Malaysia
North of Curve mall, Closer is a masterclass in minimalist design, with a bare concrete and monochrome aesthetic. All the better for you to focus on the…
Must-see nightlife in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur
On the 59th floor of the Banyan Tree hotel, this is currently reigning champ for KL's loftiest rooftop bar. Off course, it's all about the views here,…
Johor Bahru
Elevating the usual chai walla (tea seller) stall, this drinks cafe has made its home in a trendy, all-black, double-storey shipping container, with…
George Town
With a hidden location behind an unmarked door – ask at the nearby Good Friends Club – and a unique marketing angle (it claims to be an 'overpriced pin…
George Town
George Town is crazy about speakeasies, epitomised by this well-hidden bar. To find it, locate Hold Up Coffee Shop, then proceed through the giant orange…
Kuala Lumpur
Set in a remodelled shophouse on hip Jln Mesui, Feeka serves espresso and cold brew with optional extras of syrup infusions, oat milk and almond milk. It…
Kuching
Every emerging Southeast Asian city needs a decent rooftop bar, and the ritzy Sky Lounge provides superb river views as sleepy afternoons slowly merge…
Kuala Lumpur
Perceiving a gap in the market, English owner Paul James opened this bar dedicated to craft beer. Choose from over 30 beers sourced from Japan, the US,…
Kuala Terengganu
One of Kuala Terengganu's best coffee joints, Star Anise extracts a fine espresso and concocts several flavoured variations of coffee for those with a…
Ipoh
Allegedly the originator of Ipoh's famous white coffee, this hectic kedai kopi (coffee shop) pours an excellent brew (coffee from RM1.40) while food…
Kuala Lumpur
The kind of bar in which colonial planters would have knocked back G&Ts, this retro watering hole (in business since 1921) oozes nostalgia. The bar is…
Melaka City
You'll almost certainly have to queue to score a table in this retro-styled cafe, which is located behind a Chinatown souvenir and clothing shop. Though…
Kuala Lumpur
One of the better bars and eateries on TREC's Electric Blvd is so-called for its nightly transformation from gastro-bar to live music club. It's a…
Miri
The hippest – and often the loudest – venue in Miri's Marina Parkcity neighbourhood, Alice in Borneoland alternates between a cool spot for an evening…
Kuching
Formerly known as the Tiger Garden – look for the neon sign – the corner-located Bear Garden is a good spot for the first (well-priced) beer of the…
Kuala Lumpur
A French-style cafe-bar, complete with checked red tablecloths, in the surrounds of a Japanese-style garden and koi pond might be culturally confusing…
Miri
Lined with bookcases and channelling a cool and cosmopolitan ambience, Chapter One is the best of the more modern and stylish cafes taking hold in Miri's…
Kuala Lumpur
There are plenty of rooftop bars in KL, but none sport the exhilarating 360-degree views of this place. Steady your hands carrying your daiquiri or lychee…
George Town
Sure, it's a hotel pool bar, but the breezy rooftop location and spectacular views towards the mainland and inland to Penang Hill make Gravity one of the…
Kuala Lumpur
This drop-dead gorgeous loft-like space with its city skyline views houses a slick restaurant and various cosy lounges for cocktails. The Asian and Latin…
George Town
Enter a glass room housing what looks like it could've been Louis XVI's bathroom only to emerge in a pastel pink lozenge that resembles a Mary Kay…
Pulau Langkawi
One of the best bars on Pantai Cenang, Nest doesn't sell alcohol. However, you can buy a bottle from a duty-free shop in the area, take it to the 5th…
Melaka City
Creedence Clearwater Revival and other 1970s rock bands dominate the turntable at this hipster bar in a cute lane near the Kampung Jawa pedestrian bridge…
Kuala Lumpur
Jln Doraisamy's reinvention as the Row has thrown up a few cool cafes and restaurants to hang out in, including this one. It serves a good house-blend…
George Town
This airy, Japanese-leaning cafe does light meals, refined desserts and excellent coffee drinks; an espresso and a slice of the rich galaxy mirror glaze…
Pulau Langkawi
A soft sand floor, overhanging palm trees, great coffee and a fine breakfast menu (including spectacular waffles with mango and coconut cream) make this…
Malaysia
A pleasingly accurate rendition of a British country pub stands on the corner of Bukit Fraser's main roundabout, complete with fireplace, wood beams,…
Melaka City
This cosy pub is staunchly unhip and all the more enjoyable for it, especially for older visitors. At weekends there's live blues and rock, often with…
Pulau Langkawi
Perched on a wave-lashed rocky outcrop between Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah, this is an exhilarating spot for a sundowner, with cocktails (from RM18) a…
Malaysia
Laptops seem almost mandatory at this greenhouse-like cafe, a favourite with local office workers (and a great place to eavesdrop on tech start-ups). The…
Sarawak
It wins no prizes for an original name, but the bar at the new GoldenBay Hotel is the best place in town to combine sunset views of the South China Sea…
Malaysia
Seven kilometres south of Klang town there's a chic set of art-cafes and coffee haunts, and one of the best is Coffee Ink. Abstract art, wooden birdcages…
Kota Bharu
A cold pint of draught beer goes down very nicely at this centrally located combination of pub and sports bar especially during happy hour from 4pm to 9pm…
Pulau Langkawi
Sink into an umbrella-shaded beanbag on this beach bar in the middle of Pantai Cenang. A bassy soundtrack of house and pop animates the place by day,…
Pulau Langkawi
This open-air restaurant and cocktail bar has some creative drinks – who fancies a five-spiced poached apple and cinnamon mojito? Tom yum martini, anyone?…
Melaka City
You'll want to grab a seat out front by the boardwalk overlooking the river to maximise what this no-nonsense waterside bolt-hole has to offer. Beer is…
Cameron Highlands
One block back from Tanah Rata's main street, this welcoming bar is a beacon to hikers in need of a cold beer or a frosted cocktail at the end of a long…
Kuala Lumpur
Take your pisco sour in the cosy, exposed-brick interior or the plant-filled courtyard of this slick tapas joint. The chef is half Peruvian, so naturally…
Kuala Lumpur
Occupying the ground floor and front garden of an old shophouse, Pahit immortalises its 'juniper and joy' ethos with a neon sign. Inside the brick-lined…
Melaka City
Serving superb coffee and featuring a different bean each week, this lovely cafe is tucked away out of the action. The baristas really know their stuff,…
