Lalaport Bukit Bintang Guide: 13 Things to See, Do, and Eat

The first Lalaport in Southeast Asia officially opened in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang district at the beginning of 2022. Having the title of “Japan’s favourite shopping mall,” Lalaport features a futuristic design and comprises a lot of Japanese stores and restaurants that you don’t usually see at other shopping centres in Malaysia.

Without further ado, let’s dive into what is there to see, do, and eat at Lalaport Bukit Bintang that will certainly add joy to your KL trip!

Fun fact: Lalaport is located at Bukit Bintang City Center. The location used to be Pudu Prison (also known as Pudu Jail) and was later renovated into this new mall. Due to Pudu Prison being a historical landmark, its gate was refurbished and retained at the front of Bukit Bintang City Center.

Also read: 10 Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur Where You Can Enjoy Stunning Views From the Top

1. Snap a photo at the Grand Steps

The first thing you see when you enter Lalaport is the large glass exterior, and then a staircase next to it where you can walk all the way up to the fourth floor (the rooftop). The staircase is known for its illuminating LED lights. While they are on throughout the day, they are at their brightest at night! 

The LED projection will also change according to different occasions. Named the Grand Steps, this staircase has been a hot spot for photo taking since the opening of Lalaport, where many avid photographers come to take Instagrammable photos for their feed! 

2. Enjoy the view at the Rooftop Garden

After walking up to the fourth floor, you will see an open rooftop garden and a stage featuring a scenic view of the sky and notable buildings in the city like KL Tower and Merdeka 118. You can come here for a little picnic date while admiring the stunning view. 

Tip: If you come in the evening, you can catch a gorgeous sunset view!

Sometimes, there will also be interesting events happening at the rooftop garden, such as the upcoming teamLab’s art exhibition, a famous Japanese light art installation called the Resonating Microcosmos that starts on 4 Aug 2022. 

Note: The rooftop garden is sometimes closed to prepare for upcoming special events such as the aforementioned one. 

3. Be amazed by the futuristic design of the WOW Plaza

Probably the most iconic part of Lalaport, the WOW Plaza is a semi-open space located at the W Entrance. There is a huge wooden “W” sign in front of the four-storey mall as well as the Lalaport trademark, perfect for pictures to show that you’ve been to the mall. 

WOW Plaza is located on Gourmet Street (we’ll get to that later), and there is an oval bench where you can lay on. Occasionally, you can even find YouTubers or Tiktokers filming there. Sometimes, you might even catch some street dance competitions!  

If your primary purpose is to sample good food in Lalaport, then you probably won’t be disappointed. Although this new mall has only been operating for seven months, there are plenty of food choices to choose from on Gourmet Street, as well as inside the mall. 

4. Shop for Japanese-style furniture at Nitori

Nitori, the largest furniture and home furnishing chain in Japan has also landed in Lalaport Bukit Bintang. With more than 450 stores worldwide, this store offers a wide range of home furniture, including sofas, bedding, dining furniture, coffee tables, wardrobes and other home decorations.

Being a famous brand, we are surprised to find that their furniture pieces are not very expensive. The designs are also simple and modern, which best suit the younger generation. 

5. Elevate your electrics shopping experience at Nojima

Similar to Nitori, Nojima is another well-known Japanese household brand specialising in electronics. The first Nojima flagship store in Malaysia is right here in Lalaport Bukit Bintang, offering electrical home appliances, electronic items, digital gadgets, furniture, and more. 

Besides that, Nojima also provides personal consultation services catered to your own enquiries. If you are looking for quality home appliances and good service, then this place is the one for you.

Also read: 10 Restaurants in KL & Selangor to Fix Your Indonesian Food Cravings

Where to eat at Lalaport Bukit Bintang

6. Shabu-Yo

Want to get a taste of authentic Japanese food? Head on to Shabu-yo on Gourmet Street. They serve delicious Japanese shabu-shabu and sukiyaki buffets starting from only RM39.90 (~S$12.36 ) per person. Other than vegetables, pork, and chicken, you can also stuff yourself with unlimited Australian wagyu beef!

Besides that, they also have machines where you can make your own waffles, ice cream, and shaved ice for free! Meanwhile, for the ala carte menu, you can order Japanese curry rice and chicken karaage as well! 

Tip: Do note that if you are coming with someone, both of you have to order the same buffet set to dine together at the same table!

7. Matcha Eight

Matcha Eight is an ice cream shop that you will definitely come back to again and again for its premium ice cream! Sourcing its tea all the way from Wazuka in Kyoto, this premium Japanese tea ice cream brand serves possibly the best tea-flavoured ice cream in Malaysia. 

Unlike other ice cream brands, you get to choose how concentrated you want the tea flavour to be, as well as the sweetness and bitterness of the ice cream. They have two levels (of concentration) of green tea ice cream, four levels of matcha ice cream, and two levels of hojicha flavour. We highly recommend the hojicha flavour because the taste is unique and fragrant, and if you love it as we do, you can even order pints of the ice cream from its online store!

Tip: Did you know that green tea and matcha are different? They are basically from the same plant, but matcha is the more concentrated and pulverised version of green tea leaves!

8. Lalapop

Lalapop in Lalaport is an award-winning frozen ice cream store that specializes in alcohol-infused ice cream. For alcohol lovers, you definitely do not want to miss this because their ice cream has indeed a very strong alcohol taste. 

We recommend the Rum and Fat Raisin, Matcha Sake, and Notti Pecan flavours if you are looking to “surprise” your taste buds! They also serve non-alcoholic ice cream, all being freshly made every day. What’s more, the pink, retro-style interior also makes it a good place for photos!

9. Sushi Yoshi Omakase

While you are here at Lalaport, don’t miss out on a classic, personal dining experience at Sushi Yoshi Omakase. From RM298 (~S$92.31), you get to enjoy the special omakase crafted by professional chefs. 

The menu set depends on the type of omakase you choose, but the basic omakase here generally includes an appetizer (three types); seasonal sashimi (three types); seasonal dish; steamed dish; special sushi (seven pieces); soup; and dessert. 

Tip: Omakase has the meaning of respectfully leaving it to the chef to decide what is best in Japanese. As you might expect, omakase is a dining experience based on that concept. 

10. Kosa Coffee

For those of you who love a quiet cafe date or are looking for somewhere relaxing to work remotely, we recommend checking out Kosa Coffee at Lalaport Bukit Bintang, a Vietnamese coffee chain located on the second floor. 

Unlike the Japanese stores, Kosa Coffee serves Malaysian and Vietnamese-style coffee drinks, along with English and European drinks and baked goods. We genuinely love the comfy and peaceful atmosphere of this cafe above all else thanks to its spacious, comfortable interior. 

11. K-Wing

If you like K-pop and Korean culture, then you must have a soft spot for Korean food as well. There is a Korean restaurant and bar at Lalaport Bukit Bintang called K-Wing along Gourmet Street. It serves popular Korean food like fried chicken, spicy Korean ramen, and Korean fishcakes (odeng).

Furthermore, they also serve dishes that cater to the taste of Malaysians, such as nasi lemak, curry chicken, cheesy burgers, and more. Currently, there is also a lunch set promotion that starts from only RM19.90 (~S$6.16). 

12. Garden Dining

Thanks to its captivating design that makes it stand out from most other food courts in Malaysia, you probably won’t believe that Garden Dining is actually the food court of Lalaport Bukit Bintang. It even has a well-decorated spot for kids to play, and children-friendly workshops are held here from time to time. 

This beautiful food court comprises brands from different countries, especially Japan and Malaysia. Some of them include Nam Heong Chicken Rice, Taste by Bert, Loong Kee Hokkien Mee, and the famous Japanese coffee and retail brand, DOUTOR. 

Tip: We recommend coming before 8pm before they run out of some of the food choices! 

13. Coo & Riku Pet Shop

When Lalaport was first opened, the Coo & Riku pet shop was very hyped as it is Japan’s largest pet shop chain store. It is also one of the biggest pet stores in Malaysia that sells all sorts of pet goods, as well as different pet breeds. 

Other than pet products, there is also an adjoining Cat Cafe inside the shop. You can take as many pictures as possible as there are many photogenic spots in the cafe. What’s more lovely is that you get to play with around 30 cats of different breeds. We don’t think anyone can ever resist the cuteness of cats and kittens!

Bonus: Lalaport’s toilets

Well, this might seem a bit weird… but you have to see Lalaport’s toilet at least once! Each toilet seat is paired with a bidet, more typically called a washlet. After using the toilet, you can choose the pressure and position of the oscillator, as well as the temperature of the water for cleaning. 

On top of that, you can control the heat of the seat and there is even a dryer function. We find this really cool. This type of modern toilet is quite common in Japan but not in Malaysia, so seeing it in Lalaport is really eye-opening! 

What else to expect at Lalaport Bukit Bintang

As for those who love taking nice pictures, almost everywhere inside the mall is dazzling, thus you will undoubtedly satisfy your photography needs here. 

Of course, there are many other stores and restaurants that are worthy of a visit, like Monet, Yakiniku Sizzle, and more. Since Lalaport is still regarded as a new mall, it is actually rather empty still. We certainly look forward to more stores and fun facilities like cinemas being open here soon! 

Also read: 9 Best Kuala Lumpur Shopping Malls for Avid Shopaholics

So the next time you’re in Kuala Lumpur, make sure not to miss this iconic Japanese mall to add joy while you do your shopping in Malaysia! And make sure to bring a big appetite and an extra bag, because we’re sure you won’t leave empty-handed!