Malaysia’s curry puff climbs one rank up to 4th-Best Pastry in the World 2025 by TasteAtlas

Golden, flaky and filled with comforting spice — few snacks capture Malaysia’s culinary soul quite like the curry puff. From roadside stalls to family kitchens, this humble pastry is a constant companion to teatime rituals.

Now, it has once again gained fresh international recognition. Food travel guide TasteAtlas, has crowned Malaysia’s beloved karipap the fourth-best savoury pastry in the world, one rank higher than last year.

According to TasteAtlas, the curry puff — or karipap — earned fourth place in its “Top 50 Best Savory Pastries” (August 2025 edition) with a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

“Karipap or curry puff is a small, deep-fried or baked pastry shell filled with thick chicken and potatoes curry. It is believed that the flavourful snack was invented by the Malays from the Malay peninsula and parts of Sumatra and Borneo,” the portal said.

TasteAtlas praised the pastry’s textural balance, calling it “crispy on the outside and warm and tender on the inside.” The site also highlighted its versatility and enduring popularity across Southeast Asia.

TasteAtlas has ranked Malaysia’s beloved karipap as the world’s fourth-best savoury pastry, up one spot from last year. Photo: Facebook

This year’s achievement marks a steady climb. In 2024, karipap ranked fifth, edging out iconic bakes like France’s croissant and Egypt’s kunafa. A year earlier, it was placed much further down the list at 28th. What makes the karipap stand out is its adaptability.

“It is a popular breakfast item or an afternoon snack which can be found at numerous stores, bars and markets. Because of its simplicity and flavour, karipap quickly became popular outside Malaysia, especially in Thailand and Singapore.

“Today there are numerous versions of karipap, so instead of potato and chicken curry, it can be filled with various other ingredients such as tuna, sardines and beef rendang.

“Crispy and flaky on the exterior, hot and soft in the interior, karipap is a snack that remains a staple of Southeast Asian cuisine,” the site added.

This year, the Malaysian classic sits alongside other celebrated pastries: Bosnia’s burek and Bulgaria’s banitsa sas sirene, both scoring 4.5 stars and Serbia’s pazarske mantije, which leads the list at 4.7 stars.

For Malaysians, though, no ranking is needed to affirm its place at the heart of local food culture. Whether bought from a ‘pasar malam’, enjoyed in air-conditioned cafes or freshly made by a grandmother’s hands, the karipap continues to be a flavourful emblem of heritage and everyday joy.