Penang Food Guide
Penang has always been an ideal getaway for sun, sea and sand holiday-makers. Penang is also a perfect place for food hunters as it has a wide variety of cheap and delicious food. Read more to find out some of the great places in Penang for some amazing local delights.
Root House by Gen
Located inside the newly restored 1926 Heritage Hotel on Jalan Burma in George Town, Penang, Root House by gēn is a brilliant contemporary bistro that offers a profound culinary tribute to the evolution of Malaysian Chinese cuisine. Created by the acclaimed team behind gēn, this concept goes far beyond a typical dining experience—it tells a story of diaspora, heritage, and adaptation.
Heritage Hotel, 1926, 227, Jalan Burma, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
361 Char Hor Fun / Hokkien Char
This stall is located at the intersection of Beach street and Malay street which is famous for its old school wanton hor and fried Hokkien Mee with strong wok hei and aroma. The dishes were slightly bland for my liking.
361, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
New Day Porridge
It’s difficult to find a good variety of traditional Teochew dishes nowadays. Some of the best dishes here are fried pomfret fish and stir fried roasted pork with chilli.
119, Lorong Selamat, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Cakoi 166
Their signature cakoi (youtiao / fried dough sticks) and butterfly buns (huazhi) are freshly fried, achieving that wonderful balance of being delightfully crispy on the outside while remaining soft and airy on the inside. Locals affectionately note that every bite brings back a comforting taste of childhood. It pairs wonderfully with a warm, traditional bowl of soybean milk for dipping.
Corner of Lebuh Carnarvon & Lebuh Kimberley, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang
Loo Beef Noodles
One of the best delicious beef noodles in Penang! The soup is almost creamy, rich in flavor from the various parts of of beef in the boiled soup.
262-264, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Pasar Malam Seafood Char Koay Kak
This stall is located right in front of the famous 888 Hokkien Mee. It has good “wokhei” but it’s quite spicy!
63, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Kedai Kopi Bobo
This hawker stall is famous for its prawn noodles and curry noodles. One of my favorite prawn noodles in Penang! This coffee shop is an open space in the middle of building with not shadings. I really like how they serve their drinks in the tins though which can keep the drinks cold for a longer period.
G-23, Lengkok Nipah 2, Taman Lip Sin, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Lorong Seratus Tahun Curry Mee
Love the spicy chilli condiment sauce that I unknowingly put a lot as it tasted so good! It compliments the curry noodles so well!
34, Lorong Seratus Tahun, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Air Itam Sister Curry Mee
Sister curry Mee is now run by their younger generation. The broth flavor was not intense and it was quite spicy from their chili paste. They added cuttlefish in their curry for a umami richness in the broth.
612 T, Jalan Air Itam, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang
Muah Chee @ Genting Cafe
A humble stall that sells a variety natural flavors of muah chee. Everything is here is free from coloring preservatives and artificial flavors.
Lorong Delima 3, Taman Island Glades, 11700 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang
Prawn Fritters & Loh Bak
Delicious freshly prepared prawn fritters, lok bak and fried tofu. The chili sauce deserves mention too. Price is pretty cheap too.
90-A, Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Penang Kheng Pin Loh Bak
One of the best loh bak in Penang as the loh Bak is well seasoned and the meat was very fresh! The prawn fritters and fried yam are to die for!
78, Jalan Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls
Simple yet great crispy pancake.
There are definitely a lot of local delicacies here. Just get your tummy ready to devour the food here.
Chulia St, Georgetown, 10450 George Town, Penang
Apong Guan
The pancake is fluffy and filled with sweet banana, corns and lots of shredded coconut. The uncle won’t sell it to you unless you buy in large quantity.
144, Jalan Burma, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Pasar Air Itam Laksa
If you happen to visit Penang Hill, you might want to try this famous Penang Laksa. It seems that most tourists flock to this place than the locals.
1, Jalan Pasar, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang
Relau 88
Delicious laksa with homey taste and the noodles texture is good. Fried spring roll is a must order here too. The ambience here is quite pleasant which is good for customers to enjoy their meal.
Persiaran Paya Terubong 2, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Penang Road Famous Laksa
They are not using kembong fish paste for various health reasons.
5, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Shee Laksa
One of the good Laksa spots in Penang. Broth is bold and not very sour, also topped with generous portion of flaked mackerel.
Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim, Kampung Pagar Buluh, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Kim Laksa Balik Pulau
This stall is located at the corner lot and it’s famous for their two main types of laksa which are asam laksa and siam laksa.
Nan guang kopitiam, 67 main road, 11000 Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang
Next to Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
Besides of the famous fantastic cendul that has a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness in the syrup, this place is famous for its fruit Rojak too.
Jalan Penang, 27 & 29, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
A flavorful and refreshing bowl of chendul that is famously known by the locals and tourists for its authenticity. Each slurp of this delight delivered a much needed refreshing and perfect remedy to blistering heat down to the throat.
4 2, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Kareem Pasembur Rojak
Quite a good selection of deep fried and boiled ingredients. Their prawn fritters is crunchy and you get to taste the prawns in every bite. Sauce is thick and well balanced with sweet and spicy flavors.
7, Lebuh Union, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Gurney Drive Hawker Centre
This is a night market to hunt for local food galore especially for tourists. This place is always crowded and if you’re running short of time in Penang, this could be a great place to eat all kind of Penang food at one place.
172, Solok Gurney 1, Pulau Tikus, 10250 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang
The Alley 5, Stewart Lane
Specialty coffee and lifestyle space nestled in the heart of Georgetown. Love the crunchy texture on the outside but expect a fluffier texture within the churros.
5, Stewart Ln, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang
Ghim Ghim
Tucked inside a residential area, the cafe offers a peaceful escape with a clean, minimalist aesthetic that draws in locals and visitors looking to unwind over a good cup of tea. The clear stars of the menu are their expertly whisked matcha and hojicha selections, alongside unique variations like their rich, nutty signature black sesame chocolate.
Side Door, 16, Jalan Berjaya, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang
1.618 Roastery
A spacious coffee spot in Georgetown. Cold brew was smooth and the acidity is well balanced with the added flavor of elderflower.
61, Beach St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang
HAHA Gelato
A variety of gelato flavors to choose from. Texture is smooth and creamy but the flavor is on the sweeter side.
14, Jalan Krian, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Magazine 63
One of the top hidden bars with live band in Georgetown. Every aspect of the bar is very faithful to the Chinese theme and it’s oozing with flavor. Those who are familiar with old school Chinese martial art novels might get extra enjoyment out of the cocktail names.