Where to Eat in Air Itam: Market Laksa, Curry Mee and Duck Rice
A short, checked guide to eating in Air Itam, the market town below Kek Lok Si: the famous Air Itam assam laksa (and its current weekend-only hours), the sisters' curry mee, the market duck rice, and how to combine them with the temple and Penang Hill.
Air Itam (also spelt Ayer Itam) is the old market town in the valley below Kek Lok Si Temple, inland from George Town. Most visitors come for the temple or the Penang Hill funicular. People who know Penang food also come for a handful of stalls around Air Itam Market, which are among the most famous on the island.
This is a short guide on purpose. It names only the places we could check against a current source. Air Itam has many more coffee shops than this, and you can browse them in the Air Itam food directory. We have not written about any of those we couldn't verify.
Plan your visit around the laksa stall's opening days, which have changed (see below). Then fit the temple around lunch.
Anyone visiting Kek Lok Si or Penang Hill who wants to eat where the locals do; laksa and curry mee hunters; people who don't mind a plastic stool and a queue.
Air Itam Market (Pasar Air Itam)
Jalan Pasar, Air Itam
The wet market sits at the centre of town, below the temple. The stalls that make Air Itam famous for food are in and around it, and two of them are in the MICHELIN Guide. Come in the morning to see the market at its busiest. The cooked-food stalls run on their own hours.
Air Itam Market in our directory →
Where to eat
Air Itam Assam Laksa
Jalan Pasar, beside the market
This is the stall most people mean when they say "Air Itam laksa". A reviewer who visited in December 2025 reports that it was founded in 1955. It serves Penang assam laksa: a sour tamarind and fish broth with thick rice noodles (Not Your Typical Tourist, January 2026).
Check before you go. The same January 2026 report says the stall reopened in November 2024 after an 11-month closure, now trades on weekends only (Saturday and Sunday, around 11am–6pm), and sometimes closes on extra weekends too. It suggests checking the stall's Facebook page before you make the trip. Older guides that list it as open daily are out of date.
Air Itam Laksa in our directory → · What is assam laksa?
Air Itam Sister Curry Mee
612 T Jalan Air Itam
This stall is in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide. It was opened by two sisters in 1946 and is now run by the third generation. The noodles are cooked over charcoal in a curry broth with spices, chilli paste and coconut milk (MICHELIN Guide). It is a breakfast stall, so come in the morning.
Air Itam Duck Rice
Air Itam Wet Market, Jalan Pasar
This market stall is also in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide. The guide singles out its braised duck, cooked with soy sauce, anise and cinnamon, and notes that it also serves braised pork belly (MICHELIN Guide).
Air Itam Duck Rice in our directory →
How to plan the day
Air Itam is easy to combine with sightseeing:
- Kek Lok Si Temple is uphill from the market. See Kek Lok Si for opening times and how to get up.
- The Penang Hill funicular lower station is a short ride from town. Our Penang Hill guide covers tickets and queues.
On a weekend, a sensible plan is curry mee for breakfast, then the temple, then laksa when the stall opens late morning, then Penang Hill in the afternoon. On a weekday the laksa stall is not trading (as of the January 2026 report), so start with curry mee and duck rice instead. Or try Wan Dao Tou Assam Laksa near Gurney Drive, which holds a MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand.
Getting there by bus
From Weld Quay (the Jetty) or Komtar in George Town, Rapid Penang Bus 201 goes to Paya Terubong via Air Itam, and Bus 203 goes to Air Itam via Farlim. Bus 204 runs to the Penang Hill lower station and passes through Air Itam town on the way (Penang Travel Tips route list). Ask the driver for Pasar Air Itam (Air Itam Market). See all routes on our Penang bus routes page.
More from this area
- Map and full list: Food spots in Air Itam (directory, filterable)
- Ranked lists: Best street food in Air Itam · Best hawker centres in Air Itam
- Neighbourhood: Air Itam area guide
- Staying nearby? Air Itam is compared with other areas on Where to Stay in Penang
- Other areas: Gurney Drive & Pulau Tikus, Balik Pulau, Batu Ferringhi
- George Town: George Town food trail and best restaurants in George Town
- Island-wide: Penang hawker centres
Sources and how we checked
Each named stall is backed by a current MICHELIN Guide listing (curry mee, duck rice) or a dated first-hand report (the laksa stall, visited December 2025 and published January 2026). Those sources are linked where each stall appears. We left out other well-known Air Itam names that we could not confirm are still trading. If you know of a change, tell us through the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Air Itam Laksa open every day?
No, at least not as of early 2026. A January 2026 report says the stall reopened in November 2024 after a long closure and now trades on Saturdays and Sundays only, around 11am to 6pm, with some extra closed weekends. Check its Facebook page before you go.
What is Air Itam famous for food-wise?
Assam laksa, above all. The Air Itam Market stall is one of the best-known laksa stalls in Penang. The town also has two stalls in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide: Air Itam Sister Curry Mee and Air Itam Duck Rice.
Can I combine Air Itam food with Kek Lok Si?
Yes. The market is in town directly below the temple, so eating there before or after a temple visit is easy. Penang Hill's lower station is also nearby.
How do I get to Air Itam Market by bus?
From George Town, take Rapid Penang Bus 201, 203 or 204 from Weld Quay or Komtar, and get off at Air Itam town (Pasar Air Itam).
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