2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao: Ten Days of Pure Foodie Bliss. This is one of Macao’s largest festivals. You’ll want to linger and savour. For ten delicious days this March, Macao becomes a stage where almost 40 Creative Cities of Gastronomy from across China and around the world, along with renowned chefs, come together to offer visitors a mega food experience. Expect the air at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf to have a fragrance of spices and grilled seafood. There will be an entire smorgasbord of global offerings for you to sample.
The Fest
Cities, Stories, and Flavours
Think of it as a living atlas of flavour, where each booth tells its city’s story with a perfect bite. Close to 40 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from across five continents, including eight new Creative Cities of Gastronomy designated in 2025, will join the Fest.
Ten Creative Cities from other fields, crafts, design, media, art, film, literature, and music make a remarkable lineup at this year’s event. 22 Creative Cities of Gastronomy are presenting special delicacies. The International Gastronomy Promenade will feature a total of 100 food booths, including 28 from Chinese mainland cities (Chengdu, Shunde, Yangzhou, Huai’an, Chaozhou, and Quanzhou), 32 from overseas cities, and 40 from Macao. You taste more than a dish; you taste a city’s identity.
International Gastronomy Promenade
The International Gastronomy Promenade stretches along Roman Amphitheatre Square and Legend Boulevard, with stalls from twenty-two Cities of Gastronomy.
The Fest draws inspiration from the region’s food lovers. Think curry dishes, sardine buns, chilled abalone, fish-shaped cakes, croffles with ice cream, and creative iced lollies. Expect similarly photogenic, social media-ready food this year, with Macao’s integrated resorts showcasing their wide variety of cuisines.
Grab a table in one of the open-air seating zones and treat the avenue as your tasting spot. Share plates, order something unpronounceable, and let the chefs explain why this dish matters back home.
The Fest Showcase
At the heart of the fest, the City of Gastronomy Showcase turns Legend Boulevard’s main stage into a travelling cooking studio. Twenty-five chefs from Cities of Gastronomy perform fifty-three live demonstrations across ten days, each session framed like a masterclass. It’s a focus on heritage, with must-try classic dishes. Others push boundaries, weaving local ingredients into modern plating with plant-friendly menus that reflect global sustainability trends.
This year’s star energy comes from three young chefs selected for the Young Chefs Programme, an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
Two are based in Macao: rising talents Daniel Chio and Safa Rodas, who represent the city at high-level forums and advocate for sustainable, low-waste kitchens.
The third joins from South Africa, bringing a different palate of spices, grains, and ancestral techniques.
Together, they embody what this festival aims to be: youthful, responsible, and deeply rooted in local stories.
Expect them to discuss whole-ingredient cooking, seasonal produce, and the ways to honour tradition while moving it forward.
Each demonstration ends with a tasting session. This is a lesson in sensory culinary travel.
World Wines Lounge: A Harbourfront Lounge Under the Stars
As evening arrives, follow the music to Jackson Square. The World Wines Lounge opens like a chic, open-air lounge, framed by harbour views and soft stage lighting. Wine merchants pour labels from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Australia, and France, alongside craft beers, whiskies, and an array of global spirits. You might move from a crisp Australian Riesling to a rich French red, then settle into a local Macao brew or Asian craft gin. What makes the space special is its pairing concept. Many stalls design “fine wine paired with food” experiences, linking specific dishes on the promenade with highlighted labels in the gallery. Live bands and cultural performances keep the mood warm. It’s an ideal spot for couples and friends. Slow down, share a glass, and compare your favourite bites from the day.
Global Goodies Market: Souvenirs for Your Kitchen
The Global Goodies Market acts as the festival’s generous pantry. Sixteen Cities of Gastronomy and five other creative cities present their signature products, from packaged foods to lifestyle pieces. You will browse sauces infused with Chengdu’s peppers, Brazilian snacks that pair well with coffee, Turkish sweets, single-origin coffees, delicate teas, and beautifully designed tableware. Ceramics from craft cities, printed textiles, and coffee tools all find a place here, turning practical souvenirs into daily reminders of your trip. The market opens earlier on weekends, and it pairs well with a relaxed afternoon. Shop, grab a drink, then hop the shuttle back to the main venue for sunset over the harbour.
Making the Most of Your Fest Day
Wander the Food Avenue in slow loops. Catch an early chef demonstration and secure a seat near the front for tasting opportunities. Then detour to the Global Wine Gallery for a chilled white wine or refreshing beer. Later, ride the free shuttle to the New Port market, pick up edible souvenirs, then return for evening performances and a second round of street snacks. End your night on the harbour wall, pastel de nata in hand. On weekdays, lean into the festival’s twilight character. Arrive after 17:00, when the lanterns switch on, and the smell of grilling meat starts to drift across the promenade. Alternate between demonstrations, quick bites, and wine tastings, then finish with dessert and coffee at the market or main venue.
Why The Fest Is Worth the Trip
Macao’s 2026 City of Gastronomy Fest is not just for hardcore foodies. It is for anyone who loves cities, stories, and the way a single dish can unlock a culture. You can treat it as a gourmet break or as the anchor of a longer stay in Macao that includes heritage walks. Either way, you will leave with more than full memory cards and a well-exercised palate. You will return home with new flavours, new chef names, and perhaps a renewed respect for how cities like Macao use food to shape their future. Plan your day, and arrive hungry.
Plan your perfect festival visit. Festival dates: 20 to 29 March 2026.
https://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/id/article/events/gastronomy-fest-2026
Main venue: Macau Fisherman’s Wharf (Roman Amphitheatre Square, Legend Boulevard, Jackson Square).
Sub-venues: Pedestrian zone along Rua de Cantão and Rua de Xangai in the ZAPE district.
Main venue hours:
Mon-Fri 17:00–22:00.
Sat-Sun 12:00–22:00.
International Gastronomy Promenade hours:
Mon-Fri 17:00–22:00.
Sat-Sun 15:00–22:00.
City of Gastronomy Showcase chef demos. 20 to 29 March.
Culinary Showcase:
Mon-Fri 17:00–21:45.
Sat-Sun 15:00–21:45.
Showcase location: Main Stage, Legend Boulevard, Fisherman’s Wharf.
World Wines Lounge. 20–29 March.
Mon-Fri 17:00–22:00.
Sat-Sun 12:00–22:00.
World Wines Lounge location: Jackson Square, Fisherman’s Wharf.
Global Goodies Market. 20–29 March.
Mon-Fri 17:00–22:00.
Sun 15:00–22:00.
Global Goodies Market location: Guangzhou Street and Shanghai Street pedestrian zone, New Port.
International Gastronomy Forum, Macao
The International Gastronomy Forum, Macao is scheduled at the Convention and Exhibition Centre of Macau Fisherman’s Wharf on 23 March. Under the theme of “Creative Fusion: Reimagining Gastronomy Beyond the Plate”, participants will explore how to advance Creative Cities’ development through collaboration between gastronomy and other fields, and to create a new force for connecting daily life and sustainable development by weaving together stories, experiences, and creativity. The Forum will feature three keynote sessions and three breakout sessions. Representatives of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and FAO, top-notch international content creators, and culinary and academic professionals will share insightful perspectives that are set to inspire industry and urban development in the future.
Free shuttle buses (20 to 29 March):
Route 1 connects Border Gate Port and Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.
Route 2 operates between Taipa Central Park (near Chengdu Street) and Fisherman’s Wharf.
Route 3 links integrated resorts and leisure enterprises to Rua de Xangai, ZAPE (New Orient Landmark Hotel).
Route 4 runs between Fisherman’s Wharf and Rua de Xangai, ZAPE (New Orient Landmark Hotel).
https://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/article/events/gastronomy-fest-2026
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