11 unique KL cafes to visit for good vibes, coffee and bites
The KL cafe scene is thriving and you’re bound to find an aesthetically pleasing spot easily within the Malaysian capital.
But if you’re in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the first time, feeling lost or spoiled for choice, here are some of our top picks of 11 unique KL cafes, near the city centre, that we think are worth a visit.
1. Broom at Bukit Bintang
4, Jalan Sin Chew Kee, Bukit Bintang, 50150 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday to Friday (8.30am to 5.30pm), Saturday and Sunday (8.30am to 7pm)
Why visit? Broom at Bukit Bintang is an offshoot of the city’s popular Broom Bakery and Kitchen. This Bukit Bintang spot is nestled within a two-storey heritage home with most of its age-old elements such as its floor tiles and windows retained, which make for a very rustic-meets-modern instagrammable brunch experience.
Expect to find Broom’s popular sourdough and viennoiseries on the menu, coupled with Malaysian heritage-inspired dishes. Some of the more unique offerings include telur sambal udang (RM29 or S$8.40), which combines onion sambal prawns with the familiar all-day breakfast platter.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Asian loaded fries — otafuku sauce, typically found in okonomiyaki pancakes, with vegan garlic mayo, bonito flakes and seaweed (RM17), Sarawak honey and sea salt croissant (RM10).
2. Piccadilly
62, 64, Jalan Tun Perak, City Centre, 50500 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday to Sunday (8am to 10pm)
Why visit? If you’re a fan of all things pink but find girly, floral cafes a bit much, then Piccadilly Cafe’s the perfect go-between. The space, tucked away in a shophouse along a busy road, is equal parts cosy and inviting with its spacious and bright layout.
The first floor features a big communal table and some small tables, but head upstairs if you prefer to linger a little longer as it gets busy downstairs. Its warm dishes can be a bit of a hit and miss depending on what you order, but we personally loved its brews and pastries.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Pistachio cake with cream cheese frosting (RM17), Kapitan chicken drumstick nasi lemak — homemade Kapitan sauce (a unique Malaysian-style curry) and deep-fried chicken leg with butterfly pea coconut milk basmati rice (RM34.90).
3. Black Ink Co
A-0-1C, Ground Floor, Wisma HB Megan Avenue 2, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday to Friday (7.30am to 5pm)
Why visit? Need a caffeine hit but don’t quite want to patronise the ever-convenient Starbucks? Located right beside Starbucks at Megan Avenue 2 is a small, hole-in-the-wall cafe known as Black Ink Co. It’s so tiny and boxed in that you’d be forgiven for missing it at first glance.
With its limited number of seats (two or three, depending on the day’s configuration), it might not be the best cafe in KL to head to if you’re looking for a chill spot, but its robust brews are great for getting the caffeine kick in. It also has a rotating selection of cakes and pastries.
Price range: $
Crowd favourites: Latte (RM9 for hot, RM10 for cold), earl grey choc scones (RM8).
4. Lim Kee Cafe
66-68, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday (9.30am to 4.30pm)
Why visit? Lim Kee is a neighbourhood cafe named after the owner whose surname is ‘Lim’. On the outside, the entrance is seemingly modern. Stepping inside, however, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’re at a traditional kopitiam, given its retro vibes and rattan chairs.
You’ll also notice elements of tradition in its food offerings, with menu items such as roti kahwin (toast with butter and kaya, RM4), hard-boiled eggs (RM4) and bolo buns (RM7). It’s just the right place to bring anyone who wants to visit an aesthetic cafe in KL but without the frills.
Price range: $
Crowd favourites: Black forest cake (RM17), bolo bun (RM7).
5. Three Years Old Cafe
1, Jalan Sin Chew Kee, Bukit Bintang, 50150 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Thursday to Tuesday (9.30am to 6.30pm)
Why visit? Walking into Three Years Old Cafe, you feel like you’re walking into someone’s home — someone with very clean, modern tastes. The cafe is located right in the heart of the bustling Bukit Bintang district, but its setting in a refurbished two-story townhouse makes you forget that you’re right in the city itself.
In case you’re wondering, the name isn’t a nod to the age of the cafe nor anyone’s child. The cafe was founded by three individuals who believe in adopting a childlike lens toward life. With its pristine, uncluttered aesthetic, it’s definitely a nice cafe in KL where you can sit and enjoy your coffee and desserts for hours on end, and just let your mind wander.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Smashed avo toast — smashed avocado, arugula, feta cheese, pomegranate, balsamic reduction and your choice of eggs (RM27), my favourite chocolate cake — the cafe’s signature moist and decadent chocolate cake (RM17).
6. Monster A Garden Cafe
No. 54, 1st Floor, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday, Tuesday to Friday (10am to 6.30pm), Saturday and Sunday (10am to 6.30pm)
Why visit? If you’re looking for an animal cafe in KL, you need to give Monster A Garden Cafe a go — its resident cats are chill, the cafe spacious, and the best part is that the cafe doesn’t have any entrance fees unlike most other animal cafes. All it asks is for you to visit the space with love and kindness.
Being such a unique cafe in Kuala Lumpur, the cafe does get quite busy on weekends with everyone wanting a piece of the adorable felines, so try to head down during off-peak hours on a weekday if queuing isn’t quite your thing.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Yogurt granola bowl (RM25), mushroom pesto lasagna (RM33)
7. Yew Yew Coffee
Multiple outlets within KL
Operating hours vary across stores
Why visit? Want to get more cafes ticked off while you’re in this area? Then swing right by to Yew Yew, which is right across the street from Monster A Garden Cafe. This isn’t Yew Yew’s only branch — the aesthetic cafe spot has four outlets around town including at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
We personally loved the Chinatown outlet out of all — it’s a great quiet spot to sit at and watch the busy world go by. That said, its seats are limited as it’s meant predominantly to be a grab-and-go spot, but if you do get a seat, definitely take some time to just space out and enjoy the brews and bakes.
Price range: $
Crowd favourites: Iced matcha espresso (RM17), biscoff croffle (RM10)
8. Mary Jane KL
106, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (12pm to 9pm)
Why visit? If you’re a full-out florals and frills kinda girl, then Mary Jane KL cafe located in the heart of busy Petaling Street is a must-visit. The cafe is unabashedly girly with its all-pink and floral decor, right down to its furniture.
The cafe is relatively popular so there is a dining time limit of 1.5 hours and a minimum spend required to sit at the more photo-worthy spots on the second floor (where all the pink and florals are). But if you’re on a budget, you can just opt to sit at the vibey first floor and head up to the second floor for a couple of quick snaps.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: If you want the all-out girly cafe experience, try its high tea menu set for two at RM198, which includes a choice of 12 small bites including its cakes, tarts and bonbons, and TWG tea.
9. Piu Piu Piu Cafe
80A, The ZhongShan Building, Jalan Rotan, Kampung Attap, 50460 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Tuesday to Sunday (12pm to 6pm)
Why visit? If you’re a coffee drinker who’s also a fan of bars, then you’ll enjoy the ambience that Piu Piu Piu Cafe (yes, that’s three Pius) provides. Tucked within ZhongShan building, some say this is probably the smallest cafe in KL with its limited space, but its hospitality is anything but miniscule.
Stand at the bar and watch its barista do their thing, or grab your cuppa and walk around the adjacent gallery space if there’s an ongoing exhibition.
Price range: $
Crowd favourites: Shakerato — espresso with earl grey syrup (RM13), matcha-nade — matcha and lemonade (RM17)
10. Kita Coffee
Fahrenheit, D7, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday (10.30am to 8.30pm)
Why visit? Kita Coffee is a KL cafe tucked within Bukit Bintang’s Fahrenheit Mall and may not scream unique or hole-in-the-wall from the get go, but trust us, finding this cafe located along the mall’s service corridors is definitely an adventure in itself. (Tip: Ask the mall concierge for help if you find yourself making rounds!)
The cafe is brightly lit and adorned with a huge variety of plants, and we loved how cosy and inviting it looked despite it being located within a commercial space. It’s a great spot to head to if you need a quiet respite from the busy streets of Bukit Bintang.
Price range: $$
Crowd favourites: Houjicha and genmaicha roll — roasted tea and brown rice tea roll (RM13), wake me up signature drink — espresso and shaken lemon (RM15).
11. Curio Dark Cafe
The Grunge @ AmpWalk, LG01 Lower Ground Floor, 218, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Open: Monday to Sunday (10am to 6pm)
Why visit? Don’t quite vibe with bright, minimalist spaces? Give Curio Dark, an enigmatic, dimly lit coffee spot in Jalan Ampang, a go. Given that brightly lit, minimalist, Scandinavian-style cafes are dime a dozen, Curio Dark stands out with its all-black aesthetic and hidden blink-and-you-might-miss-it location.
If you found the name ‘Curio’ a tad familiar, Curio Dark is the, well, dark cousin, of the popular Curio Coffee Roaster at River City.
Price: $$
Crowd favourites: Rose latte (RM16), prawn pi pi waffle — prawn and pesto sauce on an original waffle (RM32).
Wanna check out more cafes around the world aside from these KL cafes? Head to our Jeju cafes guide or read more about which Bangkok cafes to go to for insta-worthy shots.
Do check out amazing deals on the GrabFood Dine-in service.
Sarah Chua
Author
Sarah is constantly seeking out new coffee spots and cocktail bars around the world, and should probably drink more water while at it.
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