It’s easy to choose a Macau restaurant if you’re a carnivore but if you’re a vegetarian, how do you find a vegetarian restaurant in Macau? First, the good news. Chinese Buddhists have a tradition of vegetarianism among monks, and many lay people eat vegetarian food on holy days. Now, the bad news. Other than occasionally substituting fish for other types of meat, Portuguese Catholics have no such spiritual tradition. Here’s our Macau vegetarian restaurant guide to help you survive a visit.
Macau vegetarian tips
Since Macau was shaped primarily by those two cultures, vegetarians travelling in Macau may feel that all-too-familiar anxiety.
Where do I find a vegetarian restaurant in Macau? How do I ask for vegetarian food? And how will I know it’s really vegetarian?
Aside from packing an entire suitcase of raw nut bars, vegetarians do have a few options when travelling in Macau.
1- You can go to a regular restaurant and ask for a dish to be prepared vegetarian.
2- You can go to a dedicated vegetarian restaurant.
3- You can subsist on snacks and packaged foods with the labels clearly indicating what’s inside.
The first option is most convenient, but you’re more likely to accidentally eat something you don’t want to.
Going to a vegetarian restaurant in Macau is safer for the purity of your diet, but may be impractical if hunger strikes when a veg café isn’t close by. Snacks are good to stave off hunger but aren’t that satisfying.
Where you eat will also depend on your travelling companions. If you’re alone or travelling with other vegetarians, it’s likelier that you’ll plan your day around being close to a veg restaurant at mealtimes. But if you’re travelling in a pack of omnivores, your high-maintenance dietary ways may frustrate and annoy them.
Here are a few types of restaurants vegetarians can find in Macau, and snacks that will provide necessary calories in between meals.
Macau vegetarian Chinese restaurants
Chinese cuisine is known for not letting any parts of animals go to waste. But there’s also a tradition of Buddhist monk food featuring vegetables and mock meats made from wheat gluten and soy.
Macau has many vegetarian Chinese restaurants. For a memorable experience, visit the restaurants at Pou Tai Un Monastery. The monastery has long featured a reliable budget vegetarian eatery.
Now there’s also a second, more upscale restaurant at the monastery, with uniformed waiters and a menu written in English.
If no monasteries are handy, any regular Chinese restaurant should be able to make you a simple vegetarian dish of rice and vegetables.
Whether they’ll understand your request is another matter.
Try asking for “Buddhist monk food.” If your English doesn’t seem to be getting across, show them this phrase and trying saying it. 我食齋 (ngóh sihk jāai).
Macau dim sum restaurants
Some of the Chinese vegetarian restaurants offer dim sum, that fun dining style of mixing and matching small dishes.
For a very upscale and modern dim sum meal, try the M Bar at the Mandarin Oriental.
It offers both veg and non-veg dim sum for lunch and boasts a terrific view of Macau’s skyline. Be forewarned that they have a dress code.
I also had an exquisite vegetarian dim sum at the Treasure Palace at the City of Dreams resort and shopping centre.
This is one of Macau’s top restaurants. Vegetarian dishes are clearly marked on the menu.
Macau juice bars and raw dining
Photos: Blissfull CarrotThe global trend of organic juice bars has reached Macau. In Taipa, The Blissful Carrot offers a rotating menu of local and organic food, including many vegan and raw options.
In recent times, Taipa has seen lots of growth with plenty of new diners and galleries opening up.
Come here for your pressed juices, elixirs, salads, tempeh sandwiches, smoothies and vegan fudge.
It’s mostly a vegetarian takeaway spot. Thursday through Saturday they stay open until 11 pm.
Indian veg restaurant in Macau
Ever since 2009, when the India International Film Academy held its awards ceremony in Macau, Indian tourism has accelerated.
This has pumped money into a campaign to draw more Indian tourism to the island and the number of Indian visitors has increased by at least 5% every year since.
This is good news for vegetarians since about 40% of Indians don’t eat meat.
Indian restaurants are a reliable source of veg food. Look for Indian restaurants owned by Aruna Jha, the longstanding curry queen of Macau.
At press time, escalating rents were seriously threatening her restaurant empire, but when she rises again she will cook you the best Indian vegetarian food in Macau.
The Golden Peacock is an Indian restaurant in Venetian Macau that has earned a Michelin star. The menu here draws from the cuisine of different states in India.
Macau hotel breakfast buffets for vegetarians
Tanking up at one of the massive hotel breakfast buffets is another strategy for vegetarians.
When I stayed at the Mandarin Oriental, the morning buffet had a staggering amount of bread, pastries, fresh fruit, eggs and other suitable foods.
Sweet treats in Macau
One of the drawbacks of being a vegetarian traveller is feeling left out of trying the local delicacies. But I managed to try a few Macanese treats.
Visiting a tofu specialty restaurant was a very fun cultural excursion.
The sign on the front of Macau’s most famous tofu joint says Firma U Tac Hong, but the restaurant is also referred to as Lee Hong K E Tau Fu.
Whatever you call it, this hole in the wall shop is small and crowded with people making and eating tofu.
The tofu-making process involves lots of plastic buckets and drains. The specialty here is tau fu far, a bowl of smooth, freshly made tofu topped with evaporated milk and sugar syrup.
As someone used to eating savoury rather than dessert tofu, it was a bit odd tasting, and a little went a long way. But it was great fun to go to such a locally treasured place – it’s been in business more than 60 years — and see the tofu being made.
Almond cookies are a more familiar taste for many visitors. I had no problem eating a lot of them.
This is a very popular souvenir of Macau, so visitors generally have many chances to see almond cookies made, sample them and buy them as gifts.
But beware. Some almond cookies are made with lard. Look for the label that says, “Suitable for vegetarians.”
For a very fresh sweet drink, look for one of the old-fashioned sugar cane juice stalls. You’ll recognize them by the huge piles of drained sugar cane stalks.
I’ve managed to never go hungry in Macau. Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty to eat. But it never hurts to pack a few granola bars, just in case!
Discover Macau
For more ideas on what to do in Macau see this post. Looking for the best restaurants in Macao for a special treat? Here’s a post about Michelin star Macau.
Macau is famous for its Portuguese egg tarts. Here’s a recipe you can try at home. When visiting Macao, the best place to buy Portuguese egg tart is at Lord Stowe’s Bakery in Coloane.
Macau is famous for delicious cuisine. Here are some of the best places to eat, many of these Macau restaurants serve vegetarian dishes.
Read our post about where to find the best Macanese chow in Macao.
Plan Your Trip
Rent A Car – Find the best car rental rates at Discover Cars. They compare car hire companies to provide you with the best deal right now.
Find A Hotel – If you’re curious about this article and are looking for somewhere to stay, take a look at these amazing hotels.
