets and Casino Restaurants (Optional)
If your return to Hong Kong is late, you can consider an early dinner at one of the integrated resorts on the Cotai Strip, such as the Venetian Macao, Parisian Macao, or Galaxy Macau.[3] Many hotels here offer international buffets and mid-range restaurants where you can get everything from hotpot to Western grills.
For families or multi-generational groups from Singapore, I find buffets in these resorts convenient because they are spacious, have clear allergy labelling, and are used to international guests—somewhat like large hotels along Marina Bay or Orchard Road.
