Kuala Lumpur | The Lip-Smacking Cuisine in the city

Get ready to treat your tastebuds with exotic eastern aromas, and go on a gastronomic journey with the best restaurants in Kuala Lumpur! With a multi-cultural population, one can be assured of authentic and delicious food variety in Kuala Lumpur, with dishes from across the country under one roof. Sample the chic dining rooms with award-winning cuisine and efficient service teams in the kitchen and on the floor. From affordable to luxurious and healthy to indulgent, the city has it all covered when it comes to the flavours!

1. Marini’s On 57

Marini’s on 57 is an exclusive Italian ristorante set on the 57th floor of Petronas Tower 3. Located in the heart of the KL city centre, it consists of a restaurant, bar and lounge. In the private elevator, the atmosphere is hushed, but when you pass through the front doors the feel turns into one of refined elegance with the sounds of champagne glasses clinking and quiet chatter.

The dining area décor is white with casual, modern furnishings: meanwhile, the bar has art deco furniture and neon lights, and the lounge has a Havana-Esque feel with brown leather sofas in different sizes. Paintings from Italian artist, Rosalba Mangione hang on the walls, while floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass roof provide great views of KL.

2. Troika Sky Dining

Troika Sky Dining can be described in one word – impressive. Kuala Lumpur locals are becoming spoilt for choice when it comes to fine dining restaurants with a view, but this venue certainly stands out from the pack. Set in Tower B of The Troika along Persiaran KLCC, it comprises two dining venues and a bar: fusion-focused Cantaloupe, Italian bistro Strato and Claret wine bar.

Popular with young, trendy urbanites, from the outside The Troika blends in with the rest of the city’s industrial skyline, looking like just any other concrete, steel and glass structure. However, inside each of the building’s dining and drinking venues is an entirely different experience with low-key yet stylish design schemes that allow the views to take centre stage.

3. Thirty8 KL

Thirty8 restaurant is an award-winning dining room, wine bar and lounge all rolled into one. Set on the 38th floor of Kuala Lumpur’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, this venue is clearly one of the city’s best restaurants and has a diverse menu serving classic Chinese, Japanese and western cuisine that is easy to enjoy.

The ever-so-elegant eatery is market focused to tempt gourmet enthusiasts both local and out-of-towners. The restaurant is wrapped within large windows which offer spectacular 360-degree views of the Kuala Lumpur city centre. One of its biggest unique selling points is the fact that the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers is about one km away, so getting stunning photos from the restaurant’s sky-high location is easy.

4. Enak Restaurant

Enak KL is one of the city’s most famous high-end Malay restaurants. It is a pork-free restaurant set in the classy Starhill Gallery Mall that specialises in spicy Malay food. One of the Malaysian Tatler’s 2011 ‘Best Restaurants’, it was established in 2001 and serves an international clientele.

Relying heavily on age-old family recipes, it is no wonder the food has such a rich, home-made flavour to it. White rice with most of Enak KL’s dishes is simply a must and the spice levels are just right for locals. However, western visitors do not need to worry as the chilli factor can be toned down to appease to more mellow taste buds – just sneak in a word to the chef.

5. Prego KL

Prego restaurant is an award-winning uptown homage to classic Italian cuisine and one of Kuala Lumpur’s most prolific eateries. The two-storey dining space within The Westin Kuala Lumpur offers sophisticated takes on culinary favourites, with the clubby dining room featuring plenty of old-world charm. Its décor of polished dark wood tables, backsplash tiles on the open kitchen counters, stained glass ceiling lamps and chrome and glass fixtures creates an instantly modern and cosy feel.

Besides the food, we love the fact that ever so smartly dressed servers are extremely efficient, ensuring diners’ requests are catered to in a flash. Another plus point is this casual resto-bar has more than reasonable prices (think, RM28 for a pasta dish) – a surprising fact given its location along Jalan Bukit Bintang and the high-quality ingredients used in each dish.

6. Taj Garden Restaurant

With an innovative menu boasting of fusion cuisine, Taj Garden Restaurant aims to bring the West and East together at their gastronomical best. The inspired dishes take their flavour profiles from uniquely Indian ingredients that are set up to appease western platters too. The open kitchen lets guests in on the action while the bright al-fresco dining near a lush tropical garden guarantees a cosy evening. 

Location: Wisma Leopad, 5 Annexe, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields

Timings: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM everyday

7. Celestial Court

Taking its inspiration from classic Chinese heritage, Celestial Court in Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur, right in the heart of downtown Kuala Lumpur, is renowned for its array of innovative Cantonese offerings.

Distinguished and majestic, the restaurant has won a number of prestigious awards, including recognition from the internationally-renowned Food & Wine Magazine.

Celestial Court offers ‘Halal’ Cantonese cuisine ranging from innovative and seductive fusion dishes to wholesome and comforting traditional recipes. More than just food, the culinary creations here are masterpieces, both in taste and in the presentation. It’s plain that a lot of thought has gone into the preparation of the dishes.

8. Marble 8 on 56

Marble 8 on 56 is hailed as a haven for affluent steak-lovers, offering the finest cuts of Wagyu and Angus beef in Kuala Lumpur city centre. Set within a five-minute walk from the KLCC LRT station, this steakhouse shares space with Nobu Kuala Lumpur, offering a combination of a fine-dining eatery and stylish bar.

Patrons can opt for the elegant indoor dining area, which is fitted with polished wooden flooring, unobtrusive instrumental music, plush leather sofas, and a massive tree as the centrepiece. However, we highly recommend reserving a table by the floor-to-ceiling window, where you can enjoy a night view of the Petronas Twin Towers and KL city skyline.