Kuala Lumpur is one of the urbanest and fastest-growing cities in Asia. Every traveler will feel at home in KL as all the street signs and generally everything is in English. That’s no surprise as Malaysia is home to a large mix of cultures living here side by side.
Apart from Malaysians themselves, Indians, Chinese and different indigenous tribes have been living here since ancient times.
In Kuala Lumpur, you can encounter Hawns, Jaos, Myos, Tamils, Majalai, Telugas, Bengalis, Jacobs, and Ibunas. Basically, an unbelievable amount of nationalities and origins. Kuala Lumpur also has both, its own China Town and Little India.
So it’s no surprise that the mix of cultures has influenced Malaysia cafe scene and the whole food experience there. It’s spectacular by the way! Especially the famous Jalan Alor food street and several great night markets. These are the perfect places where to really experience all of these influences through food.
And it’s not only Kuala Lumpur that has great food. It’s all across Malaysia, including such tropical islands like Langkawi.
Check out this Langkawi travel guide for some tropical inspiration. Or discover the epic tea plantations in Cameron Highlands, which is another gem of Malaysia.
Every district of KL offers a variety of hip and cozy Malaysian coffee shops, a great brunch cafe choice and Instagrammable food spots.
Nothing can be better than enjoying a rich and foamy latte, a leisurely brunch or some artsy lunch and dinner dishes. Plus watching the vibrant life going on outside the glass windows just adds to the vibe.
Here are our top picks of the best cafes in Kuala Lumpur! 😉
All of these will surprise you with their stylish interior, superb food, and Instagram worthy vibes.
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1. Coffee Amo
At the very furthest corner of China Town, surrounded by the lively street food stalls, the cutest coffee spot in KL is hidden. Literally the cutest!
Coffee Amo offers an unforgettable experience with 3D coffee art.
Seeing this spectacular coffee cup art I couldn’t do anything else than grab my camera as fast as I can.
The kitten looking at me from my coffee cup made it hard to even sip it, as I didn’t want to ruin this cuteness.
This for sure is a perfect Malaysian coffee spot that will blow up your Instagram and will create some excellent foodie memories.
OUR CHOICE: a tangerine latte. It might sound weird, but it’s one of the greatest tastes we’ve ever experienced. In combination with a relaxing environment and the impressive chalkboard wall art, it’s one of the best places to visit in Kuala Lumpur.
Location: 1st Floor, 54 Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.
2. Pickle and Fig
This creatively named Malaysian cafe is famous in KL for its healthy RAW smoothies, the golden brown melted cheese filled paninis and a variety of delicious sandwiches.
Pickle and Fig is the right choice for those who appreciate the quality and healthiness of food with an Eco-style atmosphere.
You can shorten the time of waiting for your meal by playing some table games. It’s always a fun thing to do when traveling with a group of friends or kids.
OUR CHOICE: the signature drink of this place – GOJI ME smoothie and the Sriracha Chicken protein bowl. It’s a great source of energy to hit the city full speed afterward.
Location: 26, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail 60000 Kuala Lumpur.
3. ETC
Menu-wise ETC is not very different from other best urban cafes in KL offering western food. We are suggesting this as a great spot for a cup of aromatic local coffee or light lunch.
What made the ETC memorable for us was the stylish robotic interior and calm atmosphere.
It’s awesome to cozy up between the striped pillows and get to work on your laptop. During the time we visited this place it wasn’t crowded and no background music. It’s perfect for concentration and work. A great KL spot for all digital nomads.
OUR CHOICE: a green salad with chicken and seafood salad and chocolate lava cake.
Location: No. 198, Jalan Tun H.S.Lee Kuala Lumpur
4. Coffee Stain
Another great coffee spot in Kuala Lumpur.
The coffee lovers will appreciate the quality and passion for coffee that radiates all over the place.
I feel like coffee lovers enjoy the Coffee Stain because the varieties are plenty enough for any coffee taste.
Both Coffee Stain and Coffee Amo offers an awesome coffee cup art.
You will enjoy the 3D coffee art drawing in your cup, but here they make it out of hot chocolate. In addition to a variety of beverages, Coffee Stain has a food menu as well, including vegetarian choices.
Our favorite part about the Coffee Stain is the hipster vibe.
The fact that food and drinks are visually perfect helps too. Great setting for an awesome Instagram shot.
OUR CHOICE: the creamy Avocado blended Milo, combined with a Banana Frenchie. This place is to treat yourself all the way.
Location: D4-G3-01, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
READ ALSO: How to spend 48 hours in Kuala Lumpur
5. Gravy Baby
Gravy Baby is our absolute favorite food spot in Kuala Lumpur.
First of all, the stylish interior with the 90s mood and warm golden lighting makes a perfect setting for a great Insta shot.
And then comes the food! Fantastic flavors!
We were even ready for an extra portion. Also, the most delicious milkshake experience in Malaysia happened right there at Gravy Baby.
This place is actually famous for their home-made milkshakes and pies.
OUR CHOICE: A fresh salad and chocolate & caramel infused milkshakes. We were impressed by the creative menu. If you want to order a salad, you can pick your own salad by filling out a menu like a questionnaire. You can experiment with different combinations of tastes and create a yummy bowl of salad.
Location: Ground Floor Crowne Regency Suites, Jalan P Ramlee, KLCC Kuala Lumpur
6. Softsrve Ice Cream Polour
And now, from best coffee in Kuala Lumpur to best desserts in Malaysia!
When you’re out exploring the streets of KL, especially between shopping centers, it’s no problem at all to find a delicious ice cream spot.
It even feels like this might be the most competitive business industry here as the local ice cream makers are putting in all efforts to stand out from a hundred others.
The impressive sizes, tastes, colors, and shapes are what make others notice the heavenly treats and everyone around eating them. And no doubt! They are as delicious as they look.
After two weeks of food exploring in Kuala Lumpur, the top choice for us had become the dessert bar Softsrve.
Even though the place is located outside the central parts of KL, it’s definitely worth a visit.
What a choice! Ice cream of different colors and tastes, dessert toasts, waffles, s’ mores and visually appealing cakes, that we still can’t forget.
OUR CHOICE: Black Sesame Softserve with Vanilla Charcoal Cone topped with mixed nuts and fresh strawberries. A grey colored ice cream in a black cone with a superb taste!
Location: 31, Jalan SS21/1A, Damansara Utama, 47400, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
7. LOKL Coffee Co
The coolest Malaysia coffee spot LOKL Coffee Co is nicely located in the heart of a KL’s historic neighborhood.
The cozy, extremely stylish cafe is a top pick for tourists and locals both.
So during peak times, it’s quite busy with people.
The menu at LOKL Coffee Co is American Diner inspired food experience combined with the special Asian twist.
LOKL Coffee Co may easily be a top choice for breakfast or brunch cafe in KL.
You can enjoy your food in the nicely decorated cafe or in their inner open-air terrace.
The terrace serves as another photo-worthy spot in KL, with hipster style infused interior and food just like from a foodie magazine.
OUR CHOICE: Fluffy pancakes with honey pecans, gula melaka syrup, and delicious coconut cream. Banana Pecan waffles with honey pecans and gula melaka. Iced Americano goes well with these dishes on hot summer days, as LOKL manages to make them super delicious.
Location: 30, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
8. Leaf & Co
This urban cafe Leaf & Co stands out between the other surrounding establishments and really grabs your attention just by standing outside it.
We were living near the Leaf & Co so we became regular guests here.
That’s all because of the perfect atmosphere to meet friends or to get to work on your laptop.
We started to call Leaf & Co as our KL office. 🙂
Leaf & Co is a very modern place, that reflects in their fresh and healthy menu as well as the quality of service.
For example, when ordering food, you get a small box that starts to beep later to signal, that your food is ready and coming.
Another attention grabber is the artistic interior. Leaf & Co has put an effort to style every smallest detail of the interior, creating free spirit, bohemian/ urban vibe.
Plus the second floor of this cafe is an awesome, stylish hostel. It’s not from the cheapest end but is well worth the price as you’ll get to meet very interesting travelers.
OUR CHOICE: Fresh salad with chicken. Passionfruit lemonade and extra delicious pecan-chocolate cake.
Location: 53, Jalan Sultan Kuala Lumpur
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