A meal at Hutong Food Court is a dining experience that will leave the competition in the shade. An award-winning gourmet food hall housing more than 20 neon green-lit stands, vendors here are popular KL and Penang hawkers who have been handpicked to set up shop. Well-liked names that have spaces include Kim Lian Kee’s Hokkien mee (from Chinatown) and Honkee Porridge.

Located on the lower ground floor of Lot 10 mall, Hutong Food Court has been designed to look like an old Beijing village with narrow ‘alleyways’ linking stalls. Instead of a central seating area, tables and chairs are placed around these stands. Prices are a little expensive by food hall standards (between RM10-Rm18 for a meal) but very worthwhile – whether you are in the mood for pork noodles or wan tan soup, it's all good. One thing to note: drinks are only available from the women walking around with trolleys selling beverages.

• Opening Hours: 10:00 – 22:00
• Location: Lot 10 Shopping Mall
• Remarks: The best of KL & Penang hawker food

Designed for the most finicky of eaters, KLCC Signatures is one of two food halls in Suria KLCC. Located on the second floor of the shopping centre, the choice of cuisine here is vast, from local dishes such as nasi kandar, nasi lemak and yong tau foo to western fare like burgers and pizza. We love the fact that there are even fast food outlets like MacDonald’s, Pizza Milano and Subway.

Brightly lit, with tables and chairs in a kaleidoscope of colours, this food court has great views of KLCC Park – just grab a table by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Watch out though; between 12:00 and 13:00 the place gets pretty packed with the lunch crowd.

• Opening Hours: 10:00 – 22:00
• Remarks: A meal with a view
• Address: Suria KLCC

An outdoor food court in SS2 PJ (about 20 minutes from the city centre), this food court deserves special mention because you get to combine two great value activities into one – shopping and eating! That is because on Monday nights the streets outside this open-concept food hall turn into one of the biggest pasar malams (night markets) in the city, where clothes, shoes, fashion accessories, home ware, souvenirs and knick knacks are displayed at bargain prices.

Though it is not air-conditioned, this food court makes it onto our list because food-wise it does not get any better than this. Locals call it Wai Sek Kai (Gluttony Lane) and to make things easier for you, stalls are numbered: we suggest you grab a table in the centre and walk around. We are big fans Stall 30’s Penang char kway teow (fried flat rice noodles), Stall 52 for the mee jawa (yellow rice noodles in sweet and spicy gravy) and Stall 48 for the fried tong fun (glass noodles in oyster sauce).

• Highlights: Pasar malam shopping
• Opening Hours: 17:00 – 24:00
• Location: SS2 Petaling Jaya

Sungei Wang Plaza’s food court location is a little hidden – we had to ask around before finding out it was set on the fourth floor of the mall. With kopitiam-style tables, sunshine-yellow plastic chairs and exposed piping, the place looks a little dirty and rundown. But tables are arranged in orderly symmetry and food is super cheap – think just RM1.50 for a bowl of wan tan soup.

Food choices stay firmly Malaysian – authentic Malay, Indian and Chinese fare is readily available and expect everything from steaming bowls of beef noodle soup to spicy Indian rice and curries. We recommend the chap fan stall: a plate of rice with sweet n’ sour chicken, fried egg and a vegetable only costs RM4.50 and is amazingly tasty.

• Highlights: Cheap local food
• Opening Hours: 10:00 – 22:00
• Location: Sungei Wang Plaza

Just when we thought all food courts are industrial-like outfits serving food to the masses (with messy table layouts), Food Republic came along and changed our minds. A venture by the Singapore group, Bread Talk, it looks a lot like an extra-large, upscale restaurant with its dark wood furnishings, ambient lighting, silvery-grey tables and white plastic chairs.

A food hall with a difference, there are more than 30 ‘stalls’ available and you are sure to find something to tickle your fancy here: there is a collection of both simple stands selling local food and big-name restaurateurs like Little Taiwan and Ichiban Ramen. We highly recommend the tiny Ibunda Nasi Padang stall: if you are here during lunchtime, you will be lining up for a while, but stick it out - it's worth it.

• Highlights: Local, international & fast food choices
• Opening Hours: 10:00 – 22:00
• Location: Pavilion KL