August’s Thirst Traps: 4 New Bars And Cafés Worth The Buzz

As the beverage scene evolves, we round up the newest bars and cafés to have on your radar.

Welcome back to Thirst Traps, a series dedicated to exploring Klang Valley’s newest bars and cafés in the name of research—so you’re in safe, if slightly buzzed, hands. This round, we bring you a wave of fresh openings worth your attention. Here are the newest bars and cafés making their mark across the city.

Kakao Origin

Chocolate is often treated as a sweet ending, especially when you’re at Kakao Origin’s new flagship chocolate drinks bar in Dayabumi Complex. The space champions a simple but often overlooked idea: where cacao is grown matters. Much like wine grapes or specialty coffee beans, cacao carries the character of its surroundings. By sourcing single-origin cacao from different regions across Malaysia, Kakao Origin encourages guests to discover how terroir, farming practices, and post-harvest craftsmanship can shape every sip.

Instead of masking those nuances, the drinks are designed to let each origin tell its own story. One cup might reveal bright fruit notes, another deeper roasted flavours, inviting drinkers to compare, discuss, and perhaps rethink what Malaysian chocolate can be. The flagship also doubles as a showcase for local craftsmanship. Handwoven songket installations by sixth-generation Terengganu weavers share the space with contemporary Malaysian artworks, creating an environment that feels thoughtful without trying too hard. The design isn’t there simply to decorate the room—it reflects the same respect for heritage and makers found in every cup.

Guests can explore chocolate drink tasting flights and artisanal collections that celebrate provenance over novelty. It’s an experience that asks visitors to slow down, pay attention and savour chocolate with the same curiosity usually reserved for coffee or wine. For anyone who still thinks Malaysian chocolate begins and ends with confectionery, Kakao Origin offers a compelling reminder that the country’s cacao has stories worth telling—and tasting.

Website: kakaorigin.com
IG: @kakaoriginkl

Potions

Potions is back, and the hunt is half the fun. The speakeasy first opened in 2019 and quickly found its footing before the pandemic forced it into hibernation. Now, it returns with a fresh chapter and the same spirit of discovery. Find the old cupboard, step through, and you’ll see a hidden laboratory where gin takes centre stage. Sip your way through cheeky signatures like For Your Ex, I Love Satu Batang, Anti-Anti Social, Social Distancing No More, and Happy Coca-Cola. Science class has never tasted this good.

IG: @potionskl

Jaga Cafe

Need a breather without leaving the city? Tucked inside the lush Perdana Botanical Gardens, Jaga Cafe is the kind of spot that makes you want to linger. Drop by for coffee, fresh pastries and bagels, then soak in the greenery while the city quietly fades into the background. Morning stroll optional, but highly encouraged.

IG: @jagacafe.my

Cafe Conti

Weekend mornings were made for places like Cafe Conti. This neighbourhood café takes the best parts of a hotel breakfast and gives them a more relaxed, unhurried setting. Expect classics like long black, cappuccino, lattes, espresso, and a variety of green and black teas. Juices? They got them too.

IG: @cafe.conti

Opening image: Kakao Origin | Instagram