Introduction: Taste a City in Full Colour

Kuching, the culinary capital of Sarawak, invites travellers on a one-of-a-kind food trail—a journey as colourful as the dishes it serves. If you’ve ever wondered where to eat in Kuching, this guide unveils the city’s vibrant flavours through its most iconic and colour-rich dishes.

This Kuching food trail isn’t just about eating—it’s about exploring Sarawak’s cultural soul through taste, tradition, and storytelling. From the deep red of Sarawak Laksa to the emerald green of Midin Belacan, every plate reveals a layer of local heritage. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning foodie, this Sarawak food guide for tourists leads you beyond the usual must-eats, right into hidden markets, heritage cafés, and jungle-foraged feasts.

So let your tastebuds lead you through the colourful dishes of Borneo, one hue at a time.

🔴 RED: fire, festivity, and fearless

Red represents fire, festivity, and fearless flavours. In Kuching, red dishes come alive through the punch of chili, the richness of sambal, and the tang of tomatoes. These aren’t just meals—they’re emotional highs served steaming hot.

🌶️ SARAWAK LAKSA

A legendary dish made with over 20 ingredients—galangal, lemongrass, tamarind, sambal belacan, and more—forming a rich reddish-brown broth. Topped with prawns, shredded chicken, egg omelet strips, and fresh coriander. The broth is spicy, sour, and creamy without being heavy.

📌Where to eat: Choon Hui Café at Jalan Ban Hock. This rustic old-school café is a morning hotspot.

Tips: Go before 9am. Closed on Mondays. Anthony Bourdain famously dined here.

🍅 Tomato Kueh Tiaw

Unique to Kuching, this stir-fried noodle dish features silky flat rice noodles coated in a thick, sweet-savory tomato sauce. Seafood, chicken, and egg add protein, while vinegar adds a slight tang. It’s deeply comforting, a nostalgic flavour for many Kuchingites.

📌Where to eat: Sin Kwang Heng Food Court (Jalan Song Thian Cheok)

Tips: Best enjoyed at night, 6–9pm. Parking is easier after 7pm.

🍗 Ayam Masak Merah

This festive Malay dish combines tender chicken with a bright red sauce made from tomatoes, dried chilies, and aromatic spices like star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. It’s rich, fragrant, and often found during weddings and Hari Raya.

📌Where to eat: Warong Nusantara 

Tips: Great for weekday lunch. Avoid weekend peak hours unless you book ahead.

🟡 YELLOW: Warmth, Ceremony & Comfort

Yellow glows with turmeric, coconut, and festive richness. It’s the colour of heritage and rituals made edible. 

🍗 Manok Pansoh (Bamboo Chicken)

Dayak cooking in its purest form. Chicken is stuffed with turmeric, lemongrass, and tapioca leaves inside bamboo, then slow-roasted over fire. Smoky, juicy, and herbal.

📌Where to eat:  Lepau Restaurant

Tips: The restaurant does not serve pork or use lard in cooking.

🍚 Nasi Kunyit

Glutinous rice steeped in turmeric and coconut milk, golden and fragrant. Often served with rendang or spiced fried chicken during family events.

📌Where to eat: My Village Barok, near the Waterfront

Tips: Arrive early (11:30am–1pm) for the freshest batch. Outdoor seats have river breeze.

🍜 Kolo Mee

Kolo Mee is Kuching’s iconic dry egg noodle dish, featuring springy yellow wheat noodles tossed in a sublime blend of light soy sauce, fragrant pork lard, shallot oil, and sometimes a touch of vinegar or oyster sauce. Topped with finely minced pork, sliced lean char siu (barbecued pork, less sweet than Cantonese style), and crispy golden fried shallots, its magic lies in its simplicity and perfect texture contrast. Often served with a side of clear soup and optional chili paste, it’s a beloved breakfast or all-day staple that embodies Sarawak’s subtle yet rich culinary soul.

📌Where to eat: Lau Ya Keng Food Court,  Carpenter Street

Tips:  Go in the morning. 

🟢 GREEN: Jungle-Fresh, Herbal & Wild

Green in Kuching’s cuisine means survival, freshness, and the forest. Wild greens, raw herbs, and foraged jungle ingredients dominate here.

🌿 Midin Belacan

Crunchy wild ferns stir-fried with chili and shrimp paste. Only found in Borneo, it’s tangy, savory, and addictive.

📌Where to eat: Top Spot Food Court (Jalan Padungan)

Tips: Best enjoyed at dinner.

🌱 Daun Ubi Tumbuk

Pounded tapioca leaves slow-cooked in coconut milk with lemongrass and anchovies. It’s rich, grassy, and filling.

📌Where to eat: Little Fairy Cafe

Tips: This cafe on Jalan Padungan is known for its “Nasi Goreng Daun Ubi Tumbuk

🥗 Ulam with Sambal

Raw herb platter (pegaga, selom, ulam raja) eaten with chili-lime sambal. Bitter and refreshing—a true jungle salad.

📌Where to eat: Annah Rais Longhouse (via guided food tours)

Tips: Book a half-day village tour with food tasting included.

🟤 BROWN: Grilled, Smoked & Earthy

Brown foods carry the scent of charcoal, fire, and slow-cooked pride. Smoky, intense, and deeply traditional.

🐟 Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish)

Fresh fish marinated in sambal, wrapped in banana leaf, grilled over charcoal. Juicy, smoky, and primal.

📌Where to eat: Kampung Buntal Seafood Village

Tips: Head there before sunset for dinner with a sea view. Great with grilled squid and midin.

🍢 Satay Sarawak

Skewered meats marinated with ginger and lemongrass, grilled and served with thick peanut sauce. Smoky, juicy, and slightly sweet.

📌Where to eat: James Brooke Bistro & Cafe

Tips: must try Satay platter as a starter while enjoying the waterfront ambiance

🐠 Tempoyak Curry

A bold, sour curry made from fermented durian and fish. Creamy, funky, and complex.

📌Where to eat: Bunga Bintang Restaurant

Tips: A vibrant food spot, suitable for brunch, lunch, dinner, and even late-night cravings. They also emphasize being welcoming to families and pets.

☕︎ SARAWAK’S THREE LAYER TEA

Born in Kuching’s old kopitiams, this iconic drink layers pulled black tea, evaporated milk, and palm sugar syrup into distinct bands of amber, caramel, and mahogany. 

📌Where to eat: Chong Choon Cafe 

Tips:“Teh C Special” = extra-thick milk

💜 PURPLE: Sweet, Nostalgic & Playful

Purple brings Kuching’s playful, sweet side to life—rooted in tradition, styled for modern palates and cameras.

🌸 Butterfly Pea Tea

A colour-shifting herbal drink: blue when served, purple when lime is added. Tastes floral and refreshing.

📌Where to eat: Indah House, Carpenter Street

Tips: Afternoon light is best for photos. Rooftop seating available.

🍚 Nasi Kerabu

Nasi Kerabu (the famous blue rice dish from Kelantan) at several places in Kuching! While not originally from Sarawak, it’s widely available due to its popularity.

📌Where to eat: Warung Mustaffa (Nasi Kerabu Mustaffa)

Tips: Arrive before 11:30 AM to avoid sell-outs. Cash only.

🥥 Purple Sweet Potato Kuih (Ang Ku Kueh)

Ang Ku Kueh (红龟粿) is a traditional Fujianese steamed glutinous rice cake shaped like a turtle shell (symbolizing longevity and luck).

📌Where to eat: De’Licious Kek Lapis & Traditional Kueh

Tips: Pre-order essential (+60 12-399 2268) – sells out by 10 AM on weekends.

⚫️⚪️ BLACK & WHITE: Simplicity and Legacy

Purple brings Kuching’s playful, sweet side to life—rooted in tradition, styled for modern palates and cameras.

☕ OPIUM COFFEE

Opium coffee ,  blends strong Sarawakian coffee with creamy, salted butter—creating a rich, velvety drink that delivers sustained energy without caffeine jitters. There is no opium in their coffee

📌Where to eat: HIAP YAK TEA HOUSE

Tips: opens in the early morning, good to pair with roti bakar

🍚 Pulut Hitam

Sticky black glutinous rice with palm sugar and coconut milk. Warm, earthy, and filling.

📌Where to eat: Song Kheng Hai Hawker Centre

Tips: Served at night from 7pm. Ask for extra coconut cream.

🍮 Kuih Talam

Two-layered treat: pandan base topped with coconut custard. Silky, salty-sweet, and elegant.

📌Where to eat:Petanak Market

Tips:Available in morning (8–11am). Great with hot tea.

 Kuching: UNESCO City of Gastronomy & Host of Global Tapas Showcase

Kuching made history in November 2021 as Malaysia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, recognized for its diverse food culture, indigenous ingredients, and focus on sustainability.

From June 17–19, 2025, the city hosted the World National & Asia Tapas Competition at KTS Garden Conference Hall, featuring 40 chefs from 16 Asian countries. Judged by top names including Michelin-starred chef Michelle Goh, it served as a regional qualifier for the World Tapas Championship in Spain.

Adding to its culinary rise, Kuching will soon open the Sarawak Gastronomy Centre—a hub for food heritage, education, and innovation.

With global recognition, major events, and bold investment, Kuching is fast becoming a top gastronomic destination in Southeast Asia.

🗺 How to Plan Your Colour Trail

🕒 Time it right:

• Morning: Laksa, Opium Coffee, Nasi Kunyit, kuih Talam, Nasi Kerabu, Ang Ku Kueh

• Lunch: Midin, Tomato Kueh Tiaw, Manok Pansoh, Dauh Ubi Tumbuk, Ulam with Sambal, Ayam Masak Merah

• Tea Time: Kuih Talam, Kek Lapis, Butterfly Tea

• Evening: Ikan Bakar, Satay, Tempoyak Curry, Pulut Hitam

📍 District Guide:

• Carpenter Street: Cafés, kopi, bakeries

• Satok & Petanak: Markets, kampung-style food

• Buntal: Seafood and grilled dishes

🚖 Travel Tips:

• Use Grab for easy food hopping

• Use car rental- Book transport here with Klook

• Join local food tours – See top Kuching food trails

• Explore with local guides for hidden gems- Kuching Attractions and Tour Page

📸 Conclusion: Let Your Tastebuds Lead

Kuching isn’t just a food city—it’s a living, breathing, colour-filled canvas of culture and flavour. With every bite, you learn a little about Borneo’s heart. Whether you explore through jungle greens or satay smoke, sweet kuih or spice-laden broth—your plate is your guide.

👉 Ready to taste Kuching? Book your foodie adventure here