Best Nasi Lemak in KL

Charlie's Cafe's nasi lemak is probably one of the most honest version. It's simple, it's straight-forwarded and most importantly, it's delicious! The chicken was fried to crispy perfection, along with a flavourful marinate and the freshness of the chicken, it was absolutely delicious. Served with homemade acar, sambal, ikan bilis, peanuts, cracker and a sunny side up, the symphony of texture and flavour makes this dish an absolute winner. Justifying the never-ending diverse crowd that come over day and night for a platter of nasi lemak. Having said that, make sure you get in early.

Nasi Lemak Tanglin has become a Nasi Lemak Icon in KL. If you’re craving for a nasi lemak you might wanna try queuing up for theirs! With a large variety of lauk (gravy) such as chicken rendang, sambal sotong and even paru! (beef lung), you're certainly in for a feast that is easy on your wallet. Their sambal sotong recipe is different with ground peanuts giving it an unusual yet satisfying taste. The rice is steamed ‘ceroi’ style which means that it is able to soak up more of the sambal for a mouth full of flavour. Delicious!

This simple and spacious eatery is a well-loved destination for the locals to pamper their belly with one of the best nasi lemaks in town. A recent facelift got the name shortened to “Nasi Lemak Wanjo” but rest assured they have never failed to see a brisk business and setting a benchmark on how an exemplary nasi lemak should be. Sheer spread of sides is satisfying but the fried chicken and sambal sotong deserve more attention. However, the main draw here is the lip-smacking sambal which has perfect dose of heat and sweetness with smatterings of anchovies. Once you've massaged them into the coconut rice and placed it in your mouth, you'll be carried away with the clean hit of flavours. 

The Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa restaurant is a Malay owned traditional restaurant specialising in nasi lemak – or rice cooked in coconut milk and served with a hot and spicy sambal sauce. Do yourself a favour, do ask for extra sambal as its simply delicious. The menu here revolves around their famous nasi lemak with side dishes like rendang beef, lung, ayam masak merah and also their chilli sauce clams and squid with sambal. Chomp down to your heart's content in a convivial ambience with no worries about expecting a spirit-sapping bill.

Located at Taman Tenaga, this unassuming eatery is not to be missed if you’re a fan of nasi lemak and char kuey teow. What sets them apart is their crispy fried chicken, served steaming hot and works pretty well with the mound of coconut rice and gravy. Don’t be deterred by the fiery façade of the gravy as the spice level is well balanced with a tinge of sweetness. The stall closes at 3am, and yes, such sinful meal at late hours is wrong. But we don’t want to be right. 

Restoran Sepetang which is Non-Halal serves a distinct style of Nyonya nasi lemak that habitually draws a huge crowd, especially during morning hours. The rice is fragrant with delicious thick curry and sambal poured over which gives a great taste when mixed in your mouth. The pork is also succulent and juicy and overall the nasi lemak lived up to the reputation. Since it’s so good, it runs out pretty fast, so ignore the snooze button and get over early. The great flavours and easy on the wallet price tags make it really worthy. 

For many years, all walks of life have pledged their allegiance to this old-school eatery which churns out nasi lemak that is nothing short of succulence and authenticity. Expect a communal ambience, patrons grinning all the way while chomping down to their heart’s content. If you’re a fan of squid, their chilli sotong is one not to be missed. With a big uptick on flavour and texture, it definitely works wonders with the steamed coconut rice. Another winning point here is the affordability. A perfect antidote for Mondays blues!

A renowned nasi lemak joint that lives up to its name. With numerous branches sprouting all over the state in a short spell, one would not ask for a greater testimony. The fragrant rice is steamed to perfection with coconut milk, lemongrass and pandan leaves, while all other sides are made using only using natural ingredients. What set them apart are their sambals, which is the real reason for their rise to fame – ordinary sambal, sweet-sour prawn sambal and tear-jerking spicy squid sambal. If you’re reluctant to settle with shrimps as we usually bump into petite ones, fret not, as it’s big and fresh here. Selection of sides like pork rendang, Nyonya curry chicken, sambal stuffed squid, and fried chicken rounds up a helluva of nasi lemak feast! 

This famous Jalan Abdullah Nasi Lemak is done in a self-service style, so if you would like that extra sambal, peanuts or ikan bilis, feel free to plonk more on your plate anytime. The rice is fragrant with an intense coconut aroma and a fantastic savoury sambal sauce which wasn't overpoweringly spicy. The sambal sotong was in perfect harmony with their sambal and will melt in your mouth with every spoonful! During peak hours, just remind yourself, good things come to those who wait. To take advantage of the aftertaste on your palate, end your meal with a glass of teh tarik. 

If you’re in Sentul early and are looking for a great pack of Non-Halal spicy nasi lemak, this is the one for you. The dry curry pork ribs and sambal belacan squid is a must try for pork and curry lovers alike! With delicious flavourful meat drenched in curry and crispy fried chicken with a choice of luncheon meat, you may not be able to try everything in one sitting. Full of flavour and spice, the sambal is a subtle way to wake you up in the morning. Another winning point here is the wallet-friendly price.

Haven't had enough of delicious pork curries? You’re not short of luck for sure! At Ann’s nasi lemak, customers queue up to try their signature “pork skin curry” nasi lemak. Slightly different than other porky nasi lemaks, Ann’s version will definitely leave a satisfied feeling in your tummy when you leave the shop. The real standout got to be the curry that ties together the whole dish with subtle savouriness. Paired with their sambal kerang and dry sambal with curry, this is a nasi lemak every pork lover should give a try!

The first thing to note about the nasi lemak at Secret Loc Cafe is that it covers the entire checklist of the quintessential items in a great plate of nasi lemak. There are the fried anchovies, toasted peanuts, sambal, full boiled egg, coconut infused rice and cucumber. A fried chicken leg is even put in the mix for good measure. All of these ingredients are neatly arranged on the plate for great visual flair. All these elements deliver well from a textural and flavour standpoint. The textural contrast between the crispy ikan bilis and fried chicken, with the soft eggs and smooth sambal help create a pleasurable bite. As far as flavours go, the fried chicken is succulent and rich, while the sambal is mildly spicy, which helps make the dish even more enjoyable.

A commodious establishment at Platinum Walk that has been reaping up positive reviews for their char kuey teow basah and nasi lemak. If you fall under the second choice, expect a mound of coconut rice  placed on a banana leaf and shrouded with thick and tasty gravy. No visit here is deemed complete without their fried chicken, juicy and flavourful fried chicken to be precise. Each mouthful definitely bursts to the fore with flavour and texture. Also, don't put your plan to bay looking at the teeming crowd as the service is quite fast.

Early birds rejoice! This hidden gem, tucked deep inside Wisma Genting food court is no stranger to the nasi lemak scene in Kuala Lumpur. The never-ending crowd and captivating sights of sides and gravies are certainly a pull. One would sense a challenge here, as everything looks pretty delicious and apart from the regular sambal, the best way to enjoy the steamed coconut rice is ladling them with mixed curries. Yes, you read that right, and it might sound a little peculiar yet does pack a punch. Sides-wise, their succulent squid sambal, fried chicken and fish are worth sinking your teeth in.

Located in Bukit Jalil, this humble stall offers nasi lemak for only RM1!! However, they are normally called for events instead of just having a place to eat. Mosques, cafes, night markets and many more, you will be able to find them there. You could also call them to see where is their next destination. However, stocks are limited because there are only so many that they can carry. Each packet comes with a generous amount of rice and sambal with anchovies, sliced cucumbers and full-boiled egg on the side. It's nothing fancy, but for one buck, it sure is worth the money. 

Prepped fresh every morning, R.A Nasi Lemak is KL's hot spot for simple but amazing nasi lemak. Located in a small hut, this restaurant dishes out plates of nasi lemak as fast as, if not faster than fast food chains. Each plate comes with a piece of banana leave topped with coconut infused fluffy white rice, the eseentials such as anchovies, cucumber, full-boiled eggs and, their amazingly sweet and spicy sambal. Customers can also choose from a wide variety of add-ons such as sambal squid, curry chicken or mutton rendang. The price is also fairly reasonable, so don't worry so much about it. 

Restoran Al-Bakarth has been a really popular place for shisha. Even until now, you'll find at least 40% of the tables with a bong on the side, smoking away in ecstasy. Apart from their really popular cheese naan and tandoori, their nasi lemak too deserves a bit of credit. They have the basic nasi lemak, which like many others, comes with coconut oil infused white rice, sambal, anchovies, cucumber and a full-boiled egg. You can kick it up a notch by adding tandoori chicken or even their crispy fried chicken. It's a simple dish, but somehow works great with their shisha - or when you are hungry.

Madam Kwan certainly has made its name for having one of the most luxurious nasi lemak in town. They are a place where the local specialties are taken and bumped up a notch, making each dish is a little more premium for tourists and of course, our wealthy locals. Each plate comes with a fluffy warm rice, mild curry chicken, sambal sotong, anchovies, cucumber, half a full-boiled egg and a handful of chicken floss. The dish is a Madam Kwan signature, and has been voted as one of the best nasi lemak in town. The price too, is well above the market rate - so do prepare for that.  

If you like your nasi lemak with a whole load of stuff on the side, then Nasi Lemak CT Garden might just be the place for you. Located in Kampung Baru, it might not be the most pretty place to dine, but it is decent enough with bright lights and fan. Tables and chairs are a little greasy but if you can skim through all that, then it's worth coming to. The nasi lemak is here is similar to most, but what makes the place unique would be its vast array of side dishes. From fried eggs to squid sambal, and crispy fried chicken to assorted vegetables. Simply pick what you like and enjoy!