What to eat in Penang

A Random selection of Popular Places

 PENANG NOODLES

Hokkien Mee - noodles served with spicy prawn and pork based soup, usually with chillies

- Kedai Kopi Swee Kong, junction of Jalan Moulmein and Jalan Burma (opposite police station)

- Kedai Dua Ribu Dua Puluh, Doby Ghaut, Jalan Air Itam (evening)

- Kedai Kopi Genting, Island Glades, Lorong Delima 6, off Jalan Yap Choy Yee

- Kedai Kopi Sin Kim Sun, 168 Macalister Road (Jalan Macalister), junction of Jalan Rangoon, opposite Esso. (morning)

- Roadside stall next to Seng Thor coffee shop, Lebuh Kimberly junction (morning)

- Coffee shop at the junction of Jalan Burma and Lorong Bangkok (morning)

- The Seng Thor kopitiam, Carnavon Street, George Town (6am to 6pm)

Laksa - Rice noodles in spice, sour fish flake light gravy. This noodle dish popular in Penang and the northern part of West Malaysia.

- Air Itam Market (beside fruit stalls), Air Itam

- Kedai Kopi Genting, Island Glades, Loring Delima 6, off Jalan Yap Choy Yee; morning and afternoon

- Balik Pulau Market

- Today Café, Lebuh Perak, near traffic light; afternoon

- Joo Hooi Café, junction of Penang Road with Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town

- Nam Kuang coffee shop, Balik Pulau

- Stall at Hawker centre, Jalan Johor, beside Datuk Kramat Padang (Padang Brown).

- Kek Seng, 384 Penang Road (opposite KOMTAR), Penang

Char Kueh Teow/ Char Kway Teow  - Flat rice noodles fried with prawns, bean curd and egg. Penang Char Kway Teow is synonymous to Penang and famed throughout Asia.

- 82, Lorong Selamat and Other coffee shop along Lorong Selamat, George Town

- Ah Leng Char Koay Teow, Jalan Datuk Keramat, opposite former Federal Theater

- Ping Hooi coffee shop, Lebuh Carnavon and Lebuh Melayu junction

- BB restaurant, opposite Hawker centre, (Sunshine Square area), Persiaran Mayangpasir 2

- Stall No 42, Hawker Centre at Batu Lancang market; afternoon

Sisters Fried Kway Teow, Lam Heng Cafe, 185, Macalister Road, Pulau Tikus

Curry mee -Rice or wheat noodles (yellow noodles) served with curry gravy cooked from chillies, santan and curry spices.

- Tua Pui Curry Mee, along Weld Quay, at junction of Gat Lebuh Armenia

- Roadside stall in Jalan Sungai Pinang, near Kah Motor

- Hot Bowl Nonya Delights, 23A Jalan Rangoon

- Cathay café, Jalan Burma, opposite Union Primary School, night

- Medan Selera, Taman Free School

- Bee Hooi Coffee Shop in Lorong Pulau Tikus/Jalan Burma junction, Pulau Tikus

Lor Mee - Rice noodles or yellow wheat noodles served with starchy, thick gravy made from egg, soya sauce, tapioca flour, etc. This dish is common only in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia.

- Shop opposite shell station, Penang Kuan Yim Teng Lor Mee, 16 Jalan Burma,

Chee Cheong Fun - Broad flat rice noodles served with a sweet sauce

-Kedai Kopi Genting, Island Glades, Lorong Delima 6, off Jalan Yap Choy Yee, morning till late afternoon

- Stall at New Lane (Lorong Baru), near Wisma Central, from 6:30pm

- Stall along Lorong Swatow

- Stall at Lorong Macalister, morning

- Seow Fong Lye Café in Macalister Lane, off Burmah Road.

- New World Park, Burhma Road, Penang

Kueh Teow T'hng/Kway Teow Theng / Noodle soup and Fishballs

Flat Rice Noodles served with fish ball, pork or chicken, in a soup; sometimes dry

- Sin Kong Cheong coffee shop at Carnarvon Street (opposite Campbell Street market) in the morning; George Town, Penang Island

- Kek Seng Coffee Shop, Jalan Penang, from morning

- Doby Ghaut Koay Teow Th’ng stall, Doby Ghaut, Penang Island (evening)

- Know for the fish ball; coffee shop at the junction of Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Cannon , near Yap Kongsi, Kek Kong Temple; George Town; (morning)

- Sai Toh Lim, (next to Komplex Raja Uda) off Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth  [known for fish ball]

- Restoran Lin, Jalan Raja Uda , (near Komplex Raja Uda), off Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth [known for fish ball]

- Restoran Mei Fang, Jalan Bengali, Butterworth

Mee Rebus / Mamak Mee / Mee Jawa

- Pata Hameed Special Mee stall, Esplanade, Padang Kota Lama in Lebuh Light, George Town

- Indian Fried Noodles (Air Itam, Penang, before the Air Itam roundabout)

Mamak stalls at the corner of Jones and Kelawei Roads - Mee Goreng or Mee Rebus, together with some Pasembur

RICE DISHES

Nasi Kandar / Nasi Melayu

- Line Clear, Penang Road, George Town. Alley near Chulia Street (Lebuh Chulia), entrance facing Penang Road (Jalan Penang) junction

- Restoran Kassim Mustapha, 8-10, Lebuh Chulia

- Restoran Tajuddin Hussin, 49, Lebuh Queen

- Nasi Kandar (Pelita Samudra) Pertama, Macalister Road

- Coffee shop at Junction of Jalan Burma and Jalan Rangoon (near Argora Hotel)

- Kassim Nasi Kandar, 14 & 21 Jalan Gurdwara, opposite GAMA

- Kedai Kopi Kayu, Tingkat Nipah, Off Jalan Bukit Gambir (behind Hotel Vistana)

- Restoran Caravan A (formerly Craven A Café), Junction of Jalan Macalister and Jalan Dato Keramat

 LIGHT MEALS

Lobak & Hare Chnee

-  Hoe Peng Coffeeshop, corner coffee shop at Jalan Penang/ Kg. Malabar, (opposite Kayu Nasi Kandar shop) , George Town

- Joo Hooi Café, junction of Penang Road with Lebuh Keng Kwee , George Town

- Hai Oan coffee shop in Jalan Burmah (Burma Road) , George Town

- Kheng Pin Coffee Shop, junction Jalan Sri Bahari and Jalan Penang, George Town

- Kedai Kopi Genting, Lorong Delima6, Island Glades, George Town

Oor Chean (Fried Oysters)

- Kedai Kopi Seng Thor, junction of Carnavan Street with Lebuh Kimberly, late morning and afternoon

- Seahorse Hawker Centre, Tanjung Tokong, next to the Chinese Swimming Club, at night

DRINKS + DESSERTS

Tropical Fruit Juices

Available at most coffee shops

- Pineapple Juice

- Guava Juice

- Watermelon juice

- Mango Juice

Ais Kacang

-Roadside stall & coffee shop, Swatow lane, George Town

- Kedai Kopi dan Ice Kachang, Lorong Selamat (off Jalan  Macalister), George Town

- Kek Seng, 384 Penang Road (opposite KOMTAR) , George Town

- Mt Erskine Hawker Centre , George Town

- Kimberly Street roadside stall, George Town

- Hawker centre, Gurney Drive

Cendul

- Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol, a stall at the corner of Jalan Penang (Penang Road) & Lebuh Keng Kwee, next to a coffee shop, George Town

- Stall No 22, Hawker Centre, Batu Lancang Market, Batu Lancang

 Kueh/ kuih/ cakes

Nyonya kueh

Nonya Koay/ Nonya Kueh

- Medan Selera Taman Free School, Jalan P. Ramlee

- Stall at Hawker Center, Bayan Baru market (near Sunshine Square)

- (Mee Koo Kueh) Hoo Peng, Lorong Selamat

- (Ang Koo Kueh or Sweet bun) Eaton Kuih Centre Sdn Bhd., 101/139M Jalan Teh Ewe Lim

Ah Kheng’s nyonya kueh, Batu Lancang Market, off Green Lane

Tambun Biscuit & Nutmeg - popular local biscuit that are excellent gifts for visitors from outside Penang. Where to buy:

1) Ghee Hiang, No 95, Lebuh Pantai ; and 216 Jalan Macalister, George Town;

2) Him Heang Sdn. Bhd., 162-A Jalan Burma, George Town.

3) Tean Ean Local Products, 90 Jalan Sultan Ahmed Shah, George Town, Penang

4) Chowrasta Market, Penang Road, Penang- stalls sell many brands

Pickled dishes

Acar Ikan (Pickled Fish)

Acar Awak (Pickled Vegetables)

Rice dishes

Nasi Ulam - Rice with shreded herbs, vegetables and salted fish

Nasi Kunyit - Glutinous rice cooked with tumeric and coconut milk and served with chicken curry

Nasi Lemak - rice cook in coconut milk and served with sambal ikan billis

Nasi Tomato - rice cooked with tomatos and spices

Nasi goreng - fried rice prepared in Malay (nasi goreng kampung) and Chinese (nasi goreng Cina) styles

recipe at myFood domain

Seafood dishes

Pulay Ikan / Perut Ikan (Veg. curry with fish intestines - Nyonya dish)

Asam Pedas (Light, sour fish curry)

Otak-otak (Steamed spicy fish cake)

Chili Crab (Spicy stor fried crab)

Fish Head curry

Prawn Sambal

Vegetable dishes

Popiah (Spring rolls)

Perut Ikan (Vegetable and herb curry with fish intestines)

Jiu Hoo Char (Fried vegetables with cuttle fish)

Acar Awak (Pickled vegetables)

Achar timbun (pickled, spiced cucumber)

Sambal belacan (Chilli mix)

Malaysian cakes

Malaysian cakes usually of rice, rice flour, other flour and is usually steamed. Examples of kueh:

Nyonya kueh (which is of Sino-Malay origin)

Note:

More about Nyonya food here

Nyonya Food originates from the Peranakans or Baba and Nonyas. Baba and Nyonya refer to early Chinese migrants who came to the Malay peninsular from the 18th century to 19th century. Some married Malays or are decendents of 'old' Chinese families who assimilated many cultural practices of the Malays into their Chinese culture. Though their cultural practices and spoken dialect differ from that of Chinese, they are administratively not classified as a cultural group and are classified as Chinese. (Nyonya is spelt Nonya in Singapore) ...details in My Penang