Michelin eateries don’t always have to be expensive. Here are 12 affordable Michelin Guide-approved restaurants in KL and Penang to try on your next weekend trip to Malaysia.
Given its reputation of the most recognisable and covetable dining accolades internationally, many gastronomes often consider the Michelin Awards a reliable measure of good taste. However, the common misconception is that great Michelin eats tend also to command an extortionate price tag. That isn’t the case, of course, as the French dining guide encompasses a full spectrum of diverse gastronomic finds of all price points, as evidenced by these 12 affordable Michelin-approved restaurants in KL and Penang.
The premise of affordable yet delectable bites is especially true for countries across Asia where Michelin maintains an active presence, including Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and more recently in the past three years, Malaysia. While the ivory towers of fine dining establishments and degustation menus serve as proving grounds that push the boundaries of culinary techniques, it is the humility and unpretentious honesty of generational recipes that have built the foundation upon which most of the region’s food capitals stand.
Locally, this is a truth best exemplified in the mind-boggling variety offered by mum-and-pop restaurants as well as street vendors across the country who serve as custodians for flavours, histories, and legacies of the communities from which their dishes originate.
Whether it be the herbacious comforts of bak kut teh popularised by Hokkien diaspora or the coconut-rich pearls of fragrant nasi lemak cooked to perfection by a humdrum warung that has endured the tides of time, the Michelin guide to good taste in Malaysia has quite an extensive list on offer, despite having been established for less than five years. Comb through some of our favourite affordable Michelin Guide picks to get inspired on your next culinary sojourn.
Feature and hero image credit: MICHELIN
12 affordable Michelin Guide restaurants in KL and Penang
Jump To / Table of Contents
- Lai Foong Lala Noodles - KL
- Anak Baba - KL
- Ah Hei Bak Kut Teh - KL
- Hai Ka Lang - KL
- Tanglin - KL
- Hor Poh Cuisine - KL
- Siam Road Char Kway Teow - Penang
- Wan Dao Tou Assam Laksa - Penang
- Air Itam Duck Rice - Penang
- Hot Bowl White Curry Mee - Penang
- Chao Xuan - Penang
- Tok Tok Mee Bamboo Noodle House - Penang
Where seafood-forward recipes are concerned, one thing matters above all else: the freshness of the ingredients used. One misstep and the entire dish run the risk of going awry. Thankfully at Lai Foong Lala Noodles, you will not be burdened with any such concerns when slurping up the sweet umami potency of its clam-based broth, further emboldened by Chinese wine. Served piping hot with rice vermicelli noodles, this is especially delectable during cooler evenings.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 10am – 9.30pm (opens daily)
2 /12
Peranakan restaurants are a dime and a dozen in Melaka, but the same can’t be said of the Klang Valley, where only a scarce handful can lay claim to serving authentic baba nyonya fare. One such establishment can be found in Brickfields, with Anak Baba receiving much acclaim for its comprehensive menu of staple favourites. Michelin was especially enamoured by the nasi lemak ayam kunyit served here, applauding their crisp portions of fried chicken thigh that pair especially well with sambal that takes no hostages.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 7am – 10pm (opens daily)
3 /12
A combination of herbs, spices, and pork bones makes for one of Malaysia’s most treasured culinary offerings: bak kut teh. Meaning ‘pork bone tea’ when translated into English from Hokkien, the nourishing broth shares an inextricable bond with the local Hokkien community originating in the port town of Klang. Ah Hei Bak Kut Teh has minted a reputation as a prime purveyor of the dish in Kuala Lumpur, where generous amounts of pork meat and innards are cooked in your choice of soupy or dry bak kut teh.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 7.30am – 2pm (closed on Tuesdays)
4 /12
While Lai Foong Lala Noodles specialises in clams, Hai Ka Lang takes a more all-encompassing approach with its soup and noodle recipe. All manner of fresh bounties from the sea can be expected here, from fish slices to squid tentacles, as well as all manner of shelled crustasceans, incorporated into a fish bone broth cooked with sheets of seaweed for a resonant hit of briny sweetness in every sip.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 8AM – 5PM (opens daily)
5 /12
Just like the country itself, Malaysia’s national dish of nasi lemak is comprised of many distinctively delicious components, each contributing to its popularity. Naturally, this also means that to perfect the dish, one must also be able to master the preparation of several accompanying recipes. Through decades of experience since opening its doors in 1948, Bukit Damansara’s Tanglin has been able to do just that, with its sambal tumis keeping customers loyal.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 7am – 2pm (opens daily)
6 /12
Beyond sustenance, food tells the stories of those who came before us, serving as a facet of cultural heritage that can be passed down from generation to generation. In that respect, Hor Poh Cuisine is one of the most esteemed bastions of Hakkanese food in the Klang Valley, serving many of the community’s heritage recipes for the delectation of the modern diner. Their lei cha is especially popular, chock-full of legumes and virdiant nourishment.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 11am – 2.45pm, 5pm – 8:45pm (closed on Tuesdays)
7 /12
Adored across Malaysia but most commonly attributed to the Pearl of the Orient, char kway teow is easily considered to be one of Penang’s most recognisable gastronomic gems. But of course, as the saying goes, if you want a plate of the good stuff, you’ll have to enjoy it on the island proper. One popular stop for both tourists and locals alike can be found along Siam Road, where the namesake stall dishes up plates of scrumptious wok-fried flat rice noodles over a charcoal flame for a hungry line of vying customers.
Award: Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 12pm – 10pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
8 /12
Not unlike colours, flavours also exist on a complementary spectrum that best work in cohesion when combined. Where Southeast Asian cooking is concerned, this is expressed most prominently through the intermingling of sprightly acidity with fiery spice ala Thailand’s tom yam kung and Malaysia’s assam laksa. To sample the latter, Penang’s Wan Dao Tou Assam Laksa along Jalan Gottlieb is a pilgrimage not to be missed. Boasting a recipe five decades in the making, expect a rich broth that dances on the palate with signature piquancy.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 11am – 5pm (closed on Mondays)
9 /12
A great spot for night owls, Air Itam Wet Market plays host to a true household name in Penang that has been catering to hungry bellies for decades. Nestled among stalls offering all manner of fresh produce is one of the island’s best spots for duck rice. Unlike other conventional eateries offering the dish, this stall serves theirs with braised duck cooked in a delectable gravy made with a soy sauce base flavoured with star anise and cinnamon. Enjoy it with a halved hard-boiled egg and tofu for the full experience.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 3.30pm – 8.30pm (closed on Mondays and Thursdays)
10 /12
A staple in the Penang dining scene, white curry noodles are beloved for their novelty and rich flavour. Unlike the usually intimidating ochre of most curry broths laced with unctuous chili oil, this island favourite obtains its creamy hue from coconut milk while spice comes courtesy of a scoop of curry paste served on the side. Jalan Rangoon’s take on this noodle classic has attracted a considerable fanbase for its homemade paste, cooked daily for two hours using a specialty blend of spices and dried shrimp.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 8am – 2.30pm (closed on Mondays)
11 /12
Originating from the Chaoshan region of Eastern Guangdong in China, Teochew cuisine enjoys a great measure of popularity owing to the local diaspora who have been calling Malaysia home for generations. And for those living in Penang, few places honour their gastronomic tradition as brilliantly as Chao Xuan does. Located in an old shophouse, this eatery draws in a crowd of both young and old customers alike, many often willing to endure the long queues to tuck into a serving of dry chew siew noodles, or pan-fried yam cake.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 9.30am – 3pm (closed on Mondays)
Just like how the best pasta is handmade, the same can be said of noodles used in Chinese cooking. Tok Tok Mee Bamboo Noodle House takes its name after the sound produced by bamboo poles when used to knead noodle dough, a time-honoured and labour-intensive process which the shop continues to use to this day for its springy, crisp strands. Used in their signature dry-tossed noodles with dried shrimp roe, its simplicity belies culinary heaven.
Award: Michelin Bib Gourmand
Operating hours: 9.30am – 7.30pm (closed on Thursdays)
Benjamin Wong
Senior Editor, Fashion and Dining
Armed with an Advertising major from Lancaster University, Benjamin is a senior editor who has spent his time oscillating between the social media and digital media landscape since 2018. With a keen interest in haute fashion and gastronomy, he has written for publications such as ERROR Digital, WORLD OF BUZZ, and KL Foodie. Beyond the keyboard, you can find him arms-deep in a thrift pile.
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