Kota Kinabalu Gastronomy — Gaya Street Kopitiam and Night Market Seafood
Kota Kinabalu is a city strong in Sabah's specialty fish noodles (Tua Lan Mee and Ngu Chup) and seafood. Gaya Street is lined with old-fashioned kopitiams, and a Sunday market is held on Sunday mornings. For seafood, the open-fire grills at the Filipino Night Market offer good value, while checking the market price by weight is essential at large tank restaurants. Combining this with a visit to Tanjung Aru, a famous sunset spot, completes your evening itinerary.
Fook Yuen Cafe (Fook Yuen Cafe, 富源)
푹유엔 카페 (Fook Yuen Cafe, 富源)
Yifeng Laksa (Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, 怡豐茶室)
이펑 락사 (Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, 怡豐茶室)
Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh (佑記肉骨茶)
유키 바쿠테 (Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh, 佑記肉骨茶)
Filipino Night Market (Filipino Market Night Food Stalls)
필리피노 야시장 (Filipino Market Night Food Stalls)
Welcome Seafood Restaurant
웰컴 시푸드 (Welcome Seafood Restaurant)
Fook Yuen Cafe (Fook Yuen Cafe, 富源)
푹유엔 카페 (Fook Yuen Cafe, 富源)
A large, 24-hour Kopitiam on Gaya Street. An all-around restaurant featuring Kaya Toast, Teh Tarik, and even a dim sum corner.
Yifeng Laksa (Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, 怡豐茶室)
이펑 락사 (Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, 怡豐茶室)
Ranked as the number one Laksa spot in Kota Kinabalu. Sharing a table is essential during peak morning hours, and the Ngao Jab (beef offal noodles) is also a specialty.
Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh (佑記肉骨茶)
유키 바쿠테 (Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh, 佑記肉骨茶)
An old Bak Kut Teh spot on Gaya Street for dinner. Ordering half dry Bak Kut Teh and half clay pot soup is perfect.
Filipino Night Market (Filipino Market Night Food Stalls)
필리피노 야시장 (Filipino Market Night Food Stalls)
A night market for grilled seafood next to the harbor. Shrimp and squid skewers are weighed and grilled on the spot.
Welcome Seafood Restaurant
웰컴 시푸드 (Welcome Seafood Restaurant)
The signature dish of a large seafood restaurant where you choose from tanks. Butter prawns and chili crab; dinner reservations are a safe bet.
