MacauSoul - wine lounge — Restaurant in Santo António

Some great, great wines in a lovely relaxed environment. If there's a table, you and your friends and your wine will be left alone until you're ready to go. Their policy is to give people space; you don't share tables with others. Given the small number of tables, it's pretty tough to get a table. Definitely a good idea to call ahead to make sure a table is available. We were lucky enough to strike a group leaving. The owners are very nice people who I think genuinely enjoy meeting and talking with their customers. Wine is sold by the bottle and half bottle. Prices are very good; about the same as buying the bottle in a wine shop in Hong Kong and sometimes cheaper. These are quality wines starting at about HKD 280 and going as high as about HKD 1,800. We had a 2010 Quinta do Crasto Reserve Old Vines, which was magnificent, for HKD 360. We chose this based on the informative primer on Portuguese wines from the host. The wine selection is extensive; it includes many well aged wines and ports. Whiskey too, I think. After 9:30pm, the kitchen is closed. However, a very nice bread basket is still available...

I’m a local but I’ve seen this place online so I was very excited to stumble upon it. They didn’t have any menus or a drinks list at the front door so I walked in to enquire and have a look.

As soon as I walked in I was greeted coldly by who I assume is the owner as he spoke with a British accent. I told him that I’ve seen this place online and wanted to have a look (aka have a look at the inside and the menu lol). The man looked at me with disregard and said ‘you can’t have a look. This isn’t a museum’. I was so stunned by his hostility that I just left.

Absolutely shocking - he must have immediately assumed I wasn’t here to be a customer. In fact I was interested in having a drink, learning about the place and featuring the bar in an article… ended up being featured as a bad review on Google instead!

Unsurprising that the place was empty even though the area it is in was thronging with tourists. A shame really! Looked beautiful from the 30 seconds I was inside lol

tldr: owner/staff member was...

MacauSoul is an intimate wine lounge operated by an enthusiastic retiree couple who have long settled in Macau. Their place is on the corner of Rua de São Paulo and the picturesque Travessa da Paixao near the Ruins of St. Paul's. Opening hours are around 3pm until late each evening. However, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Here you find a small seating area that resembles an antique shop or someones personal home. There are only a few private tables, where you can meet up with friends or family to enjoy an excellent collection of Portuguese wines on offer. MacauSoul also serve up traditional Portuguese snacks, meats and cheeses as well. Prices are very reasonable compared to similar wine bars and lounges in the higher end hotels around the city.

Note: Due to the limited space, you may want to call in advance to make reservation and to make sure they are open on the day of your...