2026 Guide
Tuaran mee, ngiu chap, hinava and seafood from the South China Sea.
Updated October 2026 · 84 spots · 6 cities
⚡ Quick answer
The must-eat spots in Sabah are Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap (Ngiu Chap, Kota Kinabalu), Precious Bake (Bakery & Pastry, Kota Kinabalu) and Tuaran Mee Restoran (Tuaran Mee, Tuaran).
Kolam Centre, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Ngau chap mee kon lau — dry noodles with a bowl of mixed beef soup
The name that comes up every single time KK people argue about beef noodles. Tender slices, tendon and innards in a deep, peppery broth, with the noodles tossed dry on the side — so loved it now has a branch in Selangor.
Donggongon, Penampang, Penampang, Sabah
Order: Ngiu chap mee with ka-liau (extra meat)
Over four decades of simmering beef bones in Donggongon, and once named among Tourism Malaysia's 100 best kopitiams. The soup is clean but rich, the cuts generous — order ka-liau and thank us later.
Nountun Industrial, Inanam, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Ngiu chap laksa — beef noodles in a laksa-style broth
A Hainanese-style beef noodle house famous for a twist you won't find elsewhere: ngiu chap swimming in a spiced laksa broth. Regulars still swear by the classic clear soup too.
Order: Ngiu chap mee soup
An old-school neighbourhood kopitiam whose beef noodles have a loyal Lido following — meat that's tender without going mushy, and a soup with real body.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
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Lintas Square, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
cheesecake
Order: Cheesecakes
A cheesecake specialist with a near-perfect rating across more than a thousand reviews.
Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
old-schooltakeaway
Order: Pineapple buns (bo lo bao)
An old Gaya Street bakery famous for its pineapple buns, a staple of the Sunday-market crowd.
Lintas Plaza, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
cakes
Order: Pastries and cakes
A busy pastry shop where the crowds are the best review; cakes and pastries are consistently good.
budget
Order: Affordable cakes and buns
A Luyang neighbourhood bakery loved for affordable everyday cakes and breads.
Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
open till lateold-school
Order: Roti kahwin (kaya-butter toast) and buns
A KK institution open from dawn till late; the roti kahwin and buns are what everyone orders.
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Order: Fried Tuaran mee with char siew and egg rolls
The shop locals point to first when you ask where Tuaran mee is done properly, right in the town that gave the noodle its name. Handmade egg noodles are wok-fried until springy and slightly smoky, and there's a lihing (rice wine) version if you want the full Sabahan treatment.
Order: Fried Tuaran mee with seafood
Tuaran's other heavyweight, a regular on TV food shows and a Sabah Food Awards heritage winner for this very dish. The noodles come out golden, bouncy and properly wok-kissed — worth the 40-minute drive from KK on its own.
Sinsuran, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Tuaran mee fried with a splash of lihing rice wine
The city's go-to for Tuaran mee without leaving town — a 40-plus-year-old Sinsuran kopitiam that's packed by mid-morning. They fry the noodles with a dash of lihing for extra aroma; tourists and office crowds both queue for it.
Order: Tuaran mee lihing; Tuaran mee with roast pork
The Inanam outpost of the Tuaran original, handy for KK folk who can't make the drive north. Same handmade noodles, plus a menu of variations including the rice-wine-laced lihing version.
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Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Herbal pork rib and knuckle bak kut teh with yau char kway
KK's undisputed BKT address, opposite the old Jesselton Hotel, with tables filling the moment it opens in the afternoon. A peppery-herbal claypot loaded with ribs, tails and innards — pair with fried dough and rice.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
Bandar Nam Tung, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Seafood bak kut teh
Sandakan's twist on the classic: a herbal broth loaded with prawns, fish and shellfish alongside the pork. Some Sabahans rate it above anything in KK.
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Asia City, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Kam heong crab, butter prawns, steamed live fish
KK's best-known pick-from-the-tank seafood hall: huge, loud, and always full of tour groups and locals alike. Choose your catch, choose your sauce, and expect it fresh and fairly priced. No pork served.
Order: Chilli crab, grilled squid, steamed clams
A halal-certified seafood restaurant on stilts over the Gayang estuary, a favourite for Muslim families and visitors heading north of KK. Live seafood cooked Malay- and Chinese-style with sunset views.
Kampung Sim-Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Steamed grouper, big oysters, butter prawns, crispy seafood noodle
The classic Sandakan seafood experience: a stilt restaurant out over the Sim-Sim water village with live tanks and sea breezes. Pork-free, though not certified halal.
Taman Tun Fuad, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Malay-style seafood dinner with cultural show
A huge halal floating restaurant on the lake at Tun Fuad Park, famous for seafood dinners paired with nightly Sabahan cultural dances. Touristy, yes — but it's a KK rite of passage.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
Jalan Sim-Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Charcoal-grilled fish with sambal and air asam
Sandakan's go-to Muslim ikan bakar spot by the water village — pick fresh fish, have it grilled over charcoal and drowned in sambal. Simple, smoky and cheap.
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Asia City, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
live seafood tankstourist favouritelarge groups
Order: Live seafood by weight: lobster, crab, tiger prawns
KK's most famous seafood hall: a vast, noisy room of tanks where you point, pay by weight and choose your style. A must for every Sabah visit.
Kampung Air, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
live seafood tankspick your owndinner
Order: Live crab, prawns, lobster and oysters
A KK classic for over 40 years: pick from the tanks and get it cooked your way. A solid alternative to the Asia City tourist strip.
over-watersea viewfamily friendly
Order: Chilli crab; grilled fish
A stilted restaurant over the water near Tuaran, worth the drive out of KK for fresh crab and sea views. Popular with day-trippers and family groups.
Kampung Sim Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
over the watersea view
Order: Fresh catch cooked over the water
A stilt-village seafood restaurant at Sim Sim with the best rating on Sandakan's waterfront.
seasidesea viewsunset
Order: Butter prawns; steamed fish; chilli crab
A seaside seafood stop on the Sulaman road, good for butter prawns and sunsets. Go for a late lunch on the way back from Tuaran.
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Sinsuran, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Sang nyuk mee soup with pork slices, liver and meatballs
Said to be the first in KK to sell sang nyuk mee, back in 1982, and still the benchmark for many locals. Raw pork is cooked to order in the broth so it stays silky — the Lido stall carries the same name and recipe.
Lintas Plaza, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Dry sang nyuk mian with a bowl of pork-and-offal soup
Food media's favourite pick for KK's signature pork noodle, served in a busy kopitiam near Lintas. Pick your toppings — slices, kidney, tendon, liver, balls — and the springy fine noodles do the rest.
Order: Tawau-style sang nyuk mee dressed in soy and lard
Tawau is where many say sang nyuk mee was born, and Hing Lee is the town's long-running standard-bearer. Noodles slicked with soy and lard, a side bowl of pork, meatballs and innards — small portions, big flavour.
Plaza Permai, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Sang nyuk mee with mixed pork and offal
An iconic name that started in Sinsuran and is now just as busy at its Plaza Permai shop. Expect queues on weekends for bowls of clean, porky broth and perfectly blanched meat.
Lintas Plaza, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Sang nyuk mian soup, any hour
The round-the-clock option for KK's pork noodle fix — a solid, well-reviewed bowl that's saved many a late-night craving.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
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Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Sabah-style laksa; beef brisket noodles; teh madras
A Gaya Street institution that almost every visitor to KK ends up at. Its Sabah laksa is creamy, gently spiced and generous with toppings — wash it down with the house teh madras.
Sandakan Town, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Traditional Sandakan laksa and UFO tarts
A heritage-style kopitiam in old Sandakan that's become a must-stop for its UFO tarts and traditional laksa. Old-town atmosphere, breakfast crowds, and a laksa that lives up to the hype.
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halal chainbuffetmall
Order: Korean BBQ and steamboat buffet
The halal, family-friendly KBBQ option in KK, with very high ratings at the Imago outlet.
table grill
Order: Table-grilled pork and beef with banchan
KK's best-loved Korean grill, rated highly for both its BBQ and its stews.
Jalan Penampang, Penampang, Sabah
buffetbook ahead
Order: Self-service Korean BBQ buffet
A big, popular self-grill buffet on the Penampang side; book ahead for dinner.
KK Times Square, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
charcoal grill
Order: Charcoal marinated pork ribs
Known for charcoal samgyeopsal and marinated ribs, with dolsot bibimbap on the side.
Lintas Plaza, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
staff-assisted grilling
Order: Pork neck and garlic pork leg
Staff part-grill the meat for you, which cuts the smoke; the pork cuts are tender and well liked.
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Jesselton Mall, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
teppanyaki counter
Order: Teppanyaki sets, sushi and sashimi
KK's top-rated Japanese spot by review volume, with a teppan show and a full sushi menu.
Suria Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
pork-free chainmall
Order: Affordable sushi and sashimi
The value pick for sushi in KK: busy, reliable and pork-free.
resortteppanyaki
Order: Teppanyaki dinner sets
The resort Japanese room at Rasa Ria, worth the drive for a polished teppan dinner.
Pusat Bandar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
hotel
Order: Sashimi, grilled saba and bento
A long-standing hotel Japanese restaurant, often named the city's best for fresh sashimi, though prices are high.
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Order: Siew mai, loh mai kai, egg tarts, woo kok
'Wong Kok' to locals — a big, family-friendly dim sum hall with 60-plus handmade items. The default Sunday-morning gathering spot for KK families, with a second branch in Penampang.
Kolam Centre, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Siew mai, har gao and char siew bao
Long rated KK's most famous dim sum house, with weekend morning crowds to prove it. Around 40 kinds of handmade baskets at kopitiam prices, in both air-con and open-air halls.
Order: Morning dim sum baskets
One of Sandakan's best-known dim sum kopitiams, a classic local breakfast stop in a town with deep Cantonese roots.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
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Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
resortwine list
Order: Italian fine dining
KK's top-rated fine-dining room, an elegant Italian restaurant at Sutera Harbour.
Sutera Avenue, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
chef-led
Order: Chef-driven modern plates
A small chef-led restaurant at Sutera Avenue that is one of the most praised special-occasion spots in KK.
Sutera Avenue, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
steakhouse
Order: Wood-fired steaks
A wood-fire steakhouse that is KK's premium choice for steak dinners.
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Pusat Bandar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
specialty coffeepastries
Order: Specialty coffee and pastries
KK's most-reviewed specialty café, as good for a slow brunch as for its pastries.
Pusat Bandar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
breakfast
Order: Brunch plates and sweet treats
A stylish breakfast spot on café-street Lorong Dewan with very strong ratings.
Taman Far East, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
brunch
Order: Brunch plates and coffee
A well-rated neighbourhood brunch café on the Hilltop side of KK.
Lintas Plaza, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
house-baked bread
Order: Egg dishes and house bread
Reviewers single it out for eggs and bread, making it a good brunch stop away from the tourist core.
Pusat Bandar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
all-day breakfast
Order: Brunch plates with local twists
The café that tops KK's breakfast lists, putting Sabahan touches into its all-day brunch menu.
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Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
beachfrontresort
Order: Beachfront wedding banquets
KK's best-known resort for weddings, with sunset beachfront settings and hotel banquet menus.
Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
resortharbour
Order: Resort ballroom banquets
A large harbourside resort that hosts big wedding receptions in its function spaces.
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Jalan Padas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Hainanese chicken rice moulded into a pyramid
A no-aircon city-centre shop that's been KK's chicken rice reference for years. Silky poached chicken and fragrant, oily rice packed into its trademark pyramid shape.
Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Steamed chicken rice with char siew
A fast, clean, efficient Hainanese chicken rice shop on Gaya Street that's grown into several KK branches. Reliable poached chicken plus very decent BBQ pork.
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Pusat Bandar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
rooftopsunsetisland view
Order: Cocktails and bar bites with island views
KK's highest-rated sky bar, with panoramic views over the islands and Signal Hill.
Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
sea viewsunsetrooftop bar
Order: International plates and cocktails over the South China Sea
Rooftop dining with a wide view over the South China Sea and the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Sunset here is one of KK's best.
Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
harbour viewoutdoor
Order: Mediterranean plates and pizza by the harbour
Open-air Mediterranean dining with harbour and sunset views, one of the most-reviewed view restaurants in KK.
rooftopbay view
Order: Bistro plates on a rooftop garden
Sandakan's rooftop: a garden bistro over the old town and bay, with strong ratings.
Suria Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
sea viewsunsetpoolside
Order: Bar eats and dinner with island views
An unblocked sea-and-islands view from the hotel's top-floor pool deck. Known around KK as the go-to sunset drinks and dinner spot.
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Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
bar
Order: Classic cheeseburger
A Gaya Street bar and grill whose classic cheeseburger is a reliable pick.
Kolombong, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
warehouse space
Order: Juicy beef burgers
A Western restaurant in a converted warehouse that reviewers keep praising for its burgers.
Pusat Bandar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
bartravellers
Order: Burgers and Tex-Mex
A backpacker-favourite Western/Mexican diner whose burgers are a staple of the menu.
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Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
hotelresortsea viewseafood station
Order: Seafront buffet with Sabahan seafood
KK's best-known resort buffet, with sunset views over the South China Sea and plenty of local seafood on the spread.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
hotelseafood nightfamily
Order: International buffet with seafood nights
Sutera Harbour's all-day buffet is a long-standing KK favourite for weekend seafood buffets and big family meals.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
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Bandar Berjaya, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Banana leaf rice with fish curry, dhal and papadam
Kota Kinabalu's best-loved banana leaf spot, a rare taste of proper South Indian rice meals in Borneo. Unlimited rice, punchy curries and quick service right in the city centre.
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Suria Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
soft servedairy-free options
Order: Matcha soft serve and dairy-free sorbets
A mall dessert bar known for matcha soft serve and shaved ice.
gelato
Order: Handmade gelato
A small gelato shop with a near-perfect rating; KK's best-reviewed scoop.
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Bundusan, Penampang, Penampang, Sabah
Order: Siew yuk (crackling roast pork), plus roast pork nasi lemak
A decades-old roast meat specialist in Penampang whose crackling pork has a cult following — they even started putting it on nasi lemak. A proper Sabahan roast shop.
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Order: Hakka stuffed tofu, dumplings and ngiu chap
Kudat's famous signless tofu shop — ask anyone in town for 'the tofu place' and they'll point the way. Hakka-style stuffed tofu and dumplings made fresh, plus a good beef soup on the side.
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herbal desserts
Order: Chinese herbal tea and sweet soups
KK's best-known Chinese herbal dessert house, for Chinese herbal teas and traditional desserts.
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88 Marketplace, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
grill
Order: Nasi mandy with Egyptian grilled meats
An Egyptian grill that one reviewer calls the best nasi mandy in KK; one of the few Arab rice houses in the city.
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Kampung Buli Sim-Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Sandakan kon lo mee — dry-tossed noodles with fried pork
A water-village shop on the Sim-Sim jetties serving Sandakan's own take on dry-tossed pork noodles. Springy noodles, crispy pork, and a breakfast view over the sea.
⚠️ Last confirmed before 2025 — check it is open before you go.
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Taman Dai Ming, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Order: Classic nasi lemak with ayam rendang and sambal petai
Mrs Khoo has been dishing out her nasi lemak since 1993, building a loyal following with KL-inspired sambal and rich rendang. One of the few nasi lemak names KK people rave about.
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Tuaran mee, ngiu chap, hinava and seafood from the South China Sea. Our guide lists 84 top spots in Sabah across 26 dishes: Ngiu Chap, Bakery & Pastry, Tuaran Mee, Bak Kut Teh, Ikan Bakar, Seafood Restaurant, Sang Nyuk Mee, Curry Laksa, Korean BBQ, Japanese & Omakase, Dim Sum, Fine Dining, Brunch Café, Wedding Banquet Venue, Chicken Rice, Rooftop & View Dining, Burger, Buffet, Banana Leaf Rice, Ice Cream & Gelato, Roast Pork & Char Siew, Yong Tau Foo, Tong Sui (Chinese Dessert), Nasi Arab & Mandy, Kolo Mee and Nasi Lemak.
Start with Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap in Kota Kinabalu for Ngiu Chap — rated Legend.
Top halal picks in Sabah: Welcome Seafood Restaurant (Ikan Bakar), Seoul Garden Imago (Korean BBQ), Gayang Seafood Restaurant (Ikan Bakar) and Sim-Sim 88 Seafood Restaurant (Ikan Bakar).