$$$$
CafeTitiwangsaWifi
Ruma Puteh fills a candy-coloured corner house near Titiwangsa Lake in Kuala Lumpur with Johor-style dishes and Western brunch, Tuesday to Sunday.
DrinkButterfly pea iced tea
TipOrder the Johor-style lontong or laksa, the dishes the kitchen leans on beside its Western plates.
$$$$
HainaneseDang Wangi
Yut Kee Restaurant, founded in 1928 on Jalan Dang Wangi and now on Jalan Kamunting in Kuala Lumpur, pours kopitiam coffee beside Hainanese chicken chop.
DrinkKopi with kaya and butter toast
TipArrive before 10:30 on weekends; after that the crowd builds outside and you leave your name at the counter to wait.
$$$$
HainaneseChinatown
Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam has poured cham and served kaya toast in Kuala Lumpur since 1956, now with a fourth-generation owner on Jalan Balai Polis in Chinatown.
DrinkCham, half coffee half tea
TipOrder the dried chicken curry with mee, mee hoon or kuey teow alongside the cham; it comes in generous chunks.
$$$$
MalayChinatown
Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock revives a 1960s kopitiam look in Kuala Lumpur Chinatown, plating nasi lemak ayam alongside teh tarik and mee rebus daily.
DrinkTeh tarik
TipThe nasi lemak ayam goreng berempah on banana leaf is the order regulars queue longest for.
$$$$
Chinese MalaysianTaman Overseas Union
Yi Feng Restaurant runs a bright, modern kopitiam in Taman OUG, Kuala Lumpur, pouring curry laksa and salted cham ping topped with cheese foam.
DrinkSalted cham ping with cheese foam
TipThe curry laksa comes with a choice of char siew, siew yoke or poached chicken from RM11.50.
$$$$
Chinese MalaysianSri Petaling
Yitcha Kaw Kaw Kopitiam in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur pairs white coffee with Portuguese tarts and Ipoh-style shredded chicken hor fun noodles.
DrinkWhite coffee
TipKaya puffs, siew pau and coconut tarts start around RM2.40 each, and weekday 15:00 to 17:00 adds a free pastry with a coffee.