Belibis Cafe, a railway cafe
Malaysia has its share of unique dining experiences. Whether you’re looking to have a meal right on a river or in a refurbished bus, there are plenty of unusual dining spots speckled around the country that’ll even make digging into a humble packet of nasi lemak feel otherworldly.
Over in Pahang, there’s a cafe hidden inside a former KTM train set by the river, called Belibis Cafe. You may have heard about cruises to nowhere, but this train to nowhere is where you can feast on a delectable spread of local cuisine – from nasi dagang to kuih – with no train tickets involved.
A quaint cafe in a stationary train car
Image adapted from: @ainiramlii
Dining in a train car might not be a new experience for seasoned travellers who hopped on a long-haul KTM or ETS train before. But consider this – arriving at your own sweet time, and getting to dine on a mix of local and Western cuisine, with great nature views to boot.
Enter Belibis Cafe, located just a stone’s throw from Sultan Abu Bakar Museum in Pekan, Pahang. This Muslim-friendly cafe is housed in a refurbished and air-conditioned train, and preserves the history of KTM trains in Pahang.
Image credit: @iamnazirul
There’s no need to pay for tickets to dine on this train.
A total of three former carriages part of a KTM Class 22 locomotive have been gutted and furnished with wood dining tables. Train seats have been left behind to enhance your “train” dining experience.
Image adapted from: @alliaraffar
As the train cars are stationary, don’t forget to snap photos with them after having a meal at the cafe. You can even step on the railway tracks, which are typically off limits.
Image credit: @sufim___
The train cars are what most patrons beeline for – for obvious reasons. But as seats are limited inside the carriages, the railway cafe also has a sheltered alfresco dining area by a river, with more dining tables.
To beat the crowds and snag a table inside the carriage, it’s recommended to arrive during off peak hours, during the weekdays, or close to the cafe’s opening.
Image credit: Lensa Pekan
Local kuih muih to Western pasta plates
Image credit: @ruzaida.anis
Belibis Cafe has a wide range of food offerings – from Malaysian rice dishes to Western pasta plates.
Depending on the time of your visit, you’ll get to feast on different cuisines. For breakfast and lunch from 8.30am-2pm, the cafe serves delectable local dishes such as Nasi Kerabu with Ayam (RM7), Nasi Lemak (RM3), and Nasi Dagang (RM4).
These are served cafeteria style, and you’ll be charged for your meal at the cashier as there’s no table service here.
Cafe Belibis is a self-service eatery.
Image credit: Pharouque/Google Maps
There’s also a variety of kuih muih displayed at the counter, which includes curry puff for 50 sens per piece and pulut panggang for RM3.
Image credit: @elanakhong
From 4pm to closing, the cafe serves a variety of hearty Western dishes for a change from your usual mamak order. These include mains such as Fish and Chip (RM15) and Spaghetti Aglio Olio (RM13), and french fries (RM5) and wedges (RM5) for appetisers.
Their drink menu boasts beverages beloved by locals, such as Teh Tarik (RM2) and Milo (RM3).
Belibis Cafe in Pekan, Pahang, is housed in a train
If you find a certain charm in old passenger trains, check out Belibis Cafe. It offers patrons a unique dining experience in an actual, former KTM carriage. Dine on a variety of homestyle local food at the cafe, explore the train for photo ops, and walk through the nearby museum to learn more about local culture while you’re here.
Address: Jalan Sultan Ahmad, Kampung Pancur, 26600 Pekan, Pahang
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8am-6.30pm (Closed on Mondays)
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Cover image adapted from: @iamnazirul, @ainiramlii, and Lensa Pekan