Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur's Italian restaurants cover every budget and occasion, from fine dining 57 floors above the city to family-friendly pizzerias in neighbourhood malls. What sets KL apart is choice for halal diners: the city has some of the best halal-certified and pork-free Italian cooking in Southeast Asia, alongside traditional kitchens serving cured meats and Italian wines.

The KLCC area is where to go for drama, with sky dining rooms looking straight at the Petronas Twin Towers, Michelin-listed kitchens and terraces built for sunset aperitivo. The Golden Triangle around Jalan Sultan Ismail and Bukit Bintang has hotel restaurants with Neapolitan pizza ovens that work well for business lunches. Further out, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) and Mont Kiara have chef-run neighbourhood spots with open kitchens and handmade pasta, and Publika at Solaris Dutamas is home to a popular halal-certified Italian.

Budget around RM60 to RM120 a head for a casual pizza or pasta dinner and RM400 or more for fine dining with wine. Check the halal status on each listing, as it varies from fully certified to pork-free to not halal.