Where to eat in Cameron Highlands

Upholding the tried and true English ritual of afternoon tea, Jim Thompson Tea Room is a must-visit in Cameron Highlands. Expect a three-tiered assortment of sandwiches, pastries, and all the traditional fixings accompanied by locally sourced teas. Homemade scones are, of course, on the menu, paired with clotted cream, strawberry jam and homegrown strawberries. 

No trip to Cameron Highlands is complete without steamboat. Piping hot bowls of broth to warm stomachs accustomed to equatorial humidity proves the perfect meal to counter the unfamiliar cold. Nestled in the unassuming farming village of Kuala Terla, Del Luna Elite Grocery stands out among neighbourhood shop lots and hiking trails.

Instead of the conventional communal steamboat experiences, the restaurant serves single portions of soup with an extensive assortment of sides to highlight the prepackaged broths and ingredients available for diners to purchase. Equipped with a mini bar, you’ll be able to fortify your steamboat spread with a tipple of your choice. 

A quaint café reminiscent of an English countryside cottage, The Lord’s Café is known for its selection of fresh pastries. Its scones are the quintessence of the afternoon snack—buttery and crumbly but never dry. Served alongside homemade strawberry jam and cream, scones laced with welcome interruptions of chopped strawberries are also on offer. 

Barracks Café offers brilliantly executed, down-to-earth dishes that bring locally grown produce centerstage. Stepping into the eatery is akin to discovering the most whimsical garden imaginable. Pebbled footpaths lined by lush greenery will lead you to its entirely alfresco dining area. Serenity is at the forefront of this cafe—sun-soaked by day and candlelit by night.

Order its homemade forest mushroom soup accompanied by homemade bread to keep warm or become acquainted with homegrown ingredients with its highlands salad.

The Smokehouse Hotel & Restaurant has been an institution in English cuisine since 1937. Its history of catering to colonial-era expatriates is evident even now, with a rustic interior and menu of English staples. Traditional roasts can be found here alongside an impressive grill menu of rib eye, t-bone, and sirloin steaks.

The restaurant also utilises vegetables grown a stone’s throw away, with its Cameron Highlands salad, roasted highlands vegetables on bubble and squeak, and local corn-on-the-cob.

Ferns Restaurant melds local and Western cuisines, imbuing each place with a distinct Cameron Highlands charm. Find steamboat with meticulously stewed broths and a variety of accompaniments alongside Western staples. Local delicacies are also available, with fish head curry, rendang tok, and sambal udang on the menu.