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Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Where to eat in Kuala Lumpur without falling victim to the city’s legion of tourist traps is the real question. Jalon Alor will be the most recommended spot for you to stop, but truth is, it’s maybe the biggest foodie tourist trap in the world. For those of you seeking authentic flavours, a little insider knowledge is required. In this post I’m going to let you know where to eat eat in Kuala Lumpur and dishes to try. So without further ado, let’s dive in.

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Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock

Ali, Muthu & Ah hHck have numerous locations throughout KL, but there are two in particular you should visit. The Jalan Balai Polis or the Publika locations would be my branches of choice.

They do an awesome of version of nasi lemak and be sure to order the rendang ayam(chicken) to go with it. The nasi lemak has an extremely fragrant coconut rice and the salty kick of the dried anchovies and peanuts are a perfect compliment to the creamy coconut milk broth of the rendang. The chicken is fall apart tender and the addition of a savoury and spicy sambal makes this a meal you will remember forever.

Their version of Nonya laksa is another you shouldn’t overlook. With a savoury and slightly spicy coconut milk based broth, the laksa is packed with chicken, fish balls, and shrimp. You end ip with a rich and creamy both packed full of flavour. Wash it all down with an ice cold Cham(tea and coffee mixture with condensed milk), and you’ll be looking to try all of their locations.

Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur

  • Luxury AccommodationsBanyan Tree Kuala Lumpur – Centrally located in the Golden Triangle, Banyan tree offers 55 elegant rooms and suites. From the vibrant rooftop bar, admire spectacular views of the city’s skyline. Dine on gourmet delights, unwind at the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa, or stroll to nearby landmarks like the Petronas Twin Towers. 
  • Mid Range Accommodations – The RuMa Hotel and Residences – Nestled in the very heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, The RuMa means home in its most literal sense – a luxury hotel that captures all the intimacy of a home, run by an accomplished host.
  • Budget Accommodations – Ahyu Hotel – Located in Kuala Lumpur, Ahyu Hotel features an in-house restaurant and free WiFi throughout the property.

For more places to stay in Kuala Lumpur

Where to Eat in Kuala LumpurRestoran Kader

Restoran Kader is located in the old section of Kuala Lumpur but worth the trip to get there. They specialize in Indian food and if you’re famiiar with Malaysian history you know there is a large south Indian Muslim population in the country. They refer to themselves as Mamak and the vast majority of of the Indian restaurants you will find in the country will be Halal. Restoran Kader is no exception to that.

As for eats at this awesome little establishment, I would recommend keeping it simple. Start off with maybe the best pani puri in all of Malaysia, next jump into their mutton curry with a side of steamed rice or one of their thali sets. The thali sets will include three vegetables of the day, pappadum, sambar(lentil soup), rasam(south (Indian vegetable stew) and achar(spicy pickles). this is sometimes served on a banana leaf and you are meant to eat everything with your hands, Indian style.

Canton Z

You are going to have to travel a bit for this one. Canton Z is located in Happy Garden which is about a 30 minute drive south from Bukit Bintang. If Restoran Kader is worth the trip, Canton Z should be a prerequisite for any trip to KL. I’m not going to say anything other than this is the place to find the best Char Siu and Siu yuk you will ever eat in your life…… Literally…… Anywhere in the World. They also do an awesome chicken rice set with a very unique process when cooking the chickens. Be warned, Canton Z officially opens at 8:00am and by 11:00am they are usually sold out for the day

If you’re even considering missing this location, they also have another location near Berjaya Times Square. The name of this location is Hong Kong Taste 1975. The food served here is the same food made each morning at Canton Z. This spot also appears in my Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur article

Related Reading: What to do in Kuala Lumpur

Anz Najas Maju

Anz Naja Maju is located in Chow Kit within the area where the Chow Kit night market occurs. So you can enjoy a lunch here or if you are wanting to explore the awesome night market here, you will be able to get a bite at this humble little Mamak establishment. My go to here is either the mee goreng Mamak or the roti telur with accompaniment’s.

The mee goreng Mamak is much like a standard mee goreng, but introduces a fiery heat from chili’s as well tumeric, cumin and curry leaves.

Roti telur just means it is a roti with egg in it. But theirs is one of the tastiest roti’s you will find in KL It comes with a a fish and chicken curry as well as a lentil souop mixture. All are meant for dipping your roti into. To make it more fun, the staff here will let you attempt to make your own roti, mostly so they can laugh at you looking like an idiot trying to toss the dough. Have thick skin though, it is all in good fun.

Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur – Laksa Kg Baru

Staying in Chow Kit, Laksa KG Baru is an extremely popular choice with the locals and for good reason. What makes it even better is that it’s open 24 hours a day. They have an extensive menu, but the two I would recommend are their asam laksa and curry mee. Both may be the best you will find in all of KL.

The asam laksa has a great sourness to it due to tamarind and here for every 1kg of fish they use to make the broth, they also use 1kg of onions. What your left with is a flavour explosion of complex flavours .

The curry mee is a spicy coconut based broth with additions of chicken, prawns, tofu and bean sprouts. An extremely flavourful soup with perfectly cooked al dente yellow egg noddles

Check out these awesome food tours offered by my friends at A Chef’s Tour in Kuala Lumpur:

  • Laksa Lanes – Those in the know head down to KL’s Chinatown for the best street eats in town
  • Sambal Streets – See what’s cooking in Chow Kit and Kampung Baru, the last remaining undeveloped districts in the city

Burger Boss

Across Malaysia, there is phenomena with what is known as Ramly Burger. Ramly first came to be because one particular Malaysian didn’t trust the Australian beef that was being imported into the country as Halal. As i’m sure you know, Halal involves more than just the type of meat consumed, but also how it is slaughtered. So Ramly Bruger was born.

There are no actual official Ramly Burger locations because Ramly is now a distribution network. When you see Ramly Burger signage on food carts, it only means they are officially serving Ramly patties, nothing more. There are countless food carts all over the city selling Ramly Burgers, but one of my favourites is Burger Boss.

They are located on the south end of Jalon Alor. I know I told you Jalon Alor was not worth going to, but you’re not going to listen to me anyway and this location, is technically not a part of Jalon Alor. So after you stubbornly go and have a subpar meal, Burger Boss will be there to save the night for you. Order there Double Special Beef Burger. Two patties smothered in white pepper and Worcestershire and wrapped in egg. It’s then soaked in a black pepper gravy before adding some cheese. Finally, it is topped with condiments and Bob’s your uncle. For less than $2 you have a satisfying burger

Nasi Lemak Wanjo

Yes, we are hitting Nasi Lemak again! You have to, it is considered the national dish of Malaysia afterall. And this locations is extremely famous

Nasi Lemak Wanjo is located in Kampung Baru and rarely do you ever see it without a line to get in there. Nasi Lemak is the only dish they serve and it’s loved by both locals and tourists. With your plate of coconut rice, dried anchovies, boiled egg. peantus and sambal comes and plethora of proteins you can add to it including beef spleen if you so choose.

I prefer to stick with ayam goreng or fried chicken when I visit Wanjo as its cooked perfectly and extra crispy. Their Rendangs are always a a solid choice as well.

Looking for fun things to do in Kuala Lumpur?

Kak Som, Pantai Timur

Kak Som is also located in Kampung Baru almost directly across the street from Nasi Lemak Wanjo. It’s another popular spot for both locals and tourists although not quite the size of Wanjo.

Kak Som serves many dishes that originate from Kelantan near the Thai border. But the dish to look out for here is Nasi Karabu. Made with a stunningly beautiful blue rice. The rice get’s it’s hue from being cooked with butterfly pea flowers which add no real flavour. They only make the rice pretty. The rice is served with an assortment of fresh veggies, sambal, grated coconut, fish powder and fish paste for a kick of umami. It’s one of those dishes, you will want to eat many times on your trip to KL.

Cendol

Cendol isn’t an establishment, but rather a dessert. An Asian treat most popular in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It’s origins trace back to Indonesia but almost every SE Asian country has a version of it. Choosing the best cendol in KL is almost impossible as even when reviews say they are bad, they are still pretty good.

Cendol is a dessert consisting of shaved ice, coconut milk, rice noodles and an assortment of toppings of your choosing. From beans and corn to durian and ice cream. Find a location and just g with it, you won’t regret it.

If you need a starting point here are a couple of locations worth trying:

Mamam Place: Located in Chow kit, they have excellent cendol and even better durian

Penang Chendul: Located in Brickfields, and considered to be the original Penang style cendol. Ingredients are pretty basic but it is extremely tasty.

Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur – Conclusion

There you have it. Now armed with a head-start, you will be able to start off your KL vacation with some decent eats. There is a lot more where these came from, but let’s not over-do it for now. If you really feel like you need more than this reach out and send me a private message on one of my soical channels and I would be more than happy to give you some more.

Have you spent a significant amount of time in Kuala Lumpur? Did I leave off some of your favourite restaurants in the city? Leave a comment and let me know. Doing so will also help other travelers figure where to eat in Kuala Lumpur.

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