Why Macau is the next cocktail destination in Asia

Macau, known as the “Las Vegas of Asia”, is famous for its grand luxury hotels, opulent casinos, and, of course, decadent egg tarts. But beyond high-stakes games of baccarat, beneath the cacophonous clatter of poker chips, the former Portuguese colony has quietly been stirring something up.

A new wave of cocktail culture is taking hold, from lavish hotel lounges to intimate neighbourhood bars, where the creative mixologists are shaking up not just the drinks, but the scene. And the world is set to take notice — this July, the city will host the Asia’s 50 Best Bars award ceremony for the first time, marking its rise to the spotlight.

Once under the radar, Macau’s bars have steadily gained global recognition, with The St. Regis Bar becoming the city’s highest-ranked in 2024 — a sign of its growing significance in the region.

Chief amongst the reasons for Macau’s cocktail renaissance is the injection of fresh, top-shelf bar talent in recent years. Leading the charge is Mark Lloyd, the creative force behind Wynn Palace’s Wing Lei Bar, whose arrival last March portended a new era for the industry.

“I’m a bit of a rebel; I don’t follow all the formalities,” admits the head mixologist. “Yes, Wing Lei’s in a luxury resort, but I don’t want you to feel like you’re in a typical five-star hotel bar.”

Indeed, the bijou cocktail bar, draped in gold and emerald, is smaller and more intimate than the sprawling property suggests. Its dusky, welcoming interiors, a world away from the gleaming rows of fashion boutiques outside, are the setting for Lloyd’s personality-driven mixology and warm hospitality.

The Scotsman, who’s also behind the award-winning Crimson Pangolin gin in China, has stripped the menu of pomp and pageantry, distilling it into a concise collection of 12 reimagined classics.

“When I first joined, the menu was created by an American bartender from our Vegas property, and it was very focused on the show — big glasses with oversized garnishes. My approach is different; I prioritise flavour over flash.”

Inspired by food

While spectacle over substance is still apparent, Macau’s cocktail landscape is clearly evolving, notes Mesa Bar’s Frederick Ma, who is also the resort master mixologist at Grand Lisboa Palace.

“​​What’s remarkable is how competition drives innovation here. Rather than working in isolation, bars push each other to excel while openly sharing ideas and creating a collaborative ecosystem that’s developing Macau’s distinctive palate.”

The result of this creative momentum? Culinary-inspired cocktails that draw on local cuisine and techniques borrowed from the kitchen.

“Macau’s rising cocktail scene is deeply influenced by its exceptional culinary landscape, particularly with many of the Michelin-starred and Asia’s 50 Best restaurants,” explains Kevin Lai, head mixologist at The St. Regis Macau (No. 22 on World’s 50 Best Bars 2024). 

“Since being designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2017, Macau has embraced its role as a global food destination, inspiring bartenders to take cues from its award-winning culinary teams.”

“This culinary-driven approach is amplified by collaborations between bartenders and chefs, leading to techniques like sous-vide infusions and house-made syrups inspired by signature dishes. Guest shifts by internationally renowned mixologists, often in partnership with award-winning restaurants, also fuel the trend, bringing global culinary cocktail innovations to Macau’s bars.”

Take Wynn Palace, for instance, where Wing Lei launched its culinary-inspired cocktail guest shift series with Shanghai’s Union Trading Company (No. 48, 2021) in March. The celebrated Chinese bar showcased drinks like Tastes Like Crab, inspired by the seasonal delicacy, hairy crab, and a Char Siu Old Fashioned, a deep, savoury cocktail given a sweet umami by the char siu sauce syrup.

For Lloyd, a culinary foundation makes the cocktails more relatable to his guests. “Our margarita is essentially a spicy margarita, but we build the drink with lacto-fermented chillies and coriander. That flavour profile is almost like a hotpot, which people from mainland China are familiar with. The same goes for Yeun Yeung, our version of the Espresso Martini, a very European cocktail. By turning it into something Cantonese, it’s a drink people recognise and understand immediately.”

Lai, formerly the bar manager at Hope & Sesame Guangzhou, adds, “Ultimately, the city’s cocktail culture reflects its gastronomic prestige — drinks like the Macao Egg Tart at The St. Regis Bar aren’t just beverages; they’re liquid tributes to Macau’s dining excellence, blending tradition and modern mixology.”

Heading hyperlocal

This gastronomic cocktail movement dovetails with another emerging trend in the glitzy gaming capital: hyperlocality, where native ingredients lend a sense of place and authenticity to every sip. 

Pigeon, traditionally a Macanese favourite, is a speciality at chef Tam’s Seasons, the two-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant at Wynn Palace. Naturally, Lloyd, who holds a degree in industrial chemistry, couldn’t resist the challenge of creating a drink with the unconventional ingredient, hatching the idea for the outré Pigeon Martini. Made from fat-washing pigeon offcuts, it imbues the classic drink with a rich savoury flavour.

The more classic Maria do Leste, The St. Regis Macao’s take on the Bloody Mary, nods to the historic city’s East-meets-West heritage, blending chourico (smoked sausage) from Portugal with black vinegar and black peppercorns from China.

Local spirits

Thanks to Macau’s proximity to mainland China, Chinese spirits are prominently featured in its bars. “Huang jiu, or Chinese yellow wine, definitely has its place,” says Lloyd. “We use it in place of sherry in some drinks. We use a fair bit of baijiu too — in fact, we even have a Moutai Bar in one of our properties (Drunken Fish).” 

So, what makes baijiu so appealing to bartenders? “It’s difficult,” he admits. “There’s a challenge to it. I like stronger-flavoured baijiu, like Wuliangye, and those with a funky taste. But then again, I’m a distiller — my education is in distillery — so I can respect what it is. I mean, it’s been around for 900 years.” 

For mixologist Ron Aransay, who spent six years at The Macallan Bar in Galaxy Macau before becoming the head bartender of Las Palmas at Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena, baijiu was an essential ingredient in blending tradition and innovation.

“We used Chinese spirits like Jiangxiaobai in Western formats, like an Old Fashioned or a Daiquiri. And staying true to Macau’s identity, we might pair it with a Portuguese element like port wine. This Chinese-Portuguese fusion really captures the essence of Macau.” 

Evolution of the scene

Working in Macau from 2016 to 2022, Aransay had a front-row seat to the city’s burgeoning independent cocktail bar revolution. Bars were no longer just hotel-dominated domains. Goa Nights, which opened in 2018, was one of the pioneers. “Hotel policies didn’t bind them so they could be much more creative — they had their own DJs. We were seeing innovations in small spaces that hotels couldn’t replicate.”

He adds, “It’s exciting to see some of the pioneers from Hong Kong’s cocktail scene now making their mark in Macau,” including Antonio Lai, the influential founder of Quinary, currently consulting for Raffles Long Bar at Galaxy Macau. 

These days, the scene has become increasingly diverse, with more standalone bars than ever. “There are bars like Gallery Bar and Wood House, owned and run by Macanese bartenders, that do really good drinks,” enthuses Lloyd.

“And Frankie Leong is building something pretty cool with Two Moons — a whisky bar that caters to many people who live here. But it’s also the fact that he’s willing to import interesting spirits and accommodate special requests, unlike other importers. And that makes a difference. He’s actively helping the market in a unique way.” 

Llyod also credits Bruno Santos, the president of the International Bartenders Association, for keeping Macau relevant with his ongoing support. “He’s been doing a lot of work for many years, without pomp and ceremony, just to keep Macau on the map,” acknowledges Lloyd.

Buzz from 50 Best

Grand Lisboa Palace’s Ma, who was named “World Bartender of the Year” at the IBA World Cocktail Championship 2024, says: “While Macau’s mixology scene has long been exceptional, we’ve historically been less visible on the global stage than our neighbours. Hosting Asia’s 50 Best Bars would be a pivotal moment for Macau’s bar scene. Overnight, Macau would gain recognition not just for gaming and luxury, but as a serious cocktail destination worthy of its UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy status.”

“The global spotlight would attract media, industry leaders, and cocktail enthusiasts — raising standards and inspiring even greater creativity. Most importantly, it would confirm what we’ve long known: that Macau belongs among Asia’s elite mixology hubs,” he says. 

“I think it’s overdue,” muses Lloyd, echoing the sentiment. “This is going to change the kind of visitors we get — people who want to drink and explore cocktails, not just gamble and dine. That shift in the crowd is exciting for us.” 

The award ceremony, which will be held at Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace on July 15, will not only boost the industry but also inspire the next generation of bar professionals.

Wing Lei Bar will feature a week of bar shifts, pop-ups, and exclusive events leading up to the ceremony. The lineup includes guest shifts with cocktail luminaries Julio Bermejo, creator of the Tommy’s Margarita, and Sam Ross, inventor of the Penicillin — both making their first-ever appearances in Asia.

A special Legends event will see Bermejo and Ross behind the bar together. At the same time, Keegan McGregor, the current Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year (2024), will join the festivities, showcasing his skills throughout the week.

Lloyd adds, “Practically every bar you can think of will be doing something. It’ll be a celebration unlike anything Macau has seen before.”

Not to be left out, Singapore will soon be welcoming the best and brightest of Macau’s burgeoning mixology scene, with Jungle Ballroom hosting a series of guest shifts, including Wing Lei’s Mark Lloyd and Two Moons’ Frankie Leong, in early June. “When I was in Macau in 2008, nightlife was mostly made up of casino bars, disco nightclubs, and karaoke lounges,” recalls Adrian Besa, bar manager of Jungle Ballroom. “When I returned in 2023, it was a big shift. Macau now has more private cocktail bars with strong identities, and hotel bars focused on quality service and a curated cocktail experience.”

“We’re excited, not just for the shift, but to reunite and share what we’ve built in Singapore. Guests can expect a strong line-up of rising bars and Macau legends. With Macau hosting Asia’s 50 Best Bars for the first time, it’s the perfect moment to showcase another side of Asia – where tradition meets the future – and to celebrate the hard work behind our beautiful industry.”