There’s something quite special about returning to a place you haven’t visited in years. You arrive with memories of what it used to be like, a mental list of favourite places and dishes, and a little curiosity about how much has changed.
That’s exactly how it felt returning to Melaka, Malaysia, for the first time in 13 years.
This UNESCO-listed heritage city has always had a special place in my heart, not least because of its incredible food culture. And I will say that I was scared to revisit after all this time and see my once-beloved town completely changed by tourism trends. There were definitely some notable absences when it came to street food vendors who used to line the streets.
But I actually didn’t hate all of the changes. In fact, some were for the better, and although there were a few odd new additions (like a Mexican bakery…..?), I mostly embraced the modernity. I tried to sample as many of my old favourite dishes as I could, while trying out some new food and drinks.
If you’re looking for the best Melaka food, this trip reminded me that the city’s culinary appeal goes far beyond its famous heritage streets.
Baba Kaya
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about travelling in Malaysia, it’s that breakfast is never something to rush. It’s an opportunity to slow down, order a few things to share and ease yourself into the day with some seriously good food.
One of my first stops was Baba Kaya, a relatively new breakfast place which is managing to thread the needle between doing Insta-worthy dishes while staying true to Malaysian food roots.
The signature toast was an obvious place to start. There’s something wonderfully comforting about a simple piece of toast done well, particularly when it’s paired with the flavours and traditions of Malaysian kopitiam culture. It came with three colours of pandan kaya for dipping. This dish was simple, eye-catching and obviously fun, but it isn’t going to win any culinary awards.
Then came the roti canai. Flaky, golden and wonderfully satisfying, this classic Malaysian breakfast staple is always a winner. Tear off a piece, dip it into the accompanying chicken curry and enjoy that combination of crisp edges, soft layers and rich, savoury flavours.
And because one or two dishes are never quite enough when there’s so much to try, we also ordered apom balik (a dish which has apparently gone viral at this place because of how they serve it – by sending it down to you in a basket-and pulley system from the top floor, and ringing a bell so that everyone in the restaurant gets mildly annoyed at you). This Malaysian pancake-style snack is a brilliant contrast to the savoury roti canai, with its soft, slightly chewy texture and delicious sweet filling.
For anyone searching for Melaka food breakfast recommendations, Baba Kaya is a lovely place to begin.
Cendol Kampung Hulu
Cendol Kampung Hulu was a brand I recognised from my first time in Melaka. I had never eaten their version of cendol then, but after I saw their modern day rebrand and new riverside location inside the Kilang Makan food court, I knew it was probably going to be the perfect thing to eat to cool down at the end of a hot and humid day.
Cendol is one of those classic Malaysian desserts that feels particularly satisfying in the tropical heat. With its distinctive green rice flour jelly, red beans, coconut ice cream and palm sugar syrup, it’s a wonderful combination of cool, sweet and fragrant flavours.
I have to say that 13 years ago, the thought of red beans in a dessert was slightly alarming to me (although I am definitely no bean hater). These days, I am a completely different woman and I went back for this cold sweet-savoury delight twice while we were in town.
Calanthe Art Cafe
Some dishes are so closely associated with a destination that you simply can’t visit without having them. For me, laksa is one of those dishes.
If you were following back in the day, you’ll remember that, despite trying several different versions of laksa in Melaka, the bowl at Calanthe was actually one of my favourites.
The atmosphere and decor of the cafe hadn’t changed in 13 years (which I loved – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it) and, although the ingredients in the laksa had changed slightly, it was still just as spicy, creamy and comforting as I remembered.
There actually seemed to be less options in town for laksa these days (and ones that had previously been good now seem to be very poorly reviewed online), so I was happy that this little slice of the old days remained.
Streetside Apam Balik
If there was one food discovery that captured the charm of Melaka’s (sadly now disappearing) street food culture, it was finding a street vendor who has been making apam balik for an incredible 40 years.
Apam balik is the pancake dish we had already tried at Baba Kaya (remember the basket and the bell?!), but I had seen mention online of a man who had been making them for 40 years at a street food stall across town. So we headed over there one morning to taste a truly authentic version of the dish.
Apam balik is a Malaysian pancake that is cooked until golden and filled with a combination of sweet and crunchy ingredients. This particular version included sugar, toasted peanuts and corn.
The magic is in the contrast: the soft pancake, the sweetness of the sugar, the nutty crunch of the toasted peanuts and the little pops of corn throughout. It’s simple food, but when the balance is right, it’s incredibly satisfying.
Tipsy Bridge
We happened upon Tipsy Bridge completely by accident one evening, after having no luck in finding a drink at one of the venues along the river.
We ventured down a side street and heard live music, so decided to follow it and see what the venue was. We thought we would yet again have no luck at finding a seat, but the wily waitress brought a table over from a neighbouring venue for us to sit at, which is just about the highest form of service you can expect.
We somehow got convinced into ordering two huge soju special cocktails that came in a vessel not much smaller than a fishbowl and proceeded to enjoy the live singer for the next couple of hours.
Were the drinks extremely sugary? Yes. Was the atmosphere excellent? Absolutely.
PN6
PN6 was a completely different type of Melaka experience for us. A swanky hotel bar with an expensive cocktail list was not the kind of venue we were frequenting on a backpacker’s budget 13 years ago, but Melaka has changed and so have we.
There are sultry boudoir vibes inside this bar located within the Liu Men Hotel and the menu is constantly changing, but I love that many of the signature cocktails use riffs on beloved Malaysian food ingredients (like pandan, roasted chestnuts and Milo).
PN6 added a contemporary touch to my return to Melaka. It was a reminder that the city isn’t standing still, even as it holds on to the traditions and architecture that make it so distinctive. It was the kind of bar that could definitely hold its own in a major city, but as soon as you step out of the front door, you still see Perankan houses and the sights of “old Melaka” that I originally fell in love with.
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