What To Eat In Kota Kinabalu: Top 10 Dishes – Updated 2022

No pastime is more beloved by Malaysians than going on a food-crawl. If you’re wondering where to eat in Kota Kinabalu you’ll see that this city has plenty to offer. From the best homestays to amazing tourist attractions, Kota Kinabalu is definitely a must-visit. Whether you’re enjoying the fresh air on the highlands , strolling through the city streets or just wandering around a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Kota Kinabalu has a lot to offer, and you’ll soon realize that there are too many dishes and eateries to choose from, so we curated a list of what to eat in Kota Kinabalu just for you.

1. Laksa at Kedai Kopi Yee Fung

Editor’s Note: Photo taken from the establishment’s official social account

Posted by Kedai Kopi Yee Fung on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Arguably one of the best and most popular laksas in Sabah. Head on to Kedai Kopi Yee Fung on Gaya Street for an aromatic bowl of the widely sought after, and authentic Sarawak laksa! This should be enjoyed with a frothy cup teh tarik (pulled tea).

Kedai Kopi Yee Fung

Address: 127, Jalan Gaya, Pusat Bandar Kota Kinabalu, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Weekdays 6.30 am – 6.30 pm | Weekends 6.30 am – 4.00 pm

Contact: +60 88-312 042

2. Seafood at Welcome Seafood Restaurant

Source: Pixabay

Apart from laksa, Sabah is also mostly known for its fresh, cheap, and delicious seafood. If you survey the locals, you’ll find that Welcome Seafood Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in Kota Kinabalu, and is the most famous place to have some delicious and reasonably priced seafood for lunch or dinner. However, the place does get packed at about 5 pm, so it’s recommended you come earlier.

Welcome Seafood Restaurant

Address: GF, G-15 – G-18 , Asia City , Jalan Coastal , Kota Kinabalu , 88000 Kota Kinabalu , Sabah, 88000, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 12 pm – 12 am

Contact: +60 88-447 866

3. Pan mee at Xing Wan Pan Mien

Editor’s Note: Photo taken from the establishment’s official social account

fine noddles / halus /

Posted by Xing Wan Pan Mee on Saturday, August 14, 2010

Popularly frequented, you can have your Pan Mee in three different ways — thick, thin, or hand torn — depending on your textural preference for the dish! Each dish comes with a topping of minced pork, wantons, and pork balls, and is served in a hot bowl of anchovy broth with local vegetables.

Xing Wan Pan Mian

Address: Ground Floor, Lot 18, Block F, Damai Plaza Phase IV Luyang, 88839 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 7.00 am – 4.00 pm (Sunday)

Contact: +60 88-233 933

4. Chicken wings at Fatt Kee

Source: Photo by Flickr user Alpha used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Located below Ang’s Hotel, Fatt Kee is famous for its delicious Chinese food, but even more famous for its sticky sweet honey chicken wings, usually had with a steaming bowl of white rice!

Kedai Kopi Fatt Kee

Address: Jalan Haji Saman, Pusat Bandar Kota Kinabalu, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 8.00 am – 2.00 pm

5. Indian food at Sri Lantha Curry House

Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Diádoco used under PUBLIC DOMAIN

If you’re looking for some Indian Food in Sabah, you would find that most locals would recommend the banana leaf rice at Sri Latha Curry House down in Bandaraya Berjaya. Vegetarian-friendly, the basic serving comes with 3 to 4 vegetable side dishes, and crispy, addictive poppadom crackers. You can choose to add on chicken or lamb to complement your meal and also a glass of their famous mango lassi, which will quench your thirst!

Sri Lantha Curry House

Address: No. 28, Jalan Berjaya, Bandat Berjaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 6.45 am – 5.00 pm

Contact: +60 88-253 669

6. Beef noodle at Kah Hiong Ngau Chap

Editor’s Note: Photo taken from the establishment’s official social account

Fan of beef balls? We have a perfect dish just for you – our F06 Beef Ball noodles is one of our best-sellers….

Posted by Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap on Saturday, July 3, 2021

Another popular dish in Sabah, ngiu chap (mixed beef soup), can be enjoyed in many ways at Kah Hiong. You could order yours served with vermicelli rice noodles, yellow noodles, or even just with plain white rice. If you’re squeamish about eating other organs/parts offered here, your safest choice is to order the beef balls and the stewed meat!

Kah Hiong Ngau Chap

Address: Block B, Lot 14, Kedai Plaza Grand Millenium, Jalan Pintas, Donggongon, Penampang, 88200 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 7.00 am – 3.00 pm

Contact: +60 88-731 646

7. Bak kut teh at Yu Kee Restaurant

Editor’s Note: Photo taken from the establishment’s official social account

Posted by Yu Kee Bah Kut Teh on Thursday, April 30, 2020

Bak kut teh is a well loved Malaysian dish of succulent pork ribs stewed for hours with garlic, onion, herbs, and spices to yield the most flavourful and aromatic broth. You can find the most popular version of this Kota Kinabalu food at Yu Kee Restaurant, so be sure to include visiting this place in your list of things to do in Kota Kinabalu.

Yu Kee Restaurant

Address: 74, Jalan GayaKota Kinabalu, 88000, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 88000, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 2.00 am – 10.00 pm

Contact: +60 88-221 192

8. Pineapple bun at Keng Wah Hing

Editor’s Note: Photo taken from the establishment’s official social account

Posted by Keng Wan Hing on Sunday, September 5, 2021

Keng Wah Hing is a restaurant that sells a variety of noodles and desserts along Jalan Gaya. You’ll see that most people are only queuing up for one thing here, which is the pineapple bun (aka. polo bun), which is baked golden fresh every day!

Keng Wah Hing

Address: 70, Jalan Gaya, Pusat Bandar Kota Kinabalu, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

9. ABC (shaved ice) at Tun Fuad Stephen’s Park

Source: Photo by Flickr user Alpha used under CC BY-SA 2.0

A bowl of ABC — meaning ais batu campur (mixed crushed ice) — is sought after by all Malaysians to beat the Malaysian heat. In Sabah, Ah Yap’s ABC at Tun Fuad Stephen’s Park is one of the more popular joints to get this cooling dessert (often enjoyed after a tiring jogging session)!

Tun Fuad Stephen’s Park

Address: Bukit Padang car park

Opening Hours: 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

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