When it comes to stopping for a quick lunch during a day of shopping, nothing beats a good food court, and whether you are dragging along the kids or mooching with your pals, a food court is the perfect, argument-free meal solution. Ranging from flashy eateries to noisy canteens, food courts can vary dramatically, but here are the top five that deserve serious consideration when your tummy starts a-rumbling.

Food Republic at Pavilion KL 
Everything about Pavilion is snazzy, and the food court is no exception. Food Republic blows the old idea of a clinical, canteenesque eating area out of the water with its cosy yet stylish design and a great range of stalls offering all the local and regional food you could be craving. Whether you want teppanyaki cooked to order or need to lift your spirits some thick, kaya-slathered toast, this great food zone has it all. Despite seating over 1,000 diners, Food Republic still feels fairly intimate, and while your shopping might carry a pretty hefty price tag at the luxury boutiques upstairs, your food bill will be remarkably reasonable.
Where: Level 1, Pavilion KL

Hutong at LOT 10 
Although you may think that you had stepped into some strange Chinese nightclub, there is no excuse not to stay and try some of the local delights on offer at Hutong, Lot 10’s unique food court. The story goes that the owner of the mall went to all his favourite hawker stalls and invited them to move into his building, thus providing what the website calls “Malaysia’s first gourmet heritage village”. The food court now boasts 26 stalls – all of which had been operating somewhere in Malaysia for more than 40 years before they made their appearance in Lot 10 – and your best bet is to join the longest queue. The food here is mainly Chinese, although Taiwanese and Western cuisine make an appearance and the prices, when considering just how much you will enjoy your steaming bowl of Soong Kee Beef Noodles, are laughable.
Where: Lower Ground Floor, Lot 10 Shopping Centre

Food Garden at the Gardens Mall 
It was back in 2007, when a whole new shopping paradise arrived in the form of duo Mid Valley Mega Mall and .e Gardens Mall, and the sheer volume of traffic merrily queuing to get into the car park on any given Saturday is testament to just how popular these places are. The Gardens Mall is the quieter of the two cousins, with the high-end shops keeping most regular shoppers away, and while the restaurants may all be fairly pricey, you can be sure of some medium-priced grub in what has to be one of the most stylish, and yet fairly undiscovered, food courts around.
Where: Level 3, The Gardens Mall

Signature Food Court at KLCC 
Yes it may be noisy and yes you may get sick of walking through it when trying to ride the escalators, but the Signature Food Court at KLCC is perfectly positioned and worms its way into the top five for being so darned convenient. With a view of the park, ample seating and plenty of choice, this is a great place to grab a meal before your movie or get a pick-me-up during a long afternoon at the mall. .e food quality is not the best, but Signatures offers the only cheap eat within walking distance of KLCC and is a great place for the timid to try some Malaysian food.
Where: Level 2, Suria KLCC

Food Court at Sungei Wang
Nameless and basic, nothing can beat this noisy food court in Sungei Wang when it comes to proper hawker fare. .is is a food court as we know and love – plastic chairs and fluorescent lighting, with sweaty men making rotis and ladies screaming “nasi” at you the minute you enter into what can be easily mistaken for a car park. It may not be as shiny as the others, but this food court is the place to head if you need some no-nonsense, oily yet delicious grub to fuel you to face the afternoon crowds. With a good choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food as well as freshly-prepared rotis and noodles, this place is cheap and cheerful, and will keep you going until sunset brings nearby Jalan Alor to life.
Where: Level 6, Sungei Wang Plaza

Source: The Expat March 2012 
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This article has been edited for ExpatGomalaysia.com