Macao restaurants have failed to gain a spot in the 2025 list of Asia’s 51 to 100 best restaurants – a runner-up list, published yesterday in the lead up to the release of the final Asia’s 50 Best rankings on 25 March.
The result is a snub for the city, which earned its status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2017, prides itself on its rich culinary tradition and is currently home to multiple Michelin-starred eateries and 11 Bib Gourmand restaurants.
Macao failed to make the extended list last year. While the city’s finding dining sector will now be pinning hopes on making it into the top 50, only one local establishment managed to garner one entry in the 2024 top 50 list – Chef Tam’s Seasons, which ranked 49th.
The SAR was also a no show in last year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and its extended ranking for the 51 to 100 best restaurants.
By contrast, neighbouring Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore each had six restaurants on this year’s extended Asian list.
Hong Kong earned two new entries this year – Testina and Feuille, which were in 60th and 93rd place.
[See more: New restaurants to visit in Macao in March]
“This year’s 13 new restaurants and overall representation from 23 cities – including 10 new destinations – reflect the region’s dynamic and thriving gastronomic landscape,” Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ director of content, William Drew, said in a statement.
While Macao didn’t earn any recognition from the 51 to 100 list of Asia’s best restaurants in 2025, it did bag 30 spots in the 100 Top Tables Guide for 2025. Published by the South China Morning Post, it covers the best restaurants and bars in Hong Kong and Macao.
Nearly all of the Macao restaurants featured on the list were Chinese establishments located within the city’s casino-resorts, with the sole exception being Mandarin Oriental’s Vida Rica.
Among the major winners was Tam Kwok-fung of Chef Tam’s Seasons at the Wynn Palace, who won the coveted best chef award. The Post praised Tam’s restaurant for taking seasonality “to the next level” and for “reinterpreting” Cantonese dishes with a creative eye.
Melco led the pack in Macao with seven establishments on the list, which included five Chinese restaurants and two French restaurants.
Galaxy was not far behind, with its six establishments, including one Italian, two Chinese, three Japanese restaurants, all earning a spot.
SJM also had six entries that specialise in Chinese, French, Italian and Portuguese food. Sands China and Wynn each had four listings, while MGM had two establishments on the guide.
