Aucklanders, we get it – finding authentic Malaysian food isn’t the easiest thing. Some of the food just doesn’t hit the way they do if you have it in Kuala Lumpur or Malacca. Even if you find a good one, it’s just too expensive!

With this list, we’re taking the stress out of the search to bring you Auckland’s best Malaysian restaurants. Our team of foodies sampled a variety of dishes and visited different places to ensure you only choose from the best.

Take a deep look today! 

1. Uncle Man’s K’road

We were immediately impressed by Uncle Man’s the moment we walked in – there was a strong aroma in the area that immediately set the mood. Located in a lively part of town, it’s also easily accessible via public transit.

Beyond the public transit, we absolutely loved how delicious their selections were. There are options like lamb biryani and nasi lemak with beer rendang, which are both standouts for how tender the meats are. They also came in generous portions.

Service-wise, they also earned our favour. Most dishes arrive within 10 to 15 minutes, even during lunch rush. And with everything being halal, there’s little room for us to complain.

However, the quality of dishes can be inconsistent – our team members noted that certain ingredients were missing in their mee rebus bowls. Thankfully, it appeared to be occasional lapses and didn’t really affect the flavour much.

Absolutely delicious 

“Ordered so many times I’ve lost count. Absolutely delicious. Always great food and really friendly efficient service. Uncle Man’s got my order slightly wrong on just one occasion, and they promptly made a replacement and had a staff member hand-deliver it in under 15 mins” 

Alys Vermiliumn | Google Reviews

Original from Malaysia 

“Beautiful Malaysian food served. The roti canai is soft and fluffy. Just too good to the original from Malaysia. Curry laksa itself was too spicy and oily. The satay was nice but any dish that was made with roti with the dhal or chicken curry was just delicious. Even the murtabak was spot on.”

Robin Tay | Google Reviews

2. Petaling Malaysian Restaurant

Petaling keeps things simple and straightforward. With two floors of seating, we liked how they can easily accommodate big groups. There’s a handy bell system upstairs which makes it easy to call staff when needed.

Our team sampled over 10 dishes across 3 visits and found the food to be consistently good. In particular, our team loved their dry bak kut teh with its tender pork ribs and savoury sauce. Portions are just right for a single person.

However, we did find a small instance wherein the Hainan chicken felt a little bit undercooked. Fortunately, it was dealt with quickly, with the meal replaced at no extra cost.

Prices are also good, which can especially feel significant for big gatherings. 

Service is swift, but not the fastest. We love how reliable and friendly everyone was, no matter how busy the restaurant got.

Delicious and generous 

“cravings satisfied living in Sg before moving here last year we’ve been craving the food so much I’ve searched and petaling attracts me for some reason and didn’t disappoint delicious generous servings exactly what we came for the sambal was just fantastic can’t wait to come back for more” 

Finedine Romance | Google Reviews 

Friendly staff, yummy food 

“We had our dinner at 8:30 pm. luckily they were open till 9:30 pm and it’s really hard to find a place to eat every Sunday late at night. The staff were friendly, the food is really 😋 YUMMY. We had seafood laksa& fried rice. It wasn’t that long when they serve the food. I’m really happy that we got the chance to try this restaurant. Will definitely come again.. BY the way it wasn’t that expensive.”

Sam Man | Google Reviews

3. Kampung Style Malaysian Cafe

Out of the many restaurants we’ve visited, this place perfectly captures that homey feel. It has an unassuming profile, which we actually found comfortable for solo diners or small groups that want that intimate setting.

However, it’s also their venue that needs a bit of improvement. We immediately noticed how small it was, with a design that felt outdated. 

On the good side, one of their standout qualities is their insane portion sizes. Our team agrees that one dish can probably feed at least 2 people.

Plus, with prices being affordable for most eaters, they ticked off the value for money we’re looking for.

Food is exactly how you want Malaysian food to be – rich, aromatic flavours with tender meat and moist rice. Some standouts include our favourite sarawak mee goreng and kampung style lore mee.

Excellent Malaysian food 

“Excellent Malaysian foods in the town . The staff services is great . Recommend to try the chicken satay and the prawn soup noodle . If you want to try the real Malaysian dishes , this is my 1st choice in Auckland . Since its location is just next to the train station , most of the car park slots are just for 15 mins stop. Thanks for the staff warmly reminder that the car park opposite the restaurant is for 90 mins parking.”

Pat Chan | Google Reviews 

Great authentic taste 

“Love the cosy, rustic feel to the wooden style building and feeling the occasional passing by of trains. Food is great. Cho Kuey Tiao has great authentic taste. Their roti with curry chicken is a must try, bear in mind the curry can be quite spicy.”

Dean Ching Yee | Google Reviews 

4. KK Malaysian Cuisine

The best thing we loved about KK was their extensive menu, which was packed with Malaysian classics. There are generous portions of tom yum fried vermicelli, mummy chicken, and their signature KK special chicken.

KK also earned high marks for its level of service. We noted how attentive their staff were, serving dishes fast even during weekends or even when there’s a significant crowd. 

They also won our hearts with their casual yet welcoming setting. They even have a semi-covered outdoor seating that’s also pet-friendly (though we find it rare to spot some four-legged friends here).

For families, it’s also a strength that the resto has a strong community feel, with many Asian families filling the tables regularly.

We just wish that the quality of the food was a little more consistent, as a few of our team members noted that sometimes options are dry or lacking punch. Improvements here can make things better.

Extra flavour on dishes 

“I had the Morning glory and the Chicken curry. Both were amazing ~! I love having curry bone in! You don’t come across it much, but the little hassle of getting it of the bone, sure makes up for it with the extra flavour! Also, I’m quite fond of cartlige and chewing on the soft chicken bones”

Bjork Bjork Bjork | Google Reviews

Super duper yummy 

“The food here is the best. I advise the mummy pork ribs and the tom yum fish head noodles. Most importantly, the food is super duper yummy. There aren’t many tables. You can pretty much walk in and get a table during non-peak hours. Otherwise amazing.”

Isabelle Ajani | Google Reviews 

5. Mutiara Malaysian Restaurant

Authenticity and quality won us over at Mutiara. We got to meet Chef Roy himself, who brings 30 years of culinary experience to every meal. From the char kuey teow to the beloved nasi lemak, everything has just the right taste.

Our team found the service equally impressive. We loved how personable they are, giving off warm energy, and are quick to offer recommendations. We didn’t have to wait long for our orders either, as meals came out in less than 20 minutes. 

There’s plenty of space too, and we appreciate that there are indoor and outdoor seating options. With ample parking options nearby, accessibility is also a no-problem here.

The prices may just feel a little higher than your usual fare, especially if you have no company to share with. But with the service and quality of food and flavours, we see them as worth every penny.

Amazing service 

“Great restaurant. There was a group of 12 of us. Service was amazing and food was so good everything came out hot and fast. They offered a banquet style meal so there was a lot of different options to choose from. This suited me personally as I don’t eat seafood so they were very good informing us what was in each dish. Will definitely return.”

Seanog Maguire | Google Reviews 

Top-tier and outstanding 

“Absolutely outstanding. I’ve been traveling two months all around New Zealand and this is the best restaurant I’ve found. Totally authentic, delicious food. The restaurant has been here 30 years, which tells you something about their quality. The owner also told me a bit about the chef – many things that could be purchased are made from scratch with fresh ingredients from local markets. The service was top tier too. Attentive, but not overly so.”

Ryan Cruz | Google Reviews 

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