8 BEST Cafes and Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

What to Eat in Kuala Lumpur?

First thing you have to know before exploring the food scene of a country is what to eat. Here are a few things you should try in KL when you are in the restaurants and cafes I have listed below.

• Kaya Toasts: A well-known snack-style breakfast in Malaysia (and in Singapore). As you can tell from the name, the toasts are prepared with kaya, a sugary coconut milk mixed with egg bread spread and sometimes sandwiched with a cold block of butter, giving a unique flavor. Something to look out for when ordering breakfast at a traditional Chinese cafe.
• Kopi: Or coffee in Malaysia comes in different varieties, such as Kopi-O (coffee without milk), Kopi-C (coffee with milk), Kopi-Cham (coffee with milk tea), and more. Knowing which one to order at a cafe is essential because the menu often does not provide an explanation of what these are. To learn more about this coffee lingo, visit the Kopitiam Lingo page.
• Teh Tarik: While we are on the beverage topic, another thing to try is Teh Tarik (Pulled Tea), which is a combination of black tea, condensed milk, and the pull technique resulting in a bubbly, delicious, sweet milk tea, perfect for hot weather.
• Nasi Lemak: A delicious Malaysian dish that comes with rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaf, fried chicken, cuttlefish in chili, small fried fish, and peanuts. Highly recommended!
• Laksa: Another popular dish in Malaysia, Laksa is served with rice noodles in spicy curry (coconut milk) or sour broth (tamarind). Laksa requires a certain taste as some people might not like it as much. I love it!
• Roti Canai: An Indian dish often found in one of the many Indian restaurants in Malaysia. The dish consists of a crispy flatbread (roti) and 2 - 3 different sauces with a variety of spiciness to suit your taste.
• Kway Teow and Mee: Whether it's Mee Goreng, Hokkien Mee, or Char Kway Teow, these different types of noodles have one thing in common: they are freaking delicious. Essentially, Kway Teow refers to flat and wide strips of rice noodles, while Mee refers to the yellow noodles that we all know and love.

8 Best Places to Eat and Drink Coffee in Kuala Lumpur

1. Sin Hoy How (Breakfast + Lunch)

Sin Hoy How is a traditional Chinese Kopi Tiam (coffee shop) located near Masjid Jamek, one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia and a popular tourist attraction. It is open from 7 AM until 2 PM, making it the perfect place to have a nice early breakfast before you start your day.

They serve regular breakfast dishes and coffee, such as Kaya Toasts, Kopi, and Milo. For lunch, they offer their famous curry mee. The cafe itself is what you would expect from an old-school, traditional Chinese cafe, with a spacious area, wooden chairs, and tables.

2. LOKL Coffee Co. (Breakfast)

Very close to Sin Hoy How and Masjid Jamek, another great cafe to check out if you are looking for a nice Western breakfast or a place to sit and work is LOKL Coffee Co.

They serve an international-style breakfast and coffee in their atmospheric setting, perfect for a meetup with friends for brunch or just sitting and working. Their drink menu also combines the best of both worlds, offering both local and Western options such as Kopi Susu or a regular Western-style latte, depending on the style you crave that day.

3. VCR (Coffee-Break + Work)

VCR is one of my favorite cafes to sit and work in Kuala Lumpur. The cafe is located in a two-story, old traditional house in a quiet area of Kuala Lumpur.

There are a variety of seating areas on both floors, with plenty of space and a great ambiance, especially on the second floor. This is perfect for me to sit quietly and work while enjoying a nice cup of their delicious Flat White.

They also serve excellent breakfast/brunch dishes and open early (8:30 AM - 11 PM), so VCR is another good place to have a quiet breakfast in the early hours.

4. Yut Kee Restaurant (Lunch)

Now, we are in for a more wholesome KL lunch experience, starting off with one of the most popular restaurants among locals in KL. Yut Kee restaurant is a traditional Chinese restaurant that serves all kinds of local food, from delicious Mee Hailam to chicken chop. They also serve local breakfast/snack dishes like Kaya toast if you're there for breakfast.

It is affordable and often packed with people, especially during lunch on weekdays and in the morning on weekends. So, you might have to share tables if you are visiting during those times.

The place is well-run with lots of tables, waiters/waitresses, and a waiting area for those in big groups, although it is not air-conditioned, so it can get warm during the day. The atmosphere has a typical old-school Chinese feel to it, making it a great place to experience the cultural heritage of KL.

5. Merchant's Lane Cafe (Lunch)

Tucked away in a small building in Chinatown, KL, the Merchant's Lane Cafe is a vintage cafe to try when you are in the city. Its excellent vibe, great ambiance, and variety of delicious local, western, and fusion dishes make it a great place for brunch or lunch.

The place can be hard to find as it is sandwiched between Kiat Leong Stationery and Sin Chew Daily Shops. In between those two shops, you will find a wooden door with the Merchant's Lane Cafe sign on top. The door will lead you up the stairs where the restaurant is.

The restaurant can be quite crowded during lunchtime, so try to visit a little earlier or after 12 PM to avoid the queue.

6. Transparent Coffee (Coffee-Break + Work)

If you are looking for a stylish yet quiet place to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and work on your laptop, I highly recommend Transparent Coffee, located in the Bangsar area, a residential suburb on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

The coffee shop serves delicious, directly-sourced Western coffee, perfect for coffee enthusiasts. They also serve sandwiches and toasts to go with your favorite cup.

The place is small and often quiet, which makes it a good place for people to switch environments and work here. There were a few locals who lived around the area, sitting and working on their laptops when I was there.

7. Village Park Restaurant (Lunch/Dinner)

Enough with the café, you say? Here comes the best Nasi Lemak dish in your life. Village Park restaurant, located in Petaling Jaya, way out of the city center where most tourists stay, is one of the best places for Nasi Lemak in Malaysia.

Their Nasi Lemak comes with a large piece of their famous crispy fried chicken, small fried fish, peanuts, and spicy cuttlefish that will leave you dreaming about it once you've tried it. I'm already drooling just writing about this!

Getting there is not too difficult with a KJL train from KL Sentral to Pasar Seni, where you can transfer to a direct MSBK train to TTDI station. From there, you can either walk for 20 minutes or call Grab for a short ride to the restaurant.

8. Restoran Al Bidayah (Dinner)

Last but not least, if you are craving local Indian cuisine that is not touristy and affordable, a few minutes' Grab ride away from Village Park Restaurant, you will find Restoran Al Bidayah, where you can try their delicious Roti Canai and Teh Tarik.

If you are not keen on traveling so far out to Restoran Al Bidayah, there are several Indian restaurants that serve similar dishes and are just as good, such as Restoran Sri Nirwana Maju and Fierce Curry House, both in the Bangsar area, so give them a try.

1. Extra. Old Town White Coffee & PappaRich Franchises

I might get flagged by locals for recommending Old Town White Coffee and PappaRich, both local franchises, but I love them!

For all you digital nomads out there, if you are looking for a reliable place to work, not just in KL but all across Malaysia, with solid WIFI, plenty of power outlets, and a constant supply of kaya toasts, kopi-c, and Mee Goreng (or any typical Malaysian dishes), this is the place for you.

Old Town White Coffee and PappaRich are similar to Starbucks, not in the typical sense, but in terms of reliability and accessibility. They are literally everywhere, and you are guaranteed to have good Wi-Fi and power sockets, making them the perfect places to work from.

Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best places to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.

Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.

Travel Insurance: Heymondo covers theft, medical emergencies, cancellations, and more during your travels. Get a 5% discount if you sign up today.

Transportation: 12go is a great place to look for bus and train schedule and buy tickets online in Southeast Asia that would otherwise not have been available in English online.

Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars.

Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an esim compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.

VPN: To stay connected with people at home, I always make sure to have ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and I can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

Day Trips & Tours: Viator, GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor are great platforms to search for trips and tours to join.

Tickets & Deals: Klook is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.

Further Reading for Malaysia

Malaysia may often be overlooked by travelers, but the country has so much to offer that you can't find anywhere else in Southeast Asia.

Here are some articles you might want to read about Malaysia:

• Looking for a complete itinerary and travel guide for Malaysia? 10 Days Itinerary for Malaysia.
• Planning a trip to Malaysia and not sure where to begin? Check out: 10 Best Places to Visit in Malaysia.
• Are you planning to travel to Malaysia as part of a big Southeast Asia trip? Check out our 3-month backpacking itinerary for Southeast Asia.
• Kuala Lumpur is where you will likely land when you are traveling in Southeast Asia, and from the outside, it may look like your typical Asian city. However, KL is so much more, and at a cheaper price too. Here’s a complete guide on things to do in Kuala Lumpur.
• If you are looking for a day trip from Kuala Lumpur or somewhere to stop on your way to/from Singapore, Melaka is a great place to stop and learn a little bit about this ancient port city. Check out my 8 Incredible things to do in Melaka travel guide here.
• Cameron Highlands is a break from the hot, humid weather and bustling city of KL that you need. Surrounded by mountains and tea plantations, here is a complete travel guide on things to do in Cameron Highlands.
• Cameron Highlands is high up in the mountains, with a cool breeze that makes it the perfect place to go hiking. There are over 14 trails to choose from. Check out my ultimate hiking guide to Cameron Highlands.
• Penang is the food heaven of Malaysia, and it is a must-stop on your way to/from Thailand. Here are 10 Best Things to Do in Penang.
• Want to go off the beaten path in Malaysia? Let’s head over to Borneo with a complete travel guide and a 2-week itinerary for Borneo and Brunei.
• Want to know where to go after Malaysia? How about spending 3 days in Singapore or going snorkeling on Koh Lipe, Thailand?
• For all articles about Malaysia, visit the Malaysia Travel Guide page.
• Looking for more travel guides for Southeast Asia? You can find more on my Southeast Asia Travel Guide page.
• I have also compiled all of my favorite photos I took in Southeast Asia into one post. Check out 64 photos of Southeast Asia that will inspire you to travel.
• For more of my travel guides, visit All Destination Travel Guide page.