Photo: Courtesy of Pizza Mansion
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Pizza Mansion

Here are nine eateries for you to explore when visiting this foodie enclave in Section 17

Erected in the 70s, Happy Mansion, a neighbourhood originally made up of low-cost flats, laundromats, Chinese coffee shops, and sundry shops, has become a magnet for hip eateries, including cafes and a pizza parlour.

Through the years, cafés and restaurants have constantly popped up among decades-old sundry shops and hairdressers, some replacing others. Currently, the nondescript buildings play host to some of the area’s most soulful and exciting restaurants that are worth making a stop at.

Read more: 12 places to explore in APW Bangsar

Read on to find out the seven places we think you’ll love.

1. Round

Visit Round, which took over Food Foundry’s space, for your fix of contemporary Neapolitan pizza, cakes, and coffee. During the day, the space is a café that also serves cakes by the slice in a cosy environment. As the sun goes down at 6pm, Round fires up its Stefano Ferrara oven and transforms into a pizza and wine hangout.

It also offers pizza and wine pairings, perfect for date nights. Try its formaggi and margherita pizzas to test out the classics, but don’t forget to add an order of one of its specials for the table.

Round, Happy Mansion, BG8, Block B, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, @roundhappymansion on Instagram, Wednesday-Monday, 10am-10pm

2. Feeka Coffee Roasters

Adjacent to Pizza Mansion is Feeka Coffee Roasters, known for its cups of coffee, pasta, and salads. Feeka is a foolproof spot for anyone looking for a caffeine boost or midday pick-me-up.

Its rustic space also provides a comfortable and relaxed environment for you to catch up with friends. We recommend its smoked chicken carbonara, Peruvian grilled chicken, and of course, its coffee.

Feeka Coffee Roasters, B-G-1, Block B, Jalan 17/13, Section 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, @feekacoffeeroasters on Instagram, Monday-Sunday, 8am-10:30pm

See also: 7 coffee trucks and stands to visit in the Klang Valley

3. Dough!

Fans of pastries and breads can flock to Dough! for their fill of croissants, danishes, and cinnamon rolls. They also offer pastas, pizzas, and more for those looking for more of a filling meal.

Don’t miss its sourdough, fried chicken pizza, smoked duck fettuccine, and créme brulée French toast.

Dough!, B-G-7, Block B, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, +6011 2139 8599, @doughbakerypj on Instagram, Monday-Sunday, 8am-9pm

4. Tanah dan Air

Tanah dan Air, which translates to earth and water, is Malaysia’s first dedicated tea bar by tea artist Siow Fei. Its mission is to foster an appreciation for the art of brewing tea. It also hosts tea classes to spread knowledge about the vast world of tea and tea brewing.

Its online retail store has a collection of teapots, cups, and tea leaves for you to browse through to start your own tea journey.

Tanah dan Air, C-G-3B, Block C, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, @tanah.dan.air on Instagram, Wednesday-Friday, 1pm-7pm & Saturday-Sunday, 1pm-8pm

Don't miss: Where to have afternoon tea with the best views in Malaysia

5. Frame Thai

Within its basic and small space, Frame Thai serves up authentic Thai dishes that have garnered a dedicated following over its years of existence. The restaurant also doubles as a grocery store, where you can get your Thai staples.

Must-try dishes include its seafood curry served in a coconut, braised pork leg, shrimp paste fried rice, and char-broiled pork neck.

Frame Thai, A-G-3, Block A, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, +603 7954 4688, @frame_thai on Instagram, Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-8pm

6. Elsie’s Kitchen by WanEli

When looking for comfort food to feed your soul, head to Elsie’s Kitchen by WanEli. This homey eatery specialises in siew yoke, curry pork, chicken chops, and pasta.

Fan favourites include its nam yue fried chicken wings, siew yoke aglio olio, siew yoke fried rice, curry pork with rice, and Hainese chicken chop.

Elsie’s Kitchen by WanEli, A-G-6, Block A, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, +6012 297 3202, @elsieskitchenbywaneli on Instagram, Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-8pm

Read more: Eat and Cook’s Lee Zhe Xi and Soh Yong Zhi on humble beginnings and reimagining Malaysian cuisine

7. Good Blue Men

Cantonese for 'Golden Fragrance', kam heong is a style of Chinese-Malaysian cooking that's normally applied to stir-fried clams, prawns, squid or chicken. Aromatic dried shrimp is the secret ingredient that lends this hawker stir-fry its je ne sais quoi.

At Good Blue Men, kam heong chicken is served between slices of bread instead of with steamed white rice, making for a new classic that's nostalgic and novel. You should also get an order of its Chic It plate and creamy seafood tom yum pasta while there. 

Good Blue Men, A-G-01, Ground Floor, Block A, Jalan 17/13, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, +603 7499 7394, @goodbluemen on Instagram, Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-10pm, Wednesday, 9am-10pm

8. Hideaway Café

Want to establish a winning café? Then build a prominent display for your desserts as Hideaway Café has done. The café's tagline—'Good old-fashioned cakes just like grandma used to make'—further underscores their focus on baked goods, which lean on the light side; if you like stodgy sweets that stick to your ribs, look elsewhere, as most of their treats take on the texture of chiffon cake.

A painting of an artichoke marks the entrance to this eccentric café, which resembles an English country home with a touch of chinoiserie and a faux fireplace, and folk music further enhance the impression of being inside an Enid Blyton story—except the mother-daughter proprietors sport an unmistakable Malaysian accent.

Hideaway Café, A-G-7, Block A, Jalan 17/13, Petaling Jaya, +603 7491 7383, @hideaway_17 on Instagram, Thursday & Sunday, 11am-7pm & Friday-Saturday, 11am-10pm

See also: 13 minimalist cafés to visit in the Klang Valley

9. Pizza Mansion

A proliferation of pizza parlours in the Klang Valley has seriously raised the stakes for those involved, but this relative newcomer has been sailing through choppy waters since April 2019. What is it about Pizza Mansion that works? We put it down to the cosy, retro ambience and affordable pies. 

Just as worthy of stealing the spotlight are Pizza Mansion's sides, especially the truffle mac and cheese. Wines by the glass or the bottle and cold craft beers will help cut through the food's grease.

Pizza Mansion, B-G-3, Block B, Jalan 17/13, Section 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, +6016 388 5365, @pizzamansion on Instagram, Monday-Sunday, 12pm-10:30 pm

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