O Santos Restaurant: Good Portuguese Food in Macau
I didn’t have time to make it to my beloved Fernandos when I was in Macau last year, so I did a search to find the next best Portuguese cuisine near my hotel and discovered O Santos.
It was not cheap (by Macau standards), but it was charming! The restaurant is located on a pedestrian street in old town Taipa so I had the cab driver drop me off on the nearest cross street.
The crowds were a little lighter than the historic district had been that morning, which was good since O Santos has an unobtrusive store front.
I had arrived shortly after opening and seated at a table on the main level, which was primarily decorated with photos and sports paraphanelia.
I had read about the gregarious owner and his love of wine and was excited to see him enjoying lunch (with the iconic wine bottle) across the restaurant.
Since I had a ferry to catch in a little over an hour, I settled for the house wine, which was decent and decently priced.
The cod fish balls had received rave reviews, so though I was still full from breakfast I made a point of ordering one. A little fishy, but a good balance of fish and breading.
And though the restaurant is best known for other dishes, I just had to do the suckling pig which had a lovely crust.
And though I was quite full, I decided to take one for the team and try the Gelado de Natas cream cake while I finished my wine. Not a dessert person, but it was good.
My only complaint with the whole meal was that I didn’t have a bigger appetite!
I still prefer Fernandos if I have the time and money, but if you’re staying in Cotai and want a good place nearby with an authentic feel, definitely try O Santos.
glad you liked the food there!