(Last updated: October 9, 2026)
One of Macau’s 10 Iconic Restaurants, Cozinha Aida is run by the family of the legendary “Godmother of Macanese Cuisine”, Aida De Jesus, who made it all the way to 105 years old. Perhaps the youngest looking centenarian of all time, she could have easily been mistaken for someone in her 80’s, while her daughter Sonia has never looked a day over 55. I don’t know how both got secret access to the Fountain of Youth, but a few pity splashes my way would make my day, week, month and year.
Here’s a pic I took together with her in 2019, a few years before her passing in 2021.
One thing is for certain though! Flaunting such fat flabby cheeks as those, there’s no way I’m making it to 80!
Cozinha Aida is technically a new restaurant, having opened up in April of 2021. It was really more of a re-opening though, one which any true Macau lover would see as a glorious revival. Allow me to explain. Miss Aida and her daughter originally ran a restaurant called the Rickshaw for decades, before selling it right around the start of Covid. The new owners took it over and immediately started messing around with the menu and dishes, violating and disrespecting the time honoured recipes that Miss Aida had been using all of her extraordinarily long life. (The idea obviously being from their perspective to make the food more appealing to the mainland market and fill that cash register up.) The end result is that Rickshaw is Chinese food now with no connection to its past, whether that means Macanese food, Miss Aida, Sonia, or anyone else in their family.
Thankfully, the son stepped up and brought the old Rickshaw back to life, branding it Cozinha Aida in honour of his late mother. They even rescued their old chef from the Rickshaw kitchen and he’s working there now too, meaning all the food they serve is just as it was before.
Trying Macanese cuisine is a must while in Macau, and Cozinha Aida is the cheapest place to do it in town. Most dishes are between $68 and $130, and come served with one free plate of rice. Glasses of wine cost just $20 and they don’t skimp on the pour!
That certainly looks more like two glasses of wine to me! Corkage fees are just as generous too, only $30 for Portuguese wine and $50 for wine from other countries.
Cozinha Aida has three dishes in particular that are absolutely phenomenal. If anyone does better Minchi ($75), Beef Curry ($80), or Tacho ($120) than them, I certainly haven’t had it.
Minchi is, of course, the beating heart of Macanese cuisine, and a dish you simply must try while in town. A humble yet addictive stir-fry of minced beef or pork cooked with soy sauce, diced potatoes, and onions, it’s sometimes crowned with a fried egg. While it may not look like much, good minchi never does.
Update: It pains me to write this, but Cozinha Aida’s minchi has hit a bit of a rough patch. I think they’re cooking it too long these days and there just isn’t enough juice. I used to order it every time I went, but now I never do. The Rickshaw next door is still doing it properly, so definitely try it there instead. Then go to Cozinha Aida for the rest of your meal!!
The Beef Curry is the same cut you’ll recognize from many famous Hong Kong noodle bowls. Taken from the brisket and belly area of the cow, it’s rich with collagen and fat, which is why it turns unbelievably soft when slow-cooked.
The sauce is warm, gently spiced and good enough to pour over everything else on the table. Not just “good for the price”, it’s just very good, period. It’s hard to believe that it only costs $80.
If you’re unclear what Tacho is, it literally translates to pot, and is sort of like a feijoada, only with a more liquidy sauce. Cozinha Aida’s version leaves nothing to be desired, classic comfort food that warms you from the inside out.
Cozinha Aida’s African Chicken is also super legit. Rocking beautiful skin, excellent texture, and moist meat, I’d put it right up there with Henri’s Galley, except this one costs just $80.
The Samosa ($60) is a great starter, and much better than what you get at Nga Tim, frankly. Thicker filling, more flavour, and you actually taste what’s inside instead of just crunch.
I was a little hesitant to order the Dobrada ($80), but I’m glad I did. The rich tomato-based sauce was excellent, while the tender beef tripe paired beautifully with the chickpeas, making for one of the biggest surprises on the menu. Since beef tripe is already one of my favourite dim sum dishes, this was right up my alley. It’s definitely something the 12 year old Maven would have never tried!
If you’re a spice lover, the Curry Fish ($98) packs quite the epic punch, while the Feijoada ($80) is another outstanding choice that I always enjoy.
The Lamb Chops ($120) are fatty but not oily, with just enough moisture to keep them enjoyable. Decent for $120, although Macau has much better versions above $200.
I liked the Oven-Baked Fish Fillet ($80) a lot more. The fish itself was solid, but what really made the dish work was everything surrounding it: the potatoes, onions, peppers, and chouriço. Very tasty, and something I’d happily order again.
The best part of the Porco Bafassa ($70) is the sauce. Thick, with just a touch of curry, it’s excellent over rice. The pork itself, though, is fairly ordinary. It gets the job done, but I probably wouldn’t order it again.
I’m not as high on the Roasted Chicken ($78) either, simply because other restaurants in town do it much better, especially O Manuel down in Taipa Village.
The same goes for the Curry Chicken ($75) and Porco a Banho Maria ($70), two dishes that I wouldn’t try again. Not that the Curry Chicken is terrible or anything, just a little unexciting given that it’s not really a staple Macanese food.
The Porco a Banho Maria is very similar to minchi, except the meat is paired with one very strange and sour Chinese vegetable. The vegetable really obscures the pork in ways which are not enjoyable, while the somewhat heavy sauce makes it a chore to finish.
One of Macau’s classic Macanese dishes, the Pork with Balichão and Tamarind ($75) should strike a beautiful balance between rich pork, salty balichão and the gentle tang of tamarind. Litoral gets that combination just right, but this version never quite came together. The pork is served in large, chunky pieces and the whole dish feels a little too cafeteria-style, lacking the finesse this traditional favourite really needs.
The Pork Chop with Onions ($78) is overwhelmed by onions to the point where you wonder where the meat is. A little bit more balance would help this dish out a lot. As it is, it’s an easy fade.
The Chouriço ($60) somehow manages to be much worse. Dry, rubbery, and strangely tough, almost like chewing on little meat tires. Serving it over lettuce doesn’t do it any favours either.
Likewise, I think Cozinha Aida also serves up poor Bacalhau a Bras ($98) and Pato Cabidela ($80).
Maybe Bacalhau just isn’t my thing because I rarely like it anywhere, often finding it far too oily. Save this one for when you’re down the street at Apo Mac, as they do it far far better.
As for the Pato Cabidela, it’s an old time Macanese favorite that can hardly be found in Macau anymore, probably because it’s so hard to make. A slow cooked duck stew seasoned in red wine and duck’s blood needs patience, prep, command and care, but Cozinha Aida’s version felt super rushed.
Ultimately there was nothing to it: no taste, no texture, no foundation, no finish, just a pleasant sauce that went well with rice. Save your Cabidela adventures for places outside of Macau, preferably doing it in Portugal if you can, because it is brilliant when done right.
Turning to desserts, Cozinha Aida has upped their game big time in 2026.
I haven’t tried everything yet, but the Chocolate Cake ($25) and Serradura ($18) both blew my mind.
The cake is rich, thick, and clearly fresh, and the serradura backs it up, nicely balanced and not too sweet. At $25 and $18, you’re almost getting them for free!
Without a doubt, Cozinha Aida is the preeminent venue for Macanese dining in Macau. People don’t go there for selfies or sommeliers, white table cloths or $800 bottles of wine, but that’s precisely why I love it so much.
Pretty much frequented by the same cast of local characters night after night, it’s the very definition of consistency. As long as you stick to their best dishes, you’re guaranteed to have an awesome meal, at prices that still belong to last century.
To learn about the first time I visited this Macau institution when it was known as the Rickshaw, please follow the link to the 2014 Grand Prix Race.
