The BEST Langkawi Food – What, Where, and When

While vacationing in Malaysia, Langkawi is one of the not to miss destinations. It has some amazing experiences to excite travelers from across the globe. One such experience is food. Langkawi food is world-famous and people from far and wide flock to this part of Malaysia to enjoy an ultimate food tour on Langkawi Island. There are plenty of amazing places to eat in Langkawi ranging from hotels to beachfront restaurants. Nightlife in Langkawi and Langkawi dining collectively proffers an amazing experience for tourists. But, that’s not what we are here for. In this post, we will talk about some must-have delicacies and the best places to eat in Langkawi.

Types of Street Food in Langkawi

Street food in Langkawi is probably one of the best experiences for all the food connoisseurs. From chicken rice to coconut rice and fish crackers, here in Langkawi, you can expect to savor a wide range of delicacies. You either have such food at the stalls or can ask for takeaway in a plastic bag or styrofoam containers. A full plate of street food in Langkawi would cost you somewhere around RM 10. However, it can increase and decrease depending on the number of dishes you decide to add on your plate. 

However, if you are not considering having street food in Langkawi, there are plenty of restaurants to eat in Langkawi that are mainly located in the Pantai Cenang region. There are some amazing family-restaurants to enjoy mealtime. Most of these restaurants are quite expensive. On your Langkawi trip, you can even enjoy a buffet-style lunch which consists of different varieties of fishes, chicken dishes, and vegetables. This is a Langkawi must eat and lunch starts at 11:00 AM. 

How to Eat Like a Local in Langkawi?

Well, if you are looking to enjoy Langkawi food in a local way, then you need to know a few basic things about food in Langkawi. Yes, Langkawi food has its own story to tell to food lovers. Just to let you know, most restaurants or street food stalls in Langkawi offer a lot of international cuisines and local food. Hence, you can also expect to find Russian borscht and Japanese sushi. But that’s not we will talk about here. 

Langkawi Food

If you don’t know, let me tell you that Langkawi is located in the state of Kedah. Now, Kedah is also referred to as the ‘rice bowl of Malaysia’. The reason behind this name is pretty obvious, Kedah is one of the largest producers of rice in the country of Malaysia. With that being said, rice is the staple dish in Langkawi. The local version of rice here is prepared with tomatoes and spices. Rice in Langkawi is prepared way differently from other parts of Malaysia. The cooked rice is served with beef rendang. Beef rendang is coconut milk-based beef curry. The rice is also served with Ayam Masak Merah which is chicken in red sauce. 

Well, the food in Langkawi is not just restricted to this. Being a tropical destination, you can also expect to savor an abundance of fishes here. When it comes to how to prepare it, barbecue is the most common and popular method. Most often you will see a fish stuffed with the delectable coconut sambal. If you want to enjoy barbecue fish on your holiday in Langkawi, look for the name or sign Ikan Bakar which means barbecue fish. Langkawi beach is the most common place to enjoy barbecue fish. 

Langkawi Food Roots

The island of Langkawi is located closer to Thailand than the Malaysian mainland. Thus, the influence of Thailand is pretty obvious on Malaysian snack foods. Lemongrass and basils are the two most common ingredients that are used in Thailand. You can also expect to see these ingredients in Langkawi dishes. If you are looking to buy some ingredients to prepare local Langkawi food, The largest wet market – Padang Matsirat is one such place where you can shop for local food ingredients. For all the food buffs, this market is one of the most popular places to visit in Langkawi. Here you can expect to find some exotic produce like that of, mangosteen, prickly rambutan, durian, and snake fruit. 

Best Time to Enjoy Food in Langkawi

If you think it’s the night time to enjoy the food in Langkawi, well, that is not true. The best time to relish local food in Langkawi is lunchtime. Just to let you know, the evening time meal is a simple affair here in Langkawi. It is the time when people enjoy eating noodles or rice. But to enjoy a full buffet meal, lunchtime is perfect. There are numerous buffet restaurants that offer lunch in a simple way – grab a plate, put some rice on it and then pile it with all sorts of dishes that are on the buffet menu, before even paying. The cost of your lunch on the basis of the dishes you choose to eat. Chicken curry, mutton curry, fish, bean curd, okra, cucumber, wing beans, eggplant, beansprouts, anchovies, pineapple curry, and pan-fried coconut are some dishes that you can expect to get on the menu of a buffet lunch in Langkawi. To savor the buffet, a choice of fruit juices are also offered for you to choose from.

Best Way to Sample Local Food in Langkawi

I personally loved the roving night market in Langkawi to sample the local food. This is probably the best way to enjoy Langkawi food. If you are a food connoisseur, then consider visiting the roving night market as one of the best things to do in Langkawi. The market is observed in different areas in Langkawi on different days. In the market, you can expect to enjoy a wide range of local street food varying from fresh fruit juices to delectable chicken to stir-fried rice to barbecue meats to stir-fried noodles with egg and prawns. 

Night Markets in Langkawi Malaysia

– On Monday

Jalan Makam Mahsuri Lama – the downtown of the island.

– On Tuesday

Kedawang, located east of the airport. 

– On Wednesday and Saturday

Kuah Town

– On Thursday

Pantai Cenang – one of the most popular Langkawi attractions. 

– On Friday

the market moves to Padang Lalang, another popular tourist destination located in the north near Pantai Pasir Hitam. 

– On Sunday

Padang Matsirat – situated near the airport. 

 

Must-Have Foods in Langkawi

Now that you have gathered all the information about food in Langkawi, it is time that you fill yourself with some info about the best delicacies to have while on a visit to Langkawi. So, here we go!

Nasi Dagang

Nasi Dagang is one of the most iconic dishes to eat in Langkawi. It boasts both Thai and Indian influences. The dish consists of rice steamed in coconut milk. It is usually served with fish curry. The dish can be prepared with husked red rice or a mix of glutinous and jasmine rice. Originally it is fish curry but if you are a big fan of chicken or beef you can easily find it as well. Not just in Langkawi, Nasi Dagang is also a well-known breakfast food in the states on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, such as Terengganu and Kelantan. Since the rice is steamed in coconut milk, it brings more of a sweet taste. Just to let you know, Nasi Dagang has been called the “Nasi Lemak of the East Coast” since both are coconut milk-rich rice dishes.

Places to eat

Nasi Dagang Pak Malau, Restaurant Siti Fatimah, and Pia’s the Padi.

Cost

Approx RM 8

Nasi Lemak

A signature dish of Malaysia which is loved by all is Nasi Lemak. There is no time to enjoy this dish; whenever you want to have it, you can eat it. However, locals love to eat it at breakfast. Hence, it is often known as the national breakfast dish in Malaysia. The dish consists of rice steamed in coconut milk, which imparts a creamy texture. The rice is served on a banana leaf (or a plastic plate sculpted to look like a banana leaf!) alongside a dab of spicy sambal, a small pile of deep-fried anchovies (known to locals as Ikan Bilis), roasted peanuts, cucumber, and sliced-up hard-boiled egg.

Places to eat

Nasi Lemak Keilbang, Langkawi Eatery, and Pia’s the Padi.

Cost

Approx RM 1.50

Nasi Campur

Another rice dish in Langkawi is Nasi Campur. It is basically mixed rice. In Langkawi, you can expect to find as much as 100 varieties of this dish. The dish includes all the vegetables that you can think of. Along with that, it also includes fish and various other types of meats. The dish is quite popular in Indonesia and is referred to as Nasi Rames. Along with vegetables, the dish also includes eggs, peanuts, and fried-shrimp krupuk. 

Places to eat

Nasi Campur Top BBQ, Restaurant Kak An Nasi Campur, and Nasi Dagang Pak Malau

Cost

The price of this dish you pay in the end depends on the number of different dishes you have on your plate and the type of dishes too (meat being more expensive than vegetables).

Apam Balik

Apam Balik is another breakfast in Langkawi to eat. It is one of the highly-recommended snacks that is sold in breakfast, lunch, and even evening time. It is basically the griddle pancake which includes sugar and ground peanuts along with grated coconut and corn. All these ingredients are stuffed in the pancake to give it a rich and sumptuous taste. 

Places to eat

The dish is very common and can be found at a street food stall. You can also visit the night market to enjoy Apam Balin in the evening time. 

Cost

RM 4

Teh Tarik 

While on a food tour in Langkawi on your Malaysia trip, you cannot afford to ignore Teh Tarik. It’s not a dish but a beverage that tastes extremely delectable. Also known as Pulled Tea, the drink is hot milk tea made from black tea and either condensed milk or evaporated milk. Such is the taste and importance of this beverage that it is also known as the country’s national drink. The mixture is poured back and forth repeatedly between two vessels from a height, giving it a thick frothy top. This drink is so popular in Langkawi that you can find it in mid-range and high-end restaurants, and even in street-side stalls. 

Places to eat

Sembang Teh Tarik Restoran & Cafe, Fakir Teh Tarik Cafe, and Teh Tarik Stall

Cost

The price ranges from RM 5 and RM 10

Mamak

Mamak is a fusion Malay Indian food in Langkawi. You can actually find a lot of Mamak restaurants in Malaysia, our favorite one is Tandoori. It’s chicken with Nan ( a bread baked in tandoor). You will be surprised at how they cook this, but this classic Tandoori Chicken Is Marinated In Yogurt! Spices are then roasted in a hot tandoor oven. The skin is generally removed before the chicken is marinated and roasted. This is a must-have dish if you love chicken. 

Places to eat

Restoran Nasi Kandar Tomato, Restoran Haji Ali, and Restoran Nasi Kandar Al-Aiman

Chicken Satay

If you have been to Indonesia, I assume you know about this. Well, like Indonesian Satay, the Malaysian Satay is also a popular and delectable delicacy. It is marinated meat skewers that are grilled over wood or charcoal fire. This style of cooking makes this dish so popular and delectable. There’s something about the smell of grill smoke that puts me in a fantastic mood. In the process of preparing it, the meat is marinated in a paste that includes tons of ingredients like lemongrass, shallots. Coriander, garlic, cumin, turmeric, and ginger. It is served with a dipping sauce that makes this even more delectable. 

Food is an integral part of Langkawi tourism, hence, having information about food in Langkawi is important before considering a food tour. I hope this post has imparted you with some useful insight into the food culture and must-have delicacies in Langkawi.

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