125 food spots with current filters·8 neighborhoods·hawker stalls, restaurants & cafes
street-food$
Air Itam Laksa
Air Itam
Benchmark Penang asam laksa near the market - the tangy, pungent fish noodle soup that CNN ranked world's 7th best food.
Must try: Asam laksa - there is only one thing on the menu and it is perfection
Open Now
Pork-Free
street-food$
Kimberly Street Char Kway Teow
George Town
Legendary charcoal-fired char kway teow stall with permanent queues and unforgettable wok hei.
Must try: Char kway teow with extra cockles and prawns
Closed
street-food$
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
George Town
The gold standard of Malaysian chendul since the 1930s - shaved ice, gula melaka, and coconut milk perfection.
Must try: Original chendul - the simplicity of the classic is unbeatable
Open Now
Pork-FreeVegetarian
street-food$
Sister Wan's Char Kway Teow (Lorong Selamat)
George Town
Penang's most famous char kway teow stall on Lorong Selamat, known for intense charcoal wok hei.
Must try: Char kway teow - order with duck egg for extra richness if available
Closed
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4Fingers Crispy Chicken
george-town
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4Fingers Crispy Chicken
george-town
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888 Hokkien Prawn Mee
balik-pulau
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A&W
george-town
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A&W
air-itam
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A&W
balik-pulau
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A&W Express
george-town
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Ali Nasi Lemak Daun Pisang
george-town
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Anba Coconut Traiding
george-town
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Apom Balik
balik-pulau
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Apom Balik Station
batu-ferringhi
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Auntie Anne's
george-town
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Balik Pulau Malay Laksa
george-town
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Banh Mi Factory
george-town
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Black. Sesame paste
balik-pulau
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Burger King
george-town
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street-food
Burger King
balik-pulau
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street-food
Burger King
balik-pulau
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Burger King
george-town
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Burger King
balik-pulau
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Burger King
batu-ferringhi
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Burger King
batu-ferringhi
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Burger King
george-town
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Burger King
balik-pulau
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Camion (MAR 2018, maybe temporary)
george-town
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Canteen
batu-ferringhi
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Caunter Hall Fresh Soya Bean
george-town
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street-food$
Cecil Street Market (Lebuh Cecil)
George Town
Heritage street with evening hawker stalls and colonial architecture - less crowded than Gurney.
Must try: Satay - grilled over charcoal with housemade peanut sauce
Closed
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street-food
Char Koay Kak
george-town
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Char kuih kar
george-town
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Char kway teow 4.5
george-town
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street-food
Chicago Chicken City
balik-pulau
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Chicago Chicken City
george-town
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Chipati Street Food
george-town
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street-food$
Chulia Street Night Hawkers
George Town
George Town's backpacker strip with diverse hawker stalls serving Indian, Chinese, and Malay street food.
Must try: Roti canai from the Indian Muslim stalls - crispy, flaky flatbread with dhal curry
Closed
HalalPork-Free
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street-food
Dewan Makan Asrama Putera
air-itam
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street-food
Dim Sum Valet
george-town
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street-food
DMR
george-town
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Domino's
butterworth
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Domino's
balik-pulau
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Domino's
gurney
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Domino's
george-town
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Domino's
butterworth
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Domino's
george-town
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Domino's
george-town
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Domino's
air-itam
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Domino's
george-town
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Dominos Pizza
batu-ferringhi
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Duck Broth
george-town
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Duck rixe
george-town
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Elfinia Cafe
butterworth
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Empire Sushi
george-town
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Famous char kway teow man
george-town
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First Famous Federal Restaurant
george-town
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Foo Huat
george-town
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Food court
george-town
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Food Mkt Stall
george-town
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Food stalls
batu-ferringhi
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Food stalls
george-town
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Food stalls
batu-ferringhi
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Food Stalls
batu-ferringhi
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Gindaco Malaysia
george-town
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Great Seven
george-town
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Hazrul Cafe
george-town
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Hillside Uncle Burger
batu-ferringhi
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Home style seafood
george-town
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Hot & Roll
george-town
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Hussain Nasi Kandar
george-town
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street-food
I am…
george-town
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IKEA Restaurant
balik-pulau
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street-food
Indian snacks and tea street food
george-town
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Jack fruit 4rm
george-town
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Jeruk Pak Ali
george-town
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Juicy Fresh Juice Bar
george-town
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Just CO2
george-town
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Kaki 5
george-town
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Kantin Sekolah
air-itam
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KFC
butterworth
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KFC
butterworth
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KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
george-town
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KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
butterworth
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KFC
george-town
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KFC
batu-ferringhi
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street-food
KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
air-itam
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street-food
KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
balik-pulau
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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KFC
gurney
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street-food
KFC
balik-pulau
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street-food
KFC
george-town
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KFC
air-itam
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KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
george-town
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KFC
george-town
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KFC
balik-pulau
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KFC
gurney
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KFC
batu-ferringhi
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Koay Teow Left-Handed
george-town
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Krispy Kreme
george-town
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Krispy Kreme
george-town
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Kway teow thng
george-town
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Kway tiao tng coffee shop
george-town
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LIANG Sandwich Bar
george-town
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Little Hong Kong
george-town
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Quick Answer
What are the best foods to try in Penang?
Penang's must-try dishes are char kway teow (stir-fried flat noodles with prawns and cockles), assam laksa (tangy fish-based noodle soup ranked among the world's best), Hokkien mee, nasi kandar, cendol, and rojak. Most cost RM 6-10 at hawker centres across George Town.
Our TakeRecommended
Penang's food scene is not just good for Asia -- it genuinely rivals any street food city in the world. Forget restaurants; the best meals cost RM 5-8 at a hawker stall.
Penang Food Tours & Cooking Classes
Go beyond the hawker centre — join a guided food tour to discover hidden stalls only locals know, or learn to cook authentic Penang dishes in a hands-on cooking class.
Penang's essential street food dishes include char kway teow (flat rice noodles stir-fried with prawns, cockles, and bean sprouts), assam laksa (tangy fish-based noodle soup ranked among the world's best foods by CNN), Hokkien mee (prawn noodle soup), nasi kandar (rice with curry), cendol (shaved ice with palm sugar and coconut milk), and rojak (fruit and vegetable salad with prawn paste dressing). Each has legendary stalls across the island.
Where are the best hawker centres in Penang?
The top hawker centres are Gurney Drive Hawker Centre (best for tourists with a wide variety), New Lane (Lorong Baru) hawker stalls in George Town for late-night eats, Pulau Tikus Market for morning dim sum, Air Itam Market for laksa and char kway teow, and Cecil Street Market for authentic kopitiam breakfast. Red Garden Food Paradise in George Town is also popular for its lively atmosphere and good selection.
How much does street food cost in Penang?
Penang street food is exceptionally affordable. A bowl of laksa or char kway teow costs RM 6-10 (roughly USD 1.30-2.20), nasi kandar plates are RM 8-15, and drinks like teh tarik or fresh coconut water are RM 2-5. You can eat a filling meal for under RM 15. Even at sit-down restaurants, most dishes are RM 15-30. Budget travelers can comfortably eat three meals a day for under RM 40 (about USD 9).
Is Penang food halal-friendly?
Yes, Penang has abundant halal food options. Nasi kandar is a halal Penang specialty found island-wide, with famous spots like Line Clear, Deen Maju, and Nasi Kandar Beratur. Many Malay and Indian Muslim hawker stalls serve halal char kway teow, mee goreng, and roti canai. Look for stalls with halal certification signs or those operated by Malay and Indian Muslim vendors. George Town's Little India area has excellent halal Indian food.
What time do hawker stalls open and close in Penang?
Hawker stall hours vary by location and type. Morning market stalls (like Pulau Tikus) open around 6:30 AM and close by noon. Lunch hawker centres operate from 11 AM to 3 PM. Many famous stalls like Air Itam laksa open early and sell out by 1-2 PM, so arrive before noon. Evening hawker centres like Gurney Drive and New Lane start at 5-6 PM and run until 11 PM or midnight. Some stalls are closed on specific days, so check before making a special trip.
