Melbourne knows how to do Malaysian food right. Walk down a busy laneway or past a row of suburban shopfronts, and you’ll catch the unmistakable smell of satay on the grill, sambal frying in the wok, and laksa simmering away. It’s the kind of food that stops you in your tracks and makes you think, “I need that now.”

Malaysian food in Melbourne isn’t just about filling your belly—it’s about that rush of flavor that hits you with the first bite. The smoky noodles, flaky roti, and curries rich with spice feel just as good on a cold Melbourne night as they do at lunch on a sunny day.

I’ve eaten my way across the city to find the ones that get it right every single time. These are the eight best Malaysian restaurants in Melbourne that aren’t just good—they’re the kind of places you’ll find yourself talking about long after you’re done eating.

Best Malaysian Restaurants in Melbourne

1- Jalan Alor

Google Rating: 4.8

Jalan Alor located on 85 Franklin Street brings best Malaysian street food culture to Melbourne’s heart. This vibrant restaurant recreates the famous Kuala Lumpur food street experience with its bustling atmosphere and open kitchen concept.

The interior features traditional Malaysian decorations, warm lighting, and communal seating that encourages social dining.

Their menu showcases classic Malaysian dishes including char keow teow, rendang beef,  Sarawak laksa, and satay skewers. The char keow teow stands out with its perfectly charred fat rice noodles, fresh prawns, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts tossed in dark soy sauce.

Their rendang uses slow-cooked beef with coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, and aromatic spices creating tender, flavorful results. Their Hainanese Chicken rice and Satay are so flavorful and yumm.

The restaurant’s strength lies in its authentic preparation methods and fresh ingredients sourced from local Asian markets. Staff provide friendly, knowledgeable service explaining dishes to newcomers.

The casual, lively environment makes it perfect for group dining and experiencing genuine Malaysian flavors. They offer good portions with good price making it one of the best Malaysian restaurants in Melbourne.

2- Jom

Google Rating: 4.8

Jom located at 378 Lonsdale St, delivers contemporary Malaysian dining with a modern twist on traditional recipes. Located in a stylish setting, the restaurant features sleek wooden furniture, ambient lighting, and Malaysian artwork creating an upscale yet welcoming atmosphere. The open kitchen allows diners to watch skilled chefs prepare their meals.

Their signature dishes include nasi goring with fried rice, sambal, fried anchovies, and curry chicken. The laksa soup combines rich coconut broth with rice noodles, prawns, tofu puffs, and fresh herbs.

Their roti canai arrives crispy and flaky, served with aromatic curry dipping sauce made from potatoes, onions, and Malaysian spices. Chicken curry laksa is the ultimate comfort food, super satisfying and so delicious. Jom’s chicken noodle, so simple yet so tasty and filling.

What sets Jom apart is their commitment to using premium ingredients while maintaining authentic flavors. The kitchen uses traditional techniques like grinding spices fresh daily and slow-cooking curries for hours.

Their Teh Terik Milk Tea and Malaysian style coffee is also a star from the menu.

Service is attentive and professional, with staff offering wine pairings and explaining each dish’s origin and preparation methods.

Another thing that makes it best Malaysian restaurant in Melbourne is great flavorful food in cheap prices.

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3- Warong Mummy

Google Rating: 4.8

Warong Mummy located at 282 Springvale Rd offers home-style Malaysian cooking in a cozy, family-friendly environment. The restaurant’s interior resembles a traditional Malaysian home with wooden tables, colorful wall decorations, and family photos creating an intimate dining experience. The casual atmosphere makes customers feel like they’re visiting a friend’s house.

Their menu features comfort food favorites like Nasi Goreng and mee goreng with stir-fried noodles, vegetables, and protein in sweet soy sauce.

The ayam penyet presents crispy fried chicken served with spicy sambal and fresh vegetables. Their gado-gado salad combines blanched vegetables, tofu, and boiled eggs topped with rich peanut sauce made from ground peanuts, palm sugar, and chili.

The restaurant excels in portion sizes and value for money. Each dish arrives generous and satisfying, prepared with care using family recipes passed down through generations.

The friendly staff treat customers like family members, offering recommendations and ensuring everyone feels welcome in their warm, inviting space.

4- KANTAN

Google Rating: 4.8

KANTAN located at 152 Kerr St represents fine dining Malaysian cuisine with sophisticated presentation and refined flavors. The restaurant’s elegant interior features modern furniture, subtle lighting, and artistic Malaysian-inspired decorations creating an upscale dining atmosphere. The spacious layout provides comfortable seating for both intimate dinners and business meetings.

Their menu elevates traditional dishes with premium ingredients and artistic plating. The beef rendang uses high-quality cuts slow-cooked in coconut milk with carefully balanced spices including cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise.

Their seafood curry combines fresh fish with rich coconut-based sauce flavored with turmeric, ginger, and aromatic herbs. They serve the best chicken Laksa in Melbourne featuring a rich, creamy coconut broth brimming with fresh herbs, spices, and perfectly cooked noodles, making it a comforting yet exciting choice.

For vegans, they have Plant based protein rendang curry, the flavor of rending with the texture of meat, spicy eggplant, roti & curry sauce makes it mouthwatering along with gluten free spring rolls. Their Seri muka and pandan mille crepe cake are also delicious.

KANTAN’s distinction comes from their chef’s innovative approach to Malaysian cuisine while respecting traditional flavors.

The professional service team provides detailed explanations of ingredients and cooking methods, enhancing the overall dining experience through their extensive knowledge and courteous manner.

5- Mai Jia

Google Rating: 4.7

Mai Jia located at 280 Toorak road brings the bold, vibrant flavors of Malaysian street food to South Yarra, creating an authentic dining experience that captures Malaysia’s hawker culture.

The restaurant excels in traditional dishes like Nasi Lemak with incredibly tender, flavorful beef with a rich, spot-on broth, Chicken Curry Laksa, and Roasted Duck Curry Laksa, with each recipe featuring carefully balanced spices including lemongrass, galangal, and coconut milk.

Their Hainan Chicken Rice is simply perfection—tender, flavorful chicken paired with fragrant rice and a delightful trio of dipping sauces. Their beef rendang showcases tender slow-cooked meat in rich coconut curry, rich, aromatic and perfectly spiced while the char kway teow delivers smoky wok-hei flavors.

The cozy restaurant has a busy street location with modern Malaysian décor featuring warm timber accents and contemporary lighting. The prices are reasonable and the service is both efficient and delightful, making it perfect for casual dining.

 Located near Palace Cinema Como, it’s the perfect stop for pre-movie meals, with fresh ingredients ensuring authentic taste profiles.

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6- SUTSA Malaysian Kitchen

Google Rating: 4.7

Located inside a cake shop at 106 High St, SUTSA Malaysian Kitchen is an eatery run by head chef Kim Chow who has been cooking authentic Malaysian food for over 40 years.

This Preston restaurant combines decades of cookery expertise with home style cooking techniques.

The menu features authentic dishes including Hainanese Chicken, Fried Kuey Teow, laksa, nasi lemak, and rending is tasty, cooked to perfection and moist.

Laksa is delicious with the right amount of flavours, each crafted with care and bursting with flavor.

Their signature Fried Kueh Teow features wok-tossed flat rice noodles with egg, bean shoots, Chinese sausage, spring onion, prawns and calamari in a mushroom soy coating.

The laksa broth is particularly smooth and complex, reflecting traditional Malaysian cooking methods.

The unique cake shop setting creates an unexpectedly cozy atmosphere. SUTSA focuses on tasty and authentic Malaysian home-cooked meals.

The prices are super fair, portion size is very desirable with takeaway options available for busy customers looking for genuine Malaysian flavors.

7- Malaymas

Google Rating: 4.6

Malaymas located at 320 St Georges delivers exceptional Malaysian cuisine with careful attention to traditional cooking methods and ingredient authenticity.

The restaurant serves fried kuey teow and Hokkien mee, alongside traditional Malaysian dishes like belacan (fermented shrimp paste) water spinach. Their Hainanese chicken features soft and succulent meat with jelly-like skin, served with cucumbers and soya sauce, perfectly complemented by chili sauce.

The beef rendang curry showcases rich, complex flavors, while various laksa options including Vegetable Laksa offer hearty satisfaction. Spicy Sambal dishes and traditional Hainanese chicken specialties round out the menu. For the sweet tooth their mango and sagu pudding and lychee ice cream is a must try.

The restaurant maintains a warm, welcoming atmosphere that reflects Malaysian hospitality. Malaymas consistently delivers quality food and attentive service.

The thoughtful staff provides helpful menu guidance to ensure balanced meal selections, creating memorable dining experiences.

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8- Blue Chillies

Google Rating: 4.6

Located in colorful 182 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, Blue Chillies has served locals and visitors alike heart-warming modern Malaysian cuisine since 1999. The restaurant offers an ever progressive menu of signature takes on classic Malaysian flavors with a Melbourne flair.

Signature dishes include chicken satay and the chef’s specialty thrice cooked duck, simmered in tangy ginger flower and lemongrass gravy. Traditional Malay cuisine lovers will appreciate the Asaam Fish Curry, which showcases authentic tamarind-based flavors with fresh fish and vegetables.

Their Whitebait and sweet potato fritters is a must try. The beef rendang is next level delicious with a delicate texture, melt in your mouth beef and just the right amount of chilli-driven warmth. The laksa is also perfect for the cold Melbourne weather.

Their poached barramundi with lemongrass, sour plum and chill broth, and a Hawker crunchy noodles with fishcake, fish balls prawns in a soup with greens melts in your mouth. The restaurant combines traditional Malaysian spices including star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom with contemporary presentation techniques.

They serve an array of yummy desserts including their pandas crepes, banana fritter, deep fried ice cream, pisang goreng and sago gula melaka.

The service and atmosphere is simple, friendly and a touch sophisticated at Blue Chillies; they take pride in making every guest feel comfortable and well looked after.

The Brunswick Street location provides vibrant street-side dining with modern Malaysian-inspired decor featuring bold colors and contemporary furnishings that reflect the restaurant’s innovative approach to traditional cuisine.