STORIES
PJ’s Sugar Rush: 8 Spots Worth the Drive
Hey PJ! We’ve got a question for you — what’s your favourite dessert? Is it:
- Tong sui
- Nyonya kuih
- Bingsu
- Cake
- Doughnut
- Too many choices. I can’t decide!
No matter your answer, even if it's not on this list, we’ve got good news for you — PJ confirm got every kind of dessert one. Whether you’re craving a mountain of sweet, syrupy shaved ice in a bowl, a bite of chewy kuih with a hint of coconut fragrance, or gelato with the most adventurous yet delicious flavours, Petaling Jaya has it all.
Tang Fei Dessert, Seapark
Tong sui is arguably one of the most comforting types of dessert around, especially when served warm. In PJ, Tang Fei Dessert is actually a pretty solid choice for your tong sui needs. Known for their variety of hot and cold tong sui, local PJ people generally recommend it for tong sui that people of all ages can enjoy. Plus, if you ever get hit by those midnight tong sui cravings, this is the place to be ‘cos it’s open until 1 am!
Huang Soy Bar
If you’re a fan of soya milk, put this place at the top of your must-try list. Huang is the kind of place that’ll bring back all your fond childhood memories — but with an upgrade. Think a loaded bowl of tau fu fah with toppings like sweet potato and taro balls, peach gum, and ginger konnyaku, and creative beverages like the Soya Seri Muka (an homage to the traditional kuih made of fresh soya milk, coconut pandan pudding, and gula melaka). Trust us, their variety of soya-based desserts will have you spoilt for choice every time.
Blue Dahlia
There’s something special about Blue Dahlia. Maybe it’s the cosy environment, the simple yet delicious food, or the delicate-looking yet extremely delicious kuih that are made with such love and care to keep the secrets of Peranakan cuisine alive. Here, you’ll find nearly two dozen types, from crowd favourites like onde-onde and pulut panggang to rarer gems like abok-abok and angku coconut.
But if we had to choose one thing on the menu, we'd recommend the kuih koci, the most labour-intensive of the lot — wrapped in banana leaf and steamed twice so the flavour really seeps through. We hear that co-owner Nina Yeoh wakes up at 5:30 am every morning to prep the day's batch, using recipes passed down from her Malacca-born mother. By 3 pm, most of it has flown off the shelves because it's so good that even your fussiest mak cik would approve.
Flurrē by Fluffed
Weather in Malaysia is almost always so hot can die — which makes a mountain of snow-like milk ice topped with all the sweet trimmings the best choice any day of the week. This is where Flurrē comes in. Their bingsu menu is so epic that it basically set the bar for aesthetic shaved ice.
Known for their bingsu that looks like a salmon don, they’re basically a bingsu sensation all over PJ. And in case you’re re-reading the last sentence, no, we’re not kidding. They really do serve salmon don-like bingsu, and it is delicious. But if bingsu isn’t your thing, their sister café, Fluffed (known for its waffles loaded with toppings), is just a 10-minute drive away.
YL’s Gelateria
Warning: the story behind this dessert spot might tug at your heartstrings a little.
The founder, Laura Yap, left her career as a lawyer to devote herself to her son, Khoo Yuan Li, who was diagnosed with autism at age three, and eventually opened up YL’s Gelateria. Today, this little gelato shop trains and employs autistic adults through a proper six-month programme, complete with ongoing therapy support, to help them gain real independence.
The gelato is *chef’s kiss*. Churned fresh in-house, you’ll find that each scoop hits the right level of sweetness — just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, yet not so over-the-top that you’d be at risk of a sugar coma. Be sure to try their local twists. Our recommendations? The Muruku, Kuih Talam, Gandum, or the refreshing Mango Passion.
Dimpled Artisan Ice Cream
If you’ve got adventurous taste buds, Dimpled will leave you wanting more. This SS2 gelato spot rotates its menu weekly, with two to three new flavours dropping every week — Sea Salt Sakura, Espresso Stracciatella, Brown Butter Rosemary, or even a Christmas breakfast-inspired Cinnamon Vanilla gelato flavour, just to name a few. Not sure what to pick? You get up to three samples before committing, so go ahead and try it out. Whatever you land on, pair your choice with their handmade salted egg yolk cone or their buttery waffle. Take it from us, and from their many regular customers, it’s worth the extra ringgit.
Xiao By Crustz
Looking for a mid-week pick-me-up? Xiao By Crustz is just the thing you’ll need. This Malaysian-French patisserie is famous for its exquisite and delicious desserts — so pretty they basically look like edible works of art. They even have pastry sets, available for dine-in and takeaway, that are perfect for sharing in the office (and getting on your boss’ good side *wink wink*). They’ve also got an assortment of adorable ice cream cakes with different themes, including Ghibli and Mario Kart-inspired options.
Nareo Donut
Have you ever tried artisanal brioche doughnuts? They're soft, fluffy and worth every calorie. And if you're up for a bite, Nareo is the place to go.
Nareo is tucked into a quiet row of shoplots in Taman Paramount. Its founder, Shih Sheng, spent seven years honing his craft at a specialty doughnut café in Melbourne before bringing everything he learned home — and it shows. Instead of dozens of flavours competing for attention, the menu stays small and curated, letting each one shine.
Their bestseller, Mandarin Yuzu, is citrusy and bright with just the right hit of sweetness, but don't sleep on the Boston Cream or seasonal drops like Apple Pie Brûlée. Pair it with their specialty coffee, and you've got yourself a delicious treat.
So, still can’t decide?
Honestly, neither can we. That’s the beauty of PJ — you get the variety, the heritage, and the innovative recipes all in one place, so you’ll never need to stick with just one thing. It’s a tapestry of many things, including desserts that’ll satisfy every craving.
If you're free this weekend, you know what to do. Pick a place, try it out. Don't say we bojio.
