Langkawi’s cuisine features seafood and traditional Malay cuisine. A plethora of elegant restaurants inhabiting traditional Langkawi structures can certainly cater to any variety of diners.
Between Kuah and the wharf, along the eastern seaboard are many food stands including barbecue, Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisines. They’re open from dusk to well into the night, and grabbing a delicious bite to eat in good company is the perfect way to end a vacation day.
Malay Specialties:
Satay
Satay is marinated beef or chicken on a kebab, roasted to perfection over a charcoal fire. It is accompanied by a slightly sweet with a spicy kick peanut sauce, cooling cucumbers, sharp onions, and a special Malay rice ball. Eaten together, it’s a flavor you can’t forget!
Coconut Rice
Cooked in coconut cream, this delicious staple food is often served with curry chicken, beef, or fish. Also included are cucumbers, tiny roasted fish, and spicy sambal. It’s all neatly wrapped up in a banana leaf and is exceedingly tasty!
Hainanese Chicken
Boiled or roasted chicken breast is presented atop a scoop of rice cooked in chicken broth and is a can’t-miss Malaysian specialty.
Javanese Noodles
This noodle dish is dressed in a spicy, savory sauce and served with minced shrimp, chips, and tofu. It’s deliciously spicy!
Oxtail Soup
This spicy, savory soup is made by simmering a plethora of delicious spices, resulting in a rich and flavorful dish.
Langkawi’s Restaurants:
1. Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant
In business for 20 years, this delicious restaurant is one of the island’s favorites and has even been recommended by the British Sunday Times. Their seafood preparation methods lean towards Western and Thai styles, and their ingredients are fresh. Definitely worth a try!
Address: Lot 1225, Jalan Pantai Cenang, Langkawi
Phone: +60 4-955 4128
Hours: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
2. Barn Thai
Their specialty foods include papaya salad, fish curry, Thai-style hot and sour shrimp, tong yam, and more. They’re the world’s only restaurant built in a mangrove that hasn’t destroyed the surrounding land. About 11 km from Kuah, you’ll have to hire a car or ride a motorbike there. Be sure to make a reservation in advance. Average cost per person is 100 RM.
Address: Kampung Belanga Pecah, Mukim Kisap
Phone: +60 4-966 6699
3. Gulai House
This is the Andaman Hotel’s in-house restaurant, and they serve mainly Malay and Indian cuisines. They’re famous for their crab meat soup, various satays, and delectable desserts. Built in the middle of a rainforest, there are no windows or doors, and the only thing protecting you from the elements overhead is a sogon-grass roof. You walk across a wooden bridge and, in the most natural of environments, see the old woodwork, listen to the chirp of the crickets, and experience top-notch service. Add to all this the delicious food, and who wouldn’t want to come here? Most interesting is that Gulai House’s reservation cards are actually forest leaves with beautifully-written silver script displaying the restaurant and the customer’s names and a simply-drawn flower. You can take this card home with you as a souvenir of a great night! Average cost per person is 100 RM.
Address: The Datai Langkawi Jalan Teluk Datai
Phone: +60 4-959 1088
Transportation: You can take a bus to The Andaman, tell the concierge you’d like to go to the Gulai House, and he’ll get the hotel car to take you. Two to three minutes around the mountain will get you there. You can also go from The Andaman’s beach – just follow the little road up the mountain for about five minutes.
4. Light House Restaurant
In the Underwater World building, right on the beach is a restaurant with gorgeous views. They place a few tables and chairs in the sand where you can order a beautifully-presented cocktail, rest your weary feet in the soft sand, and with a cool breeze blowing through your hair enjoy a perfect sunset.
Address: Pantai Cenang, 07100 Langkawi
Phone: +60 4-955 2586
5. Artisans Pizza
In northern Cenang across from RASA sits Artisans Pizza. Their food is cheap but filling. Their fresh squeezed juice is 2 RM, ice cream is 2 RM, 8-inch pizzas run from about 16 – 22 RM, soup is 5 RM, salads are 5 – 10 RM. Order tuna, sausage, or onion. You can also customize your pizza as they are made to order.
6. Red Tomato Garden Café
Address: No. 5, Casafina Avenue, (opposite Underwater World), Pantai Cenang, Langkawi
Phone: +60 4-955 4055
Hours: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
