(Last updated: July 2, 2026)
I hate to say it, but one of my favourite restaurants in Macau might be losing it. A recent visit in September 2023 was so bad that I have to question whether Litoral is going the way of A Lorcha, as in overrated tourist trap living off what it did a decade ago.
I only hope against hope that their Macanese dishes are still as good as they were before, otherwise the restaurant will be completely gone.
First of all, the dishes were all brought out at once, which I absolutely detest, especially when the bill is well over $1000 Mops. I didn’t come to one of the most beautiful and atmospheric restaurants in town to leave in an hour, and that’s doubly true when there’s a bottle of wine on the table. Litoral has always been a special venue to me, and as such I expect courses to come out observing proper timing and flow, which shouldn’t be too difficult for staff to detect. Hmm, they’re halfway through an appetizer so let’s slap down both mains is not something that should happen – ever.
Secondly, the red wine was served cold, a fact I didn’t notice until it was way too late. I spent the whole of the meal hoping it would warm up, but it never really got down to room temperature. So take note of that before ordering and definitely tell them you want it how 85% of the sane world enjoys it.
The worst issue though was that both mains were simply atrocious. The lamb I had in there a decade ago was so good that it melted my face off, and I lived without one for six months. Fast forward to 2023 and it was a travesty, a pathetic pedestrian serving of dry shrivelled meat.
The Grilled Chicken was a little better, but not by much. Parts of the bird were a little cold, while the vast majority was as dry as the Saudi sand. Do you know what tourists eat when they don’t know any better?? Exactly, they eat THIS!
The appetizers were both very good though, perhaps leaving some hope that all is not lost at Litoral.
This awesome little shrimp soup prepared in soft bread was probably the highlight of the meal, while my mainland friend gushed over the codfish salad.
The codfish salad was one I enjoyed way back when as well, so I’m glad to see it’s still up to snuff.
***UPDATE***
Ladies and gentlemen, happy times are here again!
The Macanese food does appear to be as good as ever, in particular the African Chicken ($218) and Duck Rice ($168). Both are staple dishes in many Portuguese restaurants around town and Litoral does them as well as anyone.
Standards cannot have slipped with them for a simple reason: it’s impossible to slip from 5 stars! Order both with confidence, just make sure to eat the chicken slow, since it’s full of all them little bones.
The Seafood Rice ($238) is plenty masterful as well, and another 4.5 or 5 star dish, especially when you factor in the price. This bad boy usually goes for $300 or $400 in other joints, but Litoral cuts patrons a break, serving a big soupy broth infused behemoth jammed packed with clams, shrimp, oysters and chunks of fresh fish.
If I could propose to that picture I would, since it’s showered in so much sweet succulent love. In fact, they should probably replace the lotus flower on the Macau flag with a bowl of seafood rice, since it feels a lot more representative of the city. While Portuguese wine smells like Macau, and is Macau, seafood rice tastes like it!
A further two dishes were also decidedly delicious, but I can’t recommend either, strictly out of price concerns. The Stuffed Suckling Pig “Litoral Style” ($300) made the taste buds sing, but the wallet hurt in gross disproportionate ways. They need to serve twice the meat to justify the price, rather than try to window dress it up with weak sides of rice and fries.
As for the Minchi ($148), any cafe in town serves it just as well as Litoral, and only charges $60 or $70 for the pleasure.
Cozinha Aida has been my minchi go to for years, so definitely try it there, if possible.
***UPDATE***
Returning in 2026, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. My previous two visits had felt like meals at different restaurants. One made me wonder whether Litoral had lost its way. The other reminded me why I’d loved it in the first place. This visit finally settled the argument.
The Codfish Cakes ($88) were excellent. Unlike a lot of codfish cakes around town, these are absolutely packed with fish. The coating stays crisp without becoming greasy, and every bite actually tastes of cod. They serve them with a Thousand Island-style dipping sauce, which I ignored completely. The cakes don’t need the help. 4.5 stars
The Ox Tripe Stew ($80) might be the most Macanese dish on Litoral’s menu. The tripe was considerably chewier than I expected and nowhere near as soft as Long Wa’s, but the beans and tomato-heavy sauce eventually won me over. There was even a faint taste of seafood hiding somewhere in the background. Hard to score, honestly, but well worth trying once. I doubt most Western visitors have ever eaten anything quite like it.  4 stars
The Ox Tail Stewed with Red Wine ($198) was one of the bigger disappointments of the meal. The sauce leans towards a sweeter Cantonese style rather than a rich Portuguese red wine stew, but the real problem was the meat. Too much of it stubbornly clung to the bone, and what did come off wasn’t nearly as soft as I’d hoped. There was also more fat than flavour. I first ordered this back in 2011 and remember enjoying it far more. These days, both Cozinha Aida and Fernando do a much better version. 2 stars
The Steak Litoral ($388) was the complete opposite. First off, it’s absolutely enormous. It arrives covered in the restaurant’s signature sauce, which normally isn’t something I’d look for on a steak, but it actually works. There’s not a huge amount of char, but the meat stays wonderfully moist from start to finish. It isn’t Macau’s best steak, but at $388, it may be one of the best values. 4.5 stars
The Serradura ($38) was the perfect way to finish. Years ago I called it the best Serradura in Macau. After ordering it again, I don’t think I was wrong. Light, creamy, and ridiculously easy to finish. 5 stars
So where does that leave Litoral? Somewhere in the middle. I no longer consider it untouchable, but neither is it the fading tourist trap I feared after that disastrous 2023 visit.
Order carefully and you’ll still find some of the best Macanese food in town. Order badly, and you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about.
***
Here’s what I wrote around 2016 when the restaurant was still at its peak. Please note that most of the selections I enjoyed then were Macanese favourites, and I’d stick with those suggestions today.
Litoral is a magnificent restaurant located near the Maritime Museum and the Inner Harbour.
For details of my dinner there, please follow the link to Trip Report I.
In subsequent visits, I’ve also tried their Garlic Shrimp ($98), Clams ($150), Curry Shrimp with Crab Meat ($168), and Pork with Shrimp Paste ($170).
As expected, they’re all top shelf.
