Popular sustainable eatery, Canvass, is back at a new location after an absence of several months. It still operates on the same ethos with dishes such as a biodiverse hummus and a cured snapper with chilli sauce, and creative cocktails like its Impresso, a mixture of creme liqueur, vodka, fermented coffee syrup and nutmeg dust.

Canvass Bistro & Cocktail Bar | 38, Jalan Bedara, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur | +6012 329 2820 | Wednesday, 4pm-2am & Thursday-Sunday, 5pm-2am

Another comeback on the scene is Studio Restaurant, now serving in Bangsar. Open only on Friday and Saturday nights, this exclusive eatery features a contemporary tasting menu of Malaysian ingredients cooked with European techniques. Highlights include Scottish diver-caught scallops with coconut and caviar, and aged duck with beetroot and coffee. 

The wine list consists of a range of carefully selected natural, low intervention wines that are hand-processed. Pairings are available with your meal. 

Studio | 38-1, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur | +6016 425 0773 | Friday-Saturday, 7pm-12am

See also: 8 Places for a Good Breakfast in Bangsar

Nestled in the foodie enclave of Jalan Sin Chew Kee, Hinode Bento specialises in renditions of the popular Japanese lunch box. Perfect for quick lunch, each box comes with your choice of protein, rice, and vegetables for a balanced meal. 

Hinode Bento | 12, Jln Sin Chew Kee, Bukit Bintang, 50150 Kuala Lumpur | +6010 835 9361 | Thursday-Sunday, 11am-8:30pm

Joining the 14-strong line-up of restaurants led by The Oriental Group of Restaurants is Oriental Sun at Sunway Pyramid. Similar to its sister restaurants, Oriental Sun will be serving up classic Chinese fare and dim sum. 

Oriental Sun | Sunway Pyramid, Lot G1.42, Ground Floor, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya | +603 5611 1138 | Monday-Sunday, 11am-3pm & 6pm-11pm

See also: Tatler Dining Guide 2022: The Best Chinese Restaurants in Malaysia

F180N is yet another new addition to Chinatown's dining landscape, located along Jalan Tun H.S. Lee. The café is hard to miss as its facade is painted in a blush rose colour.

Serving dainty cakes and coffee, F180N is great choice for a mid-day pastry or caffeine boost with minimalist and edgy interiors inspired by a cave house. Don't miss its cheesecake pudding.

F180N | 180, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur | +6012 502 3683 | Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm

Decorated with rattan and wood furniture, Lemon Tree is a sunlit café located on the ground floor of Parkroyal Collection Kuala Lumpur. Pair your cup of coffee with its Signature Salmon Croissant, Artichoke and Mushroom Sourdough Crust or the decadent Triple Cheese Sandwich.

The Lemon Tree | Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur | +6010 322 2888 | Monday-Sunday, 8am-6pm

Led by celebrated local bartender Shirmy Chan, Bar Terumi is adding vibrancy to the residential neighbourhood of Taman Paramount. One of its more unique cocktails is The Natsukashii, a refreshing concoction of glutinous rice tea, ginger syrup, and honey, topped with a rice cracker.

Bar Terumi | 9a, Jalan 20/16, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya | +6011 5915 0308 | Monday-Saturday, 6pm-12pm

See also: What Cocktails Do These Local Bartenders Order?

Part of The Curate Group, the restaurant specialises in omakase with a creative twist on traditional dishes. Think botan ebi (jumbo sweet shrimp) marinated with soy sauce, egg yolk and caviar, alongside fresh sashimi and nigiri.

Sushi Masa by Ishibashi | Lot 1-03, First Floor, Menara Hap Seng Star, Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250, Kuala Lumpur | +6011 1466 9374 | Lunch: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-2pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Sunday, 6pm-10:30pm

LostxFound Café opened on Merdeka day, serving all-day breakfasts, creative mains, and drinks including single origin coffee and organic teas. Located along Jalan Imbi, LostxFound believes in a leisurely good time as it stocks card games and books for customers.

Try its Le Kaya Bleu, a classic kaya toast with blue cheese and charcoal bread, and Shank You, Lamb, a tender lamb shank served with guacamole, served assemble-your-own-taco style. 

LostxFound Café | 37B, Medan Imbi, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur | Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm

See also: 8 Places to Explore in Bukit Bintang

A café after a photographer's heart, it is attached to photography studio, AM Studio, and serves coffee drinks with clever photography-inspired names such as Too Matcha Flash and Macchiato-graphy.

Foto Kofi | 50-G, Mutiara Square, Jln Mutiara 1/1A, Taman Mutiara Indah, 47110 Puchong | +6011 3915 0461 | Monday-Saturday, 10am-8pm

A stone's throw away from the Masjid Jamek LRT station is Piccadilly Café, which serves brunch fare, pastas, nasi kerabu-esque platters and more. The space is rustic yet modern with earthy tones and exposed bricks.

Piccadilly Café | 62 & 64, Jalan Tun Perak, City Centre, 50500 Kuala Lumpur | +603 2022 1102 | Monday-Sunday, 8am-8pm

See also: 15 Local Food Instagram Accounts to Whet Your Appetite

Up north in Penang is a new spot situated in a former factory building, which adds to the industrial chic decor. The furniture here goes against the grain of typical modern and minimalist cafés as they are embellished with neon hues, some even flaunting graffiti.

During the day, it serves coffee and pasta, the former infused with such unusual ingredients as taro and gula Melaka. On weekend nights, it turns into a cocktail bar—if you're lucky, Kelvin Wong of Good Friends Club may be serving behind the bar. 

Flagship by Navy | 57, Jalan Hamilton, Jelutong, 11600 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang | +6016 424 2911 | Cafe: Thursday-Tuesday, 11am-9pm; Bar: Friday-Sunday, 8pm-1am

See also: 6 Trendy Bars in George Town, Penang for a Cocktail

The culture of izakaya dining is picking up steam here and Tono Izakaya is one of the latest to jump on the bandwagon. This pork-free and funky izakaya, however, is not your run-of-the-mill izakaya.

On top of serving classic izakaya fare like sashimi and kushiyaki (skewered meats), it also offers an omakase experience and other elevated izakaya-inspired dishes. The kinmedai (golden eye snapper) rice bowl is one of them, served with ikura and corn atop a bed of rice. Another standout dish is the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu tenderloin sando. 

Tono Izakaya | 30, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur | +6019 694 2377 | Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-12am

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