Essential Brunch and Breakfast Spots in Kuala Lumpur You Have to Try

Finding good food in Kuala Lumpur is easy and that's especially true when it comes to breakfast. The chefs in this city take their breakfast game very seriously.

Street food vendors and kopitiam (coffee shop) owners alike wake up at the crack of dawn to serve queues of customers breakfast staples like nasi lemak, the national dish of coconut milk rice and egg, and kaya toast slathered with coconut-pandan jam and butter.
 

Head to KL's modern cafes and restaurants on a weekend and you're sure to be sated by creative brunch dishes that merge the best of Western and Asian cuisines.

From eggs benedict with fried chicken to veganised "beef" rendang, the city's best chefs are always dreaming up mouthwatering dishes that will keep you coming back for more.
 

Wondering where to grab breakfast in KL but not sure where to go? This guide has got you covered.

Whether you're looking to dine with the locals in a hawker centre or seek out an Insta-famous cafe, this handy guide will lead you to the most delicious food stalls, kopitiams, cafes, and restaurants in town, so you can spend each morning sampling something new and delicious.  

Step inside The Rabbit Hole in Bukit Bintang and you'll feel more like you've arrived at a friend's house than one of the best breakfast places in Kuala Lumpur. Set in a revamped colonial villa, The Rabbit Hole's most picturesque attraction is the sleek lap pool in the courtyard. Well, that and the beautifully prepared food.  

The brunch menu features drool-worthy comfort fare like the Eggs Benedict with fried chicken; the Katsu Wanpako Sando with chicken katsu, egg, and cheese; and the Veggie Lover Stack with tofu, onion rings, hash browns, and avo. There's also an array of artisanal pastries and excellent coffee. 

Insider tip: Come back at night, and you'll find that The Rabbit Hole has transformed into the most chilled-out bar in the neighbourhood.  

If you find yourself in Chinatown in the early morning, stop off for a traditional breakfast at Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam. This old-school kopitiam dates all the way back to 1956 and remains an institution in KL. 

This place is popular, so you should expect a queue. Be sure to take a ticket to secure your place in line. It's worth the wait, though, to sink your teeth into their famous Butter & Kaya Toast, which is best served with an order of the Half-Boiled Eggs and a cup of the Kopi O. For something more filling, they also do an excellent Dried Chicken Curry, Traditional Nasi Lemak, and Curry Chee Cheong Fun. 

If you're looking to sample the best nasi lemak in Kuala Lumpur, it's well worth going to Petaling Jaya to eat at Village Park Restaurant. This place got its start in 2002, and it's still widely considered to be the very best place to dig into a plate of nasi lemak in all of KL. 

You'll find tourists and locals alike lining up to try the many Malaysian classics on the menu. If you've never been here before, you should order the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng, which comes with a huge piece of fried chicken. That being said, they serve a bunch of variations of the national dish. If you've got more room, other popular options are the Lontong, Ayam Rendang, and Soto Ayam. 

Antipodean is a favourite amongst expat families for its massive Western breakfasts, and it's easy to see why. Luckily, you'll find four branches of this go-to breakfast joint across the city, so you'll never have to travel too far if you're craving a big brekkie.  

Whichever one you find yourself at, expect all-day breakfast fare like their Big Breakfast with scrambled eggs, toast, hash browns, sautéed mushrooms, and sausage; Eggs Benedict Deluxe with bacon and baby spinach; French Toast with berry compote; and the creamy and delectable Turkish Eggs with avocado. 

ICC Pudu is a local favourite hawker centre in Kuala Lumpur, and it's an easy option if you want to have breakfast like a local. You'll find dozens of food stalls here, but some top recommendations are the Curry Laksa at Madam Eng Curry Noodle, the Ginger Wine Egg Noodles at Mee Halia, the Pork Skin Curry at Ann Nasi Lemak, the Yong Tau Foo Cheong Fun at Ah Fook Chee Cheong Fun, and the Kaya Toast and Hainan Tea at Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea. 

Insider tip: This hawker centre is closed on Mondays. However, some stalls may be closed on different days. It's best to check the hours of any stalls you have your heart set on trying. 

Located in the heart of downtown, After One is one of the hippest breakfast places in Kuala Lumpur. As they put it, the food here is "healthylicious". Expect a menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are gourmet, ultra-high-quality, and often plant-based.  

There are so many tempting brunch options on the menu that it's tough to choose. But some recommendations are the Eggs Benny made with a French butter croffle and house-cured salmon and the Mediterranean Baked Beans with spicy chicken chorizo, sofrito, poached eggs, and feta.  

Another cool thing about the menu here is that you can get typical "dinner" items any time. So whether it's 8am or 8pm, you can feel free to indulge in the all-day menu's unexpected delights, like the Smashed Beef Burger, Mushroom Tacos, Lamb Merguez Quesadilla, or Tuscan Salmon, without feeling any shame.

Located in Bangsar, Breakfast Thieves is the "twin sister" of the original Breakfast Thieves in Melbourne's Fitzroy neighbourhood. The Kuala Lumpur branch is equally as trendy but the food comes with an Aussie and Malaysian twist.  

Expect gourmet additions to breakfast classics. Like the Terry Benedict with poached eggs and beef brisket, the Leprechaun with sweet corn fritters and poached eggs, and the Croque Madame with cheese béchamel toast, a fried egg, and avocado tomato salsa. 

Craving something more "local"? Try the Uncle Foo, a soft shell crab burger topped with a fried egg and chilli crab sauce or the TomYum Crustacean, a fragrant seafood spaghetti dish drenched in a coconut cream sauce.  

The must-try traditional dishes for breakfast in Kuala Lumpur are nasi lemak, a national dish of pandan and coconut milk rice, egg, cucumber, fried anchovies, peanuts, and sambal; kaya toast, toasted white bread lined with kaya (coconut-pandan jam) and butter, often served with soft-boiled eggs; and roti canai, flatbread with a side of curry.

You can find the best nasi lemak in KL at Village Park Restaurant, Nasi Lemak Shop, Nasi Lemak Alor Corner, and Nasi Lemak Bumbung. However, you'll find this simple dish served at restaurants across the city. If there's a line of locals, chances are it's good.

One of the best spots for a hotel or buffet breakfast in KL is Novotel Kuala Lumpur City Centre. This place puts out a huge buffet breakfast spread of both Western and Malaysian dishes at Food Exchange each morning. Aside from your typical eggs, pastries, and danishes, this is a fun place to sample some of the most popular local and regional breakfast dishes all in one spot. Depending on the day, you'll find local favourites, from nasi lemak and dal paratha to roti, congee, and nasi goreng.

Some of the best cafes for breakfast or brunch in KL are Antipodean for big, Western-style breakfasts, After One for healthy brunch fare, and The Hungry Tapir for creative vegan and vegetarian dishes. 

Yes, there are budget-friendly breakfast options in KL. Hawker centres and kopitiams (coffee shops) are excellent options for affordable, no-frills Malaysian breakfast classics. ICC Pudu hawker centre and Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam are both very popular spots for cheap breakfast in Kuala Lumpur.