Kuala Lumpur’s Petaling Street – 10 Essential Malaysian Street Food To Eat

Petaling Street

Known as Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, Jalan Petaling is a vibrant street where peak hour starts just before sunset and vendors start opening up their stalls for business. The massive market spreads across Jalan Pudu and Jalan Sultan.

It is common to see locals and tourists bargaining at Petaling Street as there is stiff competition arising from the scores of shops selling souvenirs, electronics and even fake designer items.

In the midst of shopping, fill your tummy with delicious street food you can find at Petaling Street. Here are 10 Street Food To Look Out For At Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur.

Beef Noodles Stall Petaling

#1 BEEF NOODLES

Ask any local and they will tell you to try beef noodles when you are in Kuala Lumpur. Seats at this beef noodles stall fill up fast so you really do have to reach earlier to beat the crowd. Those who are feeling adventurous can opt for beef innards.

Apam Balik Petaling

#2 APAM BALIK

First off, you should know that Apam Balik is a traditional Malaysian street snack that all tourists must try. It is essentially a sweet peanut pancake with a soft interior and crispy sides.

Prawn Noodles Petaling

#3 PRAWN NOODLES

Prawn mee is considered a staple in Malaysia and you can find that in Petaling Street. What constitutes a bowl of delicious prawn noodles is its spicy and rich broth which is boiled with prawn shells. It usually comes with prawns, sliced pork, egg and fried shallots.

Lok Lok Petaling

#4 LOK LOK

There is almost always a queue at lok lok stalls where you will find skewers containing everything, from meat to vegetables and seafood. Choose what you fancy from the wide selection and watch the stall vendor cook or fry your food in front of your eyes. There are also plenty of dipping sauce!

zi char petaling

#5 ZI CHAR

Those with family may want to consider going to a zi char stall for dinner to sample a range of local dishes. Their menus usually encompass traditional hawker favourites that come with a distinct wok hei flavour.

Char Kway Teow Petaling

#6 CHAR KWAY TEOW

Nothing makes us happier than a plate of sinful char kway teow and we are willing to forgo any diet plans for this. The best part of the char kway teow has got to be the juicy ham (fresh cockles)!

Bak Kut Teh Petaling

#7 BAK KUT TEH

Piping hot bak kut teh is comfort in a bowl. Malaysian-style bak kut teh comes with rich herbal flavours which are unlike the peppery versions you find in Singapore. Fans of pork-rib soup have to make it a point to try this.

Satay Petaling

#8 SATAY

Craving for some meat? You can choose to stop by for some satay there as well. Pick your choice of meat and have them fresh off the charcoal grill. Besides the roadside stalls, one popular satay destination at Petaling Street is Zainal’s Satay.

Roast Meat Stall Petaling

#9 ROAST MEAT

It is a known fact that the Chinese love their roast meats such as char siew, roast pork and roast duck. It is a common dish for dinner in many households and is also one of the most requested food items in restaurants as well. Try it for yourself!

Soya Bean Petaling

#10 SOYA BEAN CURD & SOYA BEAN MILK

Cool off from the weather with chilled soya bean milk or have a bowl of homemade bean curd at Kim Soya Bean. This stall has been doing business at Petaling Street for years and is now widely known in Kuala Lumpur.


Read our Kuala Lumpur travel guides for more recommendations on where to go and eat.