KUALA LUMPUR – Ah, the aromatic smell of freshly roasted beans wafting in the air. The slight rumbling noise of espresso machines in the background. The clatter of stainless steel spoons against porcelain cups. And the chattering patrons meld together into indistinguishable background noise.
Yep, the café scene in Kuala Lumpur (KL) is going strong as evidently shown by the increasing number of coffee roasters popping up all over the city. Moreover, the population of the coffee community is ever-rising as you can probably already tell. Droves and droves of café surfers can be found in these cafés – a mug of coffee on one side, furiously typing on their laptops as they attempt to be productive.
For your caffeine fix, here are 6 best coffee roasters/cafés found right here in KL. And as an added bonus, these coffee places also serve as a great place to get out of the office to work in.
6 Best Coffee Roasters/Cafes in KL
Feeka Coffee Roasters
This spacious coffee roaster spot is found smack dab in the middle of bustling KL city (Bukit Bintang, to be exact). The old townhouse building this café resides in features a spacious and bare interior. Think plain walls, pale tones, and simple furnishings and you’ll have a good idea of what Feeka is all about.
Imagine getting your caffeine on as you get those productivity juices going – the simplistic interior lending its influence to put you into a focused state of mind.
As far as the actual coffee goes, the people behind Feeka Coffee Roasters aim for the Nordic approach. Feeka utilizes a wide range of selection of beans along with a light roast for all their coffee. Other than that, you can expect the standard café treats like cakes, pancakes, burgers, and so on.
Where: 19, Jalan Mesui, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: Daily from 8 AM to 11 PM daily
Merchant’s Lane
This particular café features a mix of traditional, contemporary, and eccentric design. The interior decor will remind you of colonial shophouses ala George Town in Penang – with air wells and olden tree barks growing out of the walls. With exposed ceilings, custom-made rattan furnishing, and wooden flooring, this hidden café is indeed an ideal spot for some OOTD shots for your feed.
Merchant’s Lane is a quiet and hidden affair, in contrast to the always-busy and crowded Chinatown in KL. The café offers a rather secret getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, which also means that it is a great spot to get work done. Though, the café can be a tad tricky to find, especially with the lack of signage. But trust us, the hunt is all apart of the fun!
Merchant’s Lane serves a variety of hand-crafted teas and coffees as well as fusion-style brunches and desserts. For their desserts, the café has a wide selection of cakes sourced from bakeries around the city.
Where: 150, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday – 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday – 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Closed on Wednesdays
VCR
VCR features an all-black interior with high ceilings and cosy lighting. The grungy and rustic setting, though calm and inviting, is also intensified by the use of dark wood and steel furnishings.
Judging by the stream of coffee aficionados flooding the café on a daily basis, we’d say that this spot is a popular one. Oh, but don’t worry about looking for seats as the café has plenty of space – two floors and an alfresco seating area to be exact.
Here, you’ll get to enjoy a variety of smooth and strong coffee while typing up your latest business plan. And once you inevitably get hunger pangs, you don’t even have to leave the joint as VCR offers succulent grub to satisfy your gastronomic needs.
Of note, VCR offers excellent breakfast options like brioche, French Toast, and granola. Yummy!
Where: 2, Jalan Galloway, Bukit Bintang, 50150 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: Daily from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Three Little Birds Coffee
The next coffee roaster on our list remains a classic haunt among the locals. Don’t think so? Come on a weekend and you’ll find customers from all walks of life lounging around for a cuppa.
Three Little Birds is located a mere stone’s throw away from the Sentul Timur LRT station, which makes it easy for working (digital) nomads to access the locale.
As for the building itself, Three Little Birds is divided into, well, three spaces: the roastery, the storage, and the café itself. The interior of the café is tastefully decorated with simple custom-made wood furniture and polished cement flooring. Also, a long communal table takes centre stage when you enter the premises. If you’d prefer fresh air instead, Three Little Birds Coffee has an outdoor patio where the open space and greens set a tranquil tone for you to work in.
Other than their popular and aromatic coffee picks, the café offers various light bites to keep your hunger at bay. Western delights such as spaghetti, roasted chicken, and the like are to be expected, while sweet desserts pair well with your cuppa joe.
Where: D7, Jalan Sentul, Sentul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday – 8 AM to 11 PM
Friday and Saturday – 8 AM to 12 AM
Sundays – 9 AM to 10 PM
Sudo Brew
Now, while technically not located in the KL city region, this next café is still within reasonable reach from the city – so give us a break here.
The casual design of the café, combined with clean workspaces provide the best kind of place to work and chill at. And if you’re anti-social, there are individual work stations with adjustable lamps available for you to cut yourself off from the outside world.
As far as food and beverages go, Sudo Brew offers a variety of coffee for those that are fueled by caffeine. Otherwise, the café also offers a delicious selection of food including spaghetti, croissants, etc. that will help fight off the hunger demons while you are hard at work.
Where: 7, Jalan SS22/11, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening Hours: 24 hours daily
Transparent Coffee
One of KL’s hidden gems, Transparent Coffee is a café that serves quality coffee and good grub. It’s ‘transparent’ in such a way that there is no grand signage to spot on the storefront, so it’s easy to miss it! Definitely on their A-game for being minimalist-chic. The cafe prides itself on being transparent in terms of where they source and procure its coffee beans. Overall, the cafe has a laidback vibe, making it an ideal spot to just chill out alone or with your best pals.
Where: 6-G, Jalan Abdullah, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 5pm
The original article was first published on October 15, 2019. Last updated by Kellin Chew on 8 November 2022.
