25 Street Food In Penang You Can’t Afford To Miss 2023

In Penang, everyone loves food. Penangites have this innate ability to know by heart where to get the best street food. With that said, we hope today’s list will give you a good peek at what to eat in Penang. If you’re traveling to Penang, this guide surely will help you, trust us!

Update: If you’re looking for Penang Halal Food Guide, read here.

Best Food in Penang

We all know that Penang is Asia’s food paradise. Of course, with a wide variety of street food from Laksa, Cendol, Char Koay Teow, and more all in one city, you know you’ll never go hungry! So, are you ready for a food trip? Let’s go!

1. Pulau Tikus Ravi Claypot Apom

Start your day with classic Penang street food; Apom. Apom resembles crepe due to its crispy thin yet soft texture. For Apom, one of the best places to try would be Ravi Claypot Apom Manis. This stall has been around since the 1920s at Swee Kong Coffee Shop and is known for making them from clay pots. It’s open as early as 6 AM so you know where to head to for breakfast.

Address: Swee Kong Coffee Shop 瑞江茶室, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Penang

Operating Hours: Around 6AM until sold out (usually 10AM)

2. Bridge Street Hokkien Mee

The next must-try Penang food is Bridge Street Hokkien Mee (桥头福建面) or known as CY Choy Road Hokkien Mee. This Hokkien Mee was once recommended by CNN Travel for its rich and aromatic broth. It’s located in one of the heritage houses along Beach Street with more than 50 years of history in Penang. Thus, it’s definitely worth a visit if you are looking for scrumptious Hokkien Mee in Penang.

Address: 533, Jalan C.Y. Choy, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating hour: 8AM – 2:30PM (Tues-Sat) | 8AM-12.30PM (Sunday) | Closed on Monday

3. Air Itam Sister Curry Mee

Be it tourists or locals, the name Air Itam Sister Curry Mee will ring a bell to anyone who steps foot in Penang. The stand-out factor of this Curry Mee lies in the special cuttlefish chilli base with an extraordinary fragrance to it as well as the curry which is cooked over a charcoal stove. Every element in this bowl of Curry Mee vocalizes itself; truly a bowl of Curry Mee perfection by two living icons. For now, the stall is managed by the younger generation.

Address: 612 T, Jalan Air Itam, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating hours: 7:30AM-1PM (closed on Tuesday)

Status: Non-Halal

4. Roti Canai Gemas Road

Photo: @amirahrsln (Instagram)

Gemas Road Roti Canai is definitely your breakfast choice if you love Roti Canai. It’s loved by locals. Every morning, you could easily spot an enthusiastic crowd in this Roti Canai stall. A plate of classic Penang breakfast drenched with thick curry, topped with a sunny-side-up egg and shredded onion, it’s glorious.

Photo: @ayonfaridz (Instagram)

Address: 51, 29, Jalan Gemas, Taman Kampar, 10460 George Town, Penang, Malaysia

Operating Hours: 7AM – 10 PM (closed on Monday) | *May vary during MCO

5. Genting Kopitiam Chee Cheong Fan

Genting Cafe is one of our most recommended kopitiam in Greenlane when it comes to street food in Penang. It serves a wide variety of local delights like Chee Cheong Fun, Hainan Chicken Rice, Curry Mee, and more. While you’re there, you need to try the Chee Cheong Fan that comes with a thick paste mixed with peanut sauce. Pair it with the tender Cheong Fan and you’ll get a heavenly bite.

Address: Lorong Delima 3, Taman Island Glades, 11700 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating hours: 8AM-4PM (Closed on Wednesday)

6. Sri Weld Food Court Nasi Lemak

Photo: @yumtummy28_ (Instagram)

Breakfast is perhaps the best excuse to dive into supremely delicious Nasi Lemak. Ali Nasi Lemak is definitely one of the bankers’ favourite choice of breakfast along Beach Street Penang. If you’re a spicy lover, you will definitely love it! It has chicken, anchovies with egg (Ikan Bilis), fish, salted fish, prawns, and squid to choose from.

Photo: @yumtummy28_ (Instagram)

Address: Sri Weld Food Court 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating hours: Mon-Sat: 7AM – 4PM

Status: Muslim-owned

7. Kheng Pin Kopitiam

The next stop to eat in Penang is Kheng Pin Kopitiam (群賓茶餐室). Kheng Pin Kopitiam is located in Penang’s city center, situated at the junction of Penang Road and Sri Bahari Road. The loh bak here is a definite must-try because of its variety of deep-fried snacks that are crunchy and aren’t too oily. Other food stalls worth trying here are the Porridge and also Nasi Lemak.

Address: 80, Jalan Penang, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating hours: 8 AM-2 PM (Closed on Monday and Tuesday)

8. Esplanade Hameed Pata Mee Sotong

For an awesome lunch in Penang, head down to Esplanade and try Hameed Pata Mee Sotong. Usually, you’ll be able to pinpoint the shop for its snaking queue from hungry foodies. Hameed Pata Mee Sotong serves plates of Mee Goreng, fried noodles, topped with their gravy and chewy Sotong. Don’t say we didn’t warn you, it can get spicy for some so order a cup of Coconut Shake from the next stall and you’ll be good to go!

Address: 5, Esplanade Park, Lebuh Light, 10300 George Town

Operating hours: 11.30AM – 8PM (Monday-Thursday & Saturday) | 11AM-8PM (Friday) | 11.30AM-2PM (Sunday)

9. BM Yam Rice

Another popular lunch spot in Penang is BM Yam Rice (大山脚芋饭). This is Bukit Mertajam’s pride and if you ask any BM residents, they will surely recommend to you to give their BM Yam Rice a try. If you’re in Penang island, it’ll take you 30-minutes to drive over. We’ve personally tried it and genuinely love it. The rice is tossed together with powdery yam, the broth is superb and pair them with their homemade chilli paste too!

Address: 6, Jalan Murthy, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Operating hours: 8 AM – 3 PM (Opens daily)

10. Penang Road Teochew Chendol

Enjoy yourself a bowl of Penang famous Cendol is a must after some mouthwatering dishes. Upon reaching Penang Road, you will spot an enthusiastic crowd queuing patiently to taste the legendary Teochew Cendol. A bowl of Cendol comes with green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup. You can also opt for Ais Kacang here. Nothing like enjoying a bowl of cooling Teochew on a sunny day. Yum.

Address: Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating hour: 10.30 AM – 7PM (Monday-Friday) | 10AM-7.30PM (Saturday & Sunday)

Read Also: 8 Best Penang Cendol Every Foodie Must Try

11. Weld Quay Fried Snacks

Photo: @PenangFoodie

If you’re looking for a spot in Penang to satiate your cravings for fried snacks, then look no further than this humble stall along Weld Quay. This stall has been around for over 2 decades; handled by a family of 3 currently only selling crispy fried fritters alone. Among the wide range of fried snacks, they offer signature Fried Tee Kuih, Fried Banana, Fried Coconut Sesame Ball, Peanut Fritters and Fried Popiah, Deep Fried Corn Sandwich, and many more.

Photo: @PenangFoodie

Address: Pengkalan Weld, 10300, George Town, Penang (spot the colourful umbrella on the left side of the road)

Operating Hours: 2.30 PM-7 PM (Closed on Sunday)

12. Cecil Street Market

Cecil Street Market (七条路巴刹) is no stranger to Penangites. Aside from getting fresh produce, there is plenty of street food under one roof. Ask the locals and they’ll recommend you the Pasembur and Roasted Pork for a pleasurable food trip in Penang. Personally, we’d recommend the Curry Mee and Duck Meat Koay Teow Thng.

Address: 40-48, Lebuh Cecil, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating hours: 7:30AM-7PM (Opens Daily)

13. NEW Siam Road Char Koay Teow

Next up, we have Siam Road Char Koay Teow in Penang. Uncle used to operate from his pushcart along Siam Road hence the name. But years ago, Siam Road Char Koay Teow has finally opened its very own full-fledged store still along the same road. There used to be a snaking one-hour queue from hungry foodies but you know what they say; good things are always worth the wait.

Address: Jalan Siam, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating hour: 3PM+

Related: Two from Penang Made Into World Street Food Top 50

14. Ai Yu Bing Dessert Weld Quay | 5PM

Located opposite of Tan Jetty, this is another classic Penang street food that’s perfect to quench your thirst. Known as Ai Yu Bing or ‘Ogio’ among locals, this is actually a bowl of dessert with origins all the way from Taiwan. Each bowl comes with shaved ice, lemon slice, jelly pieces, and lychee. Just thinking about it is making us drool, especially if we want to combat the scorching Penang weather.

Address: 56A, Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating hours: 12.30PM-7.30PM (closed on Monday)

Related: 10 Best Local Dessert In Penang

15. Village Fish Head Bee Hoon

Village Fish Head Bee Hoon (乡下魚頭米粉) is for all the spicy Tom Yum lovers. It’s located at Weld Quay, just a stone’s throw away from the Ai Yu Bing Dessert stall. This is a crowd-favourite spot for dinner as they have a wide variety of soup-based noodles with its signature item being the Tom Yum Maggi with Fried Fish. Just look at the photos of the Tom Yum broth and you know you’re signing your tastebuds up for a spicy ride.

Address: No 107-A, Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating hours: 11.30AM-9PM (Opens Daily)

16. 888 Hokkien Mee

Did you know that when in Penang, you have to eat Hokkien Mee? And one of the best places to get a bowl of piping hot Hokkien Mee is 888 Hokkien Mee at Lebuh Presgrave. With fragrant broth stewed with pork bone resulting in a well-balanced savoury soup 888 does Hokkien Mee its justice. You can also choose to add on pork meatballs or roasted pork and we definitely think you should do it.

Address: 67-A, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating hours: 5 PM-8 PM (Closed on Monday and Thursday)

17. Chulia Street Penang

When you pass by Chulia Street, you’ll notice that it’s a rather happening location. Indeed, here, you can find some of the best Penang street food in one place. Curry Mee, Wantan Mee and a fruit juice stall, these 3 hawkers stars alone are enough to make foodies flock here without any excuses.

Photo: @leeqin (Instagram)

Address: Lebuh Chulia, George Town, Penang Island, Malaysia

Operating hours: 6PM-11PM

18. Hock Seng Rojak

Photo: @david_dsym (Instagram)

If you pass by this sight at the roadside of Macallum Street, then pull over quickly because you are actually in the domain of Hock Seng Rojak King. They are a small family business stall that pairs rojak with their own gooey Malt Sugar Paste. Did you know that they have been around the neighbourhood for over 40 years? The stall will usually have 20 customers lined up even before they open the stall. In fact, customers are willing to wait in line for an hour just to get a bowl of this Rojak.

Photo: @sinsbenelainez (Instagram)

Address: Gat Lebuh Cecil, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating Hours: 3.00 PM – 8.30 PM (Wed-Sun) | Closed on Monday and Tuesday

Contact: 016-477 2472

19. Pulau Tikus Lok Lok

What’s a street food trip to Penang without some Lok Lok? And certainly, if you’re looking to satiate your cravings for Lok Lok, head over to Pulau Tikus Market. You’ll see tables all set up with plates of skewered ingredients and a pot of hot water right in the middle. Pick your favourite skewer, dip it into the boiling water and when it’s done, remember to dip it into the different sauces for ultimate satisfaction.

Address: Jalan Burma, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating Hours: 6 PM-10 PM (Closed on Wednesday)

Related: 20 Best Supper Spots In Penang

20. Abu Mamak

Photo: @pg_walk_eat_cap (Instagram)

To satiate your midnight hunger pangs, drop by Abu Mamak for a plate of Maggi Goreng. This has long been a Penangite favourite mamak spot so while you’re there don’t forget to order a plate of their sedap giler Maggi Goreng to pair with a cup of Teh Tarik. You’ll be amused when Abu makes his final calculations. Oh, and did we say their Maggi Goreng Tom Yam is equally delicious too?

Photo: @JootattQuah (Facebook)

Address: Jalan Larut, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang (Beside KFC Jalan Larut)

Operating hour: 24 hour

21. Air Itam Market Duck Rice

It’s not often we come across a stall that serves Duck Rice all the way until the night, right? Well, in a food haven like Penang, anything is possible. At Air Itam market, this particular Duck Rice stall used to operate until past midnight but has since adjusted its operating hours. Here, each plate comes with the right proportion of lean and tender duck meat, pieces of beancurd and light sauce drenched over the rice.

Address: Air Itam Wet Market, Jalan Pasar, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia

Operating hours: 3.30 PM-8.30 PM (Opens Daily)

22. Winner’s Fried Chicken

For this particular street food, let’s travel over to Bukit Mertajam in Mainland, Penang. Winner’s Fried Chicken is a locals’ favourite place for some crispy fried chicken. Aside from crunchy fried chicken, they also have a unique item known as paper-wrapped chicken. Using a recipe from Hong Kong, paper-wrapped chicken is first made by marinating the chicken before wrapping them using oil paper and then frying them.

Address: Winner’s Fried Chicken, 1B, Jalan Bunga Raya, Taman Sentosa, 14000, Bukit Mertajam, Penang

Operating Hours: 4 PM-10 PM

23. Ju Heng Tom Yam

If you’re still scrolling, then we have a personal favourite Penang street food to recommend. It’s none other than Ju Heng Tom Yam over at Raja Uda. The Tom Yam broth here is sweet and at the same time, sour with just the right hint of spicy. Here, you’ll get to pick your preferred ingredients like fried fish, meatballs, and more.

Address: Jalan Raja Uda, Taman Bunga Raya, 13000 Butterworth, Pulau Pinang

Operating hour: 6:30PM-8PM (Closed on Tuesday)

24. BM Duck Egg Char Koay Teow

Another Penang street food that you mustn’t miss out on is BM Duck Egg Char Koay Teow. This humble stall is known for its firework frying display or as us locals call it, full of Wok Hei. It may look messy but trust us, it’s messy in a good way. Find this stall inside of Mei Le Hwa Coffee Shop and when you order, remember to add on a sunny side up to complete the dish!

Address: 2741, Jalan Kulim, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang

Operating hours: 7PM-1AM (Opens Daily)

Status: Non-Halal

25. Deen’s Maju

Ending the list is one of Penang’s famed Nasi Kandar spots, Deen’s Maju. If you’re planning a trip to Penang, certainly it would not be complete without trying Nasi Kandar. Prepare for a snaking long queue while you’re there as there are others looking to try the most famous Nasi Kandar in Penang. Pro tip: Go for their Ayam Goreng and don’t forget about Kuah Campur too!

Address: 170, Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Operating hours: 12 PM-10 PM (Opens Daily)

Status: Muslim-owned

Guide: Best food in Penang

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