Food

Malacca's food is almost as famous as its historical and cultural attractions. Because of its rich cultural history involving many ethnic groups, Melaka has created some original cuisine that can be found no where else in Malaysia. Of special note is Nyonya food, rich is sweets and spices that originates from the Peranakan Chinese, and Portuguese food, which is a blend of Portuguese and local ingredients to create a dynamic and fiery menu.

Malacca has a wide range of cuisine and snacks that is popular with locals and tourists. So popular is the food found here, that visitors from as far as Singapore visit Malacca just to sample some of its cuisine! On weekends, locals from as far as Kuala Lumpur will also drive down. Some of the dry or bottled snacks also make great gifts to bring back home, if you're looking for something that can last the journey back.

Like the rest of Malaysia, you find a good range of Chinese, Malay and Indian food, as these are the main ethnic groups in Melaka and the rest of the country. However, there are some unique dishes, drinks and snacks found in Malacca, such as; Satay Celup, which are meatballs skewered on sticks and dipped in hot peanut sauce; Hainanese chicken ball rice, which is the chicken steamed in Hainan style and served with rice shaped into small starchy balls; Cendol; a very popular dessert drink which is a blend of green pea pieces, red beans, coconut milk and shaved ice; and Cencaluk, a type of fermented shrimp paste with a strong flavour.

Portuguese food include Curry Debel or 'devil's curry', which is a spicy but liquid curry and Assam grilled seafood, using mostly sour spices. Nyonya food, or Peranakan Chinese cooking, is far more diverse and includes famous dishes such as Ayam Pongteh, which is chicken cooked in bean sauce and Bubur Cha Cha, a bowl of coconut milk with steamed ingredients of yam, black beans, tapioca jelly and sago pearls. Dodol is a type of molasses made from sticky palm sugar which can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in other dishes. Finally, the kuih-muih are small colourful cakes that form an integral part of Malay cuisine of which many varieties are found in Malacca.

There are several popular eating areas that can be found in the city center of Malacca. For Nyonya cuisine, head to Melaka Raya where there are many famous restaurants such as Makko and Nyonya Suan that provide excellent Peranakan cooking. Jonker Street is a great place to eat a wide range of local dishes, desserts and snacks, such as Satay Celup and Cendol.

For Portuguese dining, head to the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir, where there is a square with many open air restaurants serving grilled seafood cooked in their trademark spicy style. For fast food outlets, pastries or international cuisine, just visit any of the major shopping malls and you should be able to find a restaurant or cafe to your fancy.