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Air Itam Laksa

street-food · Air Itam

Photo: DTW / CC BY-SA 3.0

Area

Air Itam

Hours

Weekends only, about 11am to 6pm, per a January 2026 report. Check the stall's Facebook page before going.

Price Range

$

The Air Itam laksa stall (located near the Air Itam market) serves what many consider the finest asam laksa in Penang. Asam laksa is a sour, tangy fish-based noodle soup made with mackerel, tamarind, torch ginger flower, mint, and shrimp paste (hae ko). The thick rice noodles swim in the complex, pungent broth. CNN once ranked Penang asam laksa as the 7th best food in the world, and this stall is often cited as the benchmark. It is a must-visit when heading to Kek Lok Si Temple. Check before you go: a January 2026 visitor report says it now opens on weekends only, and its long-time owner, Ang Kak Seong, died in April 2026.

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Specialties

Asam laksa
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