Mari Makan! Where to find the best Malaysian food in Dubai
Largely influenced by Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisines, Malaysian food is not as widely-known as its more famous counterparts, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less delicious! Dubai caters to its lovers of Malaysian culinary delights with a diverse selection of speciality restaurants. So, whether you’re already a covert to the sumptuous joys of Malay cuisine, or just want to try something new, our guide to the best Malaysian restaurants in Dubai has you covered.
WHERE TO FIND MALAYSIAN FOOD IN DUBAI
When it comes to Malaysian food, plain steamed white rice is a staple dish of this cuisine. It is cooked in multiple ways; sometimes in a rice cooker, other times on a stove utilising the rapid-boil, absorption or compression methods. Compressed rice is called nasi himpit.
Nasi himpit is typically served with veggies and meats. However, you can also enjoy steamed rice with coconut milk and beetle leaves – which is called nasi lemak. Along with rice, noodles and white bread are also foundations of Malay cuisine.
Want to know where you can enjoy a Malay culinary adventure without leaving the UAE? Here’s a lowdown of the top places for Malaysian food in Dubai.
NUR MALAYSIA
Located in Oud Metha, Nur Malaysia is one of the most popular Malaysian restaurants in Dubai. Nur Malaysia offers as many as 13 rice-based dishes, including nasi goreng kampung (anchovies), ayam (fried chicken) and pataya (veggies and chicken).
Served with a choice of vermicelli and flat rice, Nur Malaysia’s noodle-based dishes are menu favourites with the many regular diners who keep coming back for more.
Did you know that this restaurant offers eight types of Malaysian flatbread?! No wonder Nur Malaysia is one of the most popular eateries in Oud Metha!
- Average cost for two: AED 105
- Location: Ground Floor, Oud Metha Building, Beside Malaysian Trade Centre, Oud Metha
- Timings: 07:00 am – 11:00 pm | 07:00 am – 11:30 pm
- Contact: +971-4-331-3135
MAMAK
Mamak is a fantastic Malaysian restaurant serving an eclectic range of foods to the Malaysian community in Dubai. Dishes like nasi goreng kampung, meehoon goreng, popiah Goreng, oxtail soup, and rojak have generated rave reviews from diners. Are you ready to try a bit of everything?
- Average cost for two: AED 145
- Location: Unit 42, Wasl Square, Opposite Safa Park, Al Hadiqa Road, Al Safa
- Timings: 07:30 am – 10:30 pm | 07:30 – 12:00 pm and 01:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Fridays)
- Contact: +971-4-333-4543
YUM!
Nestled in Radisson Blu Hotel, Yum is a pan-Asian restaurant that celebrates the intelligent blend of flavours and spices typical of Asian food. Yum serves a sizzling fusion of Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai and Indonesian cuisine. Those looking particularly for Malaysian (Malay) culinary joys can try the beloved nasi goreng, made with wok-fried rice, eggs, baby corns and carrots.
- Average cost for two: AED 260
- Location: Level 1, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, Baniyas
- Timings: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
- Contact: +971-4-205-7333
TOSHI
Toshi is another restaurant where you can experience the exotic flavours of Malaysia. Sample salads, soups, noodles and a special rich dish with crispy chicken, beef satay and veggies topped with a fried egg. To satisfy your sweet tooth, you can try green tea ice cream or the decadent sweet mango tart.
- Average cost for two: AED 300
- Location: Grand Millennium Dubai, Level 18, Exit 36, Sheikh Zayed Road, Barsha Heights
- Timings: 03:00 pm – 02:00 am
- Contact: +971-4-429-9999
INNLAY ASIA
Innlay Asia offers East-Asian cuisines, including invigorating Malay food. You can binge on Malaysian curry chicken served with steamed rice, Malaysian-style dry curry crab and nasi noreng with a choice of meat at Innlay Asia. The prices range roughly from AED 20 to AED 40, depending upon the dish.
- Average cost for two: AED 115
- Location: Ground Floor, HDS Tower, Cluster F, Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT)
- Timings: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
- Contact: +971-4-458-7117
STREETERY FOODHALL
Calling all Malaysian expats! Streetery Foodhall brings you tempting Malaysian food that will make you feel right at home. Ready to dig in? If your answer is a resounding YES, taste Malay curries with roti, big bowls of noodles, soups and other gastronomic delicacies at this expansive food hall in Dubai.
- Average cost for two: AED 110
- Location: Basement Level, Shop D6B, Cluster D, Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT)
- Timings: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm | Saturday and Sunday 09:00 am – 11:00 pm
- Contact: +971-4-587-3373
THE NOODLE HOUSE
It’s slurp’o clock at The Noodle House! Get ready to have oodles of fun with noodles! Along with noodles, you can enjoy spicy, creamy and tangy Malay chicken satay served with peanut butter sauce at AED 26 per serving. Each serving comes with two skewers.
- Average cost for two: AED 260
- Location: Multiple including Shop 47, Level 1, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Madinat Jumeirah
- Timings: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
- Contact: +971-58-600-9999
ASIAN WOK
Boasting fresh food, and fresh ingredients – Asian Wok is all about ordering appetizing Malaysian food in Dubai. While they have an array of mouth-watering dishes, their Malaysian curry has generated quite a buzz in the city. Made with fragrant coconut and potatoes; the curry is spicy and flavourful to equally epic levels. The restaurant has four outlets spread across Dubai.
- Average cost for two: AED 70
- Location:
- Millennium Central, Downtown Hotel, Business Bay
- Lake Level, Fortune Tower, JLT Cluster C (take away and delivery only)
- Ski Dubai, Food Court, The Mall of the Emirates
- Food Central Floor 2, Deira City Centre
- Timings: May vary depending on the branch
- Contact:
- +971-4-770-0534 ( Business Bay)
- +971-4-566-7515 (JLT)
- +971-4-546-7504 (Mall of the Emirates)
- +971-4-546-8899 (Deira City Centre)
TANGERINE
Last but not least, Tangerine is the ultimate destination for Malay food in Dubai. With hearty portions and a family-friendly ambience, Tangerine has become a perennial favourite restaurant in Business Bay. Get your spoons ready for their coconut-y Malaysian curry.
- Average cost for two: AED 180
- Location: Shop G 98-99, Ground Level, Bay Avenue, Executive Towers, Business Bay
- Timings: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
- Contact: +971-4-423-8040 | +971-55-302-4230
FAQs ABOUT MALAYSIAN FOOD IN DUBAI
WHICH MALAYSIAN DISHES SHOULD YOU TRY?
Well, that’s very subjective, but some dishes are intrinsic to Malaysian cuisine. For instance, nasi kerabu (rice topped with fried coconuts and bean sprouts), mee goreng mamak (meaty noodles) and ayam percik (chicken soaked in percik sauce) are considered must-try dishes.
I’M TRYING MALAYSIAN FOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME. HOW SHOULD I SELECT MY DISH?
Trying any cuisine for the first time can be tricky. But here are some tips for Malay cuisine newbies:
- Almost all the rice-based dishes on the menu have the word ‘nasi’ in them, either at the beginning or end.
- If you see an item on the menu starting with ‘goreng’, you can rest assured it’s a noodle-based dish.
This concludes our list of the best Malaysian restaurants in Dubai. Most restaurants offer both Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines; however, there is a slight difference in their flavour profiles. Indonesian food is less sweet but spicier than Malaysian cuisine. You can also explore the wonderful selection of tempting snacks and light bites from the most popular Asian street food options in Dubai.
However, due to Pan-Asian origin, it is very likely that if you like Malaysian food, you’ll become fond of Indonesian cuisine too. You can check for yourself at these Indonesian restaurants in Dubai.
If Asian food is not your cup of tea, these excellent burger joints in Dubai offer delicious eats aplenty.
Have we tempted you enough to visit these eateries? Let us know in the comments section below. Meanwhile, relax, enjoy and eat!!
Bon appetit!
