For some of you, it might not be your first time visiting this capital city of Malaysia. Probably you’ve explored most of the attractions, shop at most of the malls, or eat all good foods in town. But, have you ever wondered or curious to check out local’s favorite spot to ‘lepak’ (hang out) or ‘makan’ (eat)?
We start off with the favorite spot that you can find almost in every corner of the city in Malaysia and also neighbor country Singapore. It’s called mamak stall, which is an open-air casual dining concept where patrons can sit for hours chatting or watching live matches as they dine. It serves Malay and Indian cuisine such as roti canai, nasi biryani, nasi lemak, nasi goreng kampung (signature local fried rice), rojak, teh tarik, martabak, etc. The food price and portion is very reasonable.
Other local’s favorite eating place is dim sum and steamboat restaurants with majority of local Chinese patrons.
Here’s below I’ve gathered up some local’s favorite food and restaurants located at few different states where Malaysians live, hang out and eat the best!
1. SS2
SS2 is one of the biggest cities and most developed state in Selangor. The local residents built next to commercial zones that consists of a neighborhood mall called SS Two Mall and few blocks of shoplots full of restaurants, cafes, hawker centre, salons, bridal studios, budget hotels, DIY hardware shops and a night market that opens every Monday.
• TWO PESOS HOT POT
Address: SS 193, Jalan SS2/24
Opening hours: Daily from 12pm – 11pm
Specialties: (Contains pork) Milky seafood soup pot👍, Japanese sukiyaki pot👍, Supreme tajine seafood pot, Genki spicy prawn pot, Two pesos braised pork rice, Taiwanese premium bbq diced steak👍, etc
• LORONG SERATUS TAHUN
Address: 56, Jalan SS2/66
Opening hours: Daily from 7:30am – 10:30pm
Specialties: (Authentic Penang cuisine) Asam laksa👍, Penang char kuey teow👍, Curry mee👍, Nasi lemak, Chee cheong fun, Chicken lor bak, Rojak, Cendol, Ice kacang, etc
• JOJO LITTLE KITCHEN
Address: 43, Jalan SS2/66
Opening hours: Daily from 10am – 10pm
Specialties: (Contains pork) Jojo pan mee👍, Curry laksa pan mee👍, Fried pork pan mee👍, Chili pan mee👍, Pork ball soup👍, Fried fish cake, etc
• UNCLE DON’S
Address: 183, Jalan SS2/24
Opening hours: Daily from 12pm – 12am
Specialties: (Contains pork) Sizzling sisig👍, Nachos chili con carne👍, Pigs in blankets👍, Sticky pork ribs, Spicy bacon pizza, Stir fried lala👍, Devils curry, etc
• DURIAN SS2
Address: SS 193, Jalan SS2/24
Opening hours: Daily from 12pm – 12am
Specialties: All type of durians, such as: Musang king, XO, Udang merah, Jiu Ji, Tracka, Tawa, etc
Can’t find the food you’re craving for? Worry not as there are more lists coming up, such as Geylang Lor 9 Fresh Frog Porridge, Melaka Street Restaurant, Nasi Lemak Utara, OK Korean BBQ Restaurant, Tang Pin Kitchen, Teow Chew Meng Restaurant, Kooky Cream, Mykori Dessert Cafe, Rekindle, KL Bubble Tea Street and so much more.
2. DAMANSARA UTAMA
Damansara Utama a.k.a Damansara Uptown is a suburb of Petaling Jaya. The area has 3 Damansara Shopping Mall and newly-built mall called The Starling. Further up at Bandar Utama, you can visit one of the biggest shopping mall in Malaysia: One Utama Shopping Centre, and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP) that located in the middle of the area can easily take you to Sunway Pyramid.
• VILLAGE PARK
Address: 5, Jalan SS21/37
Opening hours: Mon – Sat from 7am – 8pm, Sun from 7am – 6pm
Specialties: Nasi lemak ayam goreng👍, Daging rendang👍, Singapore mee rebus👍, Penang prawn mee👍, Lontong, Soto ayam, Sotong👍, etc
• D’ TANDOOR
Address: 52, Jalan SS21/62
Opening hours: Mon – Fri from 11am – 3:30pm & 6:30pm – 11pm, Sat – Sun from 11am – 11pm
Specialties: (North Indian cuisine) Mutton rogen josh👍, Butter chicken masala👍, Chicken tandoori👍, Sheesh kebab👍, Keema mattar, Palak paneer, Beef vindaloo👍, Dhal tharka, Papadom👍, etc
• ANNIE 1 RESTAURANT
Address: 20, Jalan SS21/58
Opening hours: Mon – Fri from 7:30am – 9pm, Sat – Sun & PH from 8:30am – 3:30pm
Specialties: (Contains pork) Menglembu wanton mee👍, Curry laksa noodles👍, Chee cheong fun👍, Yam cake👍, Sweet & sour minced pork patty rice set, etc
• A PIE THING
Address: 128G, Jalan SS21/35
Opening hours: Sun – Thu from 12pm – 11pm, Fri – Sat from 12pm – 12am, closed on Mon
Specialties: Chunky steak pie with gravy👍, Chicken masala pie (The Mashacre)👍, Apple crumble pie, Light lemon mascarpone cheesecake👍, Salted caramel cheese pie, etc
• MIRU DESSERT CAFE
Address: 62, Jalan SS21/58
Opening hours: Mon – Thu & Sun from 12pm – 11pm, Fri – Sat from 12pm – 12am
Specialties: Signature strawberry cheesecake kakigori👍, Brown sugar bingsu👍, Cheese mille crepe👍, Shibuya honey toast, Dalgona cendol, etc
Over 100 outlets of cafes and restaurants in the area to try for: Damansara Uptown Hokkian Mee, Jin Xuan Dim Sum Hongkong, Mikoshi Shabu Shabu Restaurant, Superthai Restaurant, Curry Leaf Restaurant, Cafe Lafayette, The Great Beer Bar, Crème de la Crème, Molten Chocolate Cafe, Tsujiri Cafe and many more others.
3. SRI HARTAMAS
Sri Hartamas is an affluent residential township in the Segambut constituency of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It’s located next to Mont Kiara which is another affluent township of high rise and expatriate community. Introductory classes in French for nursery, few golf courses, a country club, a luxurious health club & spa and several American chain stores are the amenities to cater the Westerner and Japanese expatriates living in the area. The cafes and restaurants mostly serve either Western food, Asian-fusion, or Japanese-Korean fine dining.
• SOULED OUT
Address: 20, Jalan 30/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas
Opening hours: Daily from 12pm – 12am
Specialties: Summertime salad👍, Sake San pizza👍, The SOUL beef burger👍, Sizzling lamb shortloin👍, Portuguese seafood rice👍, etc
• NAUGHTY NURI’S
Address: 2, Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas
Opening hours: Daily from 12pm – 10:45pm
Specialties: (Contains pork) 1995 Signature BBQ spare ribs👍, Signature roast pork salad👍, Satay lilit👍, Asian roast pork burger👍, Momofuku pork bun👍, Balinese ayam bertutu👍, etc
• SHIN NIHON KL
Address: 26, Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas
Opening hours: Daily from 5pm – 10:30pm, except Sat & Sun lunch start from 12pm – 2:30pm
Specialties: (Tokyo’s charcoal grilled beef) Premium wagyu Hamburg steak👍, Mt. Fuji ramen, Wagyu stroganoff with Japanese rice👍, Wagyu beef cutlet, Wagyu beef tendon stew, Premium wagyu sushi👍, Kale salad👍, etc
• MEI BY FAT SPOON
Address: 22-G, Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas
Opening hours: Tue – Sun from 11am – 10pm
Specialties: Signature shoyu spaghettini👍, Ox tongue rice bowl👍, Torched salmon rice bowl👍, Spicy beef macaroni soup👍, Mei aburi rice bowl, Moo moo & pumpkin salad, Cempedak spring rolls, etc
• AUNTY NAT
Address: 7, Jalan Sri Hartamas 7, Taman Sri Hartamas
Opening hours: Mon – Sat from 11am – 3pm & 5:30pm – 10pm
Specialties: (Nyonya and Chinese cuisine) Pie tie top hat👍, Thai fried rice👍, Crispy tofu salad👍, Petai sambal and pusit, Salted egg sotong, Sea coconut ice👍
In addition, Beatles & Buns Burger Bar, Nooks by Baker Dave, Sala KL, Super Saigon, Toridoki KL, Tray Cafe, Uokatsu, Vantador Steak, The Ice Cream Bar and Kopenhagen Coffee out of plenty more names for you to explore!
4. SRI PETALING
Located only 15 km south of the city centre, Sri Petaling is a vibrant suburban township of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It has its own hotel; the Hotel Sri Petaling, few shopping complex, mini markets, multitude new cafes & restaurants, and 24hr health care clinics. It’s considered a safe and family-friendly township.
• MOONLIGHT CAKE HOUSE
Address: 1-9, Jalan Radin Bagus 9
Opening hours: Daily from 8am – 12am
Specialties: Fresh cream 3D durian cake👍, Brownie cheese👍, Marble cheese👍, Moonlight signature pasta👍, Golden soup ramen👍, Fish ball spaghetti, Lamb pot pie, etc
• PADI HOUSE (MEALTIME)
Address: 29, Jalan Radin Bagus
Opening hours: Daily from 11am – 12am
Specialties: Chilli beef nachos👍, Garlic herbs crusted lamb fried rice👍, Mongolian lamb cutlets👍, Pasta de Pesto👍, Nasi lemak classic👍, Vietnamese chicken salad, Banana split, etc
• WARAKUYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Address: 1, Jalan Radin Tengah
Opening hours: Daily from 11:30am – 11pm
Specialties: Salmon teriyaki👍, Japanese seafood curry👍, Gunkan sushi👍, Otoro sashimi👍, Stir fried beef bento👍, Tempura👍, Pizza, etc
• TEO CHIEW RESTAURANT
Address: 41, Jalan Radin Bagus
Opening hours: Wed – Mon from 11:30am – 3pm & 5:30pm – 10pm, closed on Tue
Specialties: (Contains pork) Fried porridge👍, Broiled octopus with teochiew sauce👍, Jasmine buttered prawn👍, Black olive fried rice, Marinated crispy pork loins, Roasted pork with coriander👍, Prawn cubes with cheese, etc
• SOFT LAUNCH CAFE
Address: 101-1, Jalan Radin Bagus
Opening hours: Mon – Fri from 12pm – 11pm, Sat – Sun from 11am – 11pm, closed on Tue
Specialties: Chrysanthemum soft-serve👍, Mango waffle👍, Chicken waffle👍, Burnt cheesecake, Ping’s bowl👍, Aroi mak-mak, Tom yum pasta, etc
More eateries here: Al-Dafiah Restaurant, Clan Restaurant, Maiu Japanese Restaurant, Menya Hanabi, Mi Na Rae Korean BBQ, Uncle Chong Kopitiam, Ye Look Restaurant, 5.1 Cafe Gallery, Coffee-ish Cafe, and The Hungry Spoon Cafe.
I hope it’s a good read. For shopping and kids-friendly attractions in Kuala Lumpur, do check out Must-Visit Shopping Malls in Kuala Lumpur and Top 5 Kids Attractions in Kuala Lumpur. ❤
