The 10 Best Dessert Spots in Malacca, Malaysia

This café along Jonker Street has served delicious laksa and cendol since 1977. But Jonker 88’s speciality is their gula Malacca cendol (shaved ice, coconut milk and rice jelly drizzled with palm sugar). Long lines appear the minute they open their doors to get what locals claim as the best cendol in Malacca. Expect budget-friendly prices, refreshing desserts and an inside bursting with historical memorabilia. Anticipate waiting up to 20 minutes and to share tables.

Nancy’s Kitchen along Jonker Street upholds a reputation as one of the best Nyonya restaurants in Malacca. Apart from their mouth-watering mains (including their famed Nyonya laksa), they also serve a selection of desserts. Nyonya desserts come in all shapes and sizes and are typically steamed. Culture Trip recommends ondeh-ondeh (pandan mixed with glutinous rice and shaved coconut) with a cup of iced coffee. Other must-try desserts include Nyonya cendol and pineapple tarts.

This tiny durian-themed vendor stall sits on the ground floor of an indiscriminate Jonker Street shophouse. Offering a selection of pastries including Malacca’s famous durian puff, this is the go-to stall for fans of the ubiquitous fruit. The ‘King of Fruit’ has a reputation as the world’s smelliest and a clear division exists between its lovers and haters. If you’re a fan or want a toned down introduction, grab a durian puff (creamy durian surrounded by flaky pastry). Put the whole puff into your mouth before biting, otherwise sticky fillings might burst down your clothes!

Justberrys combines an ice cream shop and café offering a wide variety of sweet treats. Often described by Malaccans as the fruit dessert palace, customers can choose between pancakes, ice shavings and cendol. Culture Trip recommends this among the top dessert spots in Malacca to cool down with an icy drink after sightseeing. When you enter, order from the counter. Pro tip: Justberrys accepts cash only. So make sure you have change.

Tucked away in an alley among the old wooden shophouses, Baba Charlie Nyonya Cake offers a selection of traditional Malaccan snacks. Yellow trays bursting with Nyonya kuih (Malaysian sweets) surround the stall’s entrance. Become the proverbial child in the sweetshop and fill the tray with whatever takes your fancy before paying at the counter. Try the epat kacang (black beans and glutinous rice in a triangle packet) and their homemade kaya (coconut jam). Customers can also stock up on homemade cookies, pineapple tarts and savoury snacks at one of the best Nyonya dessert shops in Malacca.

Hidden away in a private estate in Bukit Rambai some 20 minutes by car from Jonker Street lies the little-known Aunty Koh Cendol. The Peranakan food stall serves what satisfied customers describe as the richest and creamiest cendol in Malacca. Fragrant coconut milk blends perfectly with the smooth ice and sweet green jelly. Expect rock-bottom prices at just RM5 ($1.20 USD) for a large bowl. Try their famous cendol, tai bak (Nyonya-style cendol) and savoury pie tee (pastry tart with a spicy-sweet prawn and vegetable filling). Despite being among the more difficult-to-reach dessert spots in Malacca, Aunty Koh has a regular crowd willing to make the long journey.

Bikini Toppings is among our favourite dessert spots in Malacca for coconut lovers. Giant cartoon images of coconut tree-lined beaches cover the walls with empty shells used to decorate the lights. Order both their signature coconut milkshake and a bowl of creamy homemade coconut ice cream with a handful of – you guessed it – coconut jelly. Combine some of the city’s best ice cream with its location in the heart of old Malacca giving the perfect excuse for a break.

The dessert shop in Old Malacca offers some of the city’s broadest selection of shaved ice and snow ice. Step inside and find hundreds of refreshing choices with myriad flavours and styles to choose from. Bowls of shaved ice come on a bed of self-cooked brown sugar syrup, which melts as soon as it touches your tongue. Big Bowl Ice’s snow ice (similar to ice cream, but using ice) blends more traditional flavours like chocolate and caramel as well as papaya and durian bases. Besides ice-based desserts, customers can taste sweet potato balls, taro balls and waffles in one of the most extensive dessert spots in Malacca.

Durian Cottage near Jalan Kubu is all about the smelly fruit. The small dessert shop consists of a little vendor stall inside a shophouse serving durian-based desserts. Try the durian puffs, ice cream and cendol. Expect budget-friendly prices and smiling staff willing to help you choose what to get. Culture Trip recommends this among the top dessert spots in Malacca for a not-so-intense introduction to tasting the world’s smelliest fruit.

Despite the restaurant’s name, F Cup Dessert is more known for its Man Vs Food-style burger. But aside from its humongous meat feast, this restaurant provides a decent selection of desserts. Most customers take a trip to this restaurant for both dinner and dessert (we suggest either durian shaved ice, waffles or chocolate ice cream). Culture Trip recommends families looking for a pleasant night to check out F Cup.