Malaysian Food Guide: 25 Dishes to Try (and Where to Eat Them)
This guide contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. Details.
In this guide
Ask any Malaysian what they miss most when they’re abroad and the answer is always the same: the food. Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan and Bornean kitchens have been borrowing from each other for centuries, and the result is one of the best food countries on Earth, mostly eaten at plastic tables for a few ringgit.
Here are 25 dishes to try, grouped so you can tick them off over a weekend in KL or a longer trip around the country.
How Malaysians eat
- Hawker centres and kopitiams (old-school coffee shops) are where the best food is. Find a seat, note your table number, and order from different stalls. They bring the food to you. Drinks are often ordered from a separate drinks auntie or uncle.
- Mamak restaurants are Indian-Muslim, casual, often open until late or 24 hours, and the heart of Malaysian social life.
- “Makan” means eat. “Dah makan?” (eaten yet?) is how many Malaysians say hello.
- Eat with your right hand at banana leaf and nasi kandar places if you like. Locals do. Spoons and forks are always available.
- “Tapau” means takeaway. Drinks to go often come in a plastic bag with a straw.
Rice dishes
1. Nasi lemak
The unofficial national dish: rice steamed in coconut milk and pandan, with sambal, crispy ikan bilis (anchovies), peanuts, cucumber and egg. Add ayam goreng (fried chicken) or rendang. Malaysians eat it for breakfast, lunch and supper. The simplest version comes wrapped in banana leaf and paper (nasi lemak bungkus) for a few ringgit.
2. Nasi kandar
A Penang Tamil-Muslim classic: rice with your pick of curries, fried chicken, squid and vegetables, then the cook floods the plate with a mix of curry gravies (ask for kuah campur). Queues at the famous Penang shops can go round the block.
3. Banana leaf rice
South Indian rice served on a banana leaf with vegetables, papadam, pickles and your choice of curry: fish head, mutton, chicken varieties. When you’re done, fold the leaf towards you to show you enjoyed the meal. Best in Brickfields, KL’s Little India.
4. Hainanese chicken rice
Poached or roasted chicken over rice cooked in chicken stock, with chilli-garlic sauce and ginger. In Melaka it’s served as chicken rice balls.
5. Nasi kerabu
The blue rice of Kelantan, coloured with butterfly pea flowers and served with fresh herbs, fish crackers, salted egg and grilled chicken or fish.
Noodles
6. Char kuey teow
Flat rice noodles wok-fried over very high heat with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and chives. The “wok hei” (breath of the wok) smokiness is everything. Penang’s version is the most famous. Halal versions are easy to find.
7. Curry laksa
Noodles in a rich coconut curry broth with tofu puffs, prawns or chicken, and sambal. KL’s favourite.
8. Assam laksa (Penang laksa)
Completely different: a sour, spicy fish broth with tamarind, mackerel, pineapple, mint and a sticky prawn paste (hae ko). It’s love or hate. We love it.
9. Sarawak laksa
From Kuching: rice vermicelli in a broth of spiced Sarawak laksa paste and coconut milk, with prawns, omelette strips, chicken and lime. Many Sarawakians eat it for breakfast.
10. Pan mee
Hand-torn or thin noodles with minced pork, anchovies and greens, in soup or dry with chilli (chilli pan mee, a KL favourite).
11. Wantan mee
Thin egg noodles with char siu (barbecued pork) and dumplings, usually served dry with soy and a bowl of soup on the side.
12. Mee goreng mamak
Yellow noodles fried at the mamak with potato, tofu, egg, chilli and lime. The late-night classic, along with Maggi goreng (fried instant noodles).
13. Kolo mee
Kuching’s springy noodles tossed in lard (or oil), with char siu and minced meat. Simple and addictive.
Breads, grills and snacks
14. Roti canai
Flaky, stretched flatbread griddled until crisp, with dhal and curry for dipping. Try roti telur (with egg), roti bawang (onion) or roti tisu, a tall paper-thin cone dusted with sugar.
15. Satay
Skewers of marinated chicken or beef grilled over charcoal, with peanut sauce, cucumber, onion and ketupat (pressed rice cakes). Kajang, near KL, is Malaysia’s satay town.
16. Murtabak
Pan-fried bread stuffed with minced meat, egg and onion, served with curry and pickled onions. A Ramadan bazaar favourite.
17. Apam balik
A thick, crispy pancake folded over crushed peanuts, sugar and sweetcorn. Night market dessert of choice.
18. Kuih
Bite-sized Malay and Nyonya cakes in every colour: kuih lapis (layered), onde-onde (pandan balls that burst with palm sugar), seri muka. Buy a mix in the morning.
Meat and curries
19. Rendang
Beef or chicken slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices until almost dry and deeply flavoured. A Hari Raya essential.
20. Bak kut teh
“Meat bone tea”: pork ribs simmered in a herbal broth, eaten with rice and youtiao (fried dough). Klang is its home. Not halal, but chicken versions exist.
21. Ikan bakar
Fish grilled in banana leaf with sambal. Best by the sea or at a night market.
Desserts and drinks
22. Cendol
Shaved ice with gula Melaka (palm sugar syrup), coconut milk and green pandan jelly. The best thing to eat on a hot afternoon.
23. Ais kacang (ABC)
Shaved ice piled with red beans, sweetcorn, jelly and syrup in bright colours. ABC stands for air batu campur, mixed ice.
24. Durian
The “king of fruits”. Creamy, custardy and very strong-smelling. Musang King is the most prized variety. The main season is around June to August. Eat it at the roadside stalls: it’s banned on public transport and in most hotels.
25. Teh tarik and kopi
Teh tarik is sweet milk tea “pulled” between two cups for a frothy top. Ipoh white coffee is roasted with margarine for a smooth, nutty cup. Learn the coffee-shop code: kopi (with condensed milk), kopi O (black with sugar), kopi C (with evaporated milk), add ais for iced, kosong for no sugar. And try a Milo dinosaur: iced Milo with a mountain of Milo powder on top.
Where to eat in Kuala Lumpur
| Area | Best for |
|---|---|
| Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang | Evening hawker street: satay, grilled seafood, noodles |
| Petaling Street, Chinatown | Chinese hawker food, old kopitiams |
| Kampung Baru | Malay food: nasi lemak, nasi kerabu and Ramadan bazaars, with the KL skyline behind it |
| Brickfields (Little India) | Banana leaf rice, Indian sweets, thosai |
| Any mamak, anytime | Roti canai and teh tarik at 1am |
New to the city? A guided night tour takes you to Jalan Alor’s food street and the markets, with someone to explain what you’re eating.
Kuala Lumpur by Night: Sightseeing, Markets and Food
- Central Market, Petaling Street and Brickfields
- Stops at Jalan Alor food street, ends at the Petronas Towers
Eat your way around Malaysia
- Penang: char kuey teow, assam laksa, nasi kandar, cendol. Many Malaysians call it the food capital.
- Ipoh: white coffee, bean sprout chicken (tauge ayam), and dim sum for breakfast.
- Melaka: chicken rice balls, Nyonya laksa, and cendol with gula Melaka.
- Kelantan and Terengganu: nasi kerabu, nasi dagang, keropok lekor (fish sausage).
- Sarawak: Sarawak laksa, kolo mee, and layered cake (kek lapis).
- Sabah: hinava (raw fish cured with lime) and fresh seafood in Kota Kinabalu.
Plan the trip with our Cuti-cuti Malaysia destination guide.
Eating your way through Penang?
Stay in George Town to walk to the hawker centres, street art and heritage cafés.
See Penang hotels on Agoda →Prices and opening hours change. Use the JAKIM halal logo, not a restaurant’s own sign, if you need certified halal food.
More for first-timers: 20 things to know before visiting Malaysia · Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Frequently asked questions
What is Malaysia's national dish?
Nasi lemak is widely called Malaysia's national dish. It's rice cooked in coconut milk, served with sambal (chilli paste), fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg, often with fried chicken or rendang.
Is food in Malaysia halal?
Malay and mamak (Indian-Muslim) restaurants are halal. Many Chinese restaurants serve pork, so look for the JAKIM halal logo. "Pork-free" or "no pork" signs mean no pork is served, but the restaurant is not halal certified.
What is a mamak?
A mamak is a casual Indian-Muslim restaurant, many open late or 24 hours. Order roti canai, Maggi goreng and teh tarik. It's where Malaysians go to watch football and chat at 2am.
Where is the best street food in Kuala Lumpur?
Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang for evening hawker food, Petaling Street (Chinatown), Kampung Baru for Malay food, and Brickfields (Little India) for banana leaf rice and Indian sweets.
Is Malaysian food very spicy?
Some of it. Sambal and curries can be hot, but most dishes let you control the heat. Ask for "tak pedas" (not spicy) or have the sambal on the side.
