Pandan, pineapple, and Penang vanilla: KL's best afternoon teas are uniquely Malaysian

The ritual of afternoon tea is as intensely British as scones and clotted cream. We’re not apologising for colonialism, but when Malaya declared independence from England in 1957, it kept with it a delicious tradition. And while many of the sweets and treats of the meal that fills the gap between lunch and dinner (or can easily replace both if done right) harken back to Blighty, in Kuala Lumpur, there’s a refreshing emphasis on local flavours. That is, if you know where to go.

Majestic Hotel first welcomed guests in Kuala Lumpur in 1932. Chef Ghouse Ishak, a native of Penang, joined the team as executive pastry chef at YTL Hotels in 2019. Since then, he’s spearheaded an effort to emphasise Malaysian ingredients on his menus, which also include the Ritz-Carlton and AC Hotels, and even the Cameron Highlands Resort in Malaysia’s cool, tea-growing hill country.

The longest-running afternoon tea in Kuala Lumpur isn’t the only one that’s breaking ground for Malaysian ingredients. The city’s newest tea service is just as focused on finding ingredients that sing of its country’s edible pride. Holger Deh, executive pastry chef at the Park Hyatt, serves bites worthy of the Park Lounge’s standing as one of the tallest afternoon teas in the world. It gets its status from its home on the 75th floor of the 118-story Merdeka 118.

“We do everything in-house,” says Deh. That includes even the jams and marmalades served with the warm scones. Before the hotel opened in August, Deh and his team toured Malaysia, hunting for the finest ingredients. Those now include pineapples sourced from Malacca, chocolate from the country's 18 regions (also served as blocks and truffles at the hotel bar, Cacao Mixology & Chocolate), and Penang vanilla. 

The last of these could be considered Deh’s crown jewel. It’s used in a mille-feuille, cut tableside by Deh or a colleague for waiting guests, with shards of caramelised puff pastry crackling. It’s just one of the delicacies available on the dessert trolley, from which each guest can pick two pastries, then continue from there once they’re finished. Eating all that may be a feat after their multi-course afternoon of bites that begin with duck-liver-filled pie tee flavoured with raspberries, and lobster dumplings in a creamy foamed tom kha broth with house-made chilli oil. 

Majestic Hotel’s tea is a more staid but no less appealing affair. Everything from the old-fashioned tea sandwiches in flavours such as egg salad and cucumber to Ishak’s aesthetically pleasing pastries is served on a single-tiered stand. His offerings change regularly with the seasons and holidays. 

When we enjoyed them, Malaysian-grown cashew-filled chocolate tortes featuring candies stamped with Chinese-style chops for the Year of the Horse were presented alongside clementine crèmeux and amiably chunky pineapple-citrus bars, all made with ingredients that Ishak has learned to source locally over his nearly 40-year career.

Though the tea itself at the Park Hyatt is mostly from China and India, the leaves that go into the smooth sips at the Majestic Hotel hail from the Cameron Highlands in the state of Pahang. “It’s a bit unique,” says Ishak. Though major plantations such as BOH Tea and Cameron Valley Tea sell their wares all over the country, Ishak says the black tea served with his indulgences is available only at The Majestic. 

The oldest and newest teas in Kuala Lumpur aren’t the only ones to use Malaysian ingredients. The Librari at The RuMa, for example, serves a sustainable Chapters of Heritage tea that features everything from ayam percik-filled arancini and madeleines with pandan chocolate and gula melaka gel. But for discerning dessert lovers, these are the two most important teas in the city to try for a taste of the place. 

Park Lounge, Park Hyatt

Best for: The Adventurer

Must-try item: Penang vanilla mille feuille

Accompany it with: Though Deh says the Park Hyatt will soon sell its rooibos-based signature blend, for our money, the best tea on offer at Park Lounge is Royal Wedding. The combination of white tea with coconut, almond, vanilla, and rose provides the ideal foil to the chef’s delicate sweets.

Time Out tip: There’s a plant-based version of the entire menu, so vegetarians can take part with gusto. 

Colonial Cafe, Majestic Hotel

Best for: The Traditionalist

Must-try item: Pineapple-citrus bar

Accompany it with: Black tea grown just for The Majestic in the Cameron Highlands. What it lacks in bells and whistles, it more than makes up in depth and clarity. 

Time Out tip: There are several rooms in which to experience afternoon tea at Majestic Hotel, but the most photogenic is the Orchid Conservatory, where fresh blooms fill every surface but your plate.

Have you heard? Three restaurants in Asia just made Food & Wine’s top 10 global restaurants list

Plus: Taiwan is planning more urban forests to make its cities cooler and easier to walk