Planning a trip to Kuala Lumpur? You must try the food in Kuala Lumpur! The food here is rich and varied, with a fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and other characteristics. This article will introduce the food that you must not miss in detail. Ready to discover what to eat in Kuala Lumpur? Let’s explore the best of Kuala Lumpur food.
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Malay traditional food
Here are some must-try foods when visiting Kuala Lumpur:
Nasi Lemak:
image from www.allrecipes.com
Often considered the national dish of Malaysia, Nasi Lemak consists of coconut milk-infused rice, served with a variety of accompaniments such as sambal (spicy chili paste), hard-boiled egg, fried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts, and cucumber slices. It's typically served as a breakfast dish but can be eaten at any time of the day.
✅Where to Try: One of the most famous places to try Nasi Lemak in Kuala Lumpur is Village Park in Damansara Uptown, known for its crispy fried chicken and rich sambal.
Satay:
image from www.allrecipes.com
Satay consists of skewered, grilled meat (usually chicken or beef) served with a rich, flavorful peanut sauce. The meat is marinated with a blend of spices before being grilled to perfection, making it one of the most popular street foods in Malaysia.
✅Where to Try: Sate Kajang Haji Samuri in Kuala Lumpur is famous for its delicious satay, especially the chicken satay.
Bak Kut Teh:
Image from www.vforveganista.com
A rich medicinal soup cooked with pork bones, spices and herbs. The soup is rich and the meat is tender. It can be eaten with rice or fried dough sticks and has a nourishing effect.
Laksa:
Laksa Lemak is a rich, creamy noodle soup made with coconut milk, spicy chili paste, and prawns or chicken. It’s often served with thick rice noodles or vermicelli. The combination of the creamy broth and spicy kick makes it a popular dish.
✅Where to Try: Madam Kwan’s in the Pavilion Mall is known for its excellent Laksa Lemak.
Nasi Kerabu
image from www.rotinrice.com
A beautiful blue rice dish, Nasi Kerabu is often served with fried chicken, fish, or beef. The rice gets its striking blue color from butterfly pea flowers. It’s typically accompanied by a range of herbs, pickled vegetables, and sambal. It's both colorful and full of flavor.
✅Where to Try: Restoran Nasi Kerabu & Ayam Percik in Kuala Lumpur serves an authentic version of this dish.
Rendang
Image from rasamalaysia.com
Rendang is a slow-cooked beef stew, originating from Indonesia but widely loved in Malaysia as well. The beef is simmered in a mixture of coconut milk and a blend of spices like turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, and chili until it becomes tender and flavorful. It's typically served with rice.
✅Where to Try: Bijan Bar & Restaurant in the Bukit Bintang area is known for its delicious rendang, along with other Malay specialties.
Roti Jala
image from www.elmundoeats.com
Roti Jala is a type of traditional Malay pancake with a net-like appearance. The pancakes are often served with curry (typically chicken or beef curry), and they are soft, delicate, and deliciously absorb the rich flavors of the curry.
✅Where to Try: Many Malay restaurants in KL, such as Warung Roti Jala & Cendol, serve Roti Jala with curry.
Ayam Percik
image from tasteasianfood.com
Ayam Percik is grilled chicken marinated in a spiced coconut milk sauce. The marinade usually contains turmeric, lemongrass, and ginger, giving it a distinct flavor. The chicken is typically grilled over an open flame for that smoky aroma.
✅Where to Try: Restoran Nasi Kerabu & Ayam Percik is an excellent place to try this flavorful dish.
Soto
Image from glebekitchen.com
Soto is a Malay-style soup that usually consists of chicken or beef, flavored with a variety of spices and herbs, served with rice or noodles. It's light yet flavorful, with a deep, aromatic broth.
✅Where to Try: Soto Ria in Kuala Lumpur is a great place to enjoy traditional soto.
Kuih-muih
image from kualalumpurcity.my
These are traditional Malay snacks or desserts, often made from rice flour, coconut, or palm sugar. Popular varieties include Kuih Seri Muka (a layered dessert with sticky rice and pandan), Kuih Talam (a two-layered coconut and pandan dessert), and Kuih Lapis (layered jelly).
✅Where to Try: Many local markets, such as Chow Kit Market, offer a wide variety of these sweet treats.
Ikan Bakar
image from www.kompas.com
Ikan Bakar refers to grilled fish, which is marinated with a blend of spices such as turmeric, ginger, and lemongrass before being wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. The fish is smoky, tender, and often served with sambal or rice.
✅Where to Try: Ikan Bakar Petaling Jaya is known for its fresh and flavorful ikan bakar.
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Chinese cuisine
Char Kway Teow
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A famous stir-fried noodle dish from the Chinese community, Char Kway Teow consists of flat rice noodles stir-fried with prawns, eggs, Chinese sausage (lap Cheong), bean sprouts, chives, and sometimes cockles. The dish is cooked on high heat in a wok, giving it a slightly smoky flavor known as "wok hei."
✅Where to Try: One of the best places to try Char Kway Teow in Kuala Lumpur is Lorong Kulit in Petaling Street.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
image from cookidoo.international
Hainanese Chicken Rice is a simple yet flavorful dish of poached chicken served with fragrant rice cooked in chicken fat. It is typically accompanied by chili sauce and ginger paste. The rice has a rich, savory flavor, and the chicken is tender and juicy.
✅Where to Try: Kampung Siam Hainanese Chicken Rice in Kuala Lumpur’s Petaling Jaya area is famous for its tasty chicken rice.
Dim Sum
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Dim Sum refers to a wide variety of bite-sized dishes traditionally served in bamboo steamers. These include dumplings, buns, rolls, and other delicacies like har gao (prawn dumplings), siew mai (pork dumplings), and char siu bao (barbecue pork buns). Dim Sum is usually enjoyed during breakfast or brunch.
✅Where to Try: Restoran Yat Lok in Jalan Alor and Tao Chinese Cuisine in InterContinental Kuala Lumpur are well-known for their dim sum offerings.
Chili Crab
image from www.recipesaresimple.com
Though this dish originated in Singapore, it’s widely enjoyed in Malaysia as well, especially in the Chinese communities. Chili Crab consists of crab cooked in a rich, tangy, and slightly spicy tomato-based sauce. It is often served with mantou (steamed buns) to soak up the delicious sauce.
✅Where to Try: Golden Crab Restaurant in Petaling Jaya is known for its flavorful chili crab.
Siu Yuk (Crispy Roast Pork)
image from thewoksoflife.com
Siu Yuk is a Cantonese-style roasted pork belly with crispy skin. The pork is marinated with a blend of spices and roasted until golden brown and crispy, with tender, flavorful meat inside. It’s typically served with rice or as part of a Chinese banquet.
✅Where to Try: Koon Kee Wan Tan Mee in Petaling Street offers some of the best Siu Yuk in town.
Steamed Fish (Zheng Yu)
image from cicili.tv
Steamed fish is a classic Chinese dish, often prepared with fresh fish like tilapia or grouper. It is usually seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and spring onions, giving it a light yet flavorful taste. The fish is steamed to perfection, keeping it moist and tender.
✅Where to Try: Restoran Yu Xiang in Petaling Jaya serves excellent steamed fish dishes.
Wonton Mee
image from woonheng.com
Wonton Mee is a noodle soup that features springy egg noodles served with dumplings (wontons) filled with minced pork or shrimp. The soup is often flavored with soy sauce, and the wontons are boiled or fried for added texture.
✅Where to Try: Restoran Mee Tarik Warisan in Kuala Lumpur offers some of the best Wonton Mee in the area.
Chow Mein
image from tiffycooks.com
Chow Mein is a stir-fried noodle dish made with egg noodles, vegetables, and a variety of meats such as chicken, beef, or shrimp. The noodles are crispy on the outside but tender on the inside, and the dish is usually flavored with soy sauce and other Chinese seasonings.
✅Where to Try: Restoran Sun Ming in Kuala Lumpur serves a delicious variety of Chow Mein dishes.
Chinese Herbal Soup
image from smellylunchbox.com
Chinese herbal soups are made from a variety of medicinal herbs, roots, and spices that are believed to have health benefits. These soups are often served with meats such as chicken or pork, and they are rich in flavor and nutrition.
✅Where to Try: The TCM Chinese Herbal Soup shop in Petaling Street offers a variety of these nourishing herbal soups.
Claypot Rice
image from makan.ch
Claypot Rice is a hearty dish that is cooked in a clay pot, giving it a unique smoky flavor. The rice is usually topped with ingredients like Chinese sausage, chicken, and mushrooms. The dish is often served with a side of soy sauce for extra flavor.
✅Where to Try: Claypot House in Kuala Lumpur serves some of the best claypot rice in the city.
Indian cuisine
Roti Canai
image from www.kuali.com
Roti Canai is a popular Indian flatbread that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s typically served with dhal (lentil curry) or meat curries. Some variations of Roti Canai include Roti Telur (with egg) or Roti Bawang (with onions). It's a breakfast favorite in Malaysia.
✅Where to Try: Roti Canai Transfer Road in Brickfields and Ali Muthu & Ah Hock in Bangsar are known for serving some of the best Roti Canai.
Banana Leaf Rice
image from www.tatlerasia.com
Banana Leaf Rice is a traditional South Indian dish where rice is served on a banana leaf, accompanied by a variety of side dishes like vegetables, papadam (crispy lentil crackers), pickles, and dal (lentil curry). It is usually served with either chicken, mutton, or fish curry.
✅Where to Try: Sri Nirwana Maju in Bangsar is famous for its flavorful Banana Leaf Rice, and Annalakshmi Restaurant in KLCC offers a traditional dining experience.
Nasi Kandar
image from recipeguru.org
Nasi Kandar is a mixed rice dish with various curries and side dishes. It's a popular dish in Malaysia with Indian Muslim roots, where rice is served with an assortment of meats like fried chicken, beef rendang, fish, and prawn curry, all drenched in a variety of spicy gravies.
✅Where to Try: Nasi Kandar Pelita in Jalan Ampang is one of the best-known spots for Nasi Kandar in Kuala Lumpur.
Murtabak
image from www.sbs.com.au
Murtabak is a stuffed Indian flatbread filled with minced meat (usually chicken or beef), onions, and spices, then pan-fried to a crispy golden perfection. It’s often served with a side of pickles or vegetable curry.
✅Where to Try: Hameediyah Restaurant in Kampung Baru is famous for its Murtabak, alongside other traditional Indian-Malay fusion dishes.
Thosai (Dosa)
image from www.daganghalal.com
Thosai, or Dosa, is a thin, crispy, crepe-like pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter. It is often served with a variety of sides such as sambar (a spicy lentil soup), coconut chutney, and tomato chutney. It’s a staple in South Indian cuisine.
✅Where to Try: Vinayaga Restaurant in Brickfields is known for its delicious Thosai, offering a variety of fillings like masala dosa (with spiced potatoes).
Chicken Tandoori
image from spicecravings.com
Tandoori Chicken is a popular Indian dish where chicken is marinated in a blend of yogurt, herbs, and spices (including turmeric, cumin, and garam masala) and then cooked in a tandoor (clay oven). The result is tender, juicy chicken with a smoky flavor and a vibrant red color.
✅Where to Try: Tandoor at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Sagar Restaurant in Jalan Bukit Bintang both serve excellent Tandoori dishes.
Pani Puri
image from cooking.nytimes.com
Pani Puri (also known as Golgappa) is a popular street food in India. These are crispy, hollow balls filled with spicy, tangy water, mashed potatoes, chickpeas, and various chutneys. The dish is a burst of flavors and textures and is often eaten as a snack or appetizer.
✅Where to Try: Bala’s Banana Leaf in Brickfields and Bombay Street in Jalan Alor offer fantastic Pani Puri.
Lassi
image from themagicsaucepan.com
Lassi is a traditional yogurt-based drink from India, typically served chilled. It can be sweet (with flavors like rose, mango, or pistachio) or salty (with spices like cumin and mint). It’s a perfect drink to cool down after enjoying spicy Indian food.
✅Where to Try: Bikanervala in the heart of Kuala Lumpur offers a great selection of Lassis to complement your meal.
Korma
image from www.chilipeppermadness.com
Korma is a creamy, mildly spiced curry made with yogurt, coconut milk, and ground nuts (like cashews or almonds). It’s a rich and fragrant dish that can be made with chicken, lamb, or vegetables.
✅Where to Try: Kampung Pandan Indian Restaurant is a local favorite that offers a great variety of korma dishes.
Chana Masala
image from www.ticklingpalates.com
Chana Masala is a flavorful vegetarian curry made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans) cooked in a spicy, tangy tomato-based gravy. It’s commonly served with naan or rice.
✅Where to Try: Saravana Bhavan in Jalan P. Ramlee is an excellent place to enjoy this vegetarian delight.
Samosa
image from littlespicejar.com
Samosas are crispy, deep-fried pastries filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and sometimes meat like chicken or beef. They are a popular snack or appetizer in Indian cuisine.
✅Where to Try: Nasi Kandar Line Clear offers excellent samosas alongside their main courses.
Desserts and Snacks
Nyonya Cake:
image from explore.airasia.com
A colorful dessert that combines Malay and Chinese food cultures. Made with coconut milk, rice flour and sugar, it has a smooth, sweet and delicious texture.
Durian Cendol:
image from www.daganghalal.com
With sweet coconut milk smoothie as the base, it is topped with large chunks of fresh durian and durian paste, as well as green vermicelli-shaped Cendol. After mixing evenly, the rich aroma of durian and coconut milk, paired with the chewy Cendol, is delicious and refreshing, and is a favorite of durian lovers.
Must-try restaurants in Kuala Lumpur
Sushi Taka
Sushi Taka is a well-known sushi restaurant that features fresh ingredients. Its sushi ingredients, such as various types of sashimi, are carefully selected to ensure high quality and bring customers a delicious taste experience.
Limapulo: Baba Can Cook
The restaurant mainly serves Southeast Asian specialties such as Nyonya cuisine. Satay chicken skewers are a must-order signature dish. The chicken is tender and juicy, and paired with a special satay sauce, the flavor is rich and mellow.
Nam Heong Chicken Rice @Jalan Sultan
Its signature Hainanese chicken rice is highly praised, with tender chicken, crispy and elastic skin, full of oil and fragrance, and sweet sauce. In addition, the butter rice in the store is attractive in color and fragrant; the bean sprouts in oyster sauce are crisp and refreshing, and the soup is also sweet. There is also a large and rich peanut chicken feet soup, as well as Guilinggao, which has a strong medicinal flavor and a bitter taste, but tastes better when mixed with white sugar syrup.
Lai Po Heen
The dim sum is exquisitely made. As the restaurant complies with halal requirements, the pork-filled dim sum is replaced with chicken, but the taste is still excellent. For example, the signature black pepper and goose liver steamed shrimp siu mai, the tender shrimp siu mai is paired with the fragrant black pepper and goose liver, and the taste is rich.
Bar Trigona
Bar Trigona is located in the Four Seasons Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. It is one of the top 50 bars in Asia. It is very close to the Petronas Twin Towers. The window seats in the store can face the Petronas Twin Towers.
Food Court in Kuala Lumpur
Here are some of the famous street food in Kuala Lumpur:
Jalan Alor
image from www.nocturnal.asia
- Features: One of the most famous food streets in Kuala Lumpur, with a history of more than 50 years and more than 100 kinds of food. The streets are lined with various food stalls and restaurants, offering a rich variety of food such as barbecue, seafood, snacks, fruits, etc. The night is brightly lit, fragrant, and lively.
- Signature food: grilled chicken wings, satay, grilled stingray, Portuguese grilled fish, fried strips, rojak, fish and vegetables, pork porridge, asam laksa, etc.
- Transportation: Take the LRT Green Line to Bukit Bintang Station, and then walk west for about 5 minutes.
- Consumption: The price is higher than that of Petaling Street, but you can eat well for a few ringgit per person.
Petaling Street
image from asianinspirations.com.au
- Features: Commonly known as Chinatown, it has a history of 140 years and is the historical birthplace of Kuala Lumpur. It is full of rich Chinese cultural atmosphere, with many Chinese-style buildings, archways and Chinese signs. There are many Chinese restaurants and snack bars on the street, selling various Chinese local flavors. At night, tables and chairs will be placed on the road, turning it into a lively late-night snack street.
- Signature food: Zhonghua Lane Curry Noodles, Han Kee Congee, Jiangxia Smile Dates, Yiqin Tofu Pudding, Fried Sweet Potato Eggs, Shengji Famous Claypot Mouse Noodles, Yap Ah Loy Lane Cake Roll, etc.
- Transportation: Take the LRT Yellow Line to Paasr Seni Station and walk about 10-15 minutes to arrive.
- Consumption: The price is relatively low
Lot 10 Lotte Plaza
image from kualalumpurinsider.com
- Features: A traditional snack food street highly recommended by world-renowned food critic Cai Lan, located on the ground floor of Lotte Plaza in the Golden Triangle, it is the only indoor air-conditioned food street with a comfortable environment. It brings together many well-known Malaysian time-honored food.
- Signature food: Jinlian Ji Fujian noodles, He Rongji wonton noodles, Penang famous fried rice noodles, Songji beef noodles and Mao Shan Gao bak kut teh, etc.
Pudu, Jalan Sayur
image from www.gokl.my
- Features: Also known as Pudu Food Street, it hides many food stalls and restaurants with a history of more than half a century, full of old-fashioned flavor and human touch. It opens at about 6pm and the night market is very lively.
- Signature food: Four Eyes Victory Fried Chicken, Auntie Chen's Stewed Egg, Egg Tea, Cai's Curry Pork Skin Rice Noodles, Pork Noodles, Lin's Brothers Fried Rice Kway Teow, Squid Water Spinach, etc.
Map of restaurants with 4.5 stars or above
Here are the locations of restaurants with a rating of 4.5 or above on Google Maps. You can refer to them to find your favorite food.
Image from Google Maps
Recommended hotels near food court
Here are some hotels recommendations close to the food court. You can choose according to your needs:
Hotels near Jalan Alor
Hotels near Petaling Street
Hotels near Lot 10 Lotte Plaza
FAQ about what to eat in kl?
Is there halal food in Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur has a rich variety of halal food, such as nasi lemak, laksa, etc., which can meet all your needs.What are the must-eat foods in Kuala Lumpur?
In Kuala Lumpur you can try many kinds of food, traditional Malay food, Indian food, Chinese food and so onWhat's the average food prices in Malaysia?
The following average prices are for your reference: Regular fast food, fried rice: 8-15 MYR per portion. Three courses for two people at a mid-range restaurant: 50-80 MYR. McDonald's combo meal: 13-17 MYR per portion. 500ML juice: 6-10 MYR per cup.