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There's a new eight-storey spot in Petaling Street where you can eat dim sum, have hotpot, get a massage, grab a drink with a skyline view, and even stay the night
Chinatown 1974 officially opened on Jalan Petaling on 5 September, bringing together Malaysian food, dim sum, hotpot, wellness, a boutique hotel, a rooftop, and even a durian experience in one building.
The concept takes inspiration from Petaling Street in the 1970s, with the building designed around old-school Malaysian flavours, Nanyang dining traditions, and nostalgic details, while giving everything a more contemporary spin.
The first three levels are dedicated to food, with each restaurant taking a different take on Malaysian and Nanyang flavours
On the ground floor and mezzanine, HUAT n CO. puts a modern spin on the Malaysian kopitiam, serving familiar dishes like nasi lemak, roti tissue, Hainanese chicken chop, Malacca chicken rice balls, and Nyonya laksa.
There's also a HUAT roti tissue served with three signature dips.
Up on the first floor, THIRTY-ONE MANSION puts a Malaysian spin on Cantonese dim sum and Nanyang tea culture.
Expect dishes such as butterfly pea satay glutinous rice, pandan salted egg lava bao, and a pandan Musang King durian pancake.
There's also a Gongfu Tea ritual, where guests can experience the process of brewing and tasting different infusions.
Then there's XI JU CHARCOAL HOTPOT on the second floor, where hotpot is cooked over charcoal.
Its two signature options are a Teochew-style fish soup hotpot with tiger grouper and a Malacca satay celup charcoal hotpot.
There's also live seafood that can be selected from tanks and prepared for the table.
Waiting at the top is TWILIGHT TERRACE, a rooftop hangout offering both indoor and open-air seating with speciality tea, coffee, and kombucha
The main draw, though, is the view. The rooftop has an up-close look at Menara Merdeka Maybank, along with views of KL Tower and the surrounding skyline.
So you could technically spend the afternoon eating your way through Petaling Street, then head upstairs for drinks and watch the city go from daylight to night.
The building also houses YANG HE Wellness Pavilion, offering foot massages and spa facilities, while levels five to seven are home to THE SEVEN STARS HOTEL, a 32-room boutique stay inspired by 1970s Petaling Street
The rooms combine retro details such as timber tones, patterned surfaces, and herringbone flooring with more contemporary hotel comforts. There are Standard, Deluxe and Premier Rooms, as well as Couple Suites.
On the ground floor, Durian Village has a farm-to-plate concept centred around Malaysia's favourite divisive fruit
The space is meant to make eating durian more of a shared experience, whether that's picking one with friends and family or simply enjoying the fruit together.
There's also AISICE, a mobile Malaysian shaved-ice concept serving bowls designed to be easy to grab and enjoy while exploring the area.
One of the more Instagram-friendly features is the building's art mural staircase, which takes visitors through scenes inspired by Malaysia's heritage and the passage of time
As you go higher, the murals shift from scenes of the past towards the present, eventually leading to the rooftop and the modern KL skyline.
So, you might want to take the stairs instead of the lift at least once.
Chinatown 1974 is located on Petaling Street and is now open, with its food and lifestyle offerings spread across the eight-storey building.
Here's where it's located:
Address
Chinatown 1974
Tingkat 1-8,
Jalan Petaling,
50000 Kuala Lumpur
