At El Centro, located in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, a vibrant culinary experience awaits. This casual and cozy restaurant caters to diverse tastes, offering everything from hearty breakfasts to late-night bites, including mouthwatering small plates and unique flavor combinations. Guests can enjoy refreshing cocktails at the bar or savor a satisfying meal in a trendy atmosphere, ideal for groups and solo diners alike. With efficient and friendly service, affordable prices, and a welcoming vibe that resonates with tourists and locals, El Centro truly shines as a beloved dining destination. Every visit promises delicious dishes and unforgettable memories.
Amenities and More
Service options
Offers kerbside pickup
Has no-contact delivery
Offers delivery
Offers takeaway
Serves dine-in
Highlights
Serves great cocktails
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
Offerings
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves cocktails
Serves coffee
Serves late-night food
Quick bite
Serves small plates
Serves wine
Dining options
Serves breakfast
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Serves dessert
Has seating
Amenities
Has bar on site
Has toilet
Atmosphere
Casual
Cosy
Trendy
Crowd
Good for groups
Popular with tourists
Popular with university students
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Accepts credit cards
Children
High chairs available
Photos
Reviews For El Centro
Emily PW
Mar 29,2025
Always wanted to visit this cafe… finally went with my 2 friends, we ordered the grilled chicken & black beans burritos and chicken kebab follow by dessert called ice cream sandwich(homemade). Highly recommend the chicken burritos as its taste is purely delicious and fulfilling. Chicken kebab portion is quite generous, the smashed potatoes and salad compliment the kebab very well. 3 of us shared 2 dishes & one dessert. The ice cream is worth to try & goes well with the latte as latte is little bitter to compliment the sweetness of the caramel cookies. I think it’s worth the money for a decent Mexican food in KK city area. We went there for late lunch around 1pm, only 2 tables of customers. Food came about 10min after we ordered. The waiter is very friendly to recommend their signature dishes. The place is airy in the afternoon too. Will definitely go again!
Linda Chov
Mar 28,2025
Stumbled upon this place around lunch time. Wasn't busy on Wednesday late morning. We ordered veggie nachos and the falafel wrap. Both were good. The nachos weren't your typical hand food. It was topped with tons of beans, cheese, and veggies. Really delicious. Would come back to try other things on the menu.
Megan King
Mar 20,2025
Such a fun spot to grab a bite and hang out! We were in and out of KK during our travels through Sabah and ate at El Centro at each pass through. As a vegetarian I found the options robust, the folks working there so kind, and the ambiance very comfortable! I'd recommend the breakfast sandwich, any of the pizzas, and the tacos / quesadillas -- but honestly, no choice would be a bad one! (I was traveling with a omnivore, so they can attest to the meat options being delicious as well!)
Kimberly Geena Lee
Feb 25,2025
Went on a lovely lunch date with my mom at El Centro, and we had such a great time! We started with their homemade nachos, which were really good—crispy, fresh, and full of flavor.For the mains, I had the Hawaiian pizza, and it was absolutely delicious—perfectly baked with a great balance of sweet and savory flavors. My mom had the salad wrap, and she loved it! It was fresh, light, and packed with tasty ingredients.Overall, the food was amazing, and the cozy atmosphere made the experience even better. Definitely a great spot for a casual and delicious meal!
Paul Allen
Feb 13,2025
This is a great bar/cafe.The staff are nice and there is a great choice of drinks - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.They have a good range of food, we chose some tapas and it was great.I really like the decor, it has old/original tiling and has a nice atmosphere.
Simon Tuck
Feb 1,2025
We ate here twice. Breakfast we had smoothie bowls and I had a bagel too . I had coffee my wife had a beet juice mix which was delicious. My coffee was good too. Dinner I had Greek salad with falafel with fries The falafel was really good, as was the salad which was fresh and a good sized portion. My wife had a hamburger, which she said was very good, and a glass of wine. Staff were very nice.
Victor Lemain
Jan 29,2025
The shakshuka was great, with a fine set of herbs and good variety of vegetables. Also was fond of the music there! Overall great place to have some food.
Chia Eu-meh
Jan 13,2025
Fantastic atmosphere. The place was packed at 8p.m. on a Tuesday. The wine was very good and, for Sabah, reasonably priced. We had the sharing plate of chicken fajitas. The chicken was superb but when scaling up the plate, they had not scaled up the salsas and tortillas. When the extras arrived, the chicken had cooled down. Overall very good, recommended but need more salsa and tortillas. Thoroughly recommended.
Reviews For El Centro