The vegan and vegetarian food choices in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia, on the shores of Borneo, is incredibly diverse and you have a wide range of cuisines to choose from.
The plant based cuisines this city has include Malay, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Italian, Mexican and Asian Fusion.
Whether you’re craving laksa, nasi lemak, pizza, burgers, tacos, banh mi, smoothie bowls, curry, noodles or rice, Kota Kinabalu has something to satisfy every taste.
Keep on reading to find the best vegan eateries and hidden gems that Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo has to offer.
If you’re backpacking around Southeast Asia and looking for more vegan food options, check out my Vegan Food Guides to Brunei, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Sanur (Bali) and Labuan Bajo (Komodo Islands).
MOGINUM RESTOBAR
Located right near Gaya Street in the middle of the city, this restaurant sitting on a corner has a vegan menu with two pages. The staff are so lovely and this is a great place to sit and relax. Food was also really delicious and fresh.
Highlights: Nasi Lemak, Vegan Nuggets, Vegan Satay, Fish-Free Fillets and Chips.
NOOK CAFE
This is a cute homely cafe with natural furnishings and a lovely feeling. The staff are friendly and they have an outside area aswell as inside with aircon. The smoothie bowl is great and the iced latte with soy milk is delicious!
Highlights: Smoothie Bowl, Iced Latte
EL CENTRO
This restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere and the decor is really nice. The vegan pizza has so much flavour and I really recommend it.
Highlights: Vegan Pizza, Vegan Satay
LIVING SEED VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT
Inside Suria Sabah shopping centre is a food court on Level 1. Walk all the through it to find Living Seed at the very back with a great view out to the water. If you want a cheap meal to fill you up, this is an ok place to go.
Highlights: “Chicken” Satay, Trio Bun
MAMASITA MEXICAN RESTAURANT
This cool Mexican themed restaurant has vegan items clearly marked on the menu and you can remove dairy items to make meals vegan too.
Highlights: Vegetarian Burrito Bowl (remove the sour cream and cheese)
SRI LATHA CURRY HOUSE
A few minutes walk from the main area, this Indian restaurant serves traditional Indian food. There is no aircon and it gets busy, but the food is delicious and they will remove ghee for you. Just specify vegan when you order.
Highlights: Vegetarian Lunch Set (specify vegan)
DUNKIN’ DONUTS
With stalls inside Suria Sabah Shopping Centre and at the public Departures area in Kota Kinabalu International Airport, you’ll find a wide variety of clearly marked vegan donuts. Cinnamon, glazed, chocolate and strawberry filled are just some of them.
Highlights: Glazed donuts and Oreo Moment
OTHER VEGAN OPTIONS
Always check out Happy Cow for vegan and vegetarian friendly food options and type into Google Maps “vegan food” for the area you’re travelling in.
