Visitors to Malaysia are in for a real treat regarding Malaysian Street Food.
As a Malaysian, I can honestly say that my country has the most variety of food, which makes it on the top list of outstanding and delicious street food that the locals eat every day.
Malaysian street food cuisine reflects cooking style, technique, and ingredients that make what’s available both tasty and affordable.
Across the country, most Malaysians will agree that Penang has the best street foods.
During the school breaks and public holidays, locals love nothing better than a drive to Penang for its authentic Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya, and Western food.
Of course, there are many cafes, murals, and colonial architecture to visit in George Town.
Malaysian Street Food – Amazing 10 Must-Try Dishes
There are so many delicious Malaysian Street foods to try, BUT if you are on a 4D3N visit, these are ten that I recommend for this Malaysia Travel Guide.
All the food I have chosen will give you a broad base tasting of memorable rice, BBQ, spicy, soupy, and savory for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper!
Make a note, and you can return for another eating adventure at your leisure.
Anytime you’re here to visit, you can check back for updates on the Travel Stylus Blog.
1 Nasi Lemak (Malay) $0.30 per packet
Malaysia’s beloved breakfast dish is the banana leaf-wrapped parcel of goodness—the Nasi Lemak—which can be carried in the palm of your hand.
Simple and delicious, the coconut milk-infused rice is topped with a wedge of hard-boiled egg and covered with red, sweet-spicy gravy.
You must join the locals and eat this for breakfast, teatime, or even supper at any alfresco “Warung,” Mamak stalls, or Chinese Kopitiam.
There are a few Nasi Lemak variants, but the simple food parcel is what Malaysians love the most.
Nasi Lemak (Malay) $0.30 per packet
2 Roti Canai (Indian Muslim) $0.30 per piece
Roti Canai is an Indian-influenced flatbread dough fried in lots of oil and served with dhal (lentil curry).
One of the privileges is watching the Roti Canai make the roti before your eyes.
The dough is first stretched out, slapped across a countertop, flattened into a small disk, and fried on a hot griddle in oil.
The stretching and layering give the Roti Canai many flaky, crispy layers.
You eat this like the locals, break off bits of the roti with your fingers, and dip it into the delicious curry gravy.
Two basic Roti Canai and a Teh Tarik make a great filling delicious breakfast that will cost $1.20!
Look out for a Mamak shop and find some delicious Roti Canai!
Malaysian Street Food Lunch
For lunch, you will want to go to the Kopitiam, Warung, Hawker Center, and restaurants all over Malaysia.
There, you are given a plate of rice and have lots of fun choosing from the assortment of dishes and curries!
Street Food Dishes Galore! You can find this in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Ipoh, Penang, and other Malaysian cities and towns.
Your task is to point or scoop up whatever looks the best!
Roti Canai (Indian Muslim) $0.30 per piece
3 Economy Rice (Chinese) $2.00
You can join Malaysian office workers when they have their Economy Rice lunch found in Chinese Kopitiam.
Various stir-fried dishes include green leafy vegetables, simple Chicken Curries, Fried Fish, Eggs, Tofu, Bean curd, Pork dishes, and hot soups.
The stall typically does not serve beef or mutton.
You scoop up some hot white rice, choose your dishes, and pile them on your plate.
Some stalls have a preset order of 3 dishes and white rice for $1.50
Others are solely vegetarian stalls.
Economy Rice (Chinese) $2.00
4 Nasi Campur (Malay) $2.00
Nasi Campur is the Malay version of white rice topped with various dishes.
You can get a taste of Malay cuisine from the assortment of dishes that include Kerabu, ikanbakar (Grilled Fish), Beef Rendang, Fried Chicken, and ulam with Sambal Belacan.
For $2.00, you can have a plate of Rice, Salad, and Fried Chicken.
Nasi Campur (Malay) $2.00
5 Nasi Kandar (Indian Muslim) $2.50
Originally perfected in Penang, Nasi Kandar was sold by vendors who carried large pots of rice and curries using a Kandar (pole).
Nowadays, you can order this rice with Indian-style curry.
You can choose from Beef, Mutton, Chicken, Duck, Fish, Squid, Prawns, and Omelet.
The vendor will ladle over a mix of curries that make the taste of this dish so unique.
Of course, the price of your meal depends on the dishes you choose.
So, if you’re on a budget, you might want to skip the seafood and meat.
A plate with rice, an omelet, two vegetables, “flooded” with several tasty curries for $2.50.
Nasi Kandar (Indian Muslim) $2.50
6 Banana Leaf Rice (Indian) $2.00
You can experience Malaysia without trying an Indian rice meal on a banana leaf.
At the dining table, the waiter will place a huge banana leaf on your plate and fill it with a giant scoop of white or parboiled rice with curry and a round of delicious vegetarian curries.
Banana Leaf Rice is often served as a vegetarian meal”, along with various vegetables, pickles, and Papadom.
If you like, you can add meat dishes such as chicken, Fish, or Mutton to supplement the vegetable curries on your order.
Meals on the banana leaf are meant to be eaten by hand, as it is said to enhance the entire food experience.
The banana leaf acts as a disposable plate and is not consumed.
A $2.00 Banana Leaf Rice looks like this vegetarian set.
Banana Leaf Rice (Indian) $2.00
7 Bak Kut Teh – Pork Rib Soup (Chinese) $3.70
Bak Kut Teh translates directly to “meat bone tea.”
Although the word Teh (which means tea in Malay) is part of the name, there is no tea in the dish—the name refers to a strong oolong Chinese tea that is usually served alongside the soup.
If you enjoy eating pork, you will love this clay pot dish with meaty pork ribs slow-cooked and simmered for hours in an herb and spice broth.
Bak Kut Teh is a popular breakfast and dinner dish in Malaysia.
The tender pork is garnished with raw garlic, chilies, and sweet dark soy sauce.
The price for a clay pot per person starts at $3.70
Bak Kut Teh – Pork Rib Soup (Chinese) $3.70
8 Sup Kambing – Mutton Soup (Indian Muslim) $1.30
Sup Kambing is a mutton soup with goat meat, tomato, celery, spring onion, ginger, candlenuts, and lime leaf. The turmeric makes the broth yellowish.
As a bone soup, the Sup Kambing is nourishing, tasty, and perfect for a light dinner.
You can order this with two slices of Roti Bengali and a cup of The Tarik.
If you aren’t fond of mutton, you can try Sup Ayam (Chicken) or Sup Daging (Beef) instead.
Sup Kambing – Mutton Soup (Indian Muslim) $1.30
9 Kopitiam Western Food (Chinese) $5.00
Chinese Kopitiam is where you can enjoy an economical Western meal at a fraction of the price of fancy restaurants or hotels.
The humble Western food serves a good meal, including Fish and Chips, Chicken Chop, Lamb Chop, Mixed Grille, Soup, and Salads.
You can have a nice Chicken Chop and a drink for $5
Kopitiam Western Food (Chinese) $5.00
10 Cendol – Dessert (Malay, Chinese) $1
Cendol is a sweet iced dessert made from green rice flour jelly, sweetened navy beans, and mixed with palm sugar syrup and coconut milk.
The standard bowl starts at $1 but will cost more for extra ingredients.
Other varieties include Pulut (steamed Glutinous Rice) and even Durian.
Cendol – Dessert (Malay, Chinese) $1
In Conclusion:
Traveling around Malaysia is easy, as there are a plethora of delicious meals that are delicious, nutritious, cheap, and available around the clock.
While other local favorites include Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish), Satay (Grilled Skewered bamboo stick Meats), and Rojak (Malaysian fruit salads), you can try them. These cost about the same as filling rice meals.
Locally, these are called Chaik Pa (Hokkien) for a filling meal and Chiak Kar (Appetizers)
While meal prices in Malaysia vary, Malaysia’s average food cost is $15 per day.
Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, an average meal in Malaysia should cost around $6.30 per person.
In major cities, breakfast prices are usually cheaper than lunch or dinner.
For comparison, a Combo meal at a fast-food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) in Kuala Lumpur costs $4.
The choice is yours if you’re on a budget or want to splurge.
Top 10 Malaysian Street Food Below $5 – based on the conversion rate of RM4.2 to $1
