Dining in Kuala Lumpur

Overview

Due to its large population and multi-ethnic composition, Kuala Lumpur offers an unbelievable selection of dishes, flavors, and spices from East & West Asia. This means that wherever in KL your medical tourism visit takes you, you’re assured of a feast for the taste buds.  South Asian cuisine is especially well represented here, with Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai flavors, all mingling to create culinary magic.  But you can also find Middle Eastern cuisine (humus, falafel, and mutton) to accompany your noodle soups and curries.

Dining Districts

The Golden Triangle is home to some of the most popular dining spots, bars, and cafes in Kuala Lumpur.  The Bangsar area caters to a more upper class diner, while the City Center has a nice blend of international gourmet restaurants as well as local Malaysian eateries.   

Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur range all the way from budget kopitiams (coffee shops) to fine dining venues where the city’s glitterati are pampered with first class service and haute cuisine.  Kopitiams mainly serve Chinese food, and are especially packed during morning and lunch hours.  These are not the sort of places that encourage lingering conversation and an unhurried meal.  The focus instead is on a budget no-frills meal in a crowded setting.   

On late evening walks around the city, make sure to stop at a mamak for a cup of masala chai.  These are open-air food stalls, generally run by Indians, that are popular with night-crawling crowds.  The local night markets, known as pasar malams are dotted with food stalls that offer the tired shopper a choice of refreshments, ranging from cookies and cake, to roast duck and kebabs.  Food courts can be found in just about every building where there is heavy traffic – from shopping malls to office buildings.