Cafe Spots

A cafe gem located at a quiet corner of Empire Damansara, come here if you wish to have some real 'me' time. Bring a book, a laptop (free wifi!) or nothing at all and sip countless cups of well-made coffee till your heart's content.

Step in through the black painted door and be greeted by a hand-drawn chalk bear named Rupert. Your attention will linger for a little while longer at the list of drinks written on the same wall. Follow the scent of some delicious fresh baked pastries and don't skip the salmon quiche when it's available. Quickly settle down or your seat will be beat as the space is really small. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Feeka is faithful to the tradition of Swedish verb and noun 'fika', which means taking a coffee break, usually with the accompaniment of a sweet food. This city darling is set to draw flocks of people for their daily hearty menu and the coffee is excellent when paired up with a piece of homemade peach cobbler.

Great coffee is the cornerstone here and it’s just about all that. Don’t let the crowd of people waiting for a table deter you over the weekend, order a cup from the bar, sit out at the provisional bench, and pat the café’s loyal black cat.

Fat Spoon has been recreating traditional food from as far back as I can remember. A cafe unlike any other, the classic oriental-modern look exudes a sense of a local childhood hangout. Many diners will be tempted by the Cempedak (Jackfruit) Spring Roll, but it's the Ulam Fried Rice that matters.

Following the tunes of Norah Jones' 'Come Away With Me', food and music lovers in the know are often found loitering at this young and bustling cafe. Try the excellent brunch menu (most plates come with a generous serving of salad on the side) and be sure to save some room for their delectable homemade doughnuts.

When life gives you Nutella bao, you shout 'REALLY?!' and rush to TLB first thing in the morning. Just make sure it's over the weekend. Cafe opens as early as 8am with other breakfast alternatives on standby (sandwiches, croissant and cakes) while lunch is served 11:30 onwards (menu rotates daily). This goes without saying that the coffee is quintessential and the long red tea works like a charm, any given day.

In a small streetfront, this hidden gem serves some of the meanest brunch options. Mukha’s extensive menu draws inspirations from the Arabian Peninsula and down under, for prices that can’t be beat. Ogle at the beautiful handwritten menu on the walls of the café and try to resist from ordering everything.

Housed in a 30-year-old shop lot of Jalan Batai, this 40-seat neighbourhood eatery is a committed farm-to-table restaurant that encourages and supports sustainable food practices. Sitka relies on traditional ingredients made with modern techniques, drawing inspiration from Copenhagen, Barcelona and London. Flock here for Sitka's daily deli meals with highlights that include lobster roll with squid ink bun and delicious crispy liver sandwich. By night, the Damansara storefront aims to transform into a supper club three nights a week but fans may have to wait a little while longer as the chef works to perfect the dinner menu. For now, Sitka runs from 9am to 6pm daily with weekday mornings being the quietest – perfect to savour a warm pastry and a cup of Joe.

While the coffee hasn't strike a chord with me, I always find myself coming back to this gem. Maybe it's because of the well-lit and stylishly designed space that never fails to tickle my fancy or maybe it's their banana caramel cake that just melts in your mouth (and heart). Whatever it is, I don't think I'll ever tire of coming here.

Haikara Style Café and Bakery is a hidden gem in Subang Jaya run by a couple from Nagoya, Japan. Serving affordable home-cooked Japanese pastries and food, this place is a must for breakfast. If you dine in before noon, order the roasted coffee made from their special blend and receive Haikara’s famous homemade bread and scrambled eggs for free! For a more substantial meal, opt for their delightfully crisp, juicy chicken katsu sandwich. The Fujisan is a delectable dessert - a Kato-style bread pudding that comes with a homemade cheesecake base, layered with bread soaked in egg, cream and milk, then finished with ice cream and toppings. Now, that's definitely reason enough to visit Haikara.

Located in the manufacturing neighborhood of Bandar Sri Damansara, BEAM opened its doors to customers in July with the aim of educating the cafe crowd on the intricacies of specialty coffee. This obscure café’s East-meets-West concept is its claim to fame, offering a good variety of morning snacks and coffee to start your day on a sweet note. You can find authentic Malaysian kuihs alongside less-traditional cakes like "When Chocolate meets Cheese". Serving traditional kopi and teh as well as lattes, this is the perfect place to roll out of bed into. Recommended by Burppler RYan, "Chicken panini is mad nice and the dessert called "when tea meets coffee" is just unique in its very own way".