Who says you only have to eat nasi kerabu while in Kota Bharu? You don’t have to limit your foodie trip to Kelantan by eating local dishes because guess what, there are plenty of hipster cafes that have recently hit the eastern coast. If you want to take a break from laksam, nasi ulam and other East Coast cuisine, let’s check out these Instagrammable cafes when you’re in Kota Bharu.

Try something different when in Kota Bharu. Bao Bao Cafe offers a drool-worthy array of steamed buns, dim sum, and Thai cuisine. The cafe also serves yummy boba, which is one of their must-try items. Of course, as its name suggests, the bao is definitely the star here. It’s made fresh daily and steamed to pillow-like fluffiness. The minimalist cafe also has a touch of vintage decor, making it the perfect backdrop for your Instagram.

Must-try food: The chicken rendang bao comes highly recommended!

Bao Bao Cafe

271, Jalan Dusun Muda, Bandar Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Opening hours: 1.00pm – 11.00pm (Closed on Tuesday)

Price: $ – $$

For dessert, head over to Tiny Elephant. The humble cafe apparently serves the best soft-serve ice cream in town. It’s the perfect place to cool down after spending the whole day exploring the city. Some of the must-try soft serve flavors include "Callebaut" chocolate, hazelnut and green tea. Apart from soft-serve, you can also enjoy pizza, popcorn chicken and French fries.

Must-try food: Buttermilk waffle topped with your favorite soft-serve flavor.

Tiny Elephant

1122, T/B, Jalan Tengku Petra Semerak, Kota Baru, Kelantan

Opening hours: 12.30pm – 11.30pm

Price: $ – $$

Craving for coffee? One of the best places to source for specialty coffee in Kota Bharu is at The Bold Lab. This quirky cafe has a lab theme, and you can check out the flasks, beakers, test tubes and other wacky lab equipment used as interior decoration. The cafe is perfect for coffee lovers as it serves hand-brewed coffee using pour-over, AeroPress and siphon techniques. Enjoy your cuppa with a slice of carrot cake for the perfect afternoon.

Must-try food: Signature waffle drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream.

The Bold Lab

PT 2497, Kg. Cherang, Jalan Abdul Kadir Adabi, Taman Kenangan, Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Opening hours 11.00am – 11.00pm

Price: $ – $$

Another cafe coffee lovers can check out while in Kota Bharu is Kopi Mesin. This little coffee shop in Kubang Kerian might look like a typical kopitiam, but the cafe serves specialty-grade coffee! The coffee menu is quite extensive, and don’t worry if you’re not familiar with coffee types as the menu provides helpful illustrations. The cafe uses a hand-crafted blend from Brazil, Papua New Guinea and India. The blend is masterfully roasted to a medium roast for a fully complex tasting coffee.

Must-try drink: Eiskaffee (German iced coffee) is rich and bitter, topped with vanilla ice cream.

Kopi Mesin

Lot 572 Batu 3, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kubang Kerian, Kota Baru, Kelantan

Opening hours 9.30am – 12.00am

Price: $ – $$

A perfect spot for either lunch or dinner, Drum & Desk is a chic cafe serving Western dishes and shaved ice. Some of the best-selling served ice include tiramisu, strawberry mojito, and banoffee. Sweet and cold, it’s the best combination for Kelantan’s tropical heat! If you’re not a fan of shaved ice (who are you??), Drum & Desk also serves burnt cheesecake and soufflè pancake.

Must-try food: The buttermilk chicken waffle is the perfect combination of sweet, citrusy and savory.

Drum & Desk

PT 2055, Lorong Taman Sari 2, Taman Sari, Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Opening hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm (Daily)

Price: $ – $$

If you think the cafe is an anime Ghibli-themed cafe, we’re sorry to disappoint you. The cafe only borrows the name! If you haven’t realized it yet, there is no shortage of coffee in Kota Bharu, and Ghibli Cafe is one of the must-visit for coffee lovers. Offering premium coffee beans from Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia, the cafe is a favorite spot to hang out and chill. While the food menu is limited, be rest assured the quality is top-notch. Some of the must-tries include the mac and cheese bowl bread and Swedish meatballs that can rival those from IKEA.

Must-try food: Buttermilk salted egg chicken with squid ink pasta.

Ghibli Cafe

PT386 Seksyen, 12, Jalan Pengkalan Chepa, 15300 Kota Bharu

Opening hours: 11.00am – 11.00pm

Price: $ – $$

Have we got your taste buds tingling for a taste? Kota Bharu foodie trip, here we come! Book your flights and hotel(s) on Traveloka.