22 most popular foods in kota kinabalu

(walking distance from the central business district)

Fish paste mixed into different kind of fresh ingredients. Then you can choose to either deep fry or boil it. There are many kinds of variety for you to choose from, each comes with a different taste. Choose your likings. Also do not be afraid to try new things.

They say it's one of the best yong tau fu stall in KK. They can deliver food into any bars within Waterfront area.

Location: Waterfront, near The Bed

This restaurant specialises on fresh seafood.

This restaurant made it to the list because of their quality and high standard of food.

Another good thing is, the restaurant does not over charge travellers.

In this restaurant, I suggest you to order golden aroma crab, wet-butter prawn, some sea-shells dishes and you can try other items if you're feeling adventurous. You can stick to steam fish (great choice too).

Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendation.

Location: Cititel hotel

Freshly baked sliced bread, mixed with a layer of Kaya and cold butter. Serve.

Simplicity at its best. Less is more. Serve a famous "teh c ping" (iced milk tea) and then ONLY you can call your KK trip a success Location: Gaya Street, very close to Sabah Tourism Board

Different mix of spices are grounded to paste, then sauté the spices until fragrant. Add in coconut milk and rest of the ingredients. Serve with vermicelli or yellow noodles.

There are many versions of laksa in Malaysia – assam laksa, curry laksa, or simply ‘laksa’.

This is curry laksa Location: Gaya Street

Dishes here originate from Beaufort. The noodles is prepared with sliced pork, fresh vegetables and yellow noodles. The gravy… holy… no need explain. You go try.

From what we know, the dishes are prepared with pork lard instead of vegetable oil, that makes the taste freaking amazing – one bowl of noodles is never enough.

You can also try their seafood claypot. Serve with rice.

Awesomeness.

Enough said.

Location: Gaya Street

Sheng rou mian, loosely translated as "raw meat noodle". They actually serve fully cooked meat slices, the name is derived from thinly sliced meats, then boiled in soup until cooked, and served alongside with noodle with dark soy sauce.

This dish is screaming with "hey I am filled with pork lards, please eat me". Sheng rou mian been local favourites for many years. This, is another "KK thing" you must try

Location: Same row with Little Italy, next to Daya Hotel Kota Kinabalu

First off, their chicken rice is not where close to "spicy", and the restaurant don't even serve a single item that's peppermint despite of the restaurant name (something similar to Sugar Bun, I guess?).

Peppermint serves Vietnamese style pho (noodle), and also their famous deep fried chicken rice - where the dish is mixture of KFC chicken dipped in savoury gravy and served with rice. It tastes great despite sounding so weird. Really.

Location: Gaya Street

This is where Italy meets with Sabah. The Italian food has been catered slightly to suit local taste, so it brings a little twist to almost every item you ordered.

Our favourites are Zuppa de Marre, which is a mix of seafood soup with pasta, also you can try their awesome selection of pastas and pizzas. The food never fails to satisfied us.

The ambience is good too, great place to relax and enjoy your evening with great selections of wines.

Location: Opposite Wisma Merdeka Shopping Centre

The night market offers a variety of goods in the middle of city. Located opposite Le' Meridien hotel, you can find plenty of scrumptious food at the night market. The night market can serve up to 100 people at same time without any problem.

You must try the Filipino fried noodles, barbequed seafood (you'll amazed by the varieties of the barbeques). Most of them speaks English well and the price is affordable too.

Location: Le Meridien Hotel

Wei Ya restaurant has been serving chicken rice since long, long time ago.

They are famous with their tender and soft chicken, and the rice is served with triangle shape instead of round ones.

You can also try salted-fish bean sprouts. My dad even say "they have been serving chicken rice long before you were born". Their chicken rice is able to withstand the challenge of time and competitors. This is something you must try.

Location: Between Post Office and Merdeka Shopping Center

Available only during lunch time. When they operate around noon, the place is immediately jam packed with white collars who lined up to takeaways. There are limited seats inside the restaurant.

They have been serving great food (albeit the same few choices every time), the food has been perfected to suit every customer tastes buds. Definitely must try if you are not local - these are what we usually eat growing up.

Location: Ground floor of Ang's hotel. Opposite Merdeka Shopping mall, same row with Little Italy

Located inside Wisma Merdeka Shopping Mall, this little shop has been serving Malay kuih-muihs for many years. If you like to try local cakes and desserts, this is a good choice. Plenty of choices to choose from. You can also purchase some of them and bring back to hotel for late-night supper or tid-bits during long journeys to other places.

Location: Ground floor of Wisma Merdeka Shopping Mall.

Another local favourite.

Chicken wings marinated in a secret recipe sauce, then BBQ’ed over slow fire.

Drizzled with freshly squeezed lime, one chicken wing is never enough.. trust me.

The same owner has his stalls "franchised" all over KK, and you can easily spot his chicken wings via yellow sign board, written "Melvic Chicken Wings"

Location: Shuang Tian Food Court

Dumplings are pan-fried, and served with vinegar and ginger. Also known as "Guo Tie" by locals. Guo tie has been a KK thing since we last remembered. You can also try "shui jiao", which is boiled dumpling. We encourage you to try both, as the price is pretty cheap.

Location: Shuang Tian Food Court

This stall has been serving fresh buns daily, for many years. The hot buns are usually sold out in matter of minutes during peak hour. Many customers come here to "yum cha" (afternoon tea)

Their specialty buns are "polo buns" and custard buns. Of course their other buns are delicious too. You can find a seat, order a coffee, and taste their buns in a hot afternoon.

Location: Gaya Street

Thick tom yam broth with coconut milk, with noodles of your choice. Topped in heaps of prawns and seafood. Mild spicy-ness that won’t burn your tongue, acceptable by crowds.

This tom yam is spicy (mild), creamy and slightly sour. Unlike Tom yam from Thailand, which is usually spicy and sour.

Location: Sinsuran

If you want to try some local delicacies that is not too expensive - you can go to Wishbone and try their "economy meals", where you are free to pick whatever dish which is on display, and pay for it at the counter.

The restaurant is usually catered for white collars around Gaya Street, we encourage you to go have a try.

You can also try their special desserts after 3pm. (yes, we do not want to reveal more, keep it mysterious)

Location: Gaya Street

Loosely translated as “Meat Bone Tea�, this pork stew consists of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of Chinese herbs and spices for hours. You can opt for internal organs too.

In KK, bak kut teh is served with rice, tofu puffs, light and dark soy sauce, also served with minced garlics and chopped chilli if preferred.

Location: Gaya Street, opposite Bella Italia and Man Tai restaurant.

Noodle served with fresh fish paste. The restaurant had been featured in national television, and has been producing the fish paste noodle for past 30-40 years. The soup is incredibly tasty despite it's clear looking soup.

Their noodles are homemade too. The texture is definitely different form other yellow noodles. Give it a try. you'll like it.

You can also try their beef noodle or chicken noodle. All with the same soup based.

You can find them at Suria Shopping Mall Food court. The food court here even have greater view. Spend some time here relax and enjoy the sea breeze.

Location: Suria Shopping Mall Food court

Filipino restaurants that serve Philippines cuisine. The roast pork is our favourite - it is similar to Chinese version of roast pork, but Filipino version are deep fried instead of roasted. It also comes with an incredible delicious soy sauce, with lime and chilies in it.

Best served with beer.

You can also try their famous Sisig, a mixture of mince pork with egg. Yummylicious.

Location: Api-Api center

One of the best sushi restaurants in KK City, the ingredients are fresh and staffs are professional. There is no one food that I'd like to introduce here because every time I go there, I order different kind of dishes, and every visit doesn't disappoint me.

Sushi Tei is located in Suria Shopping Mall. From there, you can look at the great view of sea.. Pulau Gaya is opposite of the sea.

Location: Suria Shopping Mall

Chicken cooked with vinegar and soy sauce, which is very awesome despite its simplicity. Adobong is a Philipino cuisine, usually served with rice but we prefer to serve it draught beers. It's another great option if you have already spent some time at Waterfront. The ambiance is good, and they serve draught beers here as well.

Location: Api-Api center. Behind Marina Court

1. Yong Tau Fu @ Waterfront 2. Seafood @ Welcome Restaurant 3. Roti Kahwin @ Kedai Kopi Fu Yuen 4. Laksa Noodle @ Yee Fung Restaurant 5. Beaufort Noodle @ Man Tai Restaurant 6. Sheng Rou Mian @ Kedai Kopi Melanian 7. Spicy Chicken Rice @ Peppermint Restaurant 8. Zuppa de Mare @ Little Italy 9. Seafood @ Filipino Market 10. Chicken rice @ Wei Ya Restaurant 11. Economy meals @ Ang's Hotel 12. Kuih muih @ Bits and Bites 13. Chicken Wings @ Shuang Tian Food Court 14. Pan Fried Dumplings @ Shuang Tian Food Court 15. Fresh Buns @ Gaya Street 16. Tom Yam @ Sinsuran 17. Economy Rice @ Wishbone Restaurant 18. Bak Kut Teh @ Yu Kee Restaurant.

19. Fish Paste Noodle @ Suria Shopping Mall 20. Lechon @ Tambayan Filipino Cuisine Restaurant 21. Sushi Tei @ Suria Shopping mall 22. Adobong Manok @ Kalamatas Resto Bar