Petaling Street Heritage House
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Combining a restaurant with an exhibitions centre, dedicated to preserving aspects of the various different Chinese cultures of old immigrants to Malaysia…
Must-see restaurants in Malaysia
George Town
On the surface, this is very much your typical shop serving nasi kandar (rice with South Asian Muslim–influenced curries). We don't particularly recommend…
Melaka City
The decor of this stylish cafe is understated, but the same can't be said for its colourful cake display, which is almost decadent in its abundance –…
Kuala Lumpur
Sometimes you just need a fresh salad – Fin's poke bowls tick that box very nicely. The cafe shares a minimalist, airy space with the baristas of Room 103.
Pahang & Tioman Island
This chain restaurant has a terrific, no-nonsense and tasty array of Japanese favourites with a glossy photo menu stuffed with an extensive choice of udon…
Pulau Langkawi
A relaxed, friendly cafe housed in a spacious, open-sided wooden structure constructed and furnished by the artistic owners using recycled materials…
Miri
Authentic Thai flavours shine at this place, opened in 2018. Once the staff have dragged themselves away from watching Thai soap operas on their…
Kota Kinabalu
Though this kopitiam (coffee shop) has moved around during its long history, it's still going strong after more than 100 years in business and is KK's…
George Town
A conveniently located restaurant-style food court, close to the Chowrasta Bazaar, good for char kway teow (flat rice noodles, cockles and eggs fried in…
Kota Kinabalu
Just before you hit the scenic route up towards Tambunan, just on the outskirts of KK, pull into this locally renowned noodle-soup joint. Mee sup is the…
Kota Kinabalu
This restaurant wears its stripes in the tastiness of its food, and the fact it gets its seafood from sustainable sources. Alu-Alu excels in taking the…
Kuala Lumpur
Resolutely on trend, this casually chic bistro with its open kitchen and cocktail bar has a menu that travels the globe, taking inspiration from culinary…
Cameron Highlands
Thoroughly local but friendly to tourists, the least manic of Tanah Rata's Indian canteens has great-value banana-leaf meal specials and satisfying…
Taiping
Busiest and best at lunch, this gritty court is half Chinese and half Malay. Look out for local favourite Omar's Popiah stall, where you can chomp on…
Kuala Lumpur
Occupying the same art deco pavilion for more than six decades, Sek Yuen is a Pudu institution. Some of the aged chefs toiling in the wood-fired kitchen…
Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory
Johor Bahru
For over 80 years this little bakery has prepared delicious buns, cakes and biscuits in a charcoal oven just as the founder had done in his native Hainan,…
George Town
For our money, the best tandoori chicken in town – full-flavoured, with strong ginger and garlic tones and plenty of chilli heat – is served at this busy…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
This long-running Chinese restaurant is a very good no-frills, partly al fresco place. Order the milk curry prawns with buns to soak up the tasty gravy,…
Kuching
This innovative vegetarian cafe features Malay-Chinese dishes served with flair and enthusiasm. The adventurous should try the lui cha (rice and…
Miri
Discerning locals crowd this first-rate eatery, housed in two unassuming adjacent buildings. There's no menu – make your selection from the fishy…
Melaka City
Specialising in the spicy and fragrant Kristang cuisine devised by Malakans of mixed Portuguese and local decent, this elegant restaurant in the historic…
Kuala Terengganu
Excellent Japanese fare is served at this alcohol-free place just south of the town centre. Sashimi and sushi are well prepared and super fresh, and…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
This KL outpost of the popular Melaka cafe-bar of the same name has the same winning formula of affordable food, cold beer, mocktails and attractive…
Kuching
Innovative and stylish, Bla Bla Bla serves excellent Chinese-inspired fusion dishes that – like the decor, the koi ponds and the Balinese buddha – range…
Johor Bahru
This neat, well-run, steaming, modern noodle house packs in the diners for fast servings of the filling stuff, with an ample menu of all sorts including…
Melaka City
In a city where vegetable dishes so often arrive strewn with shrimp or pork, a proper vegetarian eatery like this no-frills canteen is a welcome relief…
Johor Bahru
The lunch line snakes up the road so if you want to get a taste of this seriously addictive, mildly spicy fish curry, aim to get here before 11am. There's…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
All-day breakfast options here include local flavours such as pandan or kaya (coconut-cream jam) spread on the toast. Or you could go for a yee sang soba,…
George Town
The flagship dining venue at China House, elegant BTB offers up a short, upscale menu of self-proclaimed 'Western with spice' dishes, including a good…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
When the king lived nearby it was said he occasionally sent his minions to get an order of grilled stingray from one of the justifiably popular barbecued…
Kuala Lumpur
One of a number of Troika fine-dining establishments, Strato serves Italian dishes that aim for homely authenticity (though we don't recall mama ever…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
In 1927 Ong Kim Lian arrived in KL from Fujian, China, and opened a noodle stall – Kim Lian Kee has been serving some of the city's best Hokkien mee ever…
Sandakan
Bah kut teh literally means 'meat, bone, tea', and in much of Malaysia you can expect pork (and pork innards) in a fragrant herbal soup. Good Taste does…
Kuala Lumpur
This unassuming stall, down an alley, has been serving up its satisfyingly thick, slippery noodles for more than 20 years. The Hokkien mee here is…
Malaysia
The family that has run this stall for a couple of generations serves up simple dishes from salted-fish rice to braised bean curd and various veggie…
Pahang & Tioman Island
Sentosa specialises in whole fish prepared in Chinese fashion and served in a variety of ways – hotpot and grilled are quite popular. The building – a 100…
Kuching
Zinc features a selection of imported ingredients: Spanish Iberico ham, French cheeses and Canadian lobster, plus imported wines that aren't all that…
Kuala Lumpur
In a formula little changed since it opened in 1956, Capital Café has no frills, only fabulously old-fashioned Malay food. Chinese, Malay and Indian chefs…
Kuala Lumpur
Get here early as there's only a two-hour window of opportunity to sample chef Wong Peng Hui’s famous roasted pork belly; tables are claimed and a queue…
Kuala Lumpur
This reliable place is decorated with colourful communist propaganda posters and has a courtyard for dining outside. The kitchen turns out huge plates of…
