Ng Su Ann

Malaysia is often lauded as a melting pot of cultures. And we all know what that means: food galore for gluttons like you and I. Now, like most multiracial countries, there are certain issues that seem inevitable, but the one thing that we all share is our appreciatively diverse palate. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Peranakans (even the indigenous tribes of Sabah and Sarawak) have opened places for everyone to sample and feast on their own unique dishes and sometimes, even their take on national favourites.  As the capital of the country, Kuala Lumpur is home to many of these dining establishments and while some of these dishes are better known elsewhere, if you’re in the city, why not head to the places we’ve listed here to fix your cravings or maybe even have a new to-go place for these well-loved classics? RECOMMENDED: The top 20 things to eat in KL and The best restaurants in KL right now Discover, book and save at hundreds of top restaurants in Kuala Lumpur with Grab Dine Out.

For great restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, we’re spoiled for choice. After all, eating is practically a national pastime. From high-end fine dining restaurants to great neighbourhood joints, everywhere on our list serves up amazing food that you’ll enjoy. After much debate and delectation, we have compiled this updated and definitive list of Kuala Lumpur’s current greatest dining spots. Dig in! RECOMMENDED: The best bars in Kuala Lumpur and Best sushi restaurants in KL Discover, book and save at hundreds of top restaurants in Kuala Lumpur with Grab Dine Out.

KL's coffee culture is an expanding landscape of imported beans, state-of-the-art machines, hip baristas, and silky smooth pours. Pair that with some good grub like a sandwich or even a bowl of pasta, that perfect café day is attainable. Here are the best coffee shops in KL that call the shots. RECOMMENDED: Local coffee roasters you should know Discover, book and save at hundreds of top restaurants in Kuala Lumpur with Grab Dine Out.

There’s no such thing as bad pizza, so the saying goes, but making a good pizza requires patience, skilled hands and a generous amount of quality toppings. Here are some of the best pizza joints in KL to visit when you just need that slice of heaven.   RECOMMENDED: 20 things you have to eat in Kuala Lumpur and The best bars in Kuala Lumpur right now

Here in Kuala Lumpur, we sometimes take our green spaces for granted. No more! Our best-of guide includes hikes for all ages and fitness levels and features everything from views of the city skyline to birding hotspots, and a secret (sort of) lake in Shah Alam.  Pack a water bottle, snacks, and sunscreen. Let’s get trekking! RECOMMENDED: The best parks in KL and The best running trails in the city

You don’t have to travel too far for a great beach getaway. Consider this list for your next relaxing escape. Below, some of the best beach resorts near Kuala Lumpur with rooms and villas overlooking the sea, and only a short stroll away, stretches of soft sand, and an abundance of water activities.  There's something for everyone at these properties, whether you're planning a family get-together or you prefer to focus on poolside mai tais with a plus one. The best part: they’re all only a couple hours’ drive away from Kuala Lumpur (give or take maybe a ferry or speedboat transfer). READ MORE: The absolute best hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Best city hotels and hostels under RM200 in KL

Indie rock, acoustic folk, jazz – think you can’t find them in KL? These top live music venues play all that and more.

Take the pressure off Valentine’s Day with our list of things to do for the weekend. Love is all around – from a glam night out at the orchestra (lovebirds, we’re looking at you), a Galentine’s party at the club with your besties, or speed-dating for the singles.  It’s not too late to book a dinner resy for two, too. Check out our list of the most romantic restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. READ MORE: Best spas and massages in KL and Best luxury hotels in KL

From upscale restaurants offering breathtaking city views from 48 floors up to sultry venues serving up vibrant Sri Lankan plates, these are some of the best places in town for date night – and a certain February holiday.  READ MORE: The best restaurants in KL and The best bars in KL

A quick guide to knowing your kopi-c from your kopi-peng. You may now order like a pro.

If you're looking for a boutique stay in Malaysia's vibrant capital, look no further. Kuala Lumpur is the one. And it has so much to offer. We say skip the fancy hotels (and even fancier prices) for a chic weekend getaway in these small, boutique hotels in KL instead. Trust us, it's well worth the experience. From restored houses to minimalistic bed and breakfasts and decidedly Malaysian hotels paying tribute to local culture, these stylish hotels guarantee an unconventional stay you won't forget. Ready to start packing your bags yet? Great, let's take a look.RECOMMENDED: 👨‍👩‍👧The best family-friendly hotels in Malaysia 🛏Rent out the best Airbnb's in the capital🇲🇾Make the most of your stay in Kuala Lumpur Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

The best workout is the one you do. Pick a workout you’re going to love — and most importantly, stick with. If you don’t know where to start, we’ve done some of the work for you (but the rest is up to you!): these Kuala Lumpur boutique studios and gyms have affordable classes and workouts under RM100.  Plank! Punch! Spin! Stretch! From core-shaking pilates to challenging full-body cardio and targeted strength training, these are the best gyms and fitness classes in the city guaranteed to get hearts racing. READ MORE: Best running trails in Kuala Lumpur and The best shopping malls in KL

In Petaling Jaya, Mellow is prime for an evening of sips and shareable plates. Bottles, by the likes of Maxime Crotet and Patrice Béguet and mostly natural, are in the chiller with prices marked; you’re encouraged to browse and chat with the staff about your preferences, or sample something by-the-glass, if you can’t commit to a bottle. Fresh oysters, wagyu steak frites, and the crowd favourite crispy eggplant pair perfectly with the earthy, energetic wines.

At its Uptown location, Château DeCanter offers plenty of breathing space: think cosy booths and plush leather sofas that seat 80, plus four private rooms for special occasions. Its wine list is extensive, and refreshingly, features solid picks for under RM250, as well as a tidy whisky, gin, and cocktail selection. For bites, get the signature shaker fries or other such deep-fried nibbles – but if you’re seeking a fuller restaurant experience, heavy-hitters include black mussel risotto in pomodoro sauce, pan-fried pork chop, and pizza, alongside claypot chicken rice and maggi goreng. Most nights there’s a singer backed by a live band — just check the calendar to see what’s coming up.

At Basic Wine Store, to be basic means boiling things down to the essentials: a good bottle of wine, a platter of food, and a room full of great company. (We’d expect nothing less from the team behind Table & Apron and Universal Bakehouse.) Here, it’s easy to step outside your tried-and-true grapes; the chillers and shelves stock a curation of small-batch natural wines, which you’re unlikely to come across at most spots in the city, such as Cantina Giardino, amongst a handful of pioneers that paved the way for the making of wines with no additions. If you can’t commit to a bottle, there are options available by the glass.  Pair with European comfort fare and small bites from the menu, or Jose Gourmet tinned seafood goods served with bread and pickles. Be sure to always ask if the chef has any specials for the day. FRFR, we love the service here; at every visit the staff have been attentive and easygoing with on-point recommendations.

In a tiny shoplot at The Zhongshan Building, Gentle Giants nails the intimate, lived-in aesthetic that so many wine bars attempt: it feels like the dining room of a chic friend, featuring only one table lit with tall candles, and it fits no more than two dozen people sitting elbow-to-elbow, a few at the bar. If you’re lucky, there are two tables to be snagged out on the balcony. Behind the bar, a shelf is stocked to the ceiling with cult and natty wines, including Brand Bros, François and Lammidia; ask Michele or Stanley for recs and you won’t go wrong.  On account of it being so small, Gentle Giants doesn’t have a kitchen and doesn’t serve food (except when they host takeovers or on special events), so yes, you can bring in outside food. We’ve tapao-ed in dumplings, pizzas, and even nasi goreng. Michele’s Dachshund, Lipton might ask for a taste though.

Tucked between Feeka and Pizza Mansion at The Five, Mount Pleasure is a wine bar with benefits — the benefits being you can order from the former café and the latter pizzeria to go with your vino. It’s kind of a three-in-one site. Win-win-win all around. On wine, the cellar is an adventure, stocking a selection of sought-after zero-zero nattys the likes of Jauma, Lucy Margaux, and Matassa. DJs spin on weekends because vino and vinyl go great together.

Juno is an understated spot in the neighbourhood of Bangsar with a curated list of easy-drinking pours and nattys, stocking wines from the likes of DEFIALY (“handmade, no-tech, minimal f*ckery”) and LES VIGNES DE BABASS by Sebastién Dervieux, one of the early pioneers of making natural wine in the Loire region in France. This is the perfect wine bar to bring a foodie. The kitchen is stellar, dishing out inventive European-esque small plates — creamy sage gnocchi, scallops with citrus — but we absolutely adore its anti-fussy, cheeky take on wine pairing experiences. In the short time Juno has been open, it has hosted a wine and donut pairing with Donut Plan, a char kuey teow kitchen takeover by Moonkey, and a Gyoza For Life pop-up featuring gyoza and wine flights.

In Chow Kit, Heritage Pizza is the spot for pizza, though you wouldn’t know it from its aesthetics that run raw; all brick and metal, lightened with white tables inside. Antonio ‘Tony’ Delachi is proudly Italian, dishing out pizzas like mama used to make. Here, dough is left to proof for 48 hours, then into the Veronese stone oven it goes.  Three to try: Pay homage to the quintessential Italian pizza with ‘Margherita’; ‘Calabrese’ is a spicy chef’s signature featuring nduja, smoked pancetta, and broccoli and chillies; the salty, peppery ‘Bresaola e Rucola’ has air-dried salted beef with rucola and whole burrata. Pizzas from RM30 to RM88.

Mokky’s is on a mission to be Malaysia’s go-to pizza shop. Its founder, Mohd. Shahmi a.k.a. Mokky, fell head over heels for pizza while studying engineering in the U.S. of A. During the pandemic, he taught himself to make pizzas from watching YouTube videos and tutorials; and today, he operates four Mokky’s shops in the Klang Valley offering New York-style pizza.  Three to try: ‘Holy Pep!’ has beef pepperoni, mozzarella, and basil on Italian tomato sauce base; ‘Alfredo Chicken’ is a best-seller featuring baked chicken and spinach with house-made alfredo sauce; and ‘Fake Margherita’ is a classic crowd-pleaser. If you’re spoilt for choice, opt for a half-and-half.  12-inch pizzas from RM32 to RM48; 16-inch pizzas from RM58 to RM86.

Happy Mansion has not one, but two ’za joints. In the Neapolitan style, Alan Goh’s Round Pizza Napoletana boasts airy, fluffy crusts on pizzas that arrive unsliced — you can cut your pizzas with scissors, a technique rooted in pizza tradition. The atmosphere is impeccable for a casual night out in the Klang Valley; the menu is rounded up with craft beers and wines, plus equally excellent starters and desserts.  Three to try: If it’s your first time, order the ‘Margherita’, available with your choice of cow’s milk cheese or Italian D.O.P. bufala cheese. ‘Diavola’ is a best-seller featuring beef or pork pepperoni, fior di latte, parmesan, and habanero chili and fermented habanero salsa. Alan’s favourite is the pesto-based ‘Mortadella e Burrata’ topped with mortadella and a ball of burrata.  Pizzas from RM40 to 119.

What began as a pandemic hobby is now a full-fledged pizzeria with a permanent home at Bamboo Hills. The duo behind Pizza Duo, Aina Ghani and Mark Lee, are obsessed with pizza — so much so that for one of Aina’s birthdays, Mark surprised his wife with a pizza road trip to Piedmont, where they ate at pizzerias rated 90 and above on the Gambero Rosso guide. Today, they serve up some of the best Neapolitan-style pizzas in the city; dough is double-fermented for more than 72 hours, then hand-scratched into a pizza topped with fior di latte and tomatoes sourced from Naples.  Three to try: ‘Margherita 2.0’ features San Marzano tomatoes, semi-dried cherry tomatoes, fior di latte, parmigiano reggiano, and basil oil; ‘Spicy Pep’ has spicy beef pepperoni, San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, parmigiano reggiano, plus red onions and chili honey; all-time best-seller ‘Shroomami’ is made with parmigiano fondue, truffle salsa, portobellini mushrooms, ricotta and truffle oil. Pizzas from RM28 to 72.

From the team behind My Burger Lab comes My Pizza Lab. At any of the chain’s four outlets in the Klang Valley, find pies with creative toppings and local flavours layered on crispy crusts; the menu is chaotic in theory, but extremely delicious in reality. (Are you foodie enough to remember when, in the ultimate meeting of eastern and western cuisines, the mad lads at My Pizza Lab courted controversy with boba pizza? Note: It’s no longer on the menu to “make way for more exciting pizzas”.) Three to try: ‘Huat The Duck’ is a signature featuring smoked duck slices, torched mandarin oranges and onion jam; ‘Mary’s Lamb’ has braised lamb, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella on sourdough; and ‘Honey Truffle Bella’ with honey creamed mushrooms, sautéed mushrooms, and truffle.  7-inch pizzas from RM14 to RM20; 10-inch pizzas from RM22 to RM38.

When Proof opened back in ’17, it was an instant hit. (The pizzeria was even awarded ‘Best New Opening’ by Time Out KL’s Food & Drink Awards that November, as chosen by our critics.) Though it has expanded to also offer pastas next door at its sister outlet Grano, pizza is still the draw; it’s made with a sourdough base proofed for 24 hours, then wood-fired, framed by a crust that’s crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  Three to try: ‘Carné’ is a meat lover’s dream on a pie with salami, pancetta and minced chicken; ‘Umbrian Black Truffle Pizza’ has mixed mushrooms and black truffle paste with mozzarella, taleggio and mascarpone; and ‘Pizza Parma con Rucola’ is topped with Italian dry-cured ham, olives, cherry tomatoes, rockets, and cheeses. Upon request, all pizzas can be made calzone-style. Pizzas from RM32 to RM64.