Kuala Lumpur
Push aside the heavy curtain at the end of a clubby bar to discover the wild goings-on at this old Hong Kong–style speakeasy cocktail bar. Expect a…
Must-see nightlife in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur
Top-tier coffee bar and micro-roaster Three Little Birds is manned by the pioneers of third-wave coffee culture in KL: Michael Wilson and wife Amirah…
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Melaka City
Fancy a full-bodied Johor or classic Perak white? Sip a coffee inspired by your favourite Malaysian state at this perky place. The coffee is excellent,…
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Kuching
This bar attracts a relaxed crowd of tourists and locals. There's a nightly BBQ of meaty skewers (7pm to midnight) and you'll find menus from nearby…
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Kuala Terengganu
Equal parts cafe, bar, restaurant and wine shop, Vinum Exchange is a game changer for Kuala Terengganu. The stylish interior features a great selection of…
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Malaysia
Coffee making is approached with scientific precision by Cheau See and Chun Hoong, who serve hand-brewed drip coffee from a counter laden with beakers and…
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Kuching
This self-styled 'Modern Dayak' bar features a mash-up of modern and indigenous design, and there's occasional live music – including metal and local hip…
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Kuala Lumpur
This is what you get when a boutique coffee roaster teams up with health-conscious cooks in a quiet green oasis. RBG serves excellent hand-drip and…
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Malaysia
With guitars, clocks and rock icons set against its whitewashed brick walls, Café Lumière has a loose Parisian theme and an upbeat atmosphere. Daily food…
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Melaka City
A swinging recorded soundtrack of jazz and classic pop keeps the beers flowing at this traveller magnet. The first cafe to open on Jonker St (in 1999), it…
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Miri
This ever-busy corner bar stocks 25 imported bottled beers and has several on tap, including Paulaner wheat beer. The drinks menu also lists Australian…
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Melaka City
Brought to us by the female entrepreneur behind Backlane Coffee, this member of Jonker St's coterie of design cafes is a winner, offering excellent…
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Kota Bharu
This is one of the few bars that serves wine (Spanish and Australian) to accompany surprisingly good Thai and Western food. The open-sided design makes it…
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Kuala Lumpur
The signature drink at this glittering cocktail bar on level six of the Four Seasons Hotel lives up to its name, which is 'nectar'. Made with light rum,…
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Kota Bharu
The cycling part of this contemporary-styled cafe refers to some of the decoration, which also includes bare-branched trees and suspended coffee-bean…
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George Town
Asian breakfast not your thing? Stop into this eclectic cafe to be transported West for a meal. The options include huge mugs of coffee, wood-fired bagels…
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Kota Kinabalu
October is welcoming with a wood-accented interior and cosy mezzanine, arguably the best coffee in town, herbal teas, French toast, juices and cakes. The…
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Pulau Langkawi
The best bar in Pantai Cenang has a mellow soundtrack, seating at yellow tables, on yellow beanbags or in yellow hammocks, and a big menu of beach snacks…
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Sandakan
A favourite with young, laptop-toting locals and coffee fiends, this cafe is well worth the detour to Bandar Utama. There are cosy couches to lounge…
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Kuching
The designers of this repurposed barber's salon made use of the original tiled floor, the mirrors and even old hairdryers to create a suitably hip hangout…
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Kuala Lumpur
Showcasing the products of Belgium brewery Delirium alongside other international craft beers, this cafe-bar has a large terrace overlooking Symphony Lake…
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Ipoh
Ipoh's hipster hang-out par excellence is housed in an early-20th-century shophouse, adorned with mannequins, retro lamps and other regalia of yesteryear…
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Black Bean Coffee & Tea Company
Kuching
The aroma of freshly ground coffee assaults the senses at this tiny shop, believed by many to purvey Kuching’s finest brews. Specialities, roasted daily,…
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George Town
Fronting the hip China House, this buzzing cafe pours excellent espresso-based coffees and serves a full menu of cakes and meals aimed at adventurous…
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Kota Kinabalu
There's much to like about this cavernous coffee shop, strewn with rattan and bamboo furniture: the quality of the beans, a chilled environment in which…
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George Town
Plastic tables and chairs appear every evening on the street in front of this backstreet beer and wine shop, crowded with grizzled regulars and…
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Kuala Lumpur
An incredible survivor of the KL gay scene since the 1980s, Blue Boy has undergone a makeover to emerge as a surprisingly stylish but still trashily fun…
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Taiping
Catering to hip, laptop-wielding locals, Double Tap has a warehouse aesthetic (bare brick, beamed ceiling) and serves Western-style coffee (at Western…
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George Town
Plant yourself in a vintage sofa at this fun Chinese retro-themed bar, and opt for one of the cocktails revolving around local rum and ingredients such as…
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Kuala Lumpur
Set in an airy prewar shophouse, VCR serves first-rate coffee, all-day breakfasts (RM19 to RM35) and desserts to a diverse crowd of backpackers and laptop…
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George Town
Decorated with work by local artists and dangling Chinese lamps, this space serves exceptional coffee by day and hosts live music and social events by…
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Kuala Lumpur
Run by a Spaniard and packed with KL's approving Spanish-speaking community, this is the real deal for tapas. It's a welcoming place for a solo meal or…
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George Town
The open-air setting and relaxed vibe contrast with the rather grand building this bar is linked to. Pair your drink and alfresco views over the North…
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Kuala Lumpur
The interior design of this cocktail-bar-restaurant hybrid is a colourful mash-up of traditional Oriental tea house and louche boudoir, providing a…
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Melaka City
It's difficult to differentiate what's purely decorative and what's for sale in this hybrid vintage shop and cafe inside an old shophouse. There are…
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Melaka City
Owner Bob Teng offers nearly everything that caters to travellers' needs here, from budget rooms (from RM50), bicycle and scooter rental to bus tickets,…
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Kuala Lumpur
Zouk remains one of KL's premier dance clubs, with its Main Room space reverberating to electro, techno and trance. Wear your flashiest threads (no T…
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Kuala Lumpur
Offering a mind-boggling range of more than 400 teas and infusions, this KL offshoot of the original Singaporean TWG is a luxurious place to refresh…
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Melaka City
Melaka's only true exponent of third-wave coffee, this diminutive cafe in the Kampung Jawa district is associated with the popular Daily Fix in Jonker St…
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Kuala Lumpur
This is about as close as you can get to eyeballing the upper levels of the Petronas Towers from a bar. The stellar views are complemented by sleek…
