THE BEST SPECIALTY COFFEE IN KUALA LUMPUR
BY TREMOR CHRIST
There are throngs of people who consider coffee a cheap fuel to get them through a brutal workday, others still who dabble in exotic roasts, and fewer still who consider it a topic worthy of extensive research and financial spenditure. For all walks of life (and areas of KL), you will find a cafe below to suit your tastes.
From the uber expensive geisha pour-overs that taste of accented "tea" (according to some), to dark brews in lovely atmospheres, tasting menu's in hip counter-bars and busy downtown cafes to grab brunch and a brew on the go, The Mouth sent serial caffeine injector "Tremor Christ" to hunt down the spots that fly under the radar and offer a more local experience in a city full of chain coffee shops with their sterile atmospheres and badly roasted beans.
After more than 20 years hunting everything from bad cappuccino to modern day light-roast pour-overs, The Mouth truly knows the KL scene better than most. If you want to find the best coffee in Kuala Lumpur, look no further:
ONE HALF COFFEE ROASTERY
Our pick in KL for those who prefer their coffees of the light Nordic roast style. The staff are highly knowledgable, multiple award winners and the menu reads like a dream offering espresso, pour-over/filter, cold brew.
They also sell a few uber-nerd accessories for your dream coffee counter at home.
Another branch of One Half lies in the trendy neighborhood of Taman Paramount, reachable by Grab taxi. This shop offers retail goods, high quality coffee and baked goods from their partner Doudoubake nearby. Directions are
here.
#THEMOUTHSCHOICE
FADE BY SB
This charming neighborhood cafe in PJ vibes like a Koenji neighborhood cafe, with cups and saucers you'd expect at your grandma's house and a delightfully friendly couple running the show. The coffee is good and the atmosphere is just what you need to bring a book and relax with the backdrop of old doo-wop and jazz on the stereo.
TOOTHLESS COFFEE
Unless you are prone to walking around industrial estates for fun, you'll never stumble upon this place. Thanks to the recommendation by Way To Coffee, Toothless was found on a beastly hot day, and an amazing Panamanian Geisha sipped in slow Ahh's.
They roast their own blends and single origins, they have the latest and greatest geek equipment, they're super friendly and knowledgable, it's 100% worth getting a taxi to.
POHUTUKAWA
A blissful attic where remote workers furiosly type on laptops whilst the back room whispers zen calm. The pourovers are not the only floral thing here, as they share their space with a flower arranging shop.
A highly recommended little gem to discover.
AIRPLANE MODE
A hop, skip & jump from Doudoubake, this upstairs cafe serves as a dual spirit with an Izakaya in the evenings and coffee shop during the day. Come here for a taste of some really great pourover coffee's, and pay attention to their social media account because they are moving location soon!
KITA COFFEE
Purposefully elusive, hidden down an odd hallway beside an International School on the 1st floor of a downtown mall, Kita Coffee is a tranquil oasis where award winning barista's will carve you up a special coffee to enjoy.
GHOSTBIRD COFFEE ROASTERS
This sprawling house hosts a cafe, roaster and shop selling filters, Aeropresses and other gadgets. Their coffee menu is solid and roasted in-house, and for the caffeine curious they offer samples of many of their beans to try in thermos flasks.
BAD ARTIST COFFEE CO
Another "ring the bell" coffee shop (not cafe!) that lies up a flight of stairs near the food mecca of SS2, offering home-roasted beans, pour-over and espresso based drinks in a cool, airy environment. The staff are all welcoming and very passionate about coffee. You can easily spend the entire morning chatting about roast profiles and tasting notes.
A welcome edition to the KL coffee scene, opened in February 2025.
TRANSPARENT COFFEE
Located a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Tandang Records, a quirky and hip stop for a good caffeine fix. Affiliations run deep in this city and these cats are connected to the One Half gang.
PULP
Desirously hip interiors, like a factory fornicated with a Scandinavian industrial design magazine, but parading solid cups of curated coffee to those curious enough to dive in.
DOUDOUBAKE
Brunch lovers can visit this ultra sleek concrete and glass cafe near Accha Curry House to slurp some dark bliss and munch on freshly baked pastries from the kitchen out back.
KURO COFFEE
Should you have $26 to blow on a single cup of coffee, and lighter roast geishas are your bag, then Kuro is the perfect place to sit and watch the barista conjure up a cup of coffee in methodical movements and satiate the biggest nerds expectations.
PIU PIU PIU
Hidden in the Zongshan building, this cosy little coffee shop makes a decent medium roast americano or milk drink. A small outdoor area is fine for days when the sun is not punishing.
CONTOUR
Old Town Petaling Jaya caffeine hunters flock here. If you're in the area, this is our pick for specialty coffee (and rumour has it their pastries).
CURATE
Brutalist in it's concrete minimalism, yet pinpoint in preparation and approach, this is a coffee shop for the upper echelons of nerdism. People fawning over caramel machiato's steer clear. You come here for clean, well prepared coffee.
AFLOAT
Friendlier than the interiors would suggest, another hidden gem up a flight of stairs, but one that opens into an expansive, sleek cafe with balcony, and serves deliciously prepared cups.
TING COFFEE ROASTER
Tucked away in a side street of Petaling Jaya, and official roaster to the 103 Coffee shop nearby, Ting looks like a coffee shop about to close down with it's dark interiors and boxes scattered all over the place, but the coffee here is exceptional. Forget 103 and pop in here instead because what you sacrifice in ambiance, you'll gain in quality coffee.
THE ROAST THINGS
Suburban roastery that veers towards the more Medium-Light variety, yet brews delicious cups in a neighborhood far from the tourist crowd. Worth exploring if you are keen to see some Malaysian roast profiles outside the downtown area.
270SQFT
Matcha, Hojitcha and coffee served up in a tiny, cosy cafe. The service is friendly and if you are hitting every cafe in PJ/KL then add this to your list.
EBONY & IVORY
Tourists don't tend to get stuck in Cheras too often, but if you happen to, then this is a great little cafe to enjoy a cup of coffee. They have a standard home roast and some exciting Signature Specialty Coffee on the menu too.
