Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Pork ribs simmered for hours in a broth of dang gui, star anise, cinnamon and garlic, served with rice, you tiao and tea. Kuala Lumpur also eats the dry version, reduced with dried chilli and cuttlefish.
Bak kut teh, Hokkien for meat bone tea, grew up in the Klang Valley among Chinese port and plantation workers, and Klang to the west of Kuala Lumpur is widely regarded as its birthplace. The broth is a herbal decoction of dang gui, cinnamon and star anise poured over pork ribs, eaten early in the morning with strong Chinese tea to cut the fat. Kuala Lumpur shops kept the claypot service and added the dry style, where the meat is reduced with dark soy, dried chilli and cuttlefish. Sun Fong in Imbi has served both since 1971, and Hing Kee in Kepong keeps its pots going into the small hours.
4 editor picks for Bak kut teh in Kuala Lumpur, ranked by editorial score. All Kuala Lumpur signature dishes · Bak kut teh across every city.
Ah Hei Bak Kut Teh starts its sixteen-herb pork rib broth at 05:00, before opening on Medan Imbi in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, and holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
OrderClaypot bak kut teh with pork ribs and a 16-herb broth.
TipAsk for extra beancurd skin in the claypot; it soaks up the herbal broth better than the mushrooms.
Hing Kee Bakuteh in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, simmers a Bib Gourmand bak kut teh from mid afternoon into the small hours, dry version and soup both on the table.
OrderDry bak kut teh with bird's eye chilli and dried cuttlefish
TipOrder the dry version if the soup at other bak kut teh shops tastes too mild for you.
Sun Fong Bak Kut Teh has simmered herbal pork ribs in Imbi, Kuala Lumpur, since 1971, serving both the soup and dry versions from seven in the morning.
OrderOrder the dry bak kut teh with pork knuckle, the version regulars ask for by name.
TipThe dry version is more intense and soy-led than the soup bowl; the pig's tripe in pepper soup is the other regular order.
Chuan Kee Bak Kut Teh has simmered claypot pork rib soup in a Taman Danau Kota shophouse in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, for more than four decades.
OrderClaypot bak kut teh with pork ribs in the herbal broth.
TipCall ahead for the sang kut spare-rib version; it needs at least 45 minutes of advance notice to cook.
Bak kut teh makes more sense with someone from Kuala Lumpur explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Immerse yourself in Malaysian culture with a cooking class in a local home. Visit a market, learn to cook classic dishes, and enjoy the meal you've prepared with your host.
5 hours
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Private tour · 12 hours
Explore Taman Negara, one of the world’s oldest rainforests, with jungle walks, river activities, and nature experiences on a full-day adventure.
