Skip to content
Search
Language
Language: EN

Language

  • English
  • Bahasa MalaysiaComing soon
  • 中文Coming soon
Old shophouse rooftops on a hillside above a wide bay, evoking Sandakan

Sandakan · city

Where to eat in Sandakan

An east-coast port city known for seafood, dim sum breakfasts and old-school Cantonese cooking.

Sandakan was the capital of British North Borneo, and its food still reflects a long Cantonese and Hakka presence: unhurried dim sum mornings, seafood restaurants over the bay, and coffee shops that have served the same menu for decades.

Sandakan sits on a deep bay on Sabah's east coast, about a 45-minute flight or a long drive from Kota Kinabalu. Many visitors come for the wildlife around Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River and stay a night or two in town, which is enough to eat well.

Breakfast is the meal Sandakan does best. Dim sum restaurants fill up early with families, and the town's coffee shops serve noodle soups, kaya toast and strong kopi. Lunch and dinner lean towards seafood: prawns, crabs and fish from the bay, cooked Cantonese-style.

The old town by the waterfront and the central market are good for a morning walk, and the stilt villages along the shore are a reminder of how much of local life faces the sea.

Updated

Popular food

All Sabah dishes

What to eat in Sandakan

We have not written a dish page tied to Sandakan yet. The town is known for dim sum breakfast, bay seafood and Cantonese coffee shops; our Sabah dish pages explain what to look for on the menu.

Recommended

Filter all restaurants

Restaurants in Sandakan

  • Shophouse rooftops above a bay, evoking SandakanKopitiam

    Sandakan · Mile 7, Jalan Pak Tak

    Kedai Makan Kong Teck

    Sources mention: Fish paste noodles, Fish balls and fish cakes

    ChineseSabah LocalStatus unconfirmed
    Researched from 3 sources · not yet visited
  • Stilt houses over a calm bay, evoking Sandakan's water villagesSeafood restaurant

    Sandakan · Kampung Buli Sim-Sim

    Sim Sim 88 Seafood Restaurant

    Sources mention: Butter prawns, Steamed fish

    SeafoodChineseStatus unconfirmed
    Researched from 3 sources · not yet visited

Eating tips for Sandakan

  • Dim sum is a morning meal here. Many places wind down before lunch.
  • Seafood is priced by weight; ask for the price before you choose.
  • If you are heading to Sepilok early, eat breakfast in town on the way back.

Nearby food towns

South China SeaSulu SeaCelebes SeaKota KinabaluSandakanTawauSempornaTuaranPenampangKundasangRanauBeaufortLahad DatuKudatKeningau

Schematic map, not to scale. Select a town to see where to eat.

Plan your meals

Sandakan food guides & trips

  • Stilt houses and plank walkways over a calm bay, evoking Sandakan's water villages

    Food guide

    Best Food in Sandakan

    Dim sum mornings, bay seafood and the old-town coffee shops worth a detour on Sabah's east coast.

    Updated

  • Old shophouse rooftops on a hillside above a wide bay, evoking Sandakan2-day plan

    Food & travel

    Sandakan Food Trip: 2 Days

    Two days of dim sum, old-town coffee shops and bay seafood, with time for Sepilok in between.

Sandakan food FAQ

What should I eat in Sandakan?

Try a dim sum breakfast, Cantonese-style seafood such as steamed fish and butter prawns, and coffee-shop noodles with local kopi. Sandakan is known for doing these traditional dishes well.

How many days do I need in Sandakan for food?

One full day covers a dim sum breakfast, a market walk and a seafood dinner. Two days lets you combine food with Sepilok or a river trip.