Macau has one of the most fascinating cultural backgrounds in Asia and that is translated in its heritage and its food. Officially a Special Administrative Region of China, the area was under Portuguese rule for hundreds of years. The Portuguese influence, coupled with Macau’s trading role in the Far East, gave Macau food a complex and interesting palate.

Food in Macau is made of the blend of several international options, as would be expected in such a cosmopolitan city, Chinese dishes, Portuguese food and Macanese cuisine all coexist to make the culinary offering in the city exceptional.

The best food in Macau includes traditional Portuguese dishes, like the famous egg tarts or codfish based recipes, Chinese foods like dim sum and noodles, or unique fusion dishes that were created and developed right in Macau through the many influences coming through the trading routes.

Even Portuguese dishes that are commonplace in Portugal have a different flare in Macau because the wives of the first Portuguese to arrive tried to replicate their home food using Chinese techniques and ingredients and had to adapt the recipes.

The result is interesting and delicious and I love the fusion of cultures that shows on a single plate. Many consider Macau food to be the first fusion cuisine to exist.The latter would be considered Macanese food and it combines ingredients and inspiration from India, Africa and Portugal added to the local Chinese dishes.

Ranked among the best Portuguese restaurants in Macau including CNN Travel’s 5 top spots for Macanese and Portuguese cuisine, Albergue 1601 has always been considered a great destination for a casual dinner vintage style. The restaurant is housed inside one of the most storied premise in the city called Albergue SCM which was once known as ‘Shelter of the Poor’ and the ‘Old Ladies House’.The place also served a lot of different purposes in its long history including time as an orphanage. But nowadays, it’s becoming a cultural hub for local art and creative design exhibitions.

Albergue 1601 presents guests with delightful Portuguese traditional dishes such as Guilho prawns, octopus Lagareiro style, duck rice, seafood rice and much more, offering a carefully curated list of Portuguese wines as well. Alfresco dining is also available for lunch in the courtyard under the canopies of giant camphor trees.

Situated at a quiet corner of Calcada da Igreja de S. Lazaro, Albergue SCM features a small courtyard and two century-old Portuguese buildings where Restaurant Albergue 1601 is located. Executive Chef Pedro Almeida produced some of the best Portuguese fare in town here. One tip: book ahead, as the restaurant is smallish: just 3 drawing room-sized dining spaces which tend to fill up pretty quickly on most days.