Malaysian foodies rejoice, because the MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur & Penang 2025 has called this an “amazing year” for us, what with the newly unveiled 143 addressees.
Gwendal Poullennec, the International Director of the MICHELIN Guide, shared, “As we reveal the third edition of the MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur & Penang 2025, we are truly impressed by the remarkable progress of Malaysia’s culinary landscape.”
The 143 addressees include 56 Bib Gourmand establishments, 80 Selected spots, and two new MICHELIN-Starred restaurants. Oh, and the nation’s first-ever Green Star awardee. More on that later.
For the uninitiated, Bib Gourmand refers to budget-friendly eateries, while Selected spots can be thought of as restaurants who are on the right track, but haven’t quite got what it takes to be starred just yet.
But here are the two new restaurants joining the handful of MICHELIN-Starred establishments in Malaysia.
Chim by Chef Noom
Located in the office building that is TSLAW Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Chim by Chef Noom serves up innovative contemporary Thai cuisine. Its dishes are rooted in tradition but with creative twists and stylish plating, MICHELIN shared.
Chef Noom also owns the one-Starred Chim by Siam Wisdom in Bangkok, making Chim by Chef Noom his first restaurant outside of his home country. The Malaysian branch is led by two exceptional chefs, Chef Noom and Chef Willy.
Beliving that “the understanding of Thai cuisine has not yet reached its peak” in Malaysia yet, this is something his establishment seeks to achieve, Tatler reported.
Location: L2-03, TSLAW Tower, 39, Jalan Kamuning, Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 013-375 5181
Reservations: Website
Molina
Joining the list is also Molina, a fine dining restaurant recognised for its innovative dishes, described by MICHELIN as a “delectable amalgam of French techniques, Nordic sensibility, and Asian twists”.
The restaurant is located in Kuala Lumpur as well. It’s helmed by Sidney Schutte, a Dutch chef who is the chef-owner of Amsterdam’s Spectrum, executive chef of Mexico’s Cocina de Autor, and of course, co-owner of Molina.
“As a chef, I find myself constantly inspired by the wonders of different parts of the world, particularly Asia,” the chef said on the Molina website. “Now, in Molina, I have the privilege of blending my avant-garde approach to European fine dining with the extraordinary array of local ingredients found in Asia.”
Molina has been open in Malaysia since July this year. With views of the city skyline, the establishment has a focus on seafood and vegetables.
Location: 1020 Jalan Sultan Ismail Level 51 50250 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Contact: 03-2168 1771
Reservations: Website
Dewakan bags a new star
No, it’s not Malaysia’s first-ever three-Starred MICHELIN restaurant. Still, MICHELIN Green Star is no small feat.
The MICHELIN Green Star is an annual award which highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices.
Chef Darren Teoh Min Guo leads Dewakan’s efforts to source local ingredients, which not only promotes Malaysian flavours but also reduces the restaurant’s carbon footprint.
The MICHELIN Guide added, “Taking a nose-to-tail approach to ensure every part of the ingredients is utilised and reducing waste by fermenting food scraps into homemade sauces, Dewakan exemplifies how fine dining and sustainability can go hand in hand.”
This makes Dewakan the first—and currently only—Green Star recipient in Malaysia. It’s also the first and only two-Starred restaurant in Kuala Lumpur right now.
Malaysian cuisine on the world stage
These two restaurants join a group of five MICHELIN-Starred restaurants Malaysia. There are four One-Starred restaurants—Au Jardin, Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery, Beta, and DC. by Darren Chin.
Aside from the newly Starred restaurants, there are also 12 new Bib Gourmand establishments in Malaysia. Here they are at a glance.
Kuala Lumpur:
- Coast by Kayra
- Foong Lian
- Leen’s
- MTR 1924
- Sin Kiew Yee Shin Kee Beef Noodles
Penang:
- BM Yam Rice
- Laksalicious
- Lum Lai Duck Meat Koay Teow Th’ng
- Ravi’s Famous Apom Manis
- Serabai Istimewa
- Super Star Koay Teow Soup
- Winn’s Cafe
While it’s easy to brush the MICHELIN Guide’s recognition off as an industry-specific award programme, or perhaps just a label for rich gourmands, it represents something more than that.
It’s a recognition and also an elevation of Malaysia as a culinary and gastronomic destination, and is also a motivation for many of our local talents who strive for a MICHELIN Star.
It’s accolades like these that might have encouraged globally renowned names like Chef Noom and Sidney Schutte to foray into Malaysia, too.
With that, we wish a hearty congratulations to all the names who were recognised by the list this year.
- Learn more about The MICHELIN Guide here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about The MICHELIN Guide here.
Featured Image Credit: The MICHELIN Guide
