Kuantan Restaurants and Dining

(Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia)

Restaurants in Kuantan serve everything from local specialities through Malay, Cantonese, Hokkien, spicy Szechuan, North and South Indian, to Italian and other European cuisines, with Malay and Western fast-food dining thrown in as well.

The vast selection of eateries in the city offers an unending variety of dishes at prices to suit all pockets, from the resort and upscale hotel dineries to street food and market stalls. As with most other necessities here, food prices in Kuantan are surprisingly low for their quality and freshness.

What to Eat, and Where

The famous 'satay', grilled meat skewered with vegetables and served with a peanut sauce, is available on almost every dining menu and street stall. 'Nasi lemak', rice cooked in coconut milk, gives a delicious new slant on this staple grain.

For lovers of Chinese food, all varieties of dim sum, usually eaten at breakfast here, and innumerable varieties of noodle dishes, are cheap and delicious. Restaurants and small eateries of all types catering to all pockets are found across the city, and the fine gourmet dining reputation of Kuantan means that great food is available almost everywhere.

The prominent star on every menu is the seafood, fresh, varied and top-quality, with 'ikan bakar', a delicately flavoured grilled fish, being a firm favourite. An especially popular Indian dish is 'nasi biriyani', a Moghul recipe varying from restaurant to restaurant.

As befits a tropical region, exotic fruit is at its seasonal best in Kuantan, although another favourite, 'durian', may not be to everyone's taste due to its off-putting smell. Mangoes, watermelon, guava, pineapple and star fruit are at their most delicious here and round off any meal perfectly. Whether you are dining upscale or sitting on a bamboo stool in a local eatery or market, you are sure to have a great culinary experience in Kuantan.