Where to Eat in Balik Pulau: Laksa Stalls, Nutmeg and Durian

Balik Pulau ("the back of the island") is the farming and fishing district on the far side of Penang Hill from George Town. Food-wise it is known for three things: assam laksa, nutmeg (buah pala) and, in season, durian. You won't find a hawker centre scene like Gurney Drive or George Town here. You'll find a small town, a few laksa stalls with long histories, and orchards.

This guide is deliberately short. Few Balik Pulau eateries have the kind of recent, independent coverage we need before we name a place. So we name only the ones we could trace, and we give the date of each source. For the wider area, see our Balik Pulau day-trip guide.

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The laksa stalls

Kim Laksa at Nan Guang Kopitiam

67 Main Road (Jalan Balik Pulau), Balik Pulau town

This is the name most Penang people give when you ask about Balik Pulau laksa. A February 2023 travel feature lists Kim Laksa at Nan Guang Kopitiam, 67 Main Road, and says the stall has served laksa since the 1940s. It offers assam laksa, siam laksa, or the two broths combined in one bowl (Zafigo, February 2023).

The history is more tangled than the sign suggests. Penang food writer Adrian Cheah explains that the "Kim" name comes from Mrs Ewe, who ran the Nan Guang stall with her husband for more than three decades. By 2020, a stall at the Nan Guang corner and a separate stall at Kim Seng Kopitiam in the Botanica.CT township were both linked to that lineage (Adrian Cheah, August 2020). If you have time, try both.

Kim Laksa in our directory → · What is assam laksa?

Laksa Janggus

Kampung Perlis, off Jalan Bahru

Laksa Janggus serves Malay-style assam laksa, which is milder than the Chinese-style bowls in town. It began about 25 years ago as a stall under a cashew-nut tree ("janggus" in the local Malay), and now seats diners under a large zinc roof. Timothy Tye's guide lists it as open every day except Wednesday, from mid-afternoon to early evening, so this is an afternoon stop rather than a lunch one (Penang Travel Tips). Hours at family stalls change, so confirm locally before you make a special trip.

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Nutmeg: Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory

Nutmeg is the flavour you'll notice across Balik Pulau: in drinks, pickles and sweets. Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory, in Kampung Sungai Pinang, is a family-run producer that sells nutmeg products and explains the spice to visitors (Zafigo, February 2023; Tripadvisor listing). Iced nutmeg juice is the thing to try. It is sharp, sweet and very cooling after laksa.

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Durian season

Balik Pulau's hills are covered in durian orchards. In season, roadside stalls and orchard tastings are the main reason many Penang people drive over. Seasons shift from year to year with the weather. See our Penang durian guide for the season and varieties, and the Balik Pulau guide covers the orchards.

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When to go

• Kim Laksa: around midday. Small laksa stalls sell out, and none of the sources above promise late hours.
• Laksa Janggus: afternoon, and not on a Wednesday (per Timothy Tye's listing).
• Durian: in season only. Outside the season the orchards are quiet.

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Getting there by bus

Rapid Penang Bus 401E is the express from Weld Quay (the Jetty) in George Town to the Balik Pulau bus terminal. It runs via the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (Penang Travel Tips, 401E). Bus 502 links the Jetty with Pekan Genting in Balik Pulau over the hill road through Paya Terubong. For Laksa Janggus, Timothy Tye suggests Bus 403 from the Balik Pulau terminal to Jalan Bahru. Buses here are much less frequent than in George Town, so check times on the day. See all routes on our Penang bus routes page. Most visitors find a car or Grab easier for this side of the island.

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More from this area

• Map and full list: Food spots in the Balik Pulau area (directory; note that it also includes listings from nearby Bayan Lepas and the airport side)
• Neighbourhood: Balik Pulau area guide and Balik Pulau day-trip guide
• Staying here? Balik Pulau is compared with other areas on Where to Stay in Penang
• Other areas: Air Itam, Gurney Drive & Pulau Tikus, Batu Ferringhi
• George Town: George Town food trail and best restaurants in George Town
• Seafood: Penang seafood guide

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Sources and how we checked

Each place named here has at least one independent, dated source, linked where it appears. The most recent is from 2023, which is older than we'd like. That is why this guide is short and keeps telling you to check before you go. If you've eaten at any of these places recently, or know of a stall that should be here, tell us through the contact page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What food is Balik Pulau famous for?

Assam laksa, nutmeg products (especially iced nutmeg juice) and durian. The laksa stalls in town have decades of history, and Laksa Janggus in Kampung Perlis serves a milder Malay-style version.

Where is the best laksa in Balik Pulau?

The best-known name is Kim Laksa at Nan Guang Kopitiam on Main Road, which a 2023 feature says has served laksa since the 1940s. For a different style, try the Malay-style laksa at Laksa Janggus, which Timothy Tye lists as open in the afternoon and closed on Wednesdays.

Can I get to Balik Pulau by bus?

Yes. Rapid Penang Bus 401E runs from Weld Quay in George Town to the Balik Pulau terminal, and Bus 502 crosses the hill road via Paya Terubong. Buses are infrequent, so many visitors take a car or Grab instead.

What is nutmeg juice?

It is a sweet, slightly sharp iced drink made from the flesh of the nutmeg fruit. It is a Penang speciality, sold by nutmeg producers such as Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory in Balik Pulau.