The UNESCO World Heritage city of Malacca has been a melting pot of Chinese, Indian, Malay, and European cultures since the 15th century. This place is famous for selling cloves, nutmeg, and pepper to spice route traders from around the world, but coffee in Malacca also emerged as an important commodity during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today’s coffee scene in Malacca draws on a strong local tradition in which coffee (including Liberica) is brewed strong and sweetened with condensed milk, but there’s also an outstanding specialty cafe scene that is growing fast.
Mostly concentrated around the old town, the proximity of the coffee shops in this guide means you can visit them all on foot. From a handful that roast in-house to others that highlight their favorite beans to others still that use inventive methods like roasting with bintochan (a high-grade charcoal), rest assured there is something for everyone here.
Since Malacca is also known for its dining scene, most coffee shops will have some form of pastry or snacks on their menus. Having just won the bronze medal at the 2025 Pastry World Cup, the quality of desserts you’ll find across these cafes is very high. Drink coffee, get dessert, and explore the best of Malacca on foot.
Project 703
Champions of the international light roast coffee style, this specialty shop is located a short walk from the famous Junker Street. Project 703 roasts its own beans, offering bags for sale and a rotating mix for their pour-over menu. While the main emphasis is on drip coffee, they run a selection of espresso based drinks too, as well as a lovely menu of iced options, including an Ice Latte and a Shakerato.
The focus here is on sustainable coffee, and the baristas know their origins and the supply chain behind them. They have a great variety of pour-over ranging from moderately priced Ethiopian coffee, all the way up to rare Peruvian Gesha that will set you back approximately 25RM ($7). All pour-over coffee is brewed in an identifiably Nordic style, so this is perfect for people who want a drink on the lighter side that really shows off the range of the coffee.
Coffeebar 125+
Coffee and cats seem to go hand in hand, and Coffeebar 125+ has two resident felines. Known to curl up beside you whilst you sip your drink, this old shop front converted into a hip cafe showcases coffee beans roasted in the backroom. The owner Jacqueline Wen honed her trade at the nearby Mods Cafe—famous for its Bintochan roasted coffee—but graduated to open up her own space with a decidedly different vibe. Her emphasis has been on roasting beans from all over the world, and serving them to a clientele that returns day after day creating an atmosphere of someone’s living room.
The coffees change every few days as the roasts run out and new supplies of green beans arrive, so you can happily pop in daily and enjoy a new coffee. Specials are written on the eraser board behind the espresso machine, and Wen is always happy to make sure you find something to your taste. This is a lovely cafe, and very complete in its offering—serious drinks, lovely food, and even bagels!
Wa Roastery
Lovers of latte art or a good flat white should seek out WA Roastery. Located on Melaka Raya, just slightly outside the old town, the espresso-based milk drinks here are among the very best in Malacca.
For milk drinks—much loved by locals—you’ll find a range of coffees roasted medium-to-dark, but there’s also a wonderful selection of lighter roasted options for drip. On average they have six to eight different light-roast coffees on display ranging from Northern Thai Catimor, Panama Gesha, and chocolatey beans from Mexico. If the shop is not busy you might even be invited to an impromptu tasting.
I mentioned that Malacca is home to a wonderful dessert scene, and at WA they’re famous for brownies. These have gone in and out of production over the last few months, but make sure to ask for them when you visit. This shop is highly recommended.
Double Dose
Double Dose is the kind of cafe you’d love to find anywhere in the world, but they’ve found a distinct home for themselves here in Malacca. Their true passion is in highlighting International and Malaysian roasters. Located behind a parking lot is a sleek, minimalist cafe complete with a coffee-bag-emblazoned wall showing off the owner’s favorites. With names such as Tim Wendleboe, April, and Gringo, we heartily approve.
Clean, balanced light-roast pour-overs are the name of the game here. Drawing from subscription services delivering new and exciting bags every month, to pushing local Malaysian companies like Tongue Mission and The Roast Things, the choices are thoughtfully considered and perfectly prepared.
Apart from drip coffee, Double Dose also serves proper matcha made with a chasen, and creme brulee blowtorched to order. If you’re the kind of person who wants to drink delicious coffee away from the tourist crowds, then Double Dose will be your hangout.
The Coffee Jar
Having recently moved one building over in the same street, The Coffee Jar has upgraded from a tiny ornate nook to a minimal, concrete space. With the extra room, they managed to fit the roaster by the front window, luring people in with the sight of frenzied production. The coffee is predominantly Medium roast (in general Malaysian light-roast is closer to a Nordic Medium), however, occasionally a lighter batch appears and is quickly snapped up. For those so inclined, you can splash out on one of their Panama Gesha offerings, a specialty here.
Espresso hiss, chatter, and the muted tap of keyboards create a comforting hum in which to catch up on some reading or find a corner and talk to a friend. The room is light and airy, and the location just a minute walk from the river, means that even a tourist won’t have to go out of their way to enjoy a quality cup. If your blood sugar is dropping, there is a small fridge with a selection of excellent puddings and cheesecakes.
Mods Cafe
Not many coffee shops have a full-size Volkswagen van parked inside acting as a display shelf and espresso bar, but that’s what you’ll find at Mods Cafe. What sets this cafe apart from the others in town is the novel approach the owner takes to roasting. Instead of choosing typical methods like air or drum roasting, all of the coffee here is roasted over binchotan charcoal, which he explains adds a subtle difference and depth of flavor to the coffee. The theory is that the charcoal burns longer and more consistently, and does not have direct heat with the beans, therefore the roasting is more uniform and controlled.
Binchotan is not a cheap fuel to roast coffee with, and this method is rarely employed in a recognizably “specialty” or third wave setting. Here you have something that feels quite distinct to Malacca. You’ll also pay for it; drinks here are price at a premium, but it’s an experience you’ll want to have regardless.
Sin See Tai
It’s customary to pay dues to the OGs in any scene, and for Malacca the crew behind Sin See Tai were instrumental in bringing specialty coffee to the city. Having now expanded beyond The Daily Fix cafe, Sin See Tai is a small bakery/cafe that sells one of the best croissants in Malaysia (made with Elle & Vire and Isigny Sainte-Mere butter). The coffee is roasted under the umbrella of The Daily Fix, and they have a few varieties of single origin, or a house-blend. They keep large glass jars of coffee under the display table, so if you fancy buying some beans just ask a staff member.
The focus here is on creating a complete cafe experience, and the pastries alone are worth visiting for. But the history element is important, too. If you love visiting classic third wave cafes—the sort of places that helped set the stage for today’s modern cafe culture—this is your place to go in Malacca.
Benjamin Sand is a freelance journalist and the creator of The Mouth. Read more Benjamin Sand for Sprudge.
