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1. Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam
The shop opens at 7:30 a.m., but by 7:00 a.m., many people were already lining up to wait.
Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam is a 67-year-old traditional Hainanese café that attracts many food connoisseurs. Although the café opens at 7:30 AM, people start lining up as early as 7:00 AM to enjoy a classic Hainanese breakfast with soft-boiled eggs, kaya butter toast, and more.
Some of the standout dishes at Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam.
Ho Kow Kopitiam's menu is quite extensive, featuring several popular local breakfast dishes such as Fried Bee Hoon with chicken curry, Chee Cheong Fan with dried shrimp curry, and fried rice. Dim sum, Nyonya Kuih, and Tong sui are also available. Additionally, there are Hainanese-style pastries like croissants. All dishes are reasonably priced.
The new Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam is located along Jalan Balai Polis, a 5-minute walk from Petaling Street and two streets from Pasar Seni MRT Station. It's recommended to take public transport or a taxi to get there to avoid wasting time searching for parking.
The interior space of Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam.
Address:何九海南茶店1, Jalan Balai Polis, City Center, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM daily
2. Restoran Pik Wah
Tucked away in the basement of a building, Restoran Pik Wah might be hard to find for tourists but is no stranger to locals, thanks to its 2023 Michelin-starred Bib Gourmand award. Rest assured, your efforts to find this restaurant will be rewarded with some of the most authentic Chinese cuisine in the area.
Restoran Pik Wah is truly a hidden gem in Malaysian cuisine.
Pik Wah's extensive menu offers a wide variety of dishes cooked in different styles using seafood, pork, poultry, vegetables, noodles, and even desserts. Most dishes come in small, medium, and large portion sizes to cater to different customer groups. In addition to familiar dishes found in most Cantonese restaurants, this long-established brand also serves unique specialties not found elsewhere, such as frog and venison.
The restaurant's signature dish.
Restoran Pik Wah is a long-established Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, opened in 1971. The dining area is spacious, clean, and fully carpeted. There are also private rooms available for diners outside the main dining area. If you plan to visit the restaurant on a weekend, you should make a reservation in advance as it is often fully booked during this time.
Address: Basement Level, Maba Building, 6 Jalan Hang Jebat, 50150 Kuala Lumpur.
Opening hours: 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 22:30
3. Yut Kee Restaurant
If you're looking for a standout eatery in Kuala Lumpur, Yut Kee is a great option. It's renowned for its traditional Hainanese cuisine, as well as local Kuala Lumpur food. It's a popular choice for locals for breakfast or brunch.
Yut Kee has been in operation for almost a century.
Yut Kee is one of the most renowned food destinations when it comes to eateries with long-standing traditional flavors in Kuala Lumpur. Yut Kee serves long-time favorites such as chicken ribs, toast, kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs, and coffee. For decades, Yut Kee has served its famous Swiss kaya rolls as well as its chicken ribs and Hainanese pork.
The interior of the cafe.
Yut Kee, established in 1928, was initially known as a local Hainan café. Later, it transformed its business to include both coffee and food. The restaurant is painted red and decorated in a traditional style. Marble tables and wooden chairs, as well as newspapers on the walls, create a nostalgic atmosphere.
The restaurant's signature dish.
Address: 1, Jalan Kamunting, Chow Kit, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM (closed on Mondays)
4. Sin Kiew Yee Shin Kee Beef Noodles
Shin Kee Beef Noodles is one of the famous beef noodle shops in Petaling. The shop has been around since the 1930s, and their original Hakka beef noodle recipe is still preserved by the current third-generation owners. The shop is almost always crowded, so if you want to enjoy your meal comfortably, you might want to avoid the peak hours of 12:00-14:00.
The restaurant is usually very crowded during peak hours, from 12:00 to 14:00.
Although they only serve beef noodles, there are several ways to diversify the dish. For example, the toppings include options such as sliced fresh beef, beef brisket, and offal. As for the noodles themselves, there are meehun (rice noodles), Mee (yellow noodles), Loh Shee Fun (rice noodles), or Horfun (flat rice noodles). You can also choose between noodle soup or dry noodles (noodles and broth separately).
The restaurant is currently being run by the third generation of descendants.
Despite the emergence of many similar eateries, Shin Kee remains a local favorite after approximately 90 years in business. While newer beef noodle establishments may offer more extensive menus and more comfortable dining areas, Shin Kee continues to serve delicious bowls of beef noodles with traditional flavors, plus a nostalgic feel in its unassuming business setting.
Address: 7a, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, City Center, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opening hours: 10:30 AM - 7:00 PM (closed on Wednesdays).
