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South Indian restaurants in Kuala Lumpur are especially popular in Brickfields, often called Little India. These restaurants serve traditional meals with rice, sambar, rasam, and chutneys, often presented on banana leaves. Breakfast options like dosa, idli, and vada are widely available, while lunchtime thalis offer a variety of flavorful curries. Some places also specialise in Chettinad dishes, known for their bold use of spices and black pepper. While Brickfields is the main hub, you’ll also find South Indian restaurants in Bangsar and other parts of the city, attracting both locals and tourists seeking authentic, affordable food.
Must-Visit South Indian Restaurants In Kuala Lumpur
South Indian restaurants in Kuala Lumpur serve dosa, idli, vada, banana leaf meals, and Chettinad dishes, mainly in Brickfields, Bangsar, and nearby areas.
1. Anjappar Indian Chettinad Restaurant
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Anjappar has several outlets in Kuala Lumpur and is mainly known for serving Chettinad dishes. The restaurant is part of a larger chain with outlets in Brickfields, Bangsar, and Leboh Ampang. The menu is broad, covering basic vegetarian meals such as rice with sambar and curries, while also offering many non-vegetarian choices like chicken, mutton, and seafood prepared with heavy spice mixes. Meals are often served on banana leaves with rice, sambar, rasam, chutneys, and a few vegetable sides. The Chettinad curries here are prepared with ground spices and black pepper, giving them a stronger taste. Chicken, mutton, and seafood options are the dishes that many regular customers return for.
Location: Branches in Brickfields, Bangsar, and Leboh Ampang
Highlights: Chettinad chicken, mutton biryani, masala dosa
Nearby: Little India Brickfields, KL Sentral
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2. Betel Leaf Chettinad Restaurant
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Betel Leaf sits along Leboh Ampang in the city centre and is often mentioned for its Chettinad cooking. The restaurant has a large dining space compared to many South Indian outlets in Kuala Lumpur, which makes it a common choice for families and office groups. The menu has basic vegetarian meals along with chicken, mutton, and seafood options. Standard banana leaf meals are available with rice, sambar, rasam, vegetables, and pickles, while meat dishes such as pepper chicken and fish curry are also part of the spread. Many people also come here for biryani, served with raita and curry.
Location: 77A Leboh Ampang, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Banana leaf rice, biryani, pepper chicken, Indian sweets
Nearby: Masjid Jamek, Central Market Kuala Lumpur
3. MTR 1924 Malaysia
Photo: ideow l / Wikimedia Commons
Mavalli Tiffin Room, better known as MTR, is a long-running South Indian vegetarian chain that started in Bengaluru and later set up in Kuala Lumpur. The Brickfields branch is not very big, but it stays busy through the day, with the largest crowds in the morning and around lunch. The food follows the same recipes used in India, so the dishes are straightforward and not changed to local taste. Masala dosa, rava idli, vada, and rice meals are what most people order here. The set meals come with sambar, rasam, chutneys, and a few vegetable sides, usually served on stainless steel plates.
Location: Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Masala dosa, rava idli, vegetarian meals, filter coffee
Nearby: KL Sentral, Little India Brickfields
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4. Annapurnam Chettinad
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Annapurnam Chettinad is a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that focuses on food from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. It is known for serving meals with a stronger use of spices, especially black pepper and freshly ground masalas. The restaurant prepares both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, so diners can choose from standard banana leaf meals with rice, sambar, rasam, and vegetables, or go for meat dishes such as chicken and mutton curries. Seafood options are also available on certain days. The setup is plain, and most customers come at lunchtime for banana leaf rice. Portions are fairly large, and the cost is mid-range.
Location: Kuala Lumpur (near central areas, accessible from Brickfields)
Highlights: Chettinad chicken, mutton curry, banana leaf rice
Nearby: Brickfields, Jalan Tun Sambanthan
5. Chettinad Mess
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Chettinad Mess is a modest shop on Leboh Ampang with very simple seating. People come mainly for the food, especially the spicier Chettinad dishes. The menu is small and may vary, but rice with sambar, rasam, and a few vegetable sides is served daily. On the non-vegetarian side, chicken, mutton, and seafood curries are prepared with ground spices, often heavier on pepper than in other South Indian places. Biryani is also served and is popular during weekends. Because it is located near the city centre, the place is convenient for office workers who come for quick lunches. The restaurant is busiest during midday, and seating can be limited. Despite the modest setup, many diners return for the food’s strong flavours, which stick closely to traditional Chettinad cooking. The cost is on the lower side, so many people choose it for an affordable meal.
Location: 36 Leboh Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Chicken Chettinad, biryani, banana leaf rice
Nearby: Masjid Jamek, Jalan Tun Perak
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6. Karaikudi Chettinadu Restaurant
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Karaikudi Chettinadu Restaurant in the Masjid India area is one of the well-known South Indian dining spots in Kuala Lumpur. It serves authentic Chettinad cuisine in a simple, no-frills setting. The restaurant is busiest at lunchtime with office workers, while families often visit in the evenings. Popular orders include banana leaf meals with rice, sambar, rasam, chutneys, and vegetable sides. Non-vegetarian dishes like chicken, mutton, and seafood (subject to availability) are prepared with freshly ground spices. Biryani is also a favorite, served with curry and raita. Prices are moderate, and portions are generous, making it ideal for sharing.
Location: Masjid India area, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Banana leaf rice, biryani, chicken curry, mutton curry
Nearby: Jalan Masjid India, Sogo Kuala Lumpur
7. Saravanaa Bhavan
Photo: Sneha G Gupta / Wikimedia Commons
Saravanaa Bhavan has outlets in Brickfields, Bangsar, and near KLCC. The chain serves only vegetarian food. The cooking follows the South Indian style found in its Indian branches. In the morning, people usually order dosa, idli, vada, or pongal. Each is prepared fresh and served quickly, making the outlets popular for breakfast before work. At lunchtime, the thali meals are the main draw. These are served on a steel plate with rice, sambar, rasam, a few vegetable dishes, pickles, and papad. The chain also offers different types of dosa, such as plain, masala, onion, and rava, giving diners plenty of choice.
Location: Branches in Brickfields, Bangsar, and near KLCC
Highlights: Masala dosa, thali meals, pongal, filter coffee
Nearby: KLCC, Bangsar Village, Little India Brickfields
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8. Vishalatchi Food And Catering
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Vishalatchi Food and Catering, located on Jalan Scott in Brickfields, is known for its traditional South Indian cooking, especially banana leaf meals. These meals include rice, sambar, rasam, vegetable sides, papad, and pickles. Non-vegetarian curries—chicken, mutton, and fish—are prepared daily with bold Chettinad-style spices. On weekends, biryani is added to the menu and often sells out early. The setting is simple with plain tables, and the restaurant is busiest during lunch, attracting office workers on weekdays and families on weekends. Portions are generous, prices are mid-range, and the restaurant is praised in food blogs for preserving authentic South Indian flavours.
Location: Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Banana leaf rice, chicken curry, mutton biryani, fish curry
Nearby: Little India Brickfields, KL Sentral
9. Gajaa At 8
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Gajaa at 8 is a South Indian restaurant in Bangsar at No. 8 Lorong Maarof. It operates from a converted bungalow and serves Kerala dishes along with other South Indian food. The setting is more formal than typical banana-leaf shops; tables are spaced, and the interior suits family dinners and small gatherings. Appam with coconut curry, Kerala chicken biryani, seafood plates, and house snacks are common orders. The menu has both vegetarian and meat dishes, and most are served in portions that can be shared. The place is open for lunch and dinner, but more people come in the evenings, especially on weekends.
Location: No. 8, Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Appam with curry, seafood dishes, Kerala-style chicken, biryani
Nearby: Bangsar Village, Jalan Telawi
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10. Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant
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Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant is inside the Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields. It has been in Kuala Lumpur for years and is well known for offering South Indian vegetarian food. Meals are served on banana leaves or steel plates, depending on what is ordered. The lunch buffet is the busiest time, with rice, sambar, rasam, vegetable curries, chutneys, puri, chapati, and sweets. At dinner, food is ordered à la carte, with dosa, idli, and a few set meals on the menu.Because it is inside the temple premises, the environment is quieter than most South Indian outlets in Kuala Lumpur.
Location: Temple of Fine Arts, Jalan Berhala, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Highlights: Banana leaf meals, thali sets, dosa, puri with curries
Nearby: Little India Brickfields, KL Sentral
South Indian restaurants in Kuala Lumpur are found citywide, with Brickfields having the highest concentration. These range from simple banana leaf eateries to family-style restaurants. Common dishes include rice with sambar, rasam, chutneys, and vegetables. Non-vegetarian curries, biryani, dosa, and thali meals are popular. Some places offer buffets, others à la carte. Whether vegetarian or not, each spot focuses on authentic South Indian flavours. TripXL helps you explore these local favourites.
Cover Photo: PRATEEK JAISWAL / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
