Chuacha sits just over the Kedah border, tucked into the grounds of KinKin Restaurant. It’s a small café with white walls and wooden furniture, cosy rather than cramped. The display case is the draw, stacked with layered cakes, tiramisu and a pistachio kek batik that regulars keep ordering. Take your slice outside to the garden seats, which catch the evening light beautifully. It opens at four, just in time for the sunset.

Maconis has three spots across Perlis, in Padang Besar, the Kangar Waterfront and Kuala Perlis, but the one worth visiting is at Dataran IMAB. There’s no building here, just a little coffee set-up on the edge of the breakwater, with a few chairs facing the open sea. Order an iced coffee or a matcha, pull up a chair and stay until the sky goes dark. It’s a short window and it’s worth catching.

Oven Rimba in Kampung Padang Lati, feels less like a cafe than a home someone has opened to guests. It’s all white walls, wooden accents and potted plants and it smells of fresh baking the moment you walk in.

There’s a full menu and the pastas, from tomyam spaghetti to creamier classics have plenty of fans. But the bakes are the real reason to come. The pavlova and cream puffs are the ones to order and you’ll probably leave with a box of something for later.

You wouldn’t expect to find one of Kangar’s favourite cafes by the express bus station, but that’s where Kafe Rutiyn is. String lights hang overhead and there’s open-air seating out front. The menu covers just about everything, from house lattes and matcha to all-day breakfasts, chicken tenders and a rotating counter of cakes. The tiramisu and carrot cake are the ones people come back for. It’s open until midnight, which makes it the obvious place to end a night out with friends.

Sechaone began with a coffee event in KL that inspired its owner to come home to Perlis and build something of his own. The result, in Kampung Telok Kachang, is a glasshouse surrounded by paddy fields. Sit indoors behind the glass, or outside under a tent with the same view. The road in is narrow, so drive slowly. The view at the end is worth it.

For five years, the building that now houses Peram Cafe sat empty. It was an old hardware shop wrapped in rusted zinc, the kind of place people walk past without a second glance. Its founder saw something else. Inside, exposed brick, weathered timber and an iron frame give the space a character that’s hard to fake. The signature is Kopi Peram, coffee brewed and then left to rest in the fridge for 24 hours, which comes out smoother and deeper than you’d expect. Pair it with a bagel or a slice of their cheesecake, the two things regulars order without thinking.

Ruang Oleh Balbuk Haus started as an artist collective and grew into a cafe and it still feels like both. It’s set among the paddy fields of Kampung Balik Bukit in Chuping, with limestone hills rising behind it.

There’s a glasshouse for dining, tables out on the field, and room to lay out a picnic cloth if you prefer. Poetry readings, music and discussions have all taken place here, and in 2022 the National Visual Arts Gallery included Balbuk Haus in its mapping of Perlis’ arts scene. Come at sunset, when the light over the hills is at its best.

Tenang means calm, and this cafe takes the name seriously. The wooden interior looks furnished for a home rather than a business, and outside there’s a counter where you can sit and watch the baristas at work through the window. The menu covers coffee, matcha, pastries and pasta. It’s a small space, but every detail feels considered.