Best Local Food in Penang

Penang

Penang is famously known as the food paradise. It is a beautiful multicultural state and heritage site. In Penang, you need to follow the footsteps of the locals to search for their amazing local food. 

Below are some of the best local food in Penang that we think you should try when you visit there! 

Best Local Food in Penang

Air Itam Sister Curry Mee

Jalan Air Itam, Pekan Ayer Itam
  • Curry mee is a typical local dish of Malaysia which consists of thick and savoury curry broth with a handful of beancurd puff, beansprout and meat. It is a strong aromatic and flavourful dish that you could find all around South-east Asia. However, different countries have different fusion of their own curry mee.
  • Average RM4 per bowl
  • Savoury
  • Spicy
  • Breakfast | Lunch
Image by Wil via flickr

This Penang style curry mee is cooked by 2 sisters and has been selling this famous curry mee since 1946. The specialty of this particular curry mee is the two major ingredients, chilli and cuttlefish. It is unique because Penang is an island famous for its seafood which is the reason for the freshness of its cuttlefish. Additionally, this curry mee is cooked over a charcoal stove which makes it even authentic and flavourful.

Opening Hours:
Wed – Mon (7:30am – 1pm)

Note: Non-halal

Find It Here:

Penang road Teochew Cendol

Lebuh Keng Kwee, Georgetown
  • As Malaysia is a hot and humid country, we always crave for icy cold dessert to cool down the heat. Cendol is a bowl of sweet cold dessert that contains coconut milk, palm sugar syrup and green rice flour jelly.
  • Average RM3 per bowl
  • Sweet
  • Cold
  • Dessert

Even though it’s just a simple bowl of cendol, the fact that it had expanded from a small pushcart business to owning multiple outlets prove that it is the best of the best in town. You could still find the original pushcart tuck away in Penang Road.

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri (10:30am – 7pm)
Sat – Sun (10am – 7:30pm)

Note: It is impossible to get a seat during peak hours or holidays

Find It Here:

Air Itam Laksa

Jalan Pasar, Pekan Ayer Itam
Image by LawHuiSheng via flickr
  • Laksa is arguably the local dish with various kinds of fusion all around South-east Asia. Even in Malaysia, you can find different types of laksa in different states. Basically, laksa is a spicy noodle soup consisting of noodles (can be thick wheat noodles or rice vermicelli), various meat (chicken or seafood) and served in either coconut milk curry or sour asam soup.
  • Average RM4 per bowl
  • Sweet and Savoury
  • Spicy
  • Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Image by Krista via flickr

The Air Itam Laksa is a bowl of rice vermicelli noodles with sweet and sour prawn soup topped with cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, mint and ginger. The key to this delicious laksa is the signature ‘hae ko’ which is the thick and sweet prawn paste and shredded mackerel fish. 

Opening Hours:
Thurs – Tues (10:30am – 7pm)

Find It Here:

New Siam Road Char Kuey Tiao

Jalan Siam, Georgetown
Image by tripadvisor
  • Char Kuey Tiao is a Hokkien phrase, ‘Char’ means stir-fried and ‘Kuey Tiao’ refers to the flat rice noodles. It is another popular dish in South-east Asia with its own fusion style in different towns.
  • Average RM6.50 per plate
  • Savoury
  • Wok Hei
  • Lunch | Dinner
Image by rojakdaily

Penang style char kuey tiao is lighter compared to Singapore style with its black sauce. This Siam Road Char Kuey Tiao has been famous for its scrumptious dish and has been featured in various news. Owned by an old uncle who is known as the ‘Char Kuey Tiao King’, this dish is cooked on a pushcart at the corner of Siam Road. Popular for the wok hei in each plate of char kuey tiao, you can often see a long queue in front of the pushcart. Wok hei is the art of cooking that involves cooking the noodles over hot coal to bring out the maximum aroma. With the touch of large and juicy cockles and crispy pork lards, this is truly the best local food in Penang. 

Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat (12pm – 7pm)
Closed on Sunday

Note: Non-halal

Find It Here:

Genting Cafe Chee Cheong Fun

Lorong Delima 3, Taman Island Glades
Image by knowenoughhappy via flickr
  • Chee Cheong Fun is a dish of rice noodle roll top with sweet soy sauce. It is commonly served as a snack with a variety of dimsum. However, in Malaysia and Singapore, it is served as its very own dish. There are a variety of Chee Cheong Fun in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Singapore.
  • Small portion: 2 pieces of rice rolls for RM2.60
  • Sweet
  • Peanut Butter and shrimp paste
  • Breakfast | Lunch

Penang Chee Cheong Fun is famous for its shrimp paste. However, Genting Cafe Chee Cheong Fun has brought it up to another level by adding peanut butter. Yes, you do not read it wrong! This colorful plate of Chee Cheong Fun consists of brown sauce (peanut butter), dark brown sauce (shrimp paste) and red chili sauce. All these sauces miraculously work well together to create a perfectly delicious and new-fusion chee cheong fun. 

Opening Hours:
Sat – Tues, Thurs (8am – 3pm)
Closed on Fridays and Wednesdays

Find It Here:

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