The 11 best cafes and coffee shops in Macau

Bamboo is no ordinary cafe – it is a cafe by day, a fine-dining restaurant by evening, and a karaoke bar at night. Every detail, from the food and drinks to the furniture and lighting, is meticulously curated. The modern interior, along with custom-made furniture and an emphasis on wood – some of which curves up to the ceiling – nods to a panda’s habitat. Their lighting subtly shifts throughout the day to match Bamboo’s versatile nature, and there’s even a small pet-friendly outdoor seating area.

When it comes to drinks, Bamboo’s whipped Dalgona coffee (or ‘400 turns’ coffee to the locals) and the pistachio latte are must-tries. Their skilled baristas can create pretty impressive latte art, so don’t be alarmed if there’s a swan in your drink. As for food, Bamboo is known for their handmade pasta and pizzas, which are served in the evenings, as well as their selection of pastries from Bamu. At lunch, enjoy fusion dishes, mostly Japanese and Italian, like sourdough open toast, curry rice, udon, and pasta. For dinner, Bamboo shifts to Western cuisine, with standout dishes like the carbonara, which uses traditional guanciale, and classic Neapolitan-style margherita pizza. If you’re just stopping by, don’t miss the puff pastry caramel egg tart. It’s delicious.

Address: Shop B, G/F, The Manhattan, 36 Rua de Nam Keng, Macau
Instagram: @bamboobybamu

Located a few minutes away from St. Lawrence’s Church down R. de Inacio Baptista, Bookand is a three-storey cafe, arts and events space, and a bookstore merged into one. Upstairs is an exhibition space for designers and artists, while the lower ground floor is full of antiques and features a bar that’s currently only open for private events. The ground floor is a cosy cafe and bookshop, offering titles on art, culture, comedy, and anecdotal books about running unique businesses like this one. They also sell interesting items that would make unique and quirky gifts. On select evenings, the cafe transforms into an event venue for everything from comedy nights to lectures and gigs, so be sure to check their social media for updates.

When it comes to food, Bookand takes pride in their pasta dishes, made using fresh ingredients sourced daily from the nearby S Laurenco market. Aside from traditional options, the garlic clams pasta is highly recommended. They also do an off-menu French roast chicken, which you need to order two days in advance and can be shared with up to four people. In terms of coffee, they serve classic options alongside hand-beaten coffee, a whipped coffee originating from Coloane made with whipping instant coffee powder, sugar, and hot water, served over cold or hot milk. So if Coloane feels too far, you know where to go.

Address: 4B, The Premier Court, Rua De Inacio Baptista, Macau
Instagram: @bookand_macao

Common Table is a spacious Western-style cafe located near Central Park in Taipa, featuring large doors, windows, and a wooden touch that offer a relaxed vibe, perfect for mild days. The cafe prides itself on handmade pasta, pizza, and pastries which are all made in-house, alongside other Western dishes like burgers, salads, and a popular selection of brunch options like muesli, shakshuka, and baked potato. At night, the space transforms into an upscale dinner spot, making it ideal for wining and dining. For drinks, Common Table offers coffees, smoothies, teas, fresh juice, and an extensive range of wines. The coffee latte and tiramisu latte come highly recommended, and they welcome customers to enquire about different regional coffee beans and their unique flavours.

Address: No. 349-365, Avenida de Guimaraes, Nova City R/C Shop A, Taipa, Ilhas, Macau
Instagram: @commontable.mo

Lord Stow’s is a household name here in Macau, synonymous with the iconic Portuguese egg tarts that are distinctly Macanese. Coloane Village is where Lord Stow’s began, and here, you can find their bakery and two of their cafes all in close proximity to each other. At both cafes, you can get their famous egg tarts as well as a selection of Western food like all-day breakfast, soup, salads, and sandwiches. There are also some British bites – a nod to Lord Stow’s British heritage – including baked potato, afternoon tea, scones, and locally made Cornish pasties.

They have a range of classic coffees which use a house blend chosen by Lord Stow and have not changed since 1992. For those who prefer tea, there is also a great selection of tea infusions served by the pot. What's special about their Garden cafe is that it’s an unlikely spot for Thai food. Lord Stow loved Thai, and his personal favourites are green curry, fish cakes, and prawn cakes. It’s also a dog-friendly cafe, where well-behaved dogs are always welcome.

Address: G/F, C Houston Court, 21 Largo do Matadouro, Coloane Village, Macau
Instagram: @lordstowsbakery

How often do you find a cafe with a life-sized tree inside? Lucky Tree looks and feels like it’s in bloom, with flowers everywhere, hanging from lights, walls, and on the tables. It’s not all decorative either, as the cafe also doubles as a flower shop and a marriage-themed gift shop.

With spacious indoor and outdoor areas, the cafe offers a unique DIY experience where you can brew your own coffee (with their guidance, of course). They also claim to be the only cafe in Macau that uses a minimalist and portable pneumatic machine, which uses air pressure instead of electric heating to push water through coffee grounds. Their signature drinks include lemon coffee as well as cola with salted dried Chinese plum. This drink is ironically named ‘poison’ in Chinese, so if that doesn’t make you lick your lips in anticipation, I don’t know what will. Lucky Tree also offers free luggage storage for up to two hours with a coffee purchase and a pet-friendly policy that welcomes all pets to hang out with the resident cafe cat!

Address: Block B, 4 Edificio Tak Heng, Beco da Faca, Macau (head 20m into the alleyway directly opposite the entrance of Kao Yip School）
Instagram: @luckytree_coffee

Opened in 2018, Ora Coffee serves an excellent range of black and white coffees, as well as options for non-coffee drinkers. Their signature sip is the yuzu tonic espresso and they also do specialty drinks like the coconut hojicha cloud and coconut matcha cloud, where hojicha and matcha are suspended in coconut water. With a clear passion for food and drink, Ora serves all-day breakfast, pasta, paninis, sourdough toast, bagels, and more. Food highlights include a slow-cooked chicken with shiso rice and carbonara udon with onsen egg. Lunch sets featuring a main with salad or soup are also available on weekdays.

Their Tap Seac location is right on the corner of Macau’s hotspot for vintage shops, so if you want a day out with good food and shopping, that’s your plans for the day sorted. There’s also another Ora in Areia Preta, with an even more extensive menu.

Address: 9 R. Filipe O’Costa, Macau
Instagram: @ora_tapseac

Shansheng Coffee directly translates to ‘mountaintop coffee’. Perched on the slope leading to the beautiful St Augustine’s Square, this retro-style al fresco cafe is an incredible find. They serve a range of black coffees, lattes, iced teas, flavoured tonics, and cocktails – so take your pick. The sesame latte and Earl Grey hot chocolate have definitely caught our eye.

The cafe’s past life was a Chinese opera singers association, and the cafe has retained many of the antique furniture. They have also kept the original green checkered tiles and metal framed windows which combined with the new wooden elements and modern lights give it a neo-nostalgic feeling. The cafe mainly serves affordable Western food and is open all day from breakfast through to dinner. They also make great cakes and their tiramisu is a must-try.

Address: G/F, 4 Calçada Do Gamboa, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro
Instagram: @shanshang_coffee

Mostly known to locals and nearby office workers, Shuxia Coffee, which translates to ‘beneath the tree’ coffee, is the smaller sibling of Shansheng Cafe. Located near a Chinese banyan tree in cobbled St Augustine’s Square, the cafe is literally a stone’s throw away from the yellow Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, St Augustine's Church, the St Joseph’s Seminary, and the Dom Pedro V Theatre, making it the perfect tourist pit stop. Although their drinks menu is not as extensive as Shansheng, they serve a classic selection of coffee and some tea. If you’re craving Japanese food, this is the perfect place for lunch. They serve donburis, udon, soba noodles, and surprisingly, Mexican wraps. The cafe also has large windows which allow you to take in the beauty of St Augustine’s Square wherever you’re sitting.

Address: 1 Largo de Santo Agostinho, Macau
Instagram: @shuxia_coffee

Hidden above Rua da Palha, one of Macau’s busiest streets linking Senado Square, is Soul of Seed (S.O.S.). The cafe is dressed in black and white, representing important elements of coffee: espresso and milk. Owned by two friends – one with a background in interior design and the other a seasoned barista – S.O.S. blends unique interior design with special brews you can’t get anywhere else. Be sure to try their dark latte and French rose latte, but if you want to skip the caffeine, the chocolate pu’er latte is also a solid option. While waiting for your brew, don’t forget to snap a pic out on the balcony. There’s even a playful safety harness installation, a not-so-subtle nod to their abbreviated name.

Finding S.O.S. can be tricky for first-timers. Look for Beco da Palha, an unassuming alleyway directly opposite Koi Kei Bakery, and spot the cafe’s sign next to a dumpling shop. Head upstairs into an old residential building and voila – you’ve arrived at one of the most picturesque spots in Macau’s tourist hub.

Address: 1F, 5 Beco da Palha, Edificio San Vo, Macau
Instagram: @soulofseed

Terra is well-known amongst coffee lovers in Macau and has over 10 years of history. They have three locations across the city and serves great fusion food, mostly Italian and Asian. Crowd-favourites include all-day brunches and salads; they also serve desserts like tiramisu, cheesecake, and brownies for those with a sweet tooth.

The Terra iced coffee is a cult classic, but they also have a selection of fruit and coffee fusions, such as the Calico Cat (orange and coffee), Lemonshake (fresh lemon and espresso), and Applecino (apple and cappuccino). Don’t miss the Santa Wreath, a delicious pistachio-flavoured latte (also available in a non-coffee version) with a ‘wreath’ of pistachio and red biscuit crumbs around the rim. If you don’t know what to get, the staff at Terra are happy to advise on what coffee best suits you. Meanwhile, non-coffee drinkers are spoiled for choice with a range of teas, juices, and tonics.

Word of advice: the branch down the slope of St Augustine’s Square fills up quickly around lunchtime, so make sure you get there early.

Address: 20 Edificio Fu Iu, R. Central, Macau
Instagram: @terramacau

Located in Old Taipa Village, Rooftop is a haven presiding over the heaving street of tourist hotspot Rua de Cunha. The place was originally a t-shirt printing business with a coffee machine, but it has since turned into a full-time cafe and a favourite amongst locals. They are pet-friendly and are home to a gorgeous shop cat called Abu. Rooftop’s long black is a popular choice, but if you’re looking for something caffeine-free, there are flavoured sodas, chocolate milk, matcha latte, and tea. You can also ask about their specials, which change every three months. Those feeling peckish should try the chocolate mochi waffle, or if you’re into something savoury, get the bacon, onion, and cheese waffle. Cafes with outdoor spaces are a rarity in Macau, so don’t skip out on this one.

Address: 49 Rua Correia da Silva, Macau
Instagram: @rooftopmacau