Ramadan bazaars are a treasure trove of culinary street wonders. We visit three bazaars to understand what makes them so alluring.

Every year during the fasting month, Ramadan bazaars pop up around the country to offer culinary treats that are traditional, inventive and even taking cues from cuisines outside the country. 

Bazaars are a popular one-stop destination for those looking for affordable and delicious foods.

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Hungry and curious, we visited three Ramadan bazaars at Wangsa Maju, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Kelana Jaya to get a better understanding about why these neighbourhood pop-up marketplaces attract droves of Malaysians.

Swipe left or click right to check out our Ramadan Bazaar gallery.


Wangsa Maju

Wangsa Maju 2.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


WM Chicken.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Wangsa Maju.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Wangsa Maju Ayam Percik.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


WM Line.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Wangsa Maju Murtabak Maggi.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Taman Tun Dr Ismail

TTDI.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI Burger.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI Burger 2.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI Kuih.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI Takoyaki.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI Murtabak.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI 3.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


TTDI Line.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Kelana Jaya

Kelana Jaya.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Kelana Jaya Lamb.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


WM Skull.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


Kelana Jaya Char Kuay Teow.jpg (original size)Photo: Shaffiq Farhan/Malaysia Tatler


The first thing that we learned is that bazaars have a warm and lively atmosphere. As we make our way from one entrance to the other, vendors greet, invite and show us their wares. Should we ask questions about their delicacies, they happily take the time to explain to us.

As we start to move in, we immediately start to notice a congregation of Malaysians united for their love of food. It was great to see our countrymen bound together by humble food. From young to old, all types of Malaysians can be seen at this festive food market.

Starting to get hungry, we purchased foods using our eyes and nose. Ramadan bazaars are a carnival for your senses, the smells, the sights and the sounds told yusou that we were definitely someplace festive and that our stomachs would lead the way. 

Once we picked a few vendors and sampled their foods, we learned two things – novelty food items can be sinfully delicious and that the classics are classics for a reason

Every alternate vendor or two seemed to sell novelty foods that invited a second take. One of the many inventive new ways of cooking a murtabak, the endless varieties of roti john, creative dim sum offerings or even corn juice, there always seemed to be something that managed to catch our attention.

The classics on the other hand, ayam percik, briyani rice, rendang, kuih pelita, putu bambu and sate, just to name a few, are always there because they aren't only crowd favourites, they are also incredibly appetising.

Something that we noticed as well is that no matter which bazaar we visited, popular international snacks always make an appearance. 

Whether it was Korean style fried chicken or Japanese takoyaki, every bazaar that we visited had at least one vendor that had localised versions of international snacks. In a nation where we love food, it's great to see Malaysians introducing a small slice of foreign cuisines for other Malaysians to indulge in.

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