Malacca Food Guide: 15 Restaurants, Cafes, and Other Food Spots You Should Visit in Malaysia’s UNESCO World Heritage Site

If you’re visiting Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and are into heritage cities like me, then head over to Malacca (spelled as Melaka in Malay), which is just a 2-hour bus ride away. Because of its rich history, its city center was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 2008.

Malacca has an interesting colonial history. It was colonized by the Portuguese, thr Dutch, and the British, in that order. You can still see some of the colonizers’ architectural remnants in the city, such as St. Paul’s Church by the Portuguese and the Red Square by Dutch, which includes the iconic red-painted Christ Church and Stadhuys (City Hall). During World War II, it fell into the hands of the Japanese, who ruled for 3 years.

I’ve been to Malacca back in 2019 and returned for a second time earlier this year. So it’s time for an update Malacca Food Guide. I’m listing down the restaurants, cafes, and other food spots that I’ve visited and recommend.

Restaurants

Asam Pedas Pak Man

Literally “sour spicy”, Asam Pedas is a Malay dish of Malaccan origin composed of a protein (commonly fish), and a fiery red broth made with chilies, tamarind, belacan (fermented shrimp paste), and other aromatics. Asam Pedas Pak Man is one of most popular asam pedas spots in Malacca. It may even be the most popular one, with almost seven thousand ratings in Google.

How do I find their asam pedas? While it’s sour and spicy, it’s still flavorful.

Address: 51 Jalan Knmp 2a, Kompleks Niaga Melaka Perdana, Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 8AM-9PM | Contact No.: +60 10-891 6114 | Facebook

Baba Charlie Cafe (Kueh)

Kueh (also spelled Kuih) is a collective term for bite-sized snacks and desserts. If you’re Filipino, you can think of this as the Malaysian counterpart of Kakanin. One of the popular sellers is Baba Charlie Cafe, which offers an overwhelming variety of kueh.

Baba Charlie Cafe’s Old Location (photo taken in 2019)

I was able to visit their former location at Jalan Tengkera Lorong Pantai 2C. However, it’s no longer in operation. So just visit the cafe instead (see the address below).

*Kueh* at Baba Charlie Cafe (photo taken in 2019)

Address: 631 Jalan Siantan, Taman Siantan Seksyen 2, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Friday-Wednesday, 8:30AM-7PM | Facebook

Beh Leh Hainam Satay (Chinese- or Hainanese-Style Satay)

Satay is usually made of beef, chicken, and mutton, and can be eaten by Muslims. But the Chinese or Hainanese style can be made with pork. And whereas the Malay-style has a marinade of lemongrass and turmeric, the Hainanese-style has five-spice flavoring, which is a staple Chinese ingredient. In Malacca, you can try the Hainanese style at Beh Leh Hainam Satay. Established in 1963, this institution stood the test of time, with its vintage vibes and smoky satay.

Address: 313 Jalan Gajah Berang, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 12:30PM-7:30PM | Contact No.: +60 12-682 9355 | Facebook

East & West Rendezvous by Auntie Grace (Chendol and Nyonya Chang)

East & West Rendezvous by Auntie Grace makes a good version of chendol, a shaved ice dessert topped with pandan-flavored, worm-shaped noodles/jellies and sweet red beans, then poured with santan (coconut milk) and gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup. It’s refreshing in the incredibly-humid Malacca weather.

East & West Rendezvous by Aunty Grace (photo taken in 2019)

It’s also famous for their Nyonya Chang, which is a localized version of the zongzi, which is Chinese glutinous rice dumpling with filling (minced pork in this case). Their version is generous with the pork filling. It obviously has Malay influences because of the blue coloring on the top side of the dumpling. This is because of butterfly pea flower, which is a natural food coloring commonly used in Malay, Peranakan, and even Thai cuisines.

Left to Right: *Chendol* and *Nyonya Chang* (photos taken in 2019)

Address: 52 Lorong Hang Jebat, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Thursday-Tuesday, 10AM-6PM | Contact No.: +60 16-634 6283 | Facebook

Jonker 88 (Chendol and Nyonya Asam Laksa)

Jonker 88 is one of the most popular restaurants in Jonker Street/Walk, which is the most popular and tourist-packed street in all of Malacca. It’s famous for serving chendol and Nyonya Asam Laksa, which is a noodle soup dish with sour (“asam”) fish-based broth.

Left to Right: Inside Jonker 88 and *Nyonya Asam Laksa* (photos taken in 2019)

Jonker 88’s version of the nyonya asam laksa is a mix of sour, sweet, and stay-in-your-mouth spicy. The dish is a world of textures, with softness from the glass noodles, chewiness from the beancurd skin, and crunch from the cucumber strips.

Address: 88 Jalan Hang Jebat, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday, 9:30AM-7PM; Wednesday, 9:30AM-5:30PM; Friday-Sunday, 9:30AM-7:30PM | Facebook | Instagram

Kedai Kopi Chung Wah (Chicken Rice Balls)

Kedai Kopi Chung Wah is another popular restaurant in Jonker Street. It’s known for serving Malaccan style of Hainanese Chicken Rice, with the rice formed into bouncy balls.

Chung Wah’s chicken is tender and has a simple taste. We also got boiled chicken innards (liver mostly), which added some creaminess to the meal. It’s the simplicity of the dishes that make the entire meal special.

Hainanese Chicken at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah

Address: 18 Jalan Hang Jebat, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Thursday-Monday, 9:30AM-2PM

Nancy’s Kitchen (Peranakan Food)

The Peranakans refer to a people group with Chinese and Malay heritage (so imagine the blend of its cuisines and flavors!). One of the popular Peranakan restaurants is Nancy’s Kitchen. It’s helmed by Chef Nancy, who learned to cook at a young age by watching and helping her mother cook.

Altogether, the dishes we at Nancy’s Kitchen are a world of flavors and textures.

Address: 13 Jalan KL 3/8, Seksyen 3, Taman Kota Laksamana, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday & Wednesday-Thursday, 11AM-5PM; Friday-Sunday, 11AM-9PM | Contact No.: +60 14-925 6099 | Facebook | Website

Pak Putra Restaurant (North Indian/Pakistani Food)

One of my memorable food experiences in Malacca is from Pak Putra Restaurant, a restaurant that serves North Indian and Pakistani food, which includes my favorites Chicken Tandoori (cooked in tandoor or cylindrical oven) and Naan (flatbread).

Its food is so good that it ended up my favorite restaurant of my first Malacca trip. In fact, even of my second trip!

Chicken *Tandoori* at Pak Putra Restaurant

Address: 56 & 58 Jalan 4, Taman Kota Laksamana, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 5PM-11AM | Contact No.: +60 12-601 5876

Restoran Capitol Satay (Satay Celup)

Satay Celup is a fun Malaccan dining experience, like a hot pot with an interesting twist. The pioneer of this is Restoran Capitol Satay, which started back in the 1950s. It’s said that there’s always a long queue here. But we went on a weeknight so we got seated right away.

Restoran Capitol Satay’s Old Location (photo taken in 2019)

I say fun because of how you get and cook your food. First, you choose your skewers, which are displayed in refrigerators. The selection is wide, ranging from raw to semi-cooked, protein to vegetables. The prices depend on the color of the stick or of the plates.

Skewer Options at Restoran Capitol Satay (photo taken in 2019)

Then you dip (“celup”) the skewers into a peanut-based gravy. Fun right? LOL.

Our *Satay Celup* at Restoran Capitol Satay (photo taken in 2019)

Address: 30 Jalan KPKS 3, Kompleks Perniagaan Kota Syahbandar, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 5PM-2AM | Contact No.: +60 6-911 4393 | Facebook

Restoran Kota Laksamana 1 (Asam Pedas)

Restoran Kota Laksamana 1 is another asam pedas spot. I first tried asam pedas here back in 2019, and I became a convert to the Malaccan dish.

Left to Right: Restoran Laksamana 1 and *Asam Pedas* (photo taken in 2019)

The broth is perfectly sour and spicy. We got the snapper with it, which is very tender. The cabbage and okra give a nice crunch. Overall, the dish is amazing and nice with white rice.

Address: 86 Jalan Laksamana 5, Taman Kota Laksamana, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 5PM-2AM | Operating Hours: +60 12-680 0790

Seafront Restaurant 88 (Kristang Food)

Malacca was once colonized by the Portuguese. Many of the Portuguese men intermarried with the local Malay women. The result was a creole ethnic group known as the Kristangs (a.k.a. Portuguese Eurasians). Naturally, the blending of Portuguese and Malay cultures gave birth to an entirely new cuisine.

So when you visit Malacca, don’t miss the opportunity to try Kristang food. We tried Seafront Restaurant 88 at the Medan Selera (food court) of Kampung Portugis or the Portuguese Settlement.

Address: 4 Medan Selera, Portuguese Settlement, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 5PM-12AM | Contact No.: +60 17-889 6758 | Facebook

Cafes and Dessert Shops

Calanthe Art Cafe

Calanthe Art Cafe serves coffee from each of the 13 Malaysian states. Of course, I tried the Malaccan one, which composes of 70% beans and 30% sugar, salt, and margarine.

It’s cheaper if you get a slice of cake because the coffee comes free (this was at 2019; I’m not sure if it’s still applicable today). So I got a Teh Tarik Cheesecake. It tastes like teh tarik or pulled milk tea. However, it’s more gelatinous than creamy. I like my cheesecake rich.

Address: 11 Jalan Hang Kasturi, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:30AM-10PM; Friday-Sunday, 8AM-11PM | Contact No.: +60 6-292 2960 | Facebook | Instagram

Nadeje

Nadeje is a Malaccan brand that specializes in Mille Crêpes. A reinvention of the French classic, this dessert is made up of layers of thin crepes, creamed in between, and topped with various ingredients. Nadeje has alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. I got their original mille crepe, which is nicely sweet and creamy. The layers of crepe give an amazing, even therapeutic, mouth feel.

Nadeje is also a chain that’s has expanded outside of Malacca. They already have branches in the greater Kuala Lumpur area.

For branches and operating hours, check out their Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as their Website

Something Bakery

Something Bakery is a viral cafe that also specializes in mille crêpes.

It’s housed inside a historical structure with renovated interior that looks modern. It’s the perfect relief from the Malaccan heat!

The Daily Fix

The Daily Fix is probably the most popular cafe in Jonker Street and maybe even in entire Malacca. It’s hidden behind a souvenir shop located inside a vintage shophouse.

They are best known for their pancakes, especially the Local Pandan Pancake and Durian Pancake.

Address: 55 Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker St.), Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 8:45AM-8:30PM | Contact No.: +60 13-290 6855 | Facebook | Instagram

Other Food Spots

Jonker Street Night Market

The Jonker Street Night Market is a weekend night market located along Jalan Hang Jebat, a.k.a. Jonker Street/Walk. In the daytime, you can stroll along the street, which is lined up with boutiques and cafe. But at night, it becomes a bustling night market that’s full of energy.

Jonker Street Night Market may be packed with tourists. But the food and the energy are some things you shouldn’t miss. I would go as far as suggesting that you visit Malacca on a weekend so you can visit the night market.

Address: Jalan Hang Jebat, Malacca, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Friday-Sunday, 6PM-11PM | Website

Klebang Original Coconut Shake

If you want to beat the afternoon heat, head out to the Klebang area and have a Coconut Shake. It’s like a milkshake, using vanilla ice cream.

Address: Lot 130, Solok Kampung Bahagia, Klebang Besar, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-6:30PM | Contact No.: +60 19-643 0243 | Facebook | Instagram

What Malacca food spot should I visit next? Comment below!