Review: Nook Cafe Kota Kinabalu

Nook Cafe Kota Kinabalu: A Plant-Based Hideaway in the Heart of Sabah

Tucked away at 19 Lorong Dewan in the bustling centre of Kota Kinabalu, Nook Cafe has cultivated a quiet reputation as one of Sabah's most charming dining destinations. The name itself feels intentional: this is a place you seek out rather than stumble upon, and that sense of discovery makes the experience all the more rewarding.

We had two dishes on the menu which you can make vegan on request. The Morning Market Picks exemplified everything exciting about plant-based dining in Borneo. Grilled aubergine, snap peas, roasted bell peppers and sautéed mushrooms brought together with Nook's in-house herb pesto created something memorable, vegetables treated with real respect and culinary intention. The vegan option here feels considered rather than merely accommodated. The Forager's Pick was equally impressive in its vegan interpretation. Toasted sourdough topped with sautéed sayur manis and fried bunga kantan showcased distinctly local Sabahan ingredients that you simply won't find on cafe menus elsewhere—a genuinely regional plant-based experience served with sweet potato fries.

From a sustainability perspective, Nook's commitment to seasonal, locally sourced ingredients carries particular significance in Sabah, where supporting local agriculture directly contributes to protecting Borneo's extraordinary surrounding ecosystems.