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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.