eat, drink Sabah Brown Fox

Bathed in a calm palette of light wood, concrete grey and white, this café oozes the ‘Japandi’ (Japanese- Scandinavian) design trend to perfection. Brown Fox makes use of the open space on both floors of this large café to create a busy, but not crowded, flow of seating and visual features including an entry seat area that pays homage to their Japanese influence. The simple but refined approach extends to their flawless French pastries and Japanese inspired food.

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Block B, Lot B-G-06, Sutera Avenue, Lorong Lebuh Raya, Off Coastal Highway, Kota Kinabalu

Tel: 6016-2315866

IG: @brownfoxcafekk

Lot 20, First Floor (Corner Unit of Lorong Damai Point)

Jalan Damai, Luyang Commercial Centre, Kota Kinabalu

Tel: 6010-2695119

IG: @makarioscafe.kk

Owned by a Korean couple who came to Kota Kinabalu in 2013 to help expand the coffee industry, this is the original branch of October Coffee, and it looks remarkably similar to an mountain lodge on the inside. Natural and stained wood structures instantly transport you to somewhere cold and wintery, with the smell of coffee being roasted filling the air. The room is filled with bits and bobs, all related to coffee; there is a cute feature wall of hanging coffee cups, a random farmer’s hat hanging off the side of a rail, large coffee sacks gracefully draped on the upper balcony, that first catch the eye. Then you see the all the coffee paraphernalia and gadgets that the owners have collected over time and it’s clear that They. Love. Coffee.

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13, Lorong Dewan, Pusat Bandar, 88000 Kota Kinabalu

Tel: 6088-277396

IG: @octobercoffeegaya

Warm, is how this café feels. They’ve created a great little nest that reminds me of the Central Perk space in the F.R.I.E.N.D.S series; it’s easily a spot that would be your favorite local where the baristas know your name and spell it right. The clever use of street lamps and grand candelabra literally give this place a soft yellow glow, and paired with lots of hanging plants around the shop, you almost feel like you’re outside somewhere by a park or garden.

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Ground floor, lot 273, Jalan Brighton, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

Tel: 60-85681739

IG: @moon.kingdom_