The most popular coffee in Malaysia are Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Dôme, San Francisco and Espressamente illy. Although the coffee from big chains such as Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Dôme are fine, you’ll drink better coffee at a different coffee shop like San Francisco Coffee. The nice thing about the coffee shops in Malaysia is that they always have a pleasant atmosphere. They are excellent places to go and relax after a long day full of activities.
Espressamente illy
Espressamente illy is a coffee shop established by the internationally known coffee brand illy. Currently, there are more than 200 establishments worldwide, including some in Malaysia. Espressamente illy is not very well represented in Malaysia yet; with only one establishment in Pavilion KL and in Bangsar Village I. Sometimes they hire an Italian band that plays great jazz music. The coffee is fantastic, the service is excellent and the snacks are of high quality. Besides the sweet snacks, they also have snacks such as cheese, olives and more.
San Francisco Coffee
San Francisco Coffee also sells coffee beans or ground coffee in their shops; perfect for your own coffee machine. Loyal customers can ask for a savings card at the checkout. You show this card with every order and when your card is full with stamps, you will receive a free coffee of your choice. In the city center, you will find the coffee shop in Suria KLCC, amongst other places.
Starbucks
Starbucks is the most popular coffee shop in Malaysia. There are more than 115 Starbucks coffee shops in Malaysia. The first shop opened its doors in 1998 in KL Plaza (now Fahrenheit88). In Kuala Lumpur, you can find them on every corner; sometimes you look from one establishment right into the other. The atmosphere is always great at Starbucks; it’s a place where many employees come to relax during their work or break.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Herbert B. Hyman launched the coffee shop: ‘The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’ in 1963. The Coffee Bean has a much wider variety. There’s nothing like a delicious breakfast consisting of a tasty ‘focaccia sandwich with chicken and dressing’ and a large ‘coffee of the day’. They also have delicious ice blended shakes, where the ‘Malibu Dream’ is one of the tastiest, and various tasty snacks (such as brownies, muffins and fresh cakes).
Dôme
Dôme is a coffee shop with a very luxurious appearance. The prices are also a bit higher than those from Starbucks or Coffee Bean. Dôme also has a very extensive lunch card which even contains a number of dishes for dinner. And they have an extensive range of deliciously unhealthy shakes; the Espreski. Although it should pass for an ice blended shake, it’s more like an extensive dessert. The dishes on the menu are all very western-inspired; each dish comes with some fries and mayo.