Food 🍜

By mid-morning the queue at Fook Ngian reaches past the drink counter of Thompson Cafe on Jalan Nanas, and most people are ordering takeaways, watching the roast shrink on the rack as the clock moves toward one. It has looked much like this since 1985, when a young Chin Chee Foo turned a three-year apprenticeship into a stall that would simply outlast every neighbouring coffee-shop owner who came and went. [image: 1789111634059-collage.jpg] Source: DayakDaily The craft arrived here through Padungan. Chee Foo's parents were duck farmers who supplied a well-known eatery there, and its owner urged the young man to learn the art of roasting. He trained for three years, then watched Thompson Cafe open in 1985 — the very year his son Chiah How was born — and took the chance, calling it his nasib, his luck. The name Fook Ngian honours the family's ancestral corner near Jalan Benggang, where the Chins still live today. Forty-one years later it is Chiah How behind the counter. He took over in 2007, persuaded by his late grandfather that an established stall should not be wasted, and he had already worked in a bakery and a well-known restaurant, so the kitchen was familiar ground. His father, now 73, still prepares most of the roasted meat — especially on busy weekends and during festivals — before retreating to his newspaper while the son serves. Everything is roasted in small daily batches: char siu, roast pork, duck and chicken, plated over rice with a light, salted broth, and made in limited quantities because the family would rather sell out than stretch quality. [image: 1789111634456-bbq-p3.jpg] Source: DayakDaily If I were planning a lunch around BDC or Jalan Nanas, I would come before half-past twelve: the case empties fast, takeaways outnumber dine-ins, and the stall prefers to close when the batch is gone rather than compromise. One detail stays with me — former customers who left Kuching years ago still come back asking about the old man behind the roast. That says more about this stall than any review could. Fook Ngian BBQ is inside Thompson Cafe at Jalan Nanas, Kuching, open daily from 8am to 2pm. For enquiries, call 016-855 6635. Open in Google Maps

By mid-afternoon the heat sits heavy on Jalan Song, and the small brass bell on Bernice Gan's counter inside Little Sky Cafe rings almost without pause. Whenever Bernice steps away to pour another Kopi C, the bell pulls her back — customers waiting for their ABC as if the stall itself is calling for her. Bernice has been shaving ice at this Tabuan Heights cafe since 2008, eighteen years that began even earlier in her father's kitchen. He taught her traditional sweet desserts and the art of working the ice before he retired, and after a three-month office job that never suited her, she turned the family skill into her livelihood. Her mother runs the kolo mee stall in the same cafe, so one family carries both ends of the day here: noodles while the sun is low, ABC when it climbs. The house ABC is a layered bowl — red beans, sweet corn, assorted jellies, sago jelly and green cendol under crushed ice, finished with gula apong and a pour of coconut or evaporated milk. Gula apong, the nipah palm sugar of Sarawak, is the caramel-sweet, faintly salty note that separates this bowl from a generic ice kacang. Regulars also cycle through White Lady, cendol kacang, fruit ice and the odd Metahorn, and her Kopi C — thick local brew smoothed with milk — is the quiet star of the morning side. [image: 1789103459011-full-p3.jpeg] Source: DayakDaily If I were visiting Tabuan Heights, I would come in the lull just after lunch: one ABC and one Kopi C, shared between two people, because the bowl is generous and the gula apong flavour deepens as you dig down. Arrive before nine instead and you are there for the family's other act — the kolo mee stall that draws the breakfast crowd. [image: 1789103459092-full-p4.jpeg] Source: DayakDaily Little Sky Cafe is on Jalan Song, Tabuan Heights, Kuching, open daily from 5am to 4pm. For orders or enquiries, call 017-400 0819. Open in Google Maps

At Thian's Laksa, the useful question is why a cook who could make many noodle dishes chose this one to build a daily stall around. At C3 Food Cafe in BDC, Karen Thian's bowl comes from 19 years learning in her guardian's eatery, memorising ingredients because she never had a written recipe. She waited until her youngest child turned ten before opening near home. Her laksa now has a decade-plus of regulars behind it; the same laksa paste gives the broth the consistency people return for. She also uses it for kolo mee, yellow noodles and kueh tiaw. I would start with the laksa, then compare one variation if you want to see how the same foundation changes. This is a morning stop: daily 6:30am-1pm except Thursday at C3 Food Cafe, BDC Commercial Centre, Kuching. Open in Google Maps [image: 1789038400972-laksa1-resized.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1789038401454-laksa2-resized.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily

A bowl of kueh chap can look familiar until the broth tells you whose kitchen it came from. At Tah San Yuan Cafe in Green Heights, EG Kueh Chap is the public chapter of a recipe Desmond Sim and Jenny Kho refined for years. They waited until their children were older before turning family cooking at birthdays and festive gatherings into a daily Teochew offering. Their signature special brings silky flat rice sheets in a dark, soy-based herbal broth with braised pork belly, intestines, pig skin, tofu, tau pok and sliced egg. The couple say the distinctive herb blend is the point. I would start with the special to understand their version; choose a simpler bowl if you prefer broth and noodles without the full range of braised toppings. This is a breakfast-to-lunch stop. EG Kueh Chap operates daily from 6:30am to 1pm at Tah San Yuan Cafe, Green Heights Commercial Centre, Kuching. Open in Google Maps [image: 1789031264924-p1.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1789031265046-p2.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1789031265160-p3.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily

At dawn, Song Corner is already moving while Jackson Goh is serving the kind of breakfast that does not need a long explanation: a hot bowl of rice porridge. Uncle Goh Porridge has been part of Kuching mornings for 17 years, but its story began with a late change of direction. [image: 1788858455819-p1.jpeg] DayakDaily Goh left the construction business and turned to cooking before he was 58. He learned through traditional knowledge, advice from friends and plenty of trial and error, gradually adjusting the recipe to suit the people who came back for breakfast. The stall started at a food court along Jalan Tun Jugah in 2009, then moved to Song Corner in Tabuan Heights about a decade ago. [image: 1788858455885-p2.jpeg] DayakDaily The shredded chicken porridge is the clear starting point: it is the stated favourite and costs RM5 a bowl. Pork and chicken options keep the menu familiar rather than elaborate, which is exactly the point for an early workday meal. I would choose it when I want something light but filling, especially before a busy morning; the stall serves from 6am to noon and closes on Thursdays. Uncle Goh Porridge Song Corner food court, Tabuan Heights, Jalan Song, Kuching Open in Google Maps Call 013-820 6311 for enquiries. A bowl here matters because it shows how a simple local breakfast can survive a career change, a relocation and 17 years of morning routines.

A first plate of belacan bee hoon is not a quiet introduction to Kuching. The fermented shrimp paste announces itself before the rice vermicelli arrives, which is exactly why No.4 Belachan Bee Hoon, Cuttle Fish & Kang Kong at Song Kheng Hai is worth approaching with an appetite and an open mind. [image: 1788779259550-p1.jpg] DayakDaily This stall's story is more specific than a generic hawker-centre recommendation. The recipe came through the operator's father-in-law, who sold belacan bee hoon around the KMC Flats before the family moved into the food centre. The broth is not a quick pour: the belacan is roasted, blended with herbs and simmered for up to four hours, then balanced with palm sugar and chilli sauce. [image: 1788779259643-p5.jpg] DayakDaily The normal set is the sensible starting point; add the century egg version if you want the richer RM8 plate. I would keep the supplied chilli, palm-sugar sauce or vinegar nearby, because the dish is deliberately pungent and the condiments let you move it from salty-fermented to sweeter, sharper or hotter. Sotong kangkung is the natural side order. No.4 Belachan Bee Hoon, Cuttle Fish & Kang Kong Song Kheng Hai Ground Food and Recreation Centre, Jalan Song Kheng Hai, Kuching Open in Google Maps Open daily, 11am–5pm. Come before the afternoon closes if you want to understand why a smell that divides first-timers can become a family habit. This is a dish for curious eaters, not for anyone seeking a neutral bowl of noodles.

A hot Kuching afternoon is exactly when a bowl of shaved ice stops being a side order and becomes the reason to pause. At Swee Kang Ais Kacang, that pause carries a family story: Chang Swee Kang chose shaved ice in the early 1950s rather than take over the family kueh chap work, because he did not want long hours in a hot kitchen. [image: 1788772037679-p1.jpeg] Source The name stayed with the dessert as the business moved from the old market area, to a house on Jalan Haji Taha, and then into the current cafe in 2009. His daughter Chang Miaw Choo now helps carry it forward, while nieces and nephews continue the hands-on work. That continuity explains why “Swee Kang” is more than a shop sign to regulars: the family says the taste has stayed nearly the same even as ingredient quality has changed over the decades. [image: 1788772038184-p2.jpeg] Source Start with the ais kacang or cendol, then consider the coconut-based White Lady if you want something creamier. The wider cafe also serves rojak buah, mee hoon belacan, laksa, mee goreng apong, lok-lok and umai jelly, so this works better as a light local-food stop than a single-dessert mission. I would come in the afternoon, but keep the Tuesday closure and 12pm–6:30pm hours in mind. Swee Kang Ais Kacang Jalan Kulas–Haji Taha Interchange, Kampung Bandarshah, Kuching Open in Google Maps If you want to understand why a Kuching dessert can become a family inheritance, this is the bowl to order.

If you are driving toward Siburan after dark, the useful question is whether a small-town cafe can turn a familiar burger into a reason to stop. At Ted Shin Cafe, Yummy Burger Bar begins evening service after breakfast. [image: 1788764943031-p1.jpeg] Source Owen Wen started the stall in 2021 after the Movement Control Order, bringing 18 years of bakery experience into fresh patties, vegetables and homemade sauces. This is a small operation built around preparation and repetition, not a long menu of shortcuts. [image: 1788764943250-p2.jpeg] Source The signature order is a homemade pork burger with melted cheese, a runny egg yolk and sauce. Chicken and beef versions, Burger Pattaya, Ramly-style burgers, toast burgers, Benjo burgers and hot dogs widen the choice. Prices reported for the stall run from RM4 to RM11, so I would start with the pork burger, while families can choose cheaper options. Yummy Burger Bar operates at Ted Shin Cafe, Lot 3464, Block 7, Sentah Segu LD 1456, Taman Duranda Emas, 94200 Siburan, from 7pm to 11pm except Monday. Plan this as an evening drive, and confirm service before a special trip. Open in Google Maps This suits diners who enjoy a handmade small-town burger and a choice of pork, chicken or beef. Would you order the runny-egg pork burger or keep it simple?

When Ricky Kho lost his wholesale business after the pandemic, he did something he had never imagined: he put on an apron and started cooking. Today, the 54-year-old is known for his savoury cha kueh — fried flat rice cakes — at Old Rex Cucur Udang Cafe on Jalan Nanas. A life-size poster of him at the stall has become part of the cafe's familiar landscape. [image: 1788606693669-p1.jpg] DayakDaily "Before the pandemic, I worked in the wholesale industry. But after it ended, the market slowed significantly and I faced a major setback. I realised that selling food would allow me to earn an income daily," Kho recalled. He learned how to prepare flat rice cakes from a friend, and with their guidance, started his business three years ago. What he discovered was a hidden talent for the wok. His experience in sales taught him resilience, and he brought the same perseverance to stir-frying. [image: 1788606693781-p2.jpg] DayakDaily "My experience in sales taught me resilience. Now, all I need to do is put on my apron, place the prepared flat rice cakes into the wok with a few ingredients, and start crafting these savoury dishes," he said. His signature is the cha kueh with oysters — a seafood twist on the classic that has become a hit among customers. The menu also includes versions with eggs and bean sprouts, all prepared with the same savoury focus. "I realised I could focus better on improving the dishes and maintaining consistency in taste. Some stalls serve dishes that are either too salty or too sweet. My menu focuses on savoury options." Operating at the nostalgic Old Rex cafe — known for its vibrant history and its famous cucur udang (prawn fritters) — has been an added bonus. Kho has served various public figures who have visited the eatery. "For now, I enjoy serving my own version of cha kueh and meeting people from all walks of life. My wife helps me at the stall. I believe this is my legacy and destiny." How to visit Chachamoo Cha Kueh is at Old Rex Cucur Udang Cafe, Jalan Nanas, Kuching. Open in Google Maps. Open daily 6am–4pm, except Mondays. Come early for the freshest batch, and don't miss the oyster cha kueh if you're a seafood lover.

The afternoon crowd at Hui Sing Open Air Hawker Centre knows exactly where to go when that craving for something crispy and savoury hits. Stall No.5 is Chin Khoon, and the star of the show is popcorn chicken — bite-sized, seasoned to perfection, and served with a pile of local purple rice and crunchy potato chips. Behind the stall are Augustin Then, 58, and his wife Yeo Siok Kheng. Their family's story in Kuching's hawker scene goes back further than most people realise. Between the 1970s and 1990s, they operated at the now-defunct Palm Road Hawker Centre, starting with beverages and later switching to satay as the area grew busier. In 1993, the family relocated to Hui Sing. Then took over from his parents and initially ran a fast-food operation catering to nearby college students. But rising ingredient costs and the demanding pace of fast food led him to make a bold move: he simplified the menu and focused entirely on popcorn chicken. "After my parents retired, we found fast food too labour-intensive. So we started selling popcorn chicken, and have been doing it ever since," Then explains. The pivot defined the stall. The popcorn chicken — crispy on the outside, juicy within — is served with local purple rice and potato chips, a combination that regulars have stuck with for years. The menu stays intentionally short: two additional chicken rice options and a four-hour window from 3pm to 7pm daily, or until the chicken runs out. "Our hawker community here is very close-knit and supportive. Since 1993, our bonds have only grown stronger, and we also guide younger hawkers," Then shares. How to visit Chin Khoon is at Stall No.5, Hui Sing Open Air Hawker Centre, Kuching. Open in Google Maps. Open daily 3pm–7pm, closed Saturdays. Come early — the popcorn chicken often sells out before closing. The hawker centre has plenty of other stalls worth trying too, including satay and tomato noodles.

There are mornings when only a bowl of comforting noodles will do — and that is when the locals of Jalan Petanak head to Sung Huat Cafe. Also known to regulars as Soon Fatt Cafe, this unassuming kopitiam at Lot 150 has been quietly feeding Kuching for 26 years. The man behind the wok is Lew, a 58-year-old who never planned to become a cook. [image: 1788606385107-p1.jpg] DayakDaily Lew started his working life in the woodworking industry in Sandakan, Sabah. But when the 1997 economic crisis hit, jobs dried up and he needed a new direction. With his family, he moved to Kuching — travelling on stone roads from Sibu — and began learning to cook from scratch. "We learned by eating out and observing how others cooked. It was a lot of trial and error," he recalled. Together with his wife, he experimented in the kitchen until they perfected their dishes. [image: 1788606385390-p2-resized.jpg] DayakDaily Today, the cafe's menu is built around traditional Foochow flavours. The Big Prawn Mee is a favourite — generously topped with fresh prawns in a rich savoury broth. The Foochow Mee, with its dark soy caramelised profile, draws regulars who have been coming for years. Then there is the Red Wine Egg Soup, a traditional Foochow comfort dish made with red rice wine, ginger and eggs. It is the kind of bowl that warms you from the inside out — especially welcome on a rainy Kuching morning. [image: 1788606385824-p3-resized.jpg] DayakDaily Lew also serves Foochow Kampua and Zao Cai Hong Ngan, each dish carrying the same careful attention to balance that comes from decades of practice. What makes Sung Huat Cafe special is not just the food, but the sense of continuity. Many customers, both local and international, have been eating here for years. The kopitiam has become a neighbourhood anchor — a place where relationships are built over shared meals and the same orders are placed year after year. How to visit Sung Huat Cafe (顺发茶室) is at Lot 150, Jalan Petanak, Kuching. Open in Google Maps. Operating hours: Monday to Friday 6am–2pm and 6pm–11pm; Saturday to Sunday 6am–2pm. Look for the old-school kopitiam signage — it is easy to miss, but the crowd outside usually gives it away. If you are new to Foochow food, start with the Foochow Mee and a bowl of Red Wine Egg Soup. The prawn mee is worth arriving early for, and the portions are generous enough for a filling breakfast or lunch. Cash is preferred.

The sizzle reaches you before the smell does. Walk into A1 Food Centre in BDC Commercial Centre during the morning rush and the sound of a blazing hot wok cuts through the chatter. That is Lepok Bujang, known to everyone as Apok, working his station at Apok Stir Fry. [image: 1788585323246-img0.jpg] [image: 1f4f8.png?v=732d1b4bb45] DayakDaily At 51, Apok has been cooking for more than 30 years. He started his food career at 19, leaving his hometown of Bau for Miri in 1994, where he worked as a kitchen helper and picked up skills from experienced chefs. After returning to Kuching, he spent 27 years perfecting his craft at a cafe in BDC Commercial Centre before taking the leap to open his own stall last year. "I am happy to finally have my own stall after working for other people for more than 30 years," he says. One detail that sets Apok apart is his homemade barbecued meat — a skill he learned during his early Miri years from experienced cooks. The meat goes into his fried noodles and rice dishes, adding a savoury depth that regulars have come to expect. [image: 1788585323638-img1.jpg] [image: 1f4f8.png?v=732d1b4bb45] DayakDaily His menu covers a wide range of fried noodle and rice options. Rather than pushing a single signature item, Apok treats every dish with the same care — stir-fried to order over high heat, so each plate carries that smoky wok hei that turns a simple meal into something memorable. "I cook every dish fresh for them," he says simply. The sweet and sour meat with rice and the stir-fried beehoon are local favourites. Regulars also come for his fried kueh tiaw and mee, all cooked with that same intensity. Address: Apok Stir Fry, A1 Food Centre, BDC Commercial Centre, Jalan Lapangan Terbang Baru, 93350 Kuching Open in Google Maps Hours: 6:00am–2:00pm daily (closed Fridays) Morning is the best time to visit — the stall draws a steady breakfast crowd and the wok hei is at its best when Apok is in full rhythm. If you are looking for an honest, expertly fried plate of noodles made by someone who has spent a lifetime learning the wok, this is the kind of place that reminds you why street food in Kuching is worth chasing.

It is just after dawn and Gan Pueh Hong is already at his supplier, picking out the freshest mackerel before most of Kuching has had its first coffee. For the past 18 years, this early-morning ritual has been the foundation of every bowl of pan mee that leaves his stall. Gan's stall, Da Jia Hao ('hello everyone' in Mandarin), sits inside Belly+Kopitiam at RH Plaza — a busy kopitiam that fills up fast once the lunch crowd arrives. His specialty is handmade flat egg noodles in a savoury mackerel broth, a style that was still rare in Kuching when he opened. [image: 1788578196772-img0.jpg] [image: 1f4f8.png?v=732d1b4bb45] DayakDaily Gan did not grow up in the food trade. Before opening Da Jia Hao, he spent more than 20 years selling kitchenware and home appliances, and even worked as a microwave instructor for an international company in Kuala Lumpur. A career in Indonesia and Brunei followed. But after retiring from that industry, he realised what he really wanted was to cook. "I wanted to earn a livelihood while doing something meaningful, so I decided to make pan mee and open this stall," he shares. Self-taught, Gan spent years refining his recipes to suit local tastes. Today he offers eight varieties of pan mee, with the fresh mackerel soup version remaining the favourite. Although he uses a machine to roll the dough, every bit of fish is processed by hand — a labour-intensive process he finds deeply rewarding. The result is a broth that carries the clean sweetness of fresh mackerel, paired with noodles that have just the right chew. It is not a fancy bowl, but it is honest, filling and consistent — the kind that brings regulars back week after week. [image: 1788578196874-img1.jpg] [image: 1f4f8.png?v=732d1b4bb45] DayakDaily Gan works alongside his wife, Mdm Teng, at the stall. His two children have not expressed interest in taking over, but Gan shows no signs of slowing down. "As long as I still enjoy cooking and my customers enjoy eating my pan mee, I'll continue," he says. Da Jia Hao is open in two daily windows — 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 9pm — so it works for both a late breakfast and an early dinner. The morning session tends to be quieter; the evening crowd brings a livelier buzz. [image: 1788578196944-img2.jpg] [image: 1f4f8.png?v=732d1b4bb45] DayakDaily Address: Belly+Kopitiam, RH Plaza, Lorong Lapangan Terbang 1, 93250 Kuching Open in Google Maps Hours: 8:00am–1:00pm, 5:00pm–9:00pm daily Contact: 012-345 1966 If you are after a hearty, no-fuss bowl of pan mee that tastes like somebody's family recipe — because it is — this stall at RH Plaza is worth making time for.

Some Kuching family meals are built around a practical question: what can satisfy everyone at one table? New Sister Cafe answers with Malaysian Chinese comfort food, from butter chicken rice to tomato kueh tiaw, in a room that carries an older address with it. [image: 1788519969175-fried-rice.jpg] Source The cafe is a remake of the earlier Sister Cafe that stood behind the present site. Reopening under a new name brought a fresher dining room and a revised menu, while the family’s food-and-hospitality tradition still reaches back several generations. That makes the move part of the story, not just a change of signboard. [image: 1788519969281-oyster-pancake.jpg] Source Customer notes repeatedly point to the butter chicken, prawn or pork rice sets and tomato kueh tiaw; another recurring detail is wok hei in the fried rice. I would choose a rice set when the table wants something familiar, and tomato kueh tiaw when you want the meal to feel more distinctly local. Reviews also warn that some zhu char dishes can lean heavily on MSG, so this is a place where ordering selectively pays off. [image: 1788519969366-braised-pork.jpg] Source New Sister Cafe is at Ground Floor, Lot 503, Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Kuching. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, roughly 10am–7pm, and closes Monday; the listing has also carried a July 2026 update, so the current schedule is easier to cross-check before going. Open in Google Maps Bring a mixed group, order one dependable rice dish and one noodle plate to share, and leave room for the family-run cafe’s quieter strength: a familiar recipe adjusted for a new generation.

When a Kuching morning starts before traffic builds at Jalan Rock, I would choose a breakfast still made with a little intention. Joo Seng Cafe's familiar order is roti bakar with teh tarik; the telling detail is that the toast is oven-baked until golden instead of relying on a toaster machine. [image: 1788498427619-p1-resized.jpg] Source That choice connects the present shop to a longer story. Joo Seng has been part of Kuching's breakfast scene since the 1960s, founded by Mr Foo Siang Swee and his family. Its menu also brings together Sarawak laksa, mee jawa and fried chicken rice, so a mixed group can share a table. [image: 1788498428123-p2-resized.jpg] Source The teh tarik is poured between cups to build a fine froth. Public customer notes also single out the cold milk tea, buttered toast and hearty Mee Jawa Special. I would start with toast and teh tarik, then choose mee jawa if breakfast must carry into lunch; it is the fuller option and may come with satay and fried chicken. [image: 1788498428566-p3-resized.jpg] Source Joo Seng Cafe is at No. 125, 1½ Miles, Jalan Rock, Kuching, open about 5:30am–5pm. It is often busy, so arrive early. Open in Google Maps For a first Kuching breakfast, it works when one person wants toast and another wants a local meal. Would you keep it classic, or go straight for mee jawa?

When a table wants to understand Sarawak beyond laksa and kolo mee, Lepau gives the meal a clearer starting point: order dishes from several indigenous food traditions and let the rice and condiments connect them. Lepau means “hut” in Kayan, and the restaurant has operated since 2014. Its timber-hut setting, indoor and outdoor seating and sape music are part of the idea, not decoration added after the menu. The restaurant’s 2018 Malaysia Tourism Awards win for Best Innovative Ethnic Restaurant also explains why it has kept a place in Kuching’s visitor-and-local dinner circuit. I would begin with the Pansuh Chicken and Purple Bario Rice wrapped in Itun Sip, then add Terung Asam Fish or Tempoyak Anchovies for sharper, more fermented notes. The bamboo-chicken tradition is the gentle route into the meal; the fermented durian anchovies and sour eggplant gravy are the choices for diners who want Sarawak’s bolder edges. Allow 30–40 minutes for a walk-in table when the dining room is busy, so a reservation makes more sense for visitors with a fixed evening plan. Lepau is on Jalan Ban Hock, close enough to pair with a city-centre walk, but it is a sit-down meal rather than a quick hawker stop. Lepau Restaurant 99, Jalan Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak Open Lepau Restaurant in Google Maps [image: 1788491231957-p1-resized.jpg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1788491232346-p2.jpg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1788491232572-p3.jpg] Source — Holidays From Singapore

At Cafe Cafe on Jalan Rubber, the choice is not between local comfort and international food; the restaurant was built around putting both on one table. Cafe Cafe began in Sibu in 2003, and the brand now describes three Sibu restaurants and two in Kuching. The Kuching branch carries that expansion story into a former carwash setting on Rubber Road, where a broad fusion menu is part of the proposition. I would start with Beef Rendang or Nyonya Kapitan Chicken, then add a Western dish only if the table wants to compare. Public descriptions point to substantial portions designed for sharing, while a May 28, 2026 visitor review found choices for a large group and mentioned nasi lemak. The strength here is flexibility, not a single signature bowl. Plan this as a relaxed lunch or dinner for families and mixed groups. Public listings give 11am–11pm hours, but parking around the Rubber Road shoplots can be limited. Cafe Cafe fits a group where some want local, Thai or Nyonya food and others want Western comfort. Cafe Cafe 24, Jln Rubber Selatan, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak Open Cafe Cafe in Google Maps [image: 1788433559675-p1.jpg] Source — Trip.com [image: 1788433559935-p2.jpg] Source — Trip.com [image: 1788433560094-p3.jpg] Source — Trip.com

On Jalan Tabuan, the useful question is not whether to stop for a quick plate of rice, but whether you have enough time to let a family story unfold over it. Tok Janggut Cafe began in 2000, when former mechanic Makshut Anuar Hassan closed his garage and opened an eatery with his wife, Patimah Abdul Razak. That change of trade still explains the menu. Patimah brought cooking knowledge inherited from her father, who ran a cafe at the Kuching Port Authority, while Makshut’s practical, technical mind became part of the kitchen partnership. Their daughters Hajar and Nasariah later chose to run the cafe instead of following their business degrees into office work. Even the name is family-made: grandchildren called Makshut “Tok Janggut”, or bearded grandfather. The plate that carries this history is the nasi briyani. I would start with Briyani Ayam Madu if you like a sweet-savory finish, or Briyani Ikan if you want the rice and gravy to stay in the foreground. The menu also includes chicken, fried chicken, sambal chicken, beef and lamb shank versions, so a group can compare the gravies rather than ordering identical plates. Rojak, mee curry and morning roti canai make the cafe broader than a briyani stop, but the briyani is the clearest reason to make the detour. This is a halal Muslim eatery, and its practical rhythm matters: it opens daily from 7:30am to 2pm except Sundays and public holidays. I would arrive for a late breakfast or lunch, allow time for the limited afternoon window, and use the commercial-centre parking rather than planning this as an evening meal. The family continuity is the point—what began as a parents’ safety net has become a second-generation kitchen still serving the recipes that came through KPA and the family table. Tok Janggut Cafe Chong Lin Park Commercial Centre, Ground Floor, Lot 354, Sublot P4-G-6B, Section 55, Jalan Tabuan, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak Open in Google Maps [image: 1788419113981-briyani.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1788419114219-venue.jpeg] Source — DayakDaily

Siniawan is at its most atmospheric when the night market lights come on, but The Bikalan gives the old bazaar another reason to linger: a river-facing bar-cafe where Dayak flavours share the table with Chinese and Western comfort food. The setting matters. The Bikalan occupies a renovated Belian-wood shophouse in the historic bazaar, so the meal feels tied to the place rather than dropped into a generic suburban unit. Its current recognition in the 2026 TOP25 Restaurants Sarawak Awards for sustainable gastronomy also reflects a deliberate relationship with local produce, materials and the surrounding river-and-hill landscape. I would begin with the Bikalan Special Fried Chicken and Fried Bihon with cangkuk manis, then add a drink if you are making an evening of it. The fried chicken is the easy group order; the bihon is the more specifically Sarawakian conversation starter, with the leafy vegetable bringing a local note to a familiar wok dish. Expect a relaxed, social meal rather than a fast bowl-and-go stop, and leave room for the Friday-to-Sunday night-market atmosphere outside. This is a good route for visitors who want a meal with a sense of Siniawan’s old street, and for Kuching groups willing to drive beyond the city centre. I would come before the market gets busy, confirm the day’s hours on the venue’s public page, and treat the menu as a shared table: one recognisable fried dish, one local-ingredient plate, and time to enjoy the open-air setting. The Bikalan 33 Siniawan Bazaar, 94000 Bau, Sarawak Open in Google Maps [image: 1788411926020-food.jpg] Source — The Bikalan [image: 1788411926398-food2.jpg] Source — The Bikalan [image: 1788411926877-venue.jpg] Source — The Bikalan

A first visit to Choon Hui is easy to reduce to one question: is this the famous bowl, or merely the famous address? The answer becomes clearer when the laksa arrives at this old corner kopitiam on Jalan Ban Hock: rice vermicelli, shredded chicken, prawns, egg strips and beansprouts sit in a shrimp-spiced broth softened with coconut milk. It is balanced rather than punishing, leaving the sambal and lime to decide how far the heat goes. [image: 1788405319170-laksa.jpeg] Source: Call Me A Food Lover The fame has a very specific origin. Anthony Bourdain ate here for No Reservations in 2005 and returned for the Borneo episode of Parts Unknown in 2015. That television trail explains the queue, but it does not settle the taste question: the bowl earns its place through a dependable broth, while the popularity brings shared tables, weekend waiting and a real risk that the pot is thinner late in the morning. [image: 1788405319452-cafe.jpeg] Source: Call Me A Food Lover The detail that changes the visit is the popiah. These are fresh, unfried rolls filled with stewed jicama, egg and bits of prawn, finished with a sweet-savoury sauce. The laksa is why visitors arrive; the popiah is why many regulars order a second plate without treating it as an afterthought. If I had one morning in Kuching, I would order both rather than pay for the special laksa alone. [image: 1788405319612-popiah.jpeg] Source: Call Me A Food Lover Choon Hui is a morning-only stop at Jalan Ban Hock, Kuching. Aim for about 7:30–9:00am, especially on a weekday; the laksa can sell out before the kopitiam’s posted closing time. Bring small cash for the laksa counter, and expect street parking to be tight on weekends. Address: Jalan Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak Open Choon Hui Cafe in Google Maps This is a useful reference bowl for a first-time visitor, not a universal “best” verdict. Would you pair it with popiah, or use the same morning to hunt a quieter neighbourhood laksa?