Makan Café

We went to this quaint, little café at about 9.30am and had the satay with rice (~£6), nasi lemak (~£6), roti canai (~£4) and teh tarik. As a Singaporean, I can tell you that the food was pretty authentic and extremely tasty. The satay was tender and well-​seasoned, I couldn’t resist a second helping. The teh tarik was also so good we ordered two more cups of it. Needless to say, we finished every last bit of what we ordered. A small downside would be that (obviously) it was significantly more expensive than what it would’ve been if ordered in South East Asia, but definitely still very affordable by London price standards.
Eating here made me very, very happy.

Cheap and cheerful place on Portobello Rd. Spicy Malaysian flavours add a touch of warmth to your meal. I had a combination plate of chana and lamb curry with noodles — delicious and really affordable. I hear it gets busy busy on the weekends but it was quiet when I ate there.

A family friendly place, in the heart of Portobello, owned by Malaysians. We were greeted by the owner with a smile and a welcome. I was sad we didn’t sample any of their ethnic dishes. Instead my group and I got the English breakfast. To be fair this is probably not their specialty, so I will go easy on them. Although this was my first time eating an English breakfast, it was mediocre. I did enjoy all the halal meets on my dish, and the tea was delicious. I would go back to try their Malaysian food.

Good food, good service
Wonderful, service was excellent, food was cheap, and was OK
Very quick service, place is convenient

Had dinner here twice and both times it was great. The food was good and the service excellent. Will definitely come back when I have the chance to be in London again.

Went on a cold day, craving something warm. This place was just what I wanted. Friendly staff greeted me upon entry and the queue was moving swiftly. Ordered the sizzling chicken noodles which tasted very good. It tasted fresh and was piping hot when it arrived. The prices on the menu are very reasonable and a person can leave happy and satisfied having paid under a tenner.
Would visit again if I pass by.

Makan has been around for good few years. Located under the Westway it took over the café next door a while back. A firm favourite with locals it is busy throughout the week, not just on Saturdays when the area is taken over by tourists.
It speaks for Makan that they do so well despite very basic tables and chairs and no interior deco to talk of. They offer a good choice of dishes and I always struggle to make a choice — not been disappointed yet, but quite frequently suffer from food envy when the person next to me is brought a plate that looks even more delicious than mine.
Laksa is probably the most healthy as the only thing that prevents me from eating here more often is the dominance of fried food.

popped in here after a cold day wandering through portobello market. i had the 3 vegetable choice dish with noodles. all of the veggie options were great i had the eggplant (definitely my favorite), black bean tofu, and some sort of broccoli dish. this was a huge amount of food and definitely could have been shared between two people. i wish there had been more veggies and less noodles because i was left with a large plate of plain, not so flavorful noodles once i ate all the veggies off the top. the restaurant is not very glamorous but its fast, super cheap, tasty and seems to be always buzzing with people.

Great food. Lovely staff. Best restaurant on this end of portobello. Prices are usually around a fiver and for the quality that is a bargain!

I like this restaurant, not for a café. I had Mee Goren (Noodle) It is thin noddle and its fried. a little bit spicy but not too much for me. I love to go again definitely!!!

This place is popular and affordable. It had a food-​court type layout — a big variety of meal options in trays on display, but you can also order directly off a menu on the wall behind the counter. I got a roti canai and a coke. It came out quickly and was a tasty lunch. Good value too. If we lived close-​by, then I would certainly come back here more often. But I wouldn’t make a special trip across town for it.

Food here is very authentic and presentable! Not to mention affordable

Makan is a lovely eaterie and now run the ‘classic café’ next door which is a Malaysian take on the old english greasy spoon. I wish there was more Malaysian takes ont he old english greasy spoon as it was great! turkey rashers and chicken sausages replace the pork and the tea was a1. Will be back to try the Malaysian breakfasts soon.

Not sure if I quite get it? My noodle soup was okay, my mum’s sizzling noodle dish looked… okay. The atmosphere was rubbish, I felt like I was eating outside…
I’m giving it 3 stars because I think maybe I should have chosen from the pre-​cooked items, the chicken and the curry puffs looked pretty good and the teh tarik was delicious. Also, I don’t think I could ever 2 star a Malaysian street food restaurant in London.

My favourite take away in ‘The ‘Bello’. Yes, they do use magic boxes to re-​heat the food but nevertheless Makan is still the daddy!
With my lady being a veggie and me a carnivore, we usually sample just about everything on offer which is 9 times out of 10 spot on.
Everywhere has an occasional blip, which in their case is if it’s late and food is running low and may be a little dry but wow, the chicken IS finger lickin’ and the dumplings are heaven, although not good if you’re trying to shed a few of those extra winter pounds!
Polite staff and management too.
Average spend about a tenner for two huge mountains of food, which when compared to CrapDonalds and the like, this is for me the best way to part with ten of the Queens pounds.
Mmmmmm, dumpings!!!

My go-​to to-​go lunch spot! If I’m really hungry, their mixed platters are perfect! For about a fiver, you can get a serious meal instantly and it’s some of the best food (Malaysian) in the ‘hood. You can be healthy here or totally indulge.
I typically take away my food here, but you can also have a quick dine-​in meal and walk away totally satisfied. The place is not trying too hard, but it isn’t a hole in the wall either. It’s just a simple place with good, cheap food. Why wouldn’t someone like it here.
I’ve never been for dinner, but I assume it’s about the same: a yummy, filling, cheap meal!
Hugely recommended.

Sorry, but I can never give a 5 to a place that microwaves. I selected three tasty veggie dishes from the pre-​prepared in front of me. They were tasty, but not «blow my mind». Plus the nuker really put me off. It is a good cheap-​eats place, tasty, and great if you are with a veggie friend. And you got to like ya some rice or noodles, so starch it up (oh did I mention all of the potatoes too?)

Question: Is there anything better than amazing Malaysian food?
Answer: Yes. Amazing Malaysian food for under a fiver.
I won’t name names, but seems that London restaurateurs have a penchant for taking classically cheap cheap cheap street food and poshing it out in some fancy warehouse space with expensive market trend analyzed décor and painfully overplayed menus. Let’s be real — you’re not paying for the food, you’re paying for the «authentic» atmosphere… of central London.
Blah blah… The food here at Makan is far more authentic and delicious than any you’ll find tucked into the «shady» streets of Mayfair, Park Lane or Belgravia, and the cheap prices reflect that.
Their noodle selection is literally drool-​worthy with char kway teow, mee goreng, mee hoon goreng… Mmmmmmm! Pair that with Singapore laska, egg fried rice, a few curry puffs and a sweetcorn fritter or bhaji? Heaven.
Next time you’re stall-​gazing at Portobello Market, pop in for a large vegetarian combo to take away with the option of rice or noodles and three vegetable dishes for £4.40. Seriously, this place can’t be beat!

For the best banana dumplings in town head to Makan Malaysian restaurant opposite Portobello market.
The food is cheap and tasty, under a fiver for curry and rice, and a refreshing change from the many Thai restaurants that seem to populate the Notting Hill area. Choose from chicken, lamb or fish or from the many vegetarian dishes available.
There is also a great selection of Malaysian cakes and freshly ground coffee. A great place to sit and watch the busy and colourful market opposite whilst you eat.

I LOVE LOVE Makan– after a day strolling through Portobello market there’s nothing better than sitting down to a tasty plate of Malaysian cooking.
For only £4.95 choose two dishes with either rice or noodles– the spicy red chicken and chilli chickpeas are my favourites. There is also great selection of starters– chicken puffs, crab claws, samosas and spicy crackers.
Makan is a no frills eating venue but the food never disappoints.