7 new restaurants & cafes in Kuala Lumpur to visit in December

Sometimes all you want is a nice and cosy cafe that serves up easy and fuss-free food like a good sandwich or a burger. Grit is precisely that. The new cafe in Ara Damansara is airy and gorgeous, but what really gets us is the selection of food. Come for a coffee, or fill yourself up with promises of burgers, rice bowls, sandwiches, and more.

(Image credit: Instagram/ @grit.cafe)

There’s a new omakase place in town, and the denizens of Bukit Jalil will rejoice to know it is right in their neighbourhood. The head chef may be Malaysian, but he spent a good number of years cutting his teeth in Japanese restaurants in Tokyo. As with most omakase places, you’ll find the chef using seasonal produce to bring out its best flavours, from the vegetables to the seafood.

(Image credit: Instagram/ @hinoiri.omakase)

Taking over Saint Pierre in W Kuala Lumpur is Willow, the latest fine dining restaurant to open in the city. As you walk in, the restaurant is absolutely dreamy with its purple lighting and dramatic floral piece hanging from the ceiling. As for the cuisine, Willow describes it as: “…a bold union of East meets West with a modernist approach that focuses on the precision of techniques, quality of ingredients, and an abundance of heart.”

(Image credit: Instagram/ @willowkualalumpur)

For izakaya-style yakitori with a hint of anime, you’d do well to visit OUG’s latest inhabitant: Susanoo. Named after a Naruto power, the restaurant pays tribute to its namesake with a flashy neon rendering of the humanoid. Other than chicken, you can also find a medley of vegetables, pork, and beef all skewered and grilled over the binchotan – a Japanese charcoal grill – snacks, and even rice bowls.

(Image credit: Instagram/ @susanoo.my)

Hearty Italian food always hits the spot, and we will always welcome a new Italian restaurant in KL’s food scene. Osteria Gamberoni is located in Yap Ah Shak House in Chow Kit, a handsome place with gorgeous lighting and a choice for al fresco dining too. Handmade pasta and Roman-style pizzas are the specialities here, which we will recommend you have with a side of aperitif — when in Rome, you eat and drink as the Romans do. Seafood, however, are locally-sourced, allowing guests to see that our local ingredients can be as superior even in Italian cooking.

(Image credit: Instagram/ @osteriagamberoni)

It’s been a while since PJ State saw a hip new cafe, and the shiny new Shimmer Shine Cafe is like a beacon of light in the old neighbourhood. With its bright white walls and sunny interior, the cafe not only serves coffee but also incorporates coffee into its food menu. We hear a particular coffee-dressed roast chicken is pretty delicious, but we wouldn’t overlook the other items too like the pasta, pancakes, and desserts.

(Image credit: Instagram/ @shimmershinecafe)

The next time you’re in Suria KLCC, you’ll have a new restaurant to try out: Sakana Japanese Dining. Located on the ground floor and overlooking the lush trees just towards the side of the KLCC Park, the restaurant even has an item on the menu named the K.L.C.C. Traditionally, ‘sakana’ means food served with sake, and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. Think bites of yakitori, tempura, sashimi, and more. There’s also more than just sake here, as you’ll find numerous Japanese cocktails too.

(Image credit: Instagram/ @sakana_my)