Merchant’s Lane (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) : A Cafe Hidden at A Shophouse Near Chinatown’s Petaling Street Market
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This article is part of the Kuala Lumpur (KL) Food Trip 2024 series Check out the installments in this series: Itik Salai Mashtar (Smoked Duck Curry Outside KL) | Keria Gula Melaka Sg Ramal (Sweet Potato Doughnuts Near Itik Salai Mashtar) | Nasi Lemak Wanjo Kampung Bharu (Nasi Lemak) | Restoran Wong Mei Kee (Cantonese Roast Meats)
Jalan Petaling (or Petaling Street) is the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s (KL) Chinatown. It is home to the Petaling Street Market, which are full of souvenir items, knockoffs, and tourists.
It can get crowded at times. Good thing that you can escape the hustle and bustle of the street market just down the road by going to Merchant’s Lane. It’s a cafe hidden in one of the shophouses (and formerly a brothel!) along Jalan Petaling. It is one of the most popular and Instagrammable cafes in all of KL, as its founders placed careful attention to its aesthetics.
If you’re not paying attention, you may easily miss it:
The interior has an industrial-rustic charm:
Their menu consists of cakes, coffee, and Malaysian-Western fusion dishes such as Char Siew Chicken Wrap, Nasi Lemak Pancake, and Salmon Kerabu Rice Bowl.
We went to Merchant’s Lane to have desserts and tried Better Than Sex, which is pandan roti jala (lace pancake flavored with pandan or screwpine leaves) with melted cheese, topped with kaya (coconut jam) toast ice cream and strawberries, and drizzled with gula melaka (palm sugar) sauce.
It’s good and filling, but it’s definitely not better than sex. LOL.
We tried one of the bestselling cakes (if I remember correctly, it’s called Chocolate Vanilla Salted Caramel Cookie).
I wasn’t in the mood to try their specialty drinks when we visited so I settled for an espresso, which is strong and pairs nicely with the desserts.
My wife had their Superfruit Lemon Tea, which is fruity and refreshing.
From the few items we tried, I think Merchant’s Lane serves good food and drinks. Moreover, it’s a nice hangout spot and you can easily spends hours there. I hope to return someday and try more cakes and dishes. I recommend it to you!
Address: 150 Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 11:30AM-9:30PM; Saturday & Sunday, 9:30AM-9:30PM | Contact No.: +60 3-2022 1736 | Facebook | Instagram