Flavours of the world, at home in Macau

Macau has long been a city of contrasts—east and west, old and new, opulence and grit. Nowhere is this duality more deliciously expressed than at Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau, home to three distinctive restaurants, each offering a unique culinary experience.

Step into Mesa by José Avillez, and it’s like wandering into a dream. Envisioned by Karl Lagerfeld, the space is a study in sharp geometry and evocative colour palettes. Then there’s the food: helmed by acclaimed Portuguese chef José Avillez, it’s unapologetically Portuguese yet infused with Macau’s crossroads heritage. A firm favourite among a parade of stellar petiscos—the Portuguese cousin of tapas—the carabinero wonton de gambas e porco hums with umami, while the seafood rice with caviar, made with rich shellfish stock, is a riot of brine and silk. At the bar, drinks arrive with a wink, with signatures like Honey, Kom Me Maybe and Holy Wood! Delivering layered, unexpected flavours.

Mesa by José Avillez (Photo: SJM Resorts)

Holy Wood! (Photo: SJM Resorts)

Seafood Rice and Caviar (Photo: SJM Resorts)

While some places speak in whispers, Palace Garden sings. Beneath a bespoke 35-metre-long mural of chrysanthemums—a tribute to Suzhou embroidery—chefs wield their knives with poetic precision. Crystal king tiger prawns arrive lacquered in a sauce that clings just so, and a premium partridge bisque delivers deep, slow-simmered comfort, its complex broth enriched with skillfully sliced fish maw, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, black fungus, and 15-year-old tangerine peel. This is Cantonese cuisine at its highest level—rooted and reverent, yet ever-evolving, each bowl served with fragrant coriander, lemon leaf, Japanese chrysanthemum, and crispy fried dough skins for a refreshing and intricate taste experience.

Palace Garden Entrance (Photo: SJM Resorts)

Premium Partridge Bisque (Photo: SJM Resorts)

Don Alfonso 1890 (Photo: SJM Resorts)

And then, for one night, these worlds collided. On February 8, 2025, Don Alfonso 1890 hosted the Eight Hand Michelin Alchemy: Love Letter to Southern Italy dinner. Four culinary masters—Federico Pucci, Angelo Aglianò, Giuseppe De Vuono and Luigi Troiano—wove together a tapestry of Mediterranean flavours. From Hokkaido sea urchin to Brittany blue lobster, it was an unforgettable showcase of the ocean’s finest treasures.

Chefs from Palace Garden (Photo: SJM Resorts)

Then, you’re whisked away to southern Italy, wrapped in the embrace of Versace’s unmistakable grandeur. Don Alfonso 1890 celebrates the flavours of the Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi Coast. As the Macau outpost of the Michelin-starred, family-owned Don Alfonso 1890 in Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi, the restaurant pays homage to its origins with signature dishes like Paccheri and gold flake-topped tiramisu. San Marzano tomatoes, Nocellara del Belice olives and Namonte lemons are all sourced from the restaurant’s farm—a testament to its unwavering commitment to quality.