34 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy to be celebrated at “2025 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao”

The “2025 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” (referred to as the “Fest”), organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), takes off from July 11 to 20, 2025.

Themed as “Spices and herbs”, the Fest will bring together 34 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from 21 countries across six continents for a vibrant offering of global cuisines, culinary showcase and gastronomy forum as three major highlights.

The ten-day event will celebrate international gastronomic cultures, weaving together tourism, gastronomy and culture in pursuit of preservation and innovation. It will showcase Macao’s unique fascinations as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy to the world as an impactful platform.

Gather Creative Cities of Gastronomy from 21 countries on six continents

In a recent press conference, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes highlighted the Fest’s remarkable lineup of participating countries and cities this year. The event reinforces Macao’s strengths as an international exchange platform. And also a paradise for foodies.

To date, 34 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from 21 countries across six continents, seven Creative Cities of other fields and two candidate cities from Mainland China, along with two Culture Cities of East Asia 2025 are committed to joining different event highlights.

3 major highlights at the Fest

Following the inaugural success last year, the Fest will feature “International Gastronomy Promenade”, “City of Gastronomy Showcase” and “International Gastronomy Forum, Macao” as three major highlights again, dedicated to creating a more spectacular program.

The event venue is chosen as Roman Amphitheatre Square and Legend Boulevard of Macau Fisherman’s Wharf in Zona Nova de Aterros do Porto Exterior (NAPE). The Fest should help to invigorate local communities and bring more visitors and residents to Macao for hotel. While they can taste global cuisines and enjoy top-notch culinary demonstrations.

The “International Gastronomy Promenade” will feature over 100 food booths. 14 Creative Cities of Gastronomy will present a colorful variety of culinary delights. Among them, there will be 25 booths from Mainland China (including Chengdu, Shunde, Yangzhou, Huai’an and Chaozhou). But also 9 booths from Asia – including Phuket (Thailand), Hatay (Turkey), Buraydah (Saudi Arabia) and Iloilo City (Philippines). Not to forget 52 Macao food booths.

Portuguese-speaking countries will present 11 food booths for the first time. It includes a large representation of Brazilian cities (Florianópolis, Belém, Paraty and Belo Horizonte). Booths of the six integrated resort enterprises in Macao will also be part of the Portuguese section.

1,000 dining seats will be provided at five catering zones at the Promenade. This represents an increase of 42% from last year to accommodate more visiting and local food lovers. A variety of performances will enliven the event on three stages.

28 cities take stage 

The event will invite chefs from 28 Creative Cities of Gastronomy to demonstrate culinary art in over 60 cooking shows. Chefs will create dishes following the theme “Spices and herbs”. The dishes will demonstrate tastes across cultures and the world. They will also foster culinary exchange between Macao and other Creative Cities of Gastronomy. Residents and visitors can savor a fusion of wonderful flavors at sampling sessions.

For the public’s tasting of different delights, the “International Gastronomy Promenade” will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Friday. And from 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. “City of Gastronomy Showcase” will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily during the event period.

In parallel to the festive event, the “International Gastronomy Forum, Macao” takes place at the Convention and Exhibition Centre of Macau Fisherman’s Wharf on 14 July. Under the theme “The Spice of Life: Macao’s Culinary Connections”, participants will explore the role of spices and herbs in worldwide cuisines. There will be two keynote speeches and three panel sessions. Participants will gather at the Forum to discover the essence of food cultures. While they will share the unique flavors and stories across cultures and geographical distances.

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