Top 10 Restaurants In Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

As the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan’s culinary scene has been a relatively late developer. However, it is an exciting time for dining in the city. Discover the city’s best food in all its bold and bizarre glory here.

Lim Ah Siaw
Despite Lim Ah Siaw being found in the far-from-idyllic surroundings of a pork market, a trip here always feels like an illicit and decadent adventure. It’s forbidden to raise pigs in Brunei, and so the pork-heavy menu of this restaurant has led to many bloggers calling this restaurant the most haram (sinful) eating place in all of Brunei. Haram it may be, but delicious it certainly is, with customers coming for the reputation but staying for the pork buns, dumplings and stunning braised pork dishes. Well worth a visit, but perhaps don’t ask too many people for directions to it…

i Lotus
Although notoriously difficult to find, the i Lotus is a restaurant you should hail a taxi for and track down. The reason being it is one of the best places for fine dining in Bandar Seri Begawan and its surrounding areas. About five miles outside of the city center in an old converted house, i Lotus serves upmarket Chinese cuisine that is tellingly popular with the Chinese émigrés and visitors of Brunei. People like it both for the quality of its specials like its ‘special coconut prawn’, served in a coconut, and for the authenticity of its wider menu. The restaurant serves a wide variety of meat and fish dishes perfect for those looking for the best Chinese in Brunei.

Kaizen Sushi
What separates this branch from others in the Kaizen chain is its design. The first thing to notice about this riverside Kaizen is its wonderful building, a playful modern update of traditional Asian buildings inspired by bamboo structures. It could house a very contemporary art space or gallery, but instead is home to what was quickly agreed to be the best Japanese food in the city. It has an extensive menu including almost every kind of sushi imaginable as well as a teppanyaki bar, private dining area and, of course, some of the best views in Brunei across the harbor and fisherman village.

Pondok Sari Wangi
Since its first restaurant in BSB was founded in 1990, Pondok Sari Wangi has had a fantastically successful two decades. It has opened branches across the city serving versions of its much-loved Indonesian fare. The original site is still the best of them all, however, with both its early evening buffet and later a la carte menu serving the best of Indonesia on a plate (or, in the case of the Indonesian buffet, inevitable multiple plates). The other PSWs should also be tracked down, for each restaurant offers delicious signature dishes exclusive to that particular branch.

Noralizah & Iskandar House of Curry
Known variously as roti, roti canai, roti prata or perhaps most popularly as murtabak, these stuffed breads or pancakes are the absolute staple street food of Bandar Seri Begawan and Brunei in general. Nowhere does them better than the House of Curry. Queues can often be seen snaking out of the doors at peak times for these little parcels of folded goodness (the name ‘murtabak’ means ‘folded’ in Arabic). The mixed crowds contain everyone from students looking for a cheap meal to Brunei’s oldest residents eating the foods of their childhoods.

Aminah Arif Restaurant
Another staple is the national dish of Brunei is ambuyat, a starchy substance from the sago palm akin to tapioca. It is rolled around the fork and then dipped into sauce, and is an interesting albeit acquired taste. For those who wish to try ambuyat for the first time, or for fans of this porridge-like dish, the best version is made at the city’s Aminah Arif restaurants. This one comes the most highly recommended. For those who find this strange dish difficult to love, or for those who like their food with a stronger consistency, they also serve a good selection of rice and noodle-based dishes.

Nur Wanita
Over the last five years, this venue has gone from a fledgling business to one of the most popular Thai restaurants in the region. The restaurant is often completely full come lunch time with workers from across the city and the office blocks close to Nur Wanita’s location. It is also one of the more upmarket restaurants in the Bandar Seri Begawan, with a comfy and stylish interior that sets it apart from its more parochial competition. The food is good too, with well-spiced version of all the classic Thai dishes honed through half a decade of those busy lunch shifts.

Gadong Night Market
A group of restaurants, cafes and vendors serving authentic street foods from across Asia, this is a hugely popular night market perfect for those who want an authentic view of the country and have access to a car (most people take their food away from the market). As well as being culturally fascinating, it is also incredibly cheap. There is everything from Brunei staple foods to great curries and seafood to a whole selection of strange dishes for those with intrepid palates, including cow lungs and other so-called delicacies.

Paddington House of Pancakes
Those looking for more Western food with a surreal spin on the idea should try Paddington House of Pancakes. It has probably the best interior of any restaurant in the capital, with simple but effective use of a feature chalkboard wall. Just a glance at the menu is worth the visit alone. Anything that can logically be put on a pancake will be put on a pancake, and no culinary fusion from any country is left untried. This results in pizza pancakes and full English breakfast pancakes. Some of these are really delicious, and some are just bizarre, but either way, trying them is half the fun.

Pantai at the Empire Hotel
Housed inside the marble surroundings of the capital’s grandest and most expensive hotel is Pantai. Of the many restaurants within the hotel and country club complex, it is the finest of the impressive selection. Although it also offers a buffet, the a la carte menu is particularly good, offering gourmet versions of Japanese cuisine for its discerning clientele. Its beachfront views are also magnificent, offering particularly spectacular sunsets if it is possible to get a table at that time.