Halab Penang Arabic Restaurant

Halab — the old Arabic name for the Syrian city of Aleppo — is a halal Syrian and Middle Eastern restaurant set in a white colonial bungalow on the busy Lebuh Chulia, with both indoor and garden seating. The kitchen turns out a spread of mezze (hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammara, tabbouleh), charcoal-grilled meat platters, kebabs and aromatic mandi rice, alongside Arabic flatbreads baked fresh. It is a genuine community table as much as a tourist find — George Town's Syrian and Arab residents are part of the regular crowd. It gets busy in the evenings, so booking ahead is wise.