5 Best Local Dishes from Malacca

The best local dishes from Malacca highlight the city’s Peranakan heritage, which dates back to the 15th century. Food is definitely central to life in this historic city, so enjoying authentic Chinese, Malay and Peranakan dishes is just part of the experience.

If you’re looking for a plethora of flavors and unusual dishes, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve listed some of the best Malaccan dishes you might not find elsewhere in Malaysia.

1. Chicken rice balls

Good for: Food

Chicken rice balls are similar to typical Hainanese chicken rice, except that the rice comes in golf ball-sized shapes. It’s often enjoyed for breakfast and lunch in Malacca.

2. Coconut shake

Good for: Food

Malacca’s coconut shake is made with everything coconut – coconut water and flesh gets blended with ice, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. You can find several stalls selling this thirst quencher, but the best one is in Klebang. The queue for this delicious drink can get very long, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

3. Satay celup

Good for: Food, Budget

Satay celup is a Malaccan specialty that’s basically a fondue-like dish comprised of skewered pieces of meat and vegetables. You dip the skewers into a communal pot (built into a round table) of boiling hot and spicy peanut sauce. This helps cook the pieces of raw meat, tofu, prawns and vegetables.

4. Peranakan/Nyonya dishes

Good for: Food

Peranakan dishes are certainly a must-try when you’re in Malacca. The city is the birthplace of the Peranakan culture. Unique dishes such as sek bak (braised pork) and ikan goreng cili garam (deep-fried fish with spicy chili paste) are known to be spicy and flavoursome. Due to the intense flavors, it’s best to pair the dishes with a plate of white rice.

5. Durian cendol

Good for: Food, Budget

Durian cendol is a quintessential Malaccan dessert. It consists of the pungent fruit with cendol, a type of green worm-like jelly made of rice flour in a bowl of shaved ice. Even if you’re not a fan of durian, definitely give it a go, especially on a warm day in Malacca.

Location: Jonker 88, Jalan Hang Jebat, Malacca, Malaysia

Open: Monday–Friday and Sunday from 10 am to 6pm, Saturday from 10 am to 10 pm

Phone: +60 (0)6 286 8786

This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.