Hey foodie! I think we can all agree that banana leaf rice is one of the best creations of food ever and that we are all very thankful that we have it right here in Malaysia. Not sure where to get your banana leaf cravings fixed? Here’s a list of 10 restaurants that sells the best banana leaf in KL for you to try!
“I’m looking for banana leaf near me” Help!
Top 10 Banana Leaf in KL
Banana leaf rice is a traditional method of serving rice dishes in South Indian cuisine. Due to the migration of South Indians, banana leaf rice can also be found in areas with significant ethnic South Indian diasporas such as Malaysia and Singapore. And in KL, here are our favourites restaurants that serve really awesome banana leaf!
1. Sri Nirwana Maju @ Bangsar
Amongst an upscale area of restaurants and cafes lies a hidden banana leaf gem! Sri Nirwana Maju offers one of the best banana leaf rice in the city. You would often see the place being crowded but their service quality is rather consistent. Head on over early to avoid the peak hour queue. Their banana leaf rice continuously delights locals over the years with their contrasting textures and bold flavours! Be sure not to miss their fried bitter gourd and papadams!
Sri Nirwana Maju is known as one of the best banana leaf in Bangsar together with Devi’s Corner.
Address: 43, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 10am-1.30am daily
2. Devi’s Corner @ Bangsar
Known as the typical go-to mamak for Bangsar residents, this mamak serves some good banana leaf rice in the afternoon! So what makes it unique? Their main sides in the banana leaf rice includes a chutney with big, thick slices of mango. This is a rare side for any regular banana leaf place! Other than that, the fish masala curry here is thick and creamy! This place is good if you’re planning on having banana leaf rice for lunch!
Address: 14, Jalan Telawi 4, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 24 hours daily
3. Vishal Food & Catering
Looking for authentic Indian banana leaf rice? Vishal’s is the place to go! This place is famous amongst tourist visiting Brickfields. It is very popular and has maintained its popularity over the years because they serve dishes and sides with thick, heavy spice. The bone marrow curry, black pepper chicken and dhal rasam are all amazingly delicious! If this does not appeal to you, we don’t know what will.
Address: (Off, Jalan Scott & Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 7AM-11PM daily
4. Nagasari Curry House @ Bukit Bintang
This place is always crowded even though the food in this place may be a little pricier as compared to others. It offers some of the best veggie curries in town! However, this place also serves banana leaf rice only during lunch hours. Don’t know where to go for lunch? Head on over and make your taste buds happy by having its banana leaf rice downed in those curries!
Address: Jalan Nagasari, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 24 hours daily
5. Jaipur Curry House
This place is quite underrated despite serving some good banana leaf rice. Here, you can choose to have either steamed or parboiled briyani or white basmati. Similar to other restaurants, they serve a variety of dishes for their banana leaf rice. One of the side dishes that foodies must try is its crab curry- thick, rick and heady with spices. Moreover, it comes with free rasam- a spicy sourish appetizer soup, and payasam– an Indian rice pudding dessert. Doesn’t that sound like a great deal?
Address: 32, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours: 6AM-9.30pm daily
6. Aunty Manju’s
What’s unique with the banana leaf rice here? A standard banana leaf rice in Aunty Manju’s is served with five vegetables instead of the usual three. Other than that, the selection of side dishes here are comparatively better than some of the other banana leaf rice restaurants. They serve chicken, fish, squid, prawn, mutton and crab, all available in curry, masala, varuval, deep-fried, kurma and more. If you feel overwhelmed by the range of choices, the staff are happy the make recommendations based on your preference. Don’t forget to try the mutton bone marrow curry!
Address: 18, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 7am-12am daily
7. Prasad Chetty Naadu Mess
Prasad Chetty Naadu Mess serves Southern Indian cuisine and it’s a must try for all foodies! They serve a variety of dishes, ranging from mutton masala to curried vegetables, to chicken peratal. If your spice tolerance isn’t the highest, fear not! Locals have shared that the place has toned down on the level of spiciness to satisfy local palates better. You can even drink the crab curry from here!
Address: 14-44 Lebuh Ampang, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 11am-5pm daily
8. Moorthy’s Mathai Indian Rice
What makes Moorthy’s Mathai unique is their freshly fried chicken and fish. It gives you a crunch of crispiness when you bite into it. In addition to that, you’ll find that the flesh is white inside underneath the outer layer, indicating its freshness. This is probably the best side dish to choose to make your banana leaf rice taste amazing at Moorthy’s!
Address: 144A, Jalan Vivekananda, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, 50470
Operating Hours: 11am-3.30pm daily
9. Fierce Curry House
Next on our list is one that will meet both taste and quality expectations of a foodie. Unlike other typical banana leaf restaurants, this place is spacious and air-conditioned. Knowing the Malaysian heat, this place would be a total comfort to dine it. Its banana leaf rice is served on a metal plate instead of the usual banana leaf. Moreover, they offer some of the “fiercest” curry you can find. If you happen to be in Bangsar, head on over to get your share of their banana leaf rice as soon as you can!
Address: 16, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours: 12pm-10pm daily
10. Acha Curry House
This place has been famous for banana leaf rice in PJ for many years! You can choose from either Indian rice or steamed white rice and then help yourself to the vegetable dishes. The banana leaf rice here is served with three different vegetables and a papadum however, you can add sambal ikan bilis for RM2.50 more. What makes Acha Curry House special is the different curries they offer -from salted fish, onion, crab to regular fish or chicken curry! Each having its own consistencies and tastes. Go ahead and try em’ all to find your perfect curry!
Address: 271, Jalan 5/51, Bukit Gasing, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Operating Hours: 7.30am-4.30pm daily
Tell us your favourite banana leaf rice in KL
As all banana leaf rice places are often crowded, be sure to get to the place you want to go as early as possible to find yourself a seat. Did we miss out on any of your favourite banana leaf rice spots in KL? Leave a comment below!
Also, if you’re into coffee, check out our list of top 10 best cafes to go to or, if you’re looking for some street food, check out our list of top 10 street food to try in KL
