5 Bukit Bintang restaurants to brave the crazy crowds for in the Malaysian capital
If you’ve been to Kuala Lumpur, there’s a chance you would have already been to the bustling and central Bukit Bintang, where all the snazzier things are.
While it tends to see overwhelming crowds and traffic, Bukit Bintang has plenty of good restaurants to offer (as well as the famous Jalan Alor Food Street), which makes it still worth putting on your Kuala Lumpur itinerary.
Many might point you towards Chinatown or Petaling Jaya for hearty hawker fare, but we think Bukit Bintang is actually one of the best areas to go for a diverse array of restaurants.
So, which restaurants at Bukit Bintang are worth braving the massive crowds for? Consider adding these 5 places to your KL food hunt itineraries:
1. Damascus Bukit Bintang
Why visit? If there’s one restaurant in Bukit Bintang that’s synonymous with long queues, it’s Damascus.The Syrian-inspired restaurant serves up hearty shawarma, kebabs, and more, and is often besieged by absurdly long queues during dinner time.
When walking past, the queues piqued our interest, and we knew we just had to see and try it for ourselves. Prot-tip: Come post-lunchtime, around 2pm, like we did, and it’s only a 10-minute wait to get seated.
And, for the night owls looking for a late-night restaurant in Bukit Bintang, this one is also open till 4.30am, and perfect for supper!
Crowd favourites: The kebabs and shawarma are the easy crowd favourites here — little wonder, considering that the rotisserie meat grills are proudly displayed at the restaurant’s entrance.
We recommend getting the mixed shawarma rice (RM24.90 or S$7.70) for the fragrant mandi rice, so you also get to sample both the chicken and beef!
2. The Tokyo Restaurant
Why visit? Are you someone who cannot resist a good dessert? After you’ve gotten your fill of Malaysia’s delicious dishes, you definitely need to check out The Tokyo Restaurant at Lot 10 Shopping Centre.
While there are plenty of dessert spots or even restaurants in Bukit Bintang, where you can satisfy your post-meal sweets cravings, this Japanese outfit is probably one of the most well-known places for burnt cheesecake in the whole of KL!
Crowd favourites: The bask cheesecakes are no-brainers for anyone’s visit to The Tokyo Restaurant. Many swear by the creamy original (RM26) but there’s also the earthier yuri matcha (RM27) for matcha lovers.
Us? We would get both, since they are balanced enough that it doesn’t get jelak (or cloying) at all!
3. Pizza Mansion Jalan Messui
Why visit? Located just a few minutes away from the bustling shopping district of Bukit Bintang, this local brand serves up affordable pizza that is comparable to many artisan pizza joints in Singapore — but at a significantly lower price.
This Pizza Mansion outlet is tucked away in a cosy little enclave littered with hip restaurants, which gives a different vibe from the crazy crowds in the heart of Bukit Bintang.
Crowd favourites: There are plenty of interesting options on the menu such as a Mediterranean pizza (RM36) with marinated meatballs or pineapple Express (RM38) with smoked duck and roasted pineapple.
But it seems the customers like the classics just as much at this Bukit Bintang restaurant, with the Hey Margherita! (RM34) being a popular choice. If you want full-on decadence, get the pizza diavolo (RM60) that comes loaded with ultra-umami salami Milano!
4. Feeka Coffee Roasters
Why visit? Bukit Bintang has plenty of good restaurants, with plenty of diversity in food options — but what about coffee?
When you need a spot for those brunch vibes, which also serves up a good cuppa joe, Feeka Coffee Roasters should probably be on top of your list.
Crowd favourites: Feeka Coffee Roasters takes its coffee seriously. While a cup of coffee, such as a black coffee, double espresso, or espresso macchiato starts at RM9, a RM1 add-on lets you upgrade the seasonal blend to single origin beans — quite affordable, we’d say.
As for dishes to chow down on, it’s a smorgasbord of options, ranging from simple brunch staples such as lamb shakshuka (RM32) and berries pancakes (RM25) to local-style mains, including curry laksa (RM32).
5. Capitol Cafe
Why visit? Even though we’re trying to showcase the diversity of Bukit Bintang’s restaurants in this mini listicle, it would be remiss of us to not include the iconic Capitol Cafe for its kaya toast and other authentic Malaysian dishes.
It comes strongly recommended by a friend who’s a KL native, who even cheekily compares this to the popular Oriental Kopi.
Crowd favourites: There’s no way you’d visit Capitol Cafe without trying its morning roti bakar set (RM11.90) for a taste of old-school Malaysian-style kaya toast and kopi.
Other than that, there’s also the signature nasi lemak (RM18.90) that some have claimed to be the best in KL. Taste can be pretty subjective, but since it’s made it to our list, we think it’s reason enough for you to swing by for it!
Where to stay in Bukit Bintang
Due to its convenience, many people love to book their hotels in or near the Bukit Bintang area — but the prices in the neighbourhood can be rather steep.
That said, if you’re planning to splurge for your stay in Kuala Lumpur, though, there’s a hotel we strongly recommend: The Ruma Hotel and Residences.
The 5-star property is located just a few minutes walk away from the Pavilion KL mall, which means you can hit up all the coolest Bukit Bintang restaurants easily.
But more importantly, it’s such a luxurious experience that’s available at a great price too, with the deluxe king room available for as low as RM715.
It’s quite good value, since you get a spacious room with elegant furniture and a sleek ensuite bathroom that features a bath tub with a window view!
And on days where you’re feeling lazy and not in the mood to hunt down all the restaurants in our Bukit Bintang list, The Ruma itself has a wealth of amenities and dining options. It is home to four dining spots — Atas, Santai Pool Bar & Lounge, Seven Lobby Bar, and The Librari.
We recommend getting a booking for the popular Ur Spa within the hotel’s premises if you’re looking for some rest and rehabilitation!
HungryGoWhere’s stay was hosted by The Ruma Hotel and Residences, but all opinions expressed are our own.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on where to eat when you visit buzzy Ipoh and popular pizza joint Fortuna’s new brunch concept!
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
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