A coffeehouse or a coffee shop is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, e.g. espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Coffeehouses or coffee shops range from owner-operated small businesses to large multinational corporations that operate on a franchise business model, with numerous branches across various countries around the world.
A coffee shop chain aims to gain brand and consumer market share. These coffee shop chains usually have substantial supply-chain relations with the world’s major coffee-producing countries. An example would be Starbucks, which is the largest coffee shop chain in the world with more than 15,000 locations in the US alone and in more than 30,000 locations around the globe. Read on to find out about the 8 best coffee shop chains in Kuala Lumpur.
What is the difference between a coffee shop and a cafe?
The first record of a public place serving coffee was Kiva Han which dates back to 1475. It was located in the Turkish city of Constantinople (now Istanbul). Back then, Turkish coffee was served strong, black, and unfiltered. Another account of the first coffee shop is said to have appeared in 1632 in Livorno by a Jewish merchant, or later in 1640, in Venice. In the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe, coffee shops became popular meeting locations for writers and artists.
Most cafes have a simple menu, offering a balance between drinks and food items. This is in contrast to a coffee shop which is an establishment that focuses more on specialized coffee and only serves a limited selection of food items. In summary, coffee shops emphasize quality coffee that is savory or sweet whereas cafes focus on light meals but do not emphasize the quality of the coffee.
8 Best Coffee Shop Chains in Kuala Lumpur 2022
1. Starbucks
Starbucks’s mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. This coffee shop chain started way back in 1971 when they were a roaster and retailer of whole bean and ground coffee, tea, and spices operating within a single store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. In December 1998, Starbucks entered Malaysia by opening the 1st store in KL Plaza, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is also home to the first Starbucks Signing Store in the world, located in Bangsar Village II. Today, Starbucks stores can be found in more than 14 states and federal territories in Malaysia.
Operating Hours:
7.30am to 10pm (Monday – Friday)
9am to 10pm (Saturday – Sunday)
Address: Starbucks Reserve Four Seasons, Lot 1, Ground Floor at Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145, Jln Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
2. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is an American coffee shop chain founded in 1963. The company is known for its Original Ice Blended coffee and tea drinks, hot coffee drinks, and hot and iced tea drinks. The company was founded by Herbert Hyman in September 1963 and in 1996, the Hymans sold the Asian franchise rights to Singaporean brothers Victor Sassoon and Sunny Sassoon who expanded the company in the US and internationally, opening the first outlet in Singapore in 1996, and in Malaysia the following year. On July 24, 2019, Jollibee Foods Corporation purchased The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for $350 million.
Operating Hours:
7.30am to 11pm (Sunday – Thursday)
7.30am to 12am (Friday – Saturday)
Address: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Mid Valley Megamall, G-047, Ground Floor, Mid Valley Megamall, Unit, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
Website3. Zus Coffee
Since launching in 2019, and having delivered over 1 million cups to date, Zus Coffee’s dream was always to deliver specialty coffee at an affordable price for ALL to enjoy. This Malaysian coffee shop chain aims to change the perception that specialty coffee is only a luxury drink by using the best quality ingredients, high-level coffee brewing technology, and an innovative business model to enable specialty coffee to be sold at affordable prices. ZUS Coffee serves delicious cakes and unique coffee drinks such as their signature Pandan Gula Iced Latte (ZUS Gula Melaka), and more.
Operating Hours: 7am to 10.30pm daily
Address: ZUS Coffee Taman Desa, No. 11-0-10, Jalan 4/109F, Danau Business Centre, Taman Danau Desa, 58100 Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
4. San Francisco Coffee
San Francisco Coffee aims to serve coffee lovers the freshest and best cup of coffee in town. It strives to delight all your 5 senses with lively surroundings, smooth music, and aromatic, delicious brews. Coffee beans used by San Francisco Coffee are sourced from the best farms which are then transformed into blends and roasted by a skilled roastmaster. To date, this Malaysian coffee shop chain has grown to over 33 outlets within the Klang Valley.
Operating Hours:
7.30am to 10pm (Monday – Saturday)
10am to 10.30pm (Sunday)
Address: San Francisco Coffee @The Gardens Mall, The Gardens Mall, LG-293, Lower Ground, 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
5. illy Caffè
Francesco Illy founded illycaffè in 1933 and his 1935 invention of the illetta revolutionized coffee preparation. Today illy remains an Italian family company and markets its coffee globally in silver and red pressurized, oxygen-free cans. illy Caffè was born from a desire to offer authentic Italian coffee and the real traditional Italian bar experience around the world and to serve those wishing to enjoy the pleasure of a delicious espresso within a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Operating Hours: 8am to 10pm daily
Address: illy Caffè Pavilion, 10.01B, Lot C3, 168, Bukit Bintang St, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
6. Gigi Coffee
Gigi Coffee is a home-grown coffee shop chain that aims to spread positive vibes by offering high-quality and affordable coffee to coffee lovers. This coffee shop chain uses 100% Arabica coffee beans that are freshly roasted and freshly ground and practices stringent quality control procedures. Gigi Coffee’s mission is to make everyone’s day feel and taste better with a versatile menu designed by passionate baristas based on Malaysian taste buds. This coffee shop chain also uses aromatic flavours to connect people in unique and delicious ways.
Operating Hours: 9am to 10pm daily
Address: Gigi Coffee (Avenue K), Avenue K, C-15A. Level Concourse, 156, Jln Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
7. Gloria Jeans Coffees
Gloria Jeans Coffees was founded by Gloria Jean Kvetko in Long Grove, a small town just outside Chicago, Illinois, the United States in 1979 and grew to over 50 locations in the United States. It is an American-Australian coffee shop chain now owned by the multinational fast-casual restaurant conglomerate Retail Food Group and has more than 1,400 mostly franchised stores in 40 countries, including over 460 in Australia. Today, Gloria Jeans Coffees offers more than 40 varieties of the world’s finest gourmet coffees using well-proven and tested operating systems.
Operating Hours: 8am to 9pm daily
Address: Gloria Jean’s Coffees Institut Jantung Negara, Lobby, 50400 Institut Jantung Negara, 145, Jln Tun Razak, 50586 Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
8. Bask Bear Coffee
Loob Holding’s Baskbear Coffee is a sister brand of the popular bubble tea chain brand Tealive, and since its launch, it has become one of the leading and fastest-growing coffee shop chains in Malaysia. Born and brewed locally, Bask Bear Coffee is inspired by the Malayan Sun Bear. It aims to serve the best version of your daily cup of high-quality and affordable coffee. This coffee chain currently has over 200 virtual locations, 20 physical stores nationwide, and counting. The virtual outlets offer online orders for delivery and pickup through delivery partners such as foodpanda and GrabFood.
Operating Hours: 10am to 9pm daily
Address: Bask Bear Coffee Pavilion Elite, Pavilion, Lot 1. 13 . 01, Level 1, 168, Bukit Bintang St, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
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Google Reviews: Here
Disclosure: This list was compiled by the team at My Weekend Plan after extensive research and shared opinions to suggest helpful recommendations for the public. The sequence of brands is in no particular order so if you have any other great suggestions too, please email us [email protected] For more information, kindly refer to our copyright, privacy & disclosure policy.
