The Best Street Food in Penang, Recommended Spots by Locals!
Lok Lok is a popular street food in Penang, they’re basically street side hot pot
Many of you might’ve heard that the best place for food in Malaysia is on the colonial island of Penang. And more specifically the best street food in Penang can be found in its capital, George Town. From Hawker food stalls to full on street food night markets like the Kimberley Street Food Night Market. You’ll find no shortage of delicious eats to fill your hungry stomachs with.
So come with me on this foodie journey as I show you the best places for street food in Penang!
Affiliate Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links and purchasing the product, I will receive a partial commission at no cost to you. All of these products are ones that I fully trust and recommend with my heart. Thank you for your support!
Come Eat Street Food in Penang With Me!
If you prefer, you can watch my YouTube video on exploring George Town, Penang and its delicious street foods. Also if you enjoy the video how about subscribing to my YouTube Channel? ;)
A Cultural Melting Pot of Street Food!
Various offals stewing away in this boiling broth at the Kimberley Street Food Night Market
When you’re traveling on Penang Island, whether that’d be at the gorgeous Penang Hill mountain resort or at Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist Chinese temple in Malaysia, you’re bound to end up hungry for some of the local street food.
From a comforting bowl of local spicy Laksa, to an array of Indian-Malay Nasi Kandar one plate curry dishes, to the soothing heritage Chinese egg noodle soups. What makes Penang island so special in terms of street food is that the island is a mishmash of cultures from immigrants who have settled on the island throughout its history.
And the British Colonial rule of the 18th century introduced even more to the already bustling culture of street food in Penang.
The majority of the best street food in Penang is located in George Town and its outskirts, the Air Itam Suburb. So the following list of recommendations I’ve provided are street food stalls and restaurants located in that area.
Where to Find the Best Penang Street Foods?
Delicious local eats like this Assam Laksa can be found in Lebuh Keng Kwee
Fortunately the best street food in Penang isn’t gatekept behind some fancy Michelin star restaurants or tucked away in fancy luxury hotel, it can be found right out in the open for everyone to enjoy. Within the city of George Town, are many roads and Hawker centers with dozens upon dozens of vendors setting up street side stalls serving you some the best things you’ll ever put in your mouth.
If you’re in central George Town you’ll want to look at the areas around Chulia Street or Gurney Drive, and if you’re in the outskirts in the Air Itam Suburb you’ll want to be around the Jalan Pasar Street or the Jalan Paya Terubung Street.
Street Food in George Town (Chulia Street/Gurney Drive)
Lebuh Keng Kwee is a small road but it’s packed full of delicious street foods to find
George Town’s Chulia Street, definitely springs to life during the later hours of the day. During the evening, there are stalls lining the roads and alleyways selling classics Malaysian street food offerings like wanton mee, satay skewers, and lok lok (basically street side hot pot). Chulia Street is also where Tek Sen Restaurant is located, one of the most famous traditional Heritage Chinese restaurants in Penang. Chulia Street is also a great place for nightlife and Indian food, I’ll explain more about the street below…
A few blocks away is the Kimberley Street, another famous area for its street food night market. This place is home to The Four Heavenly Kings, a collection of street food vendors who each earned some sort of recognition (Michelin or others) for having the best food in Penang. Literally the next block over is the Lebuh Keng Kwee road which is home to Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul, a must-try local shaved ice dessert stall that’s been serving customers since 1936. Also here are other mouthwatering gems like a Famous Assam Laksa shop, and a Kopitiam serving smokey Char Kway Teow.
Gurney Drive is where you can find the Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, a one stop outdoor food court where you can sample all the local must eats in one place. It’s a famous street food hub with around 100 stalls to try. Though it is a good and convenient place for street food, I much prefer to roam around the city finding things to try rather than just staying in one location, so for me, Gurney Drive is not exactly what I’m looking for. But if you enjoy convenience then you might like it.
Street Food in Air Itam Suburb (Jalan Pasar/Jalan Paya Terubung)
One of the best places to get Assam Laksa is at this street food stall in Jalan Pasar
On the outskirts of George Town, the Air Itam Suburb is especially famous for their more rural and rustic street food scene. The Jalan Pasar Road at the food of the Kek Lok Si Temple is famous for the Air Itam Assam Laksa restaurant among many other things. The Laksa is a tangy, fish-based noodle soup and that shop consistently ranks as one of the best street foods in Penang. Aside from that are many about 2 dozen restaurants and street food stalls. There is much to eat at Jalan Pasar.
Down the road, is Jalan Paya Terubung, here you’ll find a small stretch of local stalls selling things like Apom Balik(crispy peanut pancakes), Economy Rice, and even homemade Cendol from small street food carts. It’s not as extravagant as Gurney Drive or Chulia Street, but it’s a placewhere the locals actually eat. Most stalls here are cash only though but that also means that prices are super affordable.
There is actually so much to explore for foodies in Penang, So that is why I think booking a Penang local food tour like this Penang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings is 100% worth it. This is a small group tour (8 ppl) that will bring you on a 4 hour journey through George Town starting at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion and ending at the Kimberley Street Food Night Market to try over 15 local dishes. It’s a great way to easily explore George Town and to learn deeply about the city’s flavorful history.
Want to Stay Sear the Penang Street Food Scene?
Aigoh Hotel’s amenities is like the bare minimum, but it’s ok because the location is amazing for foodies
These top rated hotels in George Town and the Air Itam Suburb will put you just steps away from the best street food in Penang!
Hotels in George Town
Ascott Gurney Penang - A modern and stylish hotel right along Gurney Drive, perfect if you want easy access to both upscale dining and legendary hawker food just steps away.
One Pacific Hotel - Centrally located and great value for money, this hotel puts you within walking distance of George Town’s top street food spots and heritage sites.
Aigoh Hotel - This is the one I stayed at, while not as fancy or full of amenities as the other hotels I’ve mentioned, it’s location is amazing for street food, literally right in front of Lebuh Keng Kwee and just a 5 minute walk to the Kimberley Street Food Night Market.
Hotels in the Air Itam Suburb
Kingston Hotel 13 @ Penang Hill - A clean, budget-friendly hotel right in Jalan Pasar and just a short distance from Kek Lok Si Temple and Penang Hill, the most famous natural attraction in Penang.
Good Luck Inn - Simple and practical hotel, close to both the Penang Hill Lower Station and Jalan Pasar.
The Little Bali Romance - A charming Balinese style hotel in the hills of Penang, perfect for couples looking for a romantic escape with easy access to nature.
Alright, enough with the explaining, time for the eating!
Roti Bakar Hutton Lane
The best way to start your morning is with a plate of roti and curry
I think it’s fitting to start off this list with a little breakfast. Roti Bakar Hutton Lane is a local favorite breakfast spot spanning back many decades, it’s basically an institution at this point.
Roti Bakar Hutton Lane specializes in grilled breads (roti) of various types, from thick fluffy white toast to crispy and oily flatbreads, all with different toppings and curries. You need to try their Signature Roti Canai Hutton Lane, a crispy toasted flatbread roti doused with a rich and flavorful beef (or chicken) curry topped with 2 Japanese style onsen eggs for that extra richness.
Just typing that out made my mouth water, it’s such a simple dish but it’s so good, and I think that speaks for how beloved this street food stall is. I should warn you though, come early because there is always a long line and it’s difficult to find tables.
As far as breakfast street food in Penang goes, you can’t go wrong with Roti Bakar Hutton Lane.
Roti Bakar Hutton Lane Details
Phone: +6 013 402 5497
Location: 300, Jalan Phee Choon, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 5:00 AM - 1:30 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: ~6 MYR | $
Penang Air Itam Assam Laksa
Now does that not make your mouth water?
The Air Itam suburb is where you can find much of Penang Island’s most famous attractions like Penang Hill, and I think that it’s only fair to give the famous street food hawker stall, Penang Air Itam Laksa, the title of a “famous attraction”.
Penang Air Itam Laksa is where you can find arguably the best Assam Laksa in all of Penang. Laksa is of course, a noodle soup dish with thick chewy rice noodles, the Assam version is where the broth is made with tamarind and a blend of mashed mackerel fish and aromatic herbs like lemongrass, galangal, and chilis.
This gives the Assam Laksa a nice sour, tart, and umami taste that many locals love. Although, honestly I prefer the Curry Laksa, I still can’t deny that Penang Air Itam Laksa is something special.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a better street food in Penang than the humble bowl of Laksa, and this iconic hawker stall in Air Itam is the best place for it.
Penang Air Itam Laksa Details
Phone: +6 012 500 7063
Location: Jalan Pasar, Paya Terubong, 11500 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: ~5 MYR | $
Tek Sen Restaurant
This might just be the best plate of vegetables I’ve ever had
Be prepared to queue up for 2 hours because Tek Sen Restaurant serves up the ABSOLUTE best Heritage Chinese cuisine in all of Penang and everyone knows. Originally started in 1965 as a humble street food stall in Penang, Tek Sen Restaurant has grown to become a culinary institution in George Town. Even earning itself a Michelin Guide Recommendation!
Penang island is home to a sizable Chinese immigrant community and the foods served at Tek Sen are authentic representations of what people in this community would have eaten. Some of the dishes that I recommend are the Double Roasted Pork with Chili Padi, and the Stir Fried Water Morning Glory with Shrimp and Sambal. These two dishes, especially the morning glory one, is absolutely mouthwateringly delicious.
Tek Sen Restaurant is an eatery that I wholeheartedly recommend you visit, just be ready to arrive early or risk having to wait 2 hours in line…
Tek Sen Restaurant Details
Phone: +60 12 981 5117
Location: 18, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Mon - Sun (Closed Tuesday)
Pricing: ~60 MYR | $$
Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls
Chulia Street is a great place to enjoy a relaxing night in George Town
Not really a single street food stall but more like an entire street full of delicious foods! The Chulia Street Night Market is just a few steps away from Tek Sen Restaurant. One of the oldest roads in George Town, Chulia Street is home much of the Indian immigrants who settled on Penang island.
This means that Chulia Street is where you can find some of the best Indian street food in Penang! Some recommendations I have for you are:
If you know me, you know I love Indian food and Chulia Street is where some of George Town’s best Nasi Kandar (rice and an assortment of curries), can be found.
Aside from Indian food, during the night, Chulia Street comes alive with a lot of clubs and bars, being the center of nightlife in George Town, Penang.
Chulia Street Night Market Details
Phone: N/A
Location: Chulia St, Georgetown, 10450 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 4:30 PM - 10:30 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: ~20 MYR | $$
Tok Tok Mee Original Bamboo Noodle
Aside from roti, a clean broth egg noodle soup is also a good way to start the day
If you’re hankering for some classic Cantonese style egg noodles, then Tok Tok Mee Original Bamboo Noodle is the restaurant for you!
What makes Tok Tok Mee special is that traditionally, a long bamboo log is used to flatten the egg noodle dough. The log would be anchored on the table and the chef would bounce on the end flattening the dough that’s in between. It’s a fun technique for sure but honestly I feel like it’s a bit of a gimmick, more for theatrics rather than practicality.
Though that doesn’t change the fact that these are some damn good egg noodles! Smooth and a bit bouncy in texture, and if you ordered the soup version, the broth has some shrimpy/fishy flavor to it giving it a complex umami flavor.
ALSO! Don’t forget their flakey and buttery pastries. Literally the best baked goods I’ve ever had in my life, especially their baked BBQ pork bun. In fact, I’d say Tok Tok Mee is probably more famous for their pastries rather than their egg noodles.
Tok Tok Mee Original Bamboo Noodle Details
Phone: +60 4 261 9875
Location: 37, Lebuh Campbell, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 9:30 AM - 7:30 PM | Mon - Sun (Closed Thursday)
Pricing: ~15 MYR | $
Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow
Char Kway Teow has to be my absolute favorite thing to eat in Malaysia
One of the best Char Kway Teow in Penang. Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendation, this small hawker street food in Penang specializes in one dish and one dish only! An aromatic wok hey infused stir fry of flat rice noodles, and my favorite Malaysian street food dish, the Char Kway Teow.
You might be able to find better tasting Char Kway Teow but I believe that this stall is more than just about the flavor, it’s about the sensory experience as well as seeing culinary history manifesting itself in the modern day. That’s because, as the name states, this Hawker stall still uses a wooden charcoal flame to stir fry their Char Kway Teow.
That I believe is the essence of street food in Penang.
Beware of the long queues though as the stall still maintains its original traditional approach with only one elderly chef masterfully stir frying each batch to perfect precision.
Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow Details
Phone: N/A
Location: 82, Jalan Siam, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: 9 MYR | $$
Kimberley Street Food Night Market
You see that line at the street food cart? Means their food is no joke!
Much like Chulia Street, the Kimberely Street Food Night Market is where you can find the best street food in Penang. And that’s an undisputed fact because Kimberley Street is home to “The Four Heavenly Kings” otherwise known as the four street food hawker stalls who have a Michelin Bib Gourmand Recommendation, also known as, long queue simulator. The Heavenly Kings are:
Kimberley Street Duck Kway Chap - Famous for their savory duck meat and offal kway chap noodle soup
Super Star Chicken Feet and Kway Teow Soup - Famous for clear broth chicken noodle soup and braised chicken feet
Penang Char Kway Teow - Famous for the intense wok hey filled Char Kway Teow stir fried noodles
Traditional Home of Dessert - Famous for their Si Koh Soup, a local dessert of shaved ice with syrups, ginkgo nuts, and fruits.
Though a small stretch of road, you can easily spend all night here if you are intent on trying all the 4 Heavenly Kings, due to waiting in line that is.
Kimberley Street Food Night Market Details
Phone: +6 016 365 3977
Location: 1, Jalan Sungai Ujong, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: ~15 MYR | $$
Hameediyah Restaurant
What could be more beautiful than an assortment of curries?
Serving up authentic Indian-Muslim Nasi Kandar (rice and curry) since 1907, Hameediyah Restaurant is probably the most legendary street food restaurant in Penang!
When you come here, I highly recommend you order their fried chicken, lamb shank, and tiger prawns, these items are the most popular to order and for good reason, they are absolutely delicious. The spices, the sauce, the tender juiciness of the chicken and the flavorful spices caked on to the tiger prawns. It’s so good.
While popular with the locals, Hameediyah is also very popular with tourists so I advise you to come early as to avoid the large queues. Perhaps on the weekdays are the best if you want to avoid waiting in line.
Hameediyah Restaurant Details
Phone: +60 4 261 1095
Location: 164 A, Lebuh Campbell, street, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: ~30 MYR | $$
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
A nice refreshing cendol is a great way to cool down your body after a long day of exploring in Penang
Penang Road in George Town, on Penang island is where you can find a group of stalls all selling similar classic Penang street food dishes like Laksa noodle soups, Char Kway Teow, but one stall in particular sells the most famous sweet treat in all of Penang, Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul.
Chendul is a shaved ice dessert with a variety of toppings, mainly Green Rice Flour Jelly Noodles, and then doused with coconut milk. It’s the perfect refreshing treat after trekking through the hot and humid streets of George Town.
The one at Penang Road Famous TeoChew Chendul, is served with red beans and I have to say that this Chendul really hits the spot. the refreshingly cool shaved ice, combined with the subtle sweetness of the coconut milk, and the fun textures of the toppings.
Do yourself a favor, if you want to escape the heat in Penang, get yourself a Chendul.
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul Details
Phone: +60 4 262 6002
Location: 435B, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM | Mon - Sun
Pricing: ~15 MYR | $$
Looking for Things to Do in Penang?
TOP Penang - 249 meter tall observation point atop Komtar Tower, tallest in George Town
Entopia Butterfly Farm - A large farm with over 15,000 butterflies and 200 plant species
ESCAPE Penang - Water park with the world record for Longest Tube Water Slide at 1,111 meters
Discounted Tickets - Browse a variety of attractions, tours, and transports all for a great price
Useful Resources for Traveling in Malaysia
Tourism Information - All the information you need when travelling in Malaysia
Private Airport Transfers - Private transfer from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the city
KLIA Ekspress Ticket - Ticket for the KLIA transfer via express train
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER ARTICLES!
