6 Best Restaurants in Macau Inner Harbour, Macau

Vastly popular A Lorcha (the name means "wooden ship") celebrates the heritage of Macau as an important port with a maritime-theme menu. Save room for serradura (Macau sawdust pudding, made with biscuits and whipped cream).

Specialties at this Spanish restaurant firmly ensconced in the 17th-century Pousada de São Tiago include seafood paella, "casserole" of pigeon with rice, Iberian Parma ham, beef sirloin, garoupa (grouper), and fresh sole. Don't miss the afternoon high tea, available from 3 to 5 daily; it's served on the brick terrace shaded by hundred-year-old trees, in the air-conditioned interior with a view of the South China Sea, or at the mirror-walled Cascata Bar built inside the ancient fortress.

In a tasteful setting, with whitewashed walls and dark-wood beams, one of the most popular local restaurants offers authentic Macanese dishes that are simple, straightforward, and deliciously satisfying.

Come here for traditional Portuguese food that relies on meats, seafood, and heavy sauces. The grilled prawns, African chicken, and various curries are excellent. But it's the design that makes this place so special—picture an elegant two-story facade, brilliant white colonnades, and Iberian arches tiled with azulejos (glazed and painted Portuguese tiles) complemented by marble steps and bridges. Reservations are a good idea on weekends.

The owners, who have roots in Pisa, created a warm, rustic interior to match the refined comfort food on their menu. The bresaola involtini (air-cured beef with shredded Parmesan) and fresh salmon carpaccio antipasti are tasty ways to begin your meal. Move on to the grilled king prawns, homemade tortellini, and, of course, the perfect wood-fired pizzas.

To find the place, walk up the hill from Barra Square and look on your left for the door leading downstairs, just across from the yellow-and-white Moorish Barracks.