Jalan Alor Food Street

Jalan Alor is Kuala Lumpur's best-known food street and an essential evening outing for first-time visitors. The street lies just off the shopping area of Bukit Bintang, and as the sun goes down, hawker stalls and restaurant tables spill out along both sides of the road, turning it into a long, noisy open-air dining room. Most stalls keep going until the early hours, and many until sunrise, so it works equally well for an early dinner or a late-night snack after a few drinks.

The food covers a wide sweep of Malaysian street cooking, especially Chinese-Malaysian dishes. Barbecued chicken wings, glazed and charred over the grill, are the street's signature, and you will see them on almost every table. Other favourites include satay, curry laksa and assam laksa, wanton mee and char kway teow, the smoky fried flat noodles. Seafood is a big part of the offer too: look out for chilli crab, oyster omelette, spicy grilled stingray and salted egg squid.

There are a lot of options, so walk the length of the street before choosing where to sit. Most menus have pictures with English translations, and staff are generally happy to explain dishes if you ask. Prices for seafood can vary with weight and season, so confirm the price before ordering crab or fish. It is easiest to share several dishes between a group, ordering from more than one stall, and you may want to come back on another night to try more.

Jalan Alor suits almost everyone: couples, families, groups of friends and solo travellers who want a lively, inexpensive meal. Go from about 7pm for the full atmosphere; it is busiest at weekends. Expect crowds and heat from the grills. Keep valuables secure, carry some cash, and bring wet wipes or tissues.

Getting there is simple. The street is within walking distance of Bukit Bintang Walk, and Bukit Bintang station on the monorail is close by; the Go KL City Bus Green and Purple lines also serve the Bukit Bintang area. Combine dinner with a drink on nearby Changkat Bukit Bintang, a short walk away, or a stroll through the malls of Bukit Bintang.