Malaysia's cheerful capital, Kuala Lumpur, is a perfect mixture of culture, delicious flavours, and the smell of the food, which traps every traveller who visits this place as a tourist. People know KL for the sky-touching buildings and the busy streets, but few of them know that this place is equally known for the tastes …
A Food Lover’s Guide to Street Eats in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s cheerful capital, Kuala Lumpur, is a perfect mixture of culture, delicious flavours, and the smell of the food, which traps every traveller who visits this place as a tourist. People know KL for the sky-touching buildings and the busy streets, but few of them know that this place is equally known for the tastes that are found in the streets of KL. The streets of KL give you a ride to the different delicious local foods found here, such as the sizzling satay skewers or the bowls of laksa. You just have to visit the streets and the night markets of KL.
If you want to explore the different foods and tastes of Kuala Lumpur, then you have to indulge yourself in the streets here. This guide will help you take a look at different local foods available here, it will take you to the must-visit markets, or the famous and traditional food, and you will also come to know about some of the hidden gems. You will also get some practical tips that you should use so that you take most of the things from this food adventure.
Why is Street Food here Special?
Other places showcase their local food as a quick eater and very casual, but for Kuala Lumpur the things are different; they see it as a connection to their culture and tradition. The uniqueness of the food is not just one thing; it is a blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences over the food, and it blends so beautifully that it gives a different flavour to the food, which makes it the USP of the place.
- Affordability: The local food is quite affordable here. If you want to have a full meal from a stall, you will have to pay only a few ringgit, making it perfect for budget travelers.
- Variety: You will find a great variety of food for every traveller, be it spicy curry or smoky noodles. There is something for everyone.
- Authenticity: There are many stalls that are run by a family, so you will get homemade food there, filled with taste and tradition. These stalls are taken over by a generation.
Eating from the streets is not just about eating; it is also about experiencing and exploring the culture and tradition of that place and understanding the soul of the city.
Iconic Street Food Dishes
1. Nasi Lemak
This is the staple diet here and is often known as Malaysia’s national dish. It is a dish made up of fragrant rice, which is cooked in coconut milk. It’s often served with spicy chili paste, which is known as sambal, along with anchovies, which are usually fried, peanuts, boiled eggs, and cucumber. There are some stalls that add fried chicken to it to enhance the taste; they also add beef rendang or squid. The best spots where you can try this are either in Jalan Raja Alang or in Kampung Bary; they are classic places to try the dish.
2. Satay
It is a dish that is grilled over charcoal. It is a smoky dish that is basically paired with peanut sauce, cucumber, and rice cakes, which are known as ketupat. The best place to try this dish is Satay Zaini, which is located in Kampong Baru. You must try this dish.
3. Char Kway Teow
It is a dish of stir-fried noodles, which is filled with prawns, cockles, eggs, and the most importantly, bean sprouts. Char Kway Teow is a smoky dish, and very rich to eat, and it is a bit spicy too. If you want to explore the best place to try this dish, then you have to come to Jalan Alor, where at night the streets change themselves into a food heaven.
4. Roti Canai
This is a favourite dish for the locals, either for breakfast or as a craving at night. It is flaky, flatbread, butter spread over it, served with dhal or curry. The best place, which is preferred by the locals to try this, is the Mamak stalls, where you will get the freshest and crispiest rotis.
5. Hokkien Mee
It is a stir-fried dish that is black, sticky, and full of umami. Hokkie mee is served with dark soy sauce, pork lard, and seafood. The best place to try this dish is Kim Lian Kee, which is located in Petaling Street. This place has been serving this dish for decades, which is why it is the best place.
6. Teh Tarik
This drink is most famous here; it is a drink filled with froth, sweetness, and comfort. It is also known as “pulled tea”. The best thing is to observe the vendor serving the tea, the way they pull the tea from from cup to the other, it is an experience in itself.
Where to Find the Best Street Eats
1. Jalan Alor
Jalan Alor is a place where you will find the essence of KL’s local street food. This place is located in Bukit Bintang. This place comes into life when the sky goes dark, which means at night, you will find more than a dozen stalls, which serve you with delicious and mouthwatering food, starting from grilled seafood to durian desserts. This place is for tourists, but the vibe you find here is the best.
Must Try: The must try food here is BBQ chicken wings, satay, and the fried noodles.
2. Kampung Baru
This place, which is known as the heart for serving you with the best quality and authentic nasi lemak, satay, and grilled fish. If you want to take a traditional and authentic vibe, then you should visit here during Ramadan.
Must Try: The best served dish here is Ikan bakar, which is a dish of fried fish, and nasi lemak bungkus, which is a dish wrapped in a banana leaf.
3. Petaling Street (Chinatown)
People have known this place only as a shopping destination, but many of them don’t know that it is also a hub of hawker stalls, which are legendary. You will get here variety of food, be it claypot chicken rice, or be it Hokkien mee, you will find the dish very flavourful, which you will never forget.
Must try: The best dishes available here are Chee Cheong Fun, which is basically a steamed rice roll, served with different types of sauce.
4. Brickfields (Little India)
If you are looking for Indian flavours, then the best place you can come to is Brickfield, which is also known as Little India. Here you will find the local stalls serving you with rice on a banana leaf, roti canai, and the delicious, fragrant curries.
Must try: The best dish served here is the banana leaf thali and masala dosa.
Hidden Street Food Gems
- Restoran Wong Ah Wah (Jalan Alor): This place is famous for smoky BBQ chicken wings.
- Sri Nirwana Maju (Bangsar): This place is famous among the local people because of the banana leaf rice.
- Madam Kwan’s: This place is a bit different from others as it is a bit modern but still serves you with the authentic and the best nasi lemak in the town.
- SS2 Hawker Centre: This place is not known by many, but is the best spot for locals to try different variety of food.
Tips for Enjoying Street Food with Safety
- Follow the crowd: You need to go behind the crowd; the very busy stalls mean that the food there is fresh and has a higher turnover.
- Hydrate smartly: Keep yourself always hydrated, try to carry bottled water with you, or you can even try the local drinks here, like sugarcane juice.
- Watch the cooking: Try to visit those stalls where you can see how the food is being prepared so that you can trust the hygiene.
- Go easy on spice: Eat food according the your spice tolerance, as the food in Malaysia is damn spicy, so try starting from a mild spice if you are not used to the spice.
- Carry Cash: You need to carry cash with you as most of the stalls don’t accept cards.
A Day of Eating Street Food
In this, you will know how you plan a day to explore the different stalls at different places.
- Breakfast: You can start your day with roti canai along with teh tarik at the best mamak stall.
- Mid-morning snack: After having a delicious breakfast, you can now come to any roadside cart and enjoy yourself with pisang goreng, which is a fried banana fritter.
- Lunch: For lunch you can serve yourself with nasi lemak and fried chicken at Kampung Baru.
- Evening: For an evening snack, you can come to Chinatown and try Hokkien mee and claypot chicken rice.
- Night: And to end your day, you can go to Jalan Alor and serve yourself with satay skewers along with a refreshing lime juice.
By the end of the day, you will realise that you have already tasted a full meal of KL’s street food.
Street Food Beyond the City Center
Bukit Bintang and Chinatown are very popular among the locals as well as the tourists, but there are some places that are hidden treasures beyond the city centre. Neighbouring the city, places like Cheras, PJ, known as Petaling Jaya, and Subang Jaya are the areas where you will find stalls that serve you with equally delicious food as in the city.
- Cheras Night Market: This market is known for its stinky tofu and the bubble tea, which is a tourist popular.
- Petaling Jaya: This place is a hub of food and serves you the best with Chinese hawker dishes.
- Subang Jaya: This place is famous among students and serves them with the best street snacks.
Travelers who used to think that Kuala Lumpur is only known for its Petronas Towers or Batu Caves now have a different impression of this place. The trueness of this place lies in the flavour and deliciousness of the food, be it the alley, smoking grills, or the fragrant bowls of noodles.
