12 camera-friendly restaurants and cafes with tasty food

Enjoy the best of both worlds at these restaurants where the food is tasty and the snapshots of the decor will be a hit on Instagram.

1. Kakigori

Break the ice at Kakigori, which promises Japanese shaved ice desserts that play it cool with distinctively spirited flourishes – a sub-zero remedy for the Klang Valley’s perpetual summer, supplying succour like snowfall in the Sahara.

The venue is meant to resemble an ice factory, warmed by the unexpected presence of a garden-like centrepiece that evokes a children’s playhouse, surrounded by custom-constructed furnishing inspired by origami motifs, with tables and chairs whose ‘feet’ mimic those of both humans and birds. You’ll also note caricatures of a mysterious mascot nicknamed Yuki, a ‘snow lady’ whose tale is inscribed on Kakigori’s menu (long story short: she needs to consume frosty fare to save herself from melting).

Address: 5, Jalan 20/13, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for Kakigori.

2. Hoppers KL

2. Hoppers KL

Contemporary hoppers – pancakes inspired by South Indian and Sri Lankan traditions, infused with Malaysian flavours – representing a family passion of sisters Sugania and Nishalni Naidu, who grew up relishing their mom’s appams and hope to spread the love for these crepe-like creations made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk.

20. Hoppers KL

Hoppers is a bit off the beaten path, occupying a former lawyers’ office in Pudu – you’ll still see remnants of that legal legacy, with constitutional textbooks artfully scattered across this two-storey premises by POW Ideas, the creative architects who’ve worked on design-savvy KL eateries like Merchant’s Lane. Hoppers will be yet another Instagram magnet, with nifty touches like retro Bollywood posters raised over the entrance and a colour palette that exudes freshness, buoyed by lush tropical leaves.

Address: 76, Jalan Pudu, City Centre, 55100 WP Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Hoppers KL.

3. Botanica+Co

2. Botanica + Co

Botanica+Co is a sumptuous vision of Ficus trees standing tall amid a soothingly lush setting that’s ideal for leisurely lunches and serene dinners.

4. Botanica + Co

Singaporean chef Sam Neoh, who formerly shepherded the kitchen at the city-state’s PS Cafe, oversees an oeuvre of crowd-pleasing temptations with contemporary flourishes, offered at reasonable prices. Pizzas are a cornerstone; we’re happy to honour the Green Goddess, a bountiful harvest of kale, broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas and smoky pesto with goat’s cheese, an homage to vegetarians that’s distinctive and delicious enough to warrant the worship of any pizza devotee.

Address: The Verticals. G3A/G5 Podium, Bangsar South City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Botanica+Co.

4. Chocha Foodstore

This Petaling Street destination is an ambitious amalgam of a tranquil restaurant called Chocha Foodstore and an upcoming wine lounge, coffee bar, co-working space, newsagent and bicycle rental shop, initiated by the MentahMatter design firm, with a raw, almost unvarnished authenticity shored up by charming embellishments (check out the lovely, leafy courtyard), squeezed into yet another former brothel on the same street as smash hits Merchant’s Lane and PS150.

Chocha’s affable creators, Shin Chang and his team, put their own personal spin on regional comfort cooking, promising capably executed platters of soul food that speak of Asian inspirations and ingredients.

Address: 156, Jalan Petaling, 5000 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Chocha Foodstore.

5. 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!

All in all, with its vibrant pop-art setting and vividly memorable oeuvre, Duddha is a dynamic addition to KLCC.

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

6. Table & Apron

2-table-apron

This restaurant remains the standard-bearer for meals that evoke the essence of hearth and home – cooking that’s meticulous but not belaboured, nuanced though never over-complicated.

10-table-apron

The tenets and touchstones that supercharge Table & Apron are unmistakable – a perceptive trust in natural produce at its peak, refined with thought and respect, presented in a fashion that’s sophisticated without being snooty, resulting in recipes that customers can relate to without feeling like they endured a meal bottlenecked with tired culinary cliches.

Address: 23, Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for Table & Apron.

7. Copper

Copper is tucked on the fifth floor of Menara Shell on Tun Sambanthan; it’s well worth checking out if you live or work nearby. Pretty spacious and beautifully outfitted – not a bad bet for business lunches.

Address: Level 5, Menara Shell, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Copper by FAV.

8. Yellow Brick Road

Some of us may harbour impossible expectations for any place that calls itself Yellow Brick Road. The name ignites the imagination; its rallying cry of ‘by dreamers for dreamers’ teases us with the prospect of an escape into the earthly equivalent of Oz, Narnia, Neverland or Wonderland.

But Yellow Brick Road is a place that needs to be enjoyed on its own merits – with compassion for its limitations, with the understanding that brunch is only a meal, a kiss is just a kiss, and a wizard who rules an Emerald empire may simply be a circus magician from Nebraska. There’s a lot to like about a place where the vibe is unerringly positive, thanks to a team whose tireless work is unobtrusive enough to go unnoticed.

Address: 8-7 Jalan Batai, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Yellow Brick Road.

9. Mei by Fat Spoon

Mei is no twin of Fat Spoon; it’s a destination with its own distinct identity, carving out a clean, bright-white look that cultivates a cheerful charm, coupled with flourishes that simultaneously and stylishly evoke both the classic kopitiams and cutting-edge cafes.

The Pong sisters have long proven their culinary acumen; there’s no fear for the kitchen here, which borrows inspiration primarily from Japanese traditions but takes wide-ranging, well-chosen liberties to make the menu unique, illustrated by sharing plates with nuanced combinations.

Address: 22G, Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Mei by Fat Spoon.

10. Nara Kitchen & Co

Nara mostly lives up to its moniker – a Greek girl’s name that means ‘happy’ – with brightly upbeat vibes and a sprightly selection of feel-good food that might make it one of Damansara Uptown’s most fashionable weekend destinations.

Nara’s recipes are geared for the next evolution of the Klang Valley’s brunch-hunting demands: With the likes of Eggs Benedict having lost their novelty and lustre, what will propel the next F&B trends? Nara’s ambitions sprint toward a sharp sense of sophistication. Dishes here are constructed for both visual and gustatory impact, so your camera and your taste buds should be equally enticed.

Address: 61, Jalan SS 21/1A, Damansara Utama, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Nara Kitchen & Co.

11. Makan at the Basikal Cafe

Hold on to your handlebars – this new hidden rooftop cafe is the wheel deal: Perched atop a weathered Bangsar shop-house, Makan At The Basikal is a rustic refuge that’s set to speed up its evolution from quirky neighbourhood secret to hip hangout.

As its name suggests and its decor confirms, this venue – accessible furtively via a back lane – is fuelled by pedal power, a community space created by cyclists for cyclists, with retail and repair facilities complemented by events and workshops. But food enthusiasts shouldn’t simply whiz past; the cafe whips up a compact but well-considered menu of classic local crowd-rousers.

Address: Backlane of 90, Jalan Bangsar, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Makan at the Basikal Cafe.

12. Great Hall

In what seems like a hipster restaurant-and-bar’s tongue-in-cheek take on Chairman Mao’s revolutionary spirit, Great Hall weaves mainland Chinese inspirations with modern culinary inflections to create a distinctively surreal F&B experience – customers can order whimsical recipes like ‘Mao’s Mushroom Moustache’ and ‘Mao and His Chips’ while being served by a team wearing five-pointed red star caps amid murals that evoke pastiches of 1950s-era Great Leap Forward cultural propaganda.

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