20 restaurants, cafes and bars to visit in KL and Selangor, February 2017

This month’s latest openings reach across the globe for inspiration, with India, China, Japan, Peru, Denmark and Italy all accounted for, and local Malaysian influences also in the mix.

1. Kopenhagen Coffee

Promising a slice of Scandinavia in Mont Kiara, Kopenhagen Coffee pays homage to the cafe culture of Denmark’s capital city of spires: This sunny, shutterbug-friendly space is spearheaded by Danish software entrepreneur Peter Sehested, now living in KL and keen to kindle the hospitality of his hometown here.

Address: Vista Kiara, Jalan Kiara 3, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Kopenhagen Coffee.

2. Duddha

Duddha throws down the gauntlet for intelligent interpretations of Asian fusion cooking, showcasing the creations of consultant chef Jet Lo, who formerly led the kitchen at Singapore’s Ding Dong. Caramelised cherry tomatoes with sansho peppers, black miso and watercress ice cream? Crispy goat with cashews and spiced quinoa? Cempedak brownies with sour cream? Count us in!

Address: Lot G48, Ground Level, Suria KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Duddha.

3. Great Hall

A tongue-in-cheek culinary take on Chairman Mao’s revolutionary spirit: Customers can order whimsical recipes like ‘Mao’s Mushroom Moustache’ and ‘Mao & His Chips’ at Great Hall, served by a team wearing five-pointed red star caps amid murals that evoke pastiches of 1950s-era Great Leap Forward cultural propaganda. Rice-wine-based cocktails like Mao’s Chamber and Nu Er Hong will also seize attention.

Address: C-GF-6&7, Sky Park @ One City, Jalan USJ 25/1 , 47650 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Great Hall.

4. Sapore

Sapore is Italian for flavour, and chef Fabio strives to pack plenty of that into this new casual destination for Italian and Spanish cooking.

Address: 18, Persiaran Ampang, Desa Pahlawan, 55000 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Sapore.

5. Redemption Espresso Bar

Redemption cracks the right combination for a should-visit coffee bar: Flat whites and long blacks crafted with earnest effort by a genuinely genial team (with beans currently from the reliable Cottle Coffee), complemented by beautiful home-baked organic sourdough bagels (served warm, compellingly crisp and fresh, richly slathered with a choice of punchy kitchen-blended pesto or locally sourced fig jam) and densely, delectably textured cranberry scones.

Address: G-0-5 Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Redemption Espresso Bar.

6. Brasaria

Look for the colourful patchwork llama and bid ‘buen provecho’ to Brasaria, which tackles Peruvian-inspired pollo a la Brasa – rotisserie chicken, convincingly juicy and confidently marinated, fully flavoursome on its own but even more enjoyable with house-made condiments like the classic aji pepper green sauce.

Address: D-59-G, Block D, Jaya One, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Brasaria.

7. Sora

Hojicha hounds, Sora might fit you to a ‘tea’ – this winsome little cafe is an unforeseen portrait of Zen in Subang’s key mall, offering the likes of smooth Uji matcha cold brews gently flavoured with peach and frothy-roasty hojicha hot lattes.

Address: G-28A Empire Shopping Gallery, Jalan SS16/1, Ss 16, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Sora.

8. Purple Miao

Purple Miao is the cat’s pyjamas: This charming outdoor set-up, run by two buddies for only four mornings every week, promises nostalgically rustic breakfasts of tasty egg rolls and tofu sandwiches, complemented by local Liberian coffee cold brews and pour-overs served in bamboo cups.

Address: 342, Jalan Merdeka, Kampung Baru Ampang, , 68000 Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Purple Miao.

9. Minu

Minu’s menu and mise en scene make it one of KL’s more idiosyncratic Japanese restaurants; its nearly Nordic aesthetics – clean, white lines, with a focus on natural light and nifty flourishes like a ceiling filled with overhanging chopsticks – complement a menu that extracts inspiration from close to half-a-dozen nations.

Address: Greenhouse by Muir, 1 Jalan Nipah, Off Jalan Ampang, Kampung Berembang, 55000 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Minu.

10. Delhi Snacks Café

Bangsar gets a good case of Delhi belly, strictly in a positive sense: This new cafe’s founder Jyoti Sekhon and her chef, who’s cooked in the Indian capital for more than a decade, seek to recreate the flavours and textures of New Delhi’s street food in their KL kitchen.

Address: 36, Persiaran Ara Kiri, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Delhi Snacks Cafe.

11. Kopitiam Kaki Bukit

As soothing and serene as a kopitiam can be, nestled near the verdant foothills of the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve hikers’ haunt.

Address: 41, Jalan Wawasan 5/1, Pusat Bandar Puchong, 47100 Puchong, Selangor.
Read review of Kopitiam Kaki Bukit.

12. Tim: The Italian Marketplace

Changkat Bukit Bintang’s coolest new venue tackles Italian cooking with a twist, spotlighting small plates for snacking and sharing.

Address: 32, Changkat Bukit Bintang, , Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of TIM: The Italian Market.

13. Pepelicious

Michelle and Diva, the Malaysian couple who run Pepelicious, have come up with a witty menu that’s imbued with flavours close to their hearts. The most intriguing concoctions combine local and Italian inspirations, like the Nasi Lemak Gone Italian.

Address: B-G-10, Galeria Hartamas, Jalan 26A/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Pepelicious.

14. TAFT: The Artisan Food Trail

Make it spicy at TAFT, where the menu changes regularly, with recent tasty, tongue-tingling temptations like rice with fried quail, pickled petai, sambal belacan and cincaluk spiked with cili padi (the latter three come from condiment maker Dapur Sainer, whose founder Adilah Ahmad-Sainer co-owns TAFT) and squid ink pasta in varying levels of fieriness (not-so, quite, and very).

Address: R-05-01, M-CITY, 326, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of TAFT: The Artisan Food Trail.

15. Wonton & Pho

Southeast Asian culinary cultures come together: This new neighbourhood eatery’s namesake specialities of Malaysian kopitiam noodles with wontons and char siew, alongside Vietnamese streetside-style pho, prove competently prepared and cheerfully priced.

Address: 12, Jalan Lazat 2, Taman Bukit Indah , 58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Wonton & Pho.

16. The Filling Station

The Filling Station is fuelled by a cool concept – a full-fledged cafe with a surprisingly ambitious menu inside a petrol station. You can customise your own platters of rice, pasta or salad here, mixing and matching multiple bases, toppings and drizzles.

Address: Shell Station, Off Jalan Bukit Kiara, , Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of The Filling Station.

17. The Yard

British pies and American milkshakes: Founder Nazri Adam and his boys behind The Yard specialise in a one-two punch of savoury & sweet crowd-pleasers.

Address: Food Hall, LC-01-03A, The Intermark, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of The Yard.

18. Food Art Groceries

Meat-free East Asian comfort cooking in the calm confines of a grocery-cafe, featuring wholesome meals of traditional Chinese fare presented in classical Japanese forms.

Address: 15-1, Jalan USJ9/5N, Subang Business Central, 47620 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Food Art Groceries & Cafe.

19. Bibisik

Bibisik’s forte is its wide selection of Malaysian classics served in a vibrant setting.

Address: D-GF-8, Ground Floor, One City, Jalan USJ 25/1, 47650 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Bibisik.

20. Leng Leng Pork Noodles

Pork noodle lovers, this one’s dedicated to you; have your favourite dish customised here precisely to your preference.

Address: 6, Jalan Jalil Jaya 1, Jalil Link, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Leng Leng Pork Noodles.