Travel Macao: 10 Best spots for cocktails & coffee

Rounding up old and new favourites for a tipple or two and the usual suspects for a great brew. This post also ties up my collaboration with the Macao Tourism Board sharing my personal favourites on this sleepy backwater of Hong Kong, steeped in history and peppered with plenty of 16th century UNESCO monuments. 

Macao is always a lovely weekend getaway from Hong Kong or if you are spending a week in Hong Kong, it’s worth the hour ferry ride over – if anything for the food and architecture.

If you’re planning to spend NYE in Macao, here are some of the residents’ favourite spots.

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  1. 38 Lounge Altira

This has been a favourite to watch the Macao Fireworks competition during the season as it lies on the opposite side of the Macao Peninsula with unobstructed views of the waters. There’s live music and a DJ. We also really like grabbing dinner at Japanese restaurant Tenmasa before heading to drinks.

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2. Ritz Carlton Macao Bar & Lounge

Located on the 51st floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel on the Cotai Strip offering panoramic views of the strip behind the bar. It’s most popular for it’s gin trolley with a full range of gin tonics. There used to be a Bossanova live band in the evenings, but am not sure what’s the latest schedules and over festive.

3. Heart Bar

I wrote about this spot a couple of years ago for Travel + Leisure. It’s a beautiful spot out of the mammoth casino hotel buildings with a beautiful terrace – although this time of year is a little chilly to be outside for sundowners. Creative cocktails and lovely interiors where locals and expats alike hangout.

4. Beer Temple

Opened in the last year, Beer Temple offers a range of craft beers and a lovely decked out industrial chic interior. People usually stumble upon this bar wandering the streets off St Paul’s Ruins. If craft beers are your thing, this is possibly the best spot in Macau to grab some.

5. Macallan Whisky Bar @ Galaxy

It was a hot spot when the hotel and their F&B outlets first opened, but the hype has died down. I know little about whisky but my friends have recommended getting flights of Whisky to get a taste. Service is spotty, but it’s a dark and intimate setting.

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6. St Regis Bar/ Lounge

One of their signature cocktails at the bar is a Bloody Mary inspired by the Portuguese history of harvests, trade and spice served with a Portuguese egg tart. They start apertivo time with a champagne sabring ceremony around 6pm each evening, which is always a pleasure to watch. Their bar snacks and gourmet burgers are also pretty good for a late night bite.

7. Mandarin Oriental Vida Rica Bar

Beautiful views of the Macau tower, it’s one of the popular spots to catch the fireworks. Watch out for their mixologist programme highlights where they invite guest mixologists internationally to bring you a whole range of interesting cocktails.

Coffee

Over the 4 years I lived in Macao, there have been many new cafés and coffee spots, but these are the ones that have weathered time and continue to make the best brews.

  1. Terra used to be a tiny little bar counter space opposite the Sir Robert library on the Macau Peninsula, it’s moved down the street with proper cafe seating.
  2. Single Origin/Communal Table
  3. Quarter Square a little lifestyle concept store that also serves great coffees and teas, with seasonal specials. All Alberto’s beans are roasted locally and he works with an artisanal coffee bean guy in Macao.
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