Must-see restaurants in Kuching

  • Dyak

    Kuching

    This elegant restaurant, 2km southeast of Old Chinatown, was the first to treat Dayak home cooking as true cuisine. Classically trained in a Western style…

  • Top Spot Food Court

    Kuching

    This neon-lit courtyard and its half-dozen humming seafood stalls sits, rather improbably, on the roof of a concrete parking garage. Don't be pressured…

  • Lepau

    Kuching

    Lepau translates as 'farm hut', and organic and free-range ingredients feature at this atmospheric restaurant showcasing the cuisine of Sarawak's…

  • lima.tujoh

    Kuching

    Friendly cats Ginger and Serai (aka 'Lemon Grass') are feline hosts at this cool cafe, while their human underlings serve up excellent nasi lemak (rice…

  • Granary

    Kuching

    Housed in an old granary that has been renovated with minimalist flair, this breezy restaurant serves up burgers, pizzas and pasta, plus some pricier meat…

  • Junk

    Kuching

    Filled to the brim with antiques, this is the middle of a complex of restaurants and bars – each with different names – housed in three 1920s shophouses…

  • Siniawan Night Market

    Kuching

    Held along the heritage main street of Siniawan – a former mining town established in 1840 – this market is an excellent evening detour from Kuching…

  • Maria Kek Lapis

    Kuching

    Sells over 40 varieties of kek lapis – a colourful layered cake made with wheat flour, egg, prodigious quantities of butter or margarine, and flavourings…

  • James Brooke Bistro & Cafe

    Kuching

    This place gets consistently good reviews for cuisine, service and lovely river views. Local dishes such as Sarawak laksa (RM12) and its own invention,…

  • Lok Lok

    Kuching

    This popular nocturnal eatery specialises in lok lok (skewers, eg of fish, prawn, cuttlefish or bean curd; RM2.50 to RM3) that are boiled or deep-fried…

  • Commons

    Kuching

    A popular all-day haunt for both locals and visitors, Commons features mains including excellent pasta, burgers and Asian dishes, and a very tempting…

  • Indah House

    Kuching

    A one-stop blend of cool neighbourhood cafe, cooking-class venue and hip art space, Indah is one of Kuching's best cafes. Menu highlights include tasty…

  • Fig Tree Cafe

    Kuching

    This innovative vegetarian cafe features Malay-Chinese dishes served with flair and enthusiasm. The adventurous should try the lui cha (rice and…

  • Bla Bla Bla

    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…

  • Zinc

    Kuching

    Zinc features a selection of imported ingredients: Spanish Iberico ham, French cheeses and Canadian lobster, plus imported wines that aren't all that…

  • Cha Bo

    Kuching

    Run by the same folks who operate the Barber and the Junk, this stylish, bright restaurant produces light and spicy Thai fish cakes, tom yum goong (hot…

  • Yang Choon Tai Hawker Centre

    Kuching

    Six food stalls, run by members of the Teochew Chinese community, serve up an eclectic assortment of native bites, including rice porridge with pork (3am…

  • Tribal Stove

    Kuching

    This laid-back restaurant serving delicious Sarawak food is decorated with photos of Bario, the highland 'capital'. Although it no longer specialises in…

  • Choon Hui Cafe

    Kuching

    This old-school kopitiam (coffee shop) makes the most delicious laksa in town. There's also a stall here selling excellent popia (a kind of spring roll…

  • 21 Bistro

    Kuching

    This lively bar-restaurant has a range of draught and bottled beers plus wine and cocktails. Also available are decent Western, Asian and fusion dishes…

  • Chong Choon Cafe

    Kuching

    Under a large verandah and cooled by a fleet of helicopter fans, this cafe serves some of Kuching’s best Sarawak laksa. There are also stalls selling…

  • Zhun San Yen Vegetarian Food Centre

    Kuching

    A meat-free buffet lunch of Chinese-style curries, priced by weight, is served from 11am to 2pm (RM2.50 per 100g). When the buffet is over, you can order…

  • Jubilee Restaurant

    Kuching

    A fixture in the heart of Kuching’s Indian Muslim district since 1974. Halal specialities include nasi biryani (rice with chicken, beef or lamb; RM10 to…

  • Riverside Hawker Stalls

    Kuching

    What could be better than an evening constitutional along the river, followed by a fresh fruit juice and a few sticks of satay?

  • Open-Air Market

    Kuching

    Cheap, tasty dishes to look for include laksa, Chinese-style mee sapi (beef noodle soup), red kolo mee (noodles with pork and a sweet barbecue sauce),…

  • Aroma Café

    Kuching

    A great place to try indigenous dishes such as ayam pansuh (chicken cooked in bamboo; RM10), fried tapioca leaves (RM6) and umai (a Sarawakian version of…

  • Green Hill Corner

    Kuching

    Look behind the green, Milo-sponsored awnings for the half-a-dozen stalls that crank out porridge, laksa, and chicken, rice and noodle dishes. Popular…

  • Lyn’s Thandoori Restaurant

    Kuching

    This North Indian restaurant, a Kuching fixture since 1994, sports a huge menu featuring tandoori chicken and naan as well as delicious mutton, fish and…

  • Kampung Boyan Hawker Centres

    Kuching

    Reached by tambang (ferries; RM1) from the Waterfront Promenade, Kampung Boyan's two tent-roofed hawker centres offer cheap, tasty Malay dishes and…

  • Abee Traditional Buns

    Kuching

    All manner of soft and delicious bao (buns) filled with an array of flavours emerge from this squeaky-clean bakery. Great for food on the go.

  • Baking Library

    Kuching

    Delicious egg tarts with the flakiest of bases are the speciality here. Options include traditional, pandan, coconut and Portuguese style.

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