A two-month-long event, called “Enjoy Macao with Coffee – Macao Coffee Festival”, held in the heart-shaped “Praça da Árvore” (“Tree Square”) in front of the Macao Science Centre (MSC) in Nape, comes to an end this coming Monday, coinciding with International Children’s Day.
The festival is co-hosted by the Macau Youth Development Service Centre (MYDS) and the MSC.
One of the event organisers, surnamed Wong, told the Post last Sunday that the festival aims to expand public awareness of Macau’s coffee culture.
According to Wong, between 1,500 and 2,000 people took part each day over the past weekends, while weekdays saw around 300 to 400 attendees. She added that the total number of participants is expected to reach around 40,000.
Wong noted that this year’s festival features five new stalls for cultural and creative products and pet brands, alongside eight additional theatre performances, themed “China’s First Cup of Coffee in Macau”.
She underlined that a new segment, “Coffee Omakase”*, has invited local coffee roasters to introduce their brands and share speciality coffees.
Wong also said that this year’s event is being held in collaboration with the Macao Science Centre, adding that customers who spend 30 patacas or more can exchange their receipts for a stamp-collecting postcard, which doubles as a free entry ticket to the centre.
An exhibition titled “China’s First Cup of Coffee in Macau” has also been set up at the Nautical Science Gallery to promote coffee culture, she said.
Owen Choi, owner of “Gas Coffee”, told the Post that his booth focuses on creating a relaxed atmosphere and serving coffee tailored to individual tastes.
His booth’s speciality series includes melon, jasmine, and alcoholic elements, developed especially for the event. Choi praised the event’s “great atmosphere” and confirmed he intends to participate again in the future.
Sandra Lun, owner of “Bread Station”, told the Post that her booth specialises in cream cheese garlic bread and guava dirty coffee** – the latter mixed with plum powder to create a sweet and sour flavour profile.
She also praised the event’s vibrant atmosphere and expressed her hope to introduce more new products in the future, such as pork floss cakes, to attract customers.
*Coffee Omakase is an immersive, multi-course specialty coffee tasting experience where customers leave the entire selection and preparation process up to the expertise of the barista. The Japanese word “omakase” (お任せ) translates directly to “I leave it up to you”. – Gemini
**Dirty coffee is a specialty coffee drink that relies on a stark contrast of temperature, texture, and density. It consists of a hot, concentrated shot of espresso poured directly over a glass of intensely chilled, rich milk. The name comes from the visual effect: as the dark espresso is pulled on top of the pristine white milk, it slowly bleeds downward, making the milk look beautifully “dirty.” – Gemini
Sandra Lun (left) poses with her team at her booth “Bread Station” last Sunday.
Coffee aficionados flock to the “Enjoy Macao with Coffee – Macao Coffee Festival” in the heart-shaped “Tree Square” in front of the Macao Science Centre last Sunday. – Photos: Armindo Neves
