My Very Own "Best of the Best List" of Penang Food

Kenny Sia has unleashed an open challenge to all Penangites! He claims that Kuching has the best food in Malaysia and NOT Penang. I am sure he is aware of each and every Penangites’ pride and ego before he decided to challenge us to prove him wrong.

Four hours was all it took for the entry of Kenny Sia’s open challenge to reach me via another Penangite and another few more hours for it to turn into a major discussion among other Penang bloggers and blog readers. Amazing isn’t it? Talk about Penang pride.

Just in: Just when I was typing this I received another sms.

“Jason! Kennysia challenge Penangites! Did you read his blog! Take up his challenge!”

Penang’s hawker food is certainly not overrated but deserves the current recognition as the food paradise of Malaysia, if not Asia. It was voted as TIME magazine’s Best Street Food in Asia a couple of years ago and it is now included in an American Best Seller as quoted from an article in Sunday’s StarMag.

The American writer went on to say “Penang is, hands down, the most extraordinary place to experience food in south-east asia, if not, the world.”

Okay, enough facts. Penangites, let us prove Kennysia wrong! Hehe. I’ll start of with my very own list of BEST of the BEST Penang food and all readers are encouraged to add your favourites to my list.

(Sorry, there’s no way I can contribute any pictures now because I am still stuck in KL. Anyway, the pictures will not do much justification unless you try it yourself. )

Photo from penangtalk.com



Cross refer http://penangpage.com/food/ for random pictures of Penang hawker food.

Char Koay Teow

Swatow Lane (Presumed to have moved into the new food court at New World Park) – Elderly aunty but lately another young man took turns to fry.

Kimberly Street (4-wheeler stall in front of the food court) – Friendly uncle in cap, solo. Only available at night.

China Street (Very few people know China Street offers one of the best Char Koay Teow. It is very near Little India, opposite Penang Chinese Town Hall and walking distance from St. George church. It is located at a corner coffee shop with only 2 or 3 stalls) – Only available at night.

Lorong Selamat – The Lorong Selamat CKT is expensive and a bit overrated but it is undoubtedly one of the best. RM 7 per plate.

Sister’s Char Koay Teow @ Macalister Road – I personally think it is overrated and not the best one for me but a lot of people love it and you can see lotsa outstation cars infront of the stall during holiday seasons.

Bee Hooi Café, Pulau Tikus. (Corner coffee shop opposite Belissa Row)

Batu Lanchang market - Behind the popular Hainan Chicken Rice stall.

Hokkien Prawn Mee

Pulau Tikus, opposite Police Station – Only open for breakfast. Finishes at around 8-9am.

Burmah Road (Green House) – All night long.

Outside Nyonya restaurant, opposite Subaidah Tg. Tokong – All night long.
So Young Café, Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, near Lam Wah Ee Hospital. (morning)

Bee Hooi Café, Pulau Tikus. (morning)

Off Burma Road, right behind former Lai Lai supermarket, currently Mitsubishi Showroom.

Batu Lanchang Market.

Penang Asam Laksa (I need help on this one coz I don’t really fancy Laksa)

Air Itam Wet Market – One of the most famous.

Balik Pulau – I’ve heard a lot about the Balik Pulau one but I don’t know the exact location.

A mini van at the site of Jelutong market. (Afternoon-Evening) Ask for extra poppiah.

Curry Mee

Opposite BHP petrol station near ‘Padang’, before Penang Buddhist Association, small little shop. (Afternoons)

Perak Road wet market pedestrian traffic light, near BOMBA and Hospital Bahagia. – IMO, it’s the best in Penang but so underrated, love it since I was a kid. It is very difficult to find parking. Take a walk or ride a bike, it is worth trying! Ask for extra fish ball. (Morning)

Jelutong wet market. (morning)

Lorong Seratus Tahun – This one’s special. The soup is sweeter than the others.

Genting Café, Island Glades – It’s not in town but definitely one of the best in Penang. (Morning – Evening)

Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru. – This one might be difficult for those who’re not familiar with Bayan Baru to locate but it should be popular among those working in Bayan Lepas MNCs. – It is a small food court in the middle of the Jalan Tengah flats. If you come from Sunshine Square, you will see GIANT on your right. After the traffic lights at Giant, go straight then take the first turning to the left. It is in the middle of the blocks of flats.

Sunshine Square market food court. (Morning only, go before 9-10am.)

Terengganu Road – House come coffee shop/open air corner (the right hand corner if you turn into Jalan Lim Lean Teng from Taman Free School heading to Han Chiang college.) (Night)

Taman Free School market (Morning – Quite good) food court (Night).

Reservoir Garden, Air Itam – Near FGA church, Shell Petrol Station. You can add a lot of extra stuff to your Curry Mee.

Pulau Tikus market.

Burma Road, Next to Seventh Day Adventist Church, corner coffee shop opposite Green House coffee shop.

Wan Tan Mee/Tok-tok Mee

Honestly, Penang is not famous for its Wan Tan Mee but if you insist on trying, here are a few recommendations.

Pulau Tikus, corner coffee shop opposite the open air carpark near the market.

So Young Café, Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, near Lam Wah Ee Hospital. (morning)

Terengganu Road, same makan corner as the one stated for nice Curry Mee. (all night long)

Paya Terubong – Below Ghee Tuition centre, 1998 café at one corner and this Wan Tan Mee stall is in another coffee shop at another corner.

Chulia Street, road side (night)

Behind Jelutong post office.(night)

A wide variety of special Wan Than Mee you cannot find anywhere else – Eng Loh Café, Church Street. (morning – noon)

Jelutong wet market (morning)

Japanese Garden, near GreenLane Heights. Right behind Caltex petrol station, corner coffee shop.

China Street, same corner coffee shop as the one with the best Char Koay Teow. (Morning).

Off Transfer Road, opposite Caltex petrol station. (morning)

Lam Mee

Jelutong wet market (morning)

Chicken Soup Noodles (RARE)

Jelutong wet market (morning)

Mamak/Indian Mee Goreng

Jalan Tengah flats. If coming from Sunshine square, Giant will be on your right. After the traffic light at Giant, go straight then take the first turning on your left. There’s a mini food court in the middle of the blocks of flats.

Road side, over a field somewhere around Jalan Pantai Jerejak, on the way from Sungai Nibong central bus terminal towards Queensbay Mall.

Jelutong post office.

A stall under the tree infront of the Taman Jubillee Badminton Hall in Taman Lip Sin.
Pulau Tikus corner coffee shop near Pulau Tikus market, opposite open air car park.

Opposite Chung Hwa school, corner coffee shop. (morning-noon)

Esplanade - Little stall next to Fort Cornwallis.

Beef Kuay Teow

Opposite BOMBA near Weld Quay - Beach Street (morning)

Chee Cheong Chok

New Lane (Morning- Evening?) – This one’s awesome.

Owh Chien (Fried Oyster)

Bee Hooi Cafe in Pulau Tikus

Macalister Road – Near UMNO building, corner coffee shop, only sells Char Hor Fun and Fried Oyster if I’m not mistaken. (night)

Sunshine Square market food court . – Bigger portion and I consider this the best owh chien. (night)

Husband & Wife Oh Chien: Husband - Terengganu Road – Right hand side open air makan corner if you come from Taman Free School turning into Jalan Lim Lean Teng towards Han Chiang College. (night)

New Lane – Wife – (night)

Tau Kuah Chien

Terengganu Road & New Lane – same as the Fried Oyster (Owh Chien) stall.

Char Bee Hoon

Kimberly Street – Along Kimberly Street. (night)

Paya Terubong – In front of 1998 café. (night)

Dim Sum

Tai Thong – I’m a regular there but somehow I don’t remember the name of the road. It’s off Kimberly Street. Must try: Chai Thau Koay , ‘Sang Mee’ and its egg tart! (morning & night)

Opposite Sunshine Farlim. (morning)

Char Hor Fun

Macalister Road, near UMNO building, share the same coffee shop with Fried Oyster (Owh Chien) (night)’

Opposite Tai Thong, off Kimberly Street. (night)

Cameron café, Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, near Lam Wah Ee Hospital. (night)

Pasembur

Batu Lanchang market – Chinese uncle with tilted neck. (noon-evening)
Gurney Drive (night)

Yong Tau Foo

Padang Brown, near Penang Buddist Association.

Poppiah

Near Immigration Department, that street next to the bank. Mobile stall outside the coffee shop. (morning).

Mamak poppiah at Swatow Lane. – My favourite - I don't know where he's moved to now?!:(

Penang Rojak

Gurney Drive

Ham Chim Peng and other traditional Chinese ‘cakes’, not kuehs.

Stall in front of Tai Thong. (night: Around 8pm onwards)

Ban Chien Kuay

My friends from Korea and Maldives love it.

Paya Terubong, 1998 café at one corner, this one’s at another corner. Mini van. You can add a lot of additional stuff.

Super Tanker food court, Taman Lip Sin. Featured on 8TV last year.

Teluk Bayan food court. Near Bukit Jambul Complex. Behind Shell petrol station.

Tai Lok Mee

Genting Café, Island Glades.

Local Pizza

Frankie Pizza - You can find it in many coffee shops around the island namely Teluk Bayan food court in Bayan Baru and Bee Hooi cafe in Pulau Tikus. Must try!

Ice Kacang

Nothing beats the Swatow Lane ice kacang.

Fresh Coconut

Street off Burmah Road and Macalister Road - Abu Siti Lane

Cendol

Kek Seng coffee shop, Penang Road.

Off Burma Road, opposite La Cabana Restaurant, next to Hong Leong Bank if if I’m not mistaken.

Satay

‘Sa Kak Eng’, coffee shop protruding out to the road, opposite Lorong Kulit, next to the Penang prison. – A very friendly Malay man in his 30s-40s. That coffee shop is famous for its ‘Choo Char’/rice with dishes. (night)

Teluk Bayan food court – Behind Shell petrol station, near Bukit Jambul Complex. (night)
Lor Mee

Perak Road wet market, near Hospital Bahagia and BOMBA. Opposite the famous Curry Mee at the pedestrian traffic light. (morning-evening)

Nasi Melayu

Macalister Road – opposite UMNO building and Midtown Hotel. The Malay uncle can speak Hokkien. It’s still my favourite Nasi Melayu in Penang.

Koay Teow Th’ng

I need help for this one, I don’t really like Koay Teow Th’ng but there’s one which is reasonably famous. Terengganu Road – same corner as the nice curry mee, fried oyster and wan than mee described above. (All night long)

Chicken Rice

Chulia Street – somewhere in the middle of Chulia Street. Look out for the crowd to find the place. (noon)

Opposite Chung Hwa school, Island Park, corner coffee shop. (morning)

‘So Young café’, Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, near Lam Wah Ee Hospital. (morning-night)

Sunshine Square market food court – plump middle-aged uncle. (noon-night)

Pulau Tikus, opposite Belissa Row. Next to IDP Education Australia and Hong Leong Bank. (Finishes by 12pm.)

Paya Terubong, near Billion supermarket towards the cemetery.

Bak Kut Teh

Carnavon Street – the only busy coffee shop there at night. Try the salted tau kuah and Thai-styled Tau Kuah. (night)

Gurney Drive (Pricey) (morning)

Near Queensbay Mall, first turning on the left after descending the fly over from Gold Coast condo. Corner coffee shop. (night)

Taman Sri Nibong, Chia Yen coffee shop.

Between Penang prison and Penang Stadium. The only stall there after 10pm. (All night long)

Rotis

Roti Babi – Song River café, Gurney Drive.

Roti Taiwan and other special rotis featured in newspaper last year – Eng Loh café, Church Street.

Roti Canai – Kapitans, Gurney Hotel (all-day) and Transfer Road roadside stall. (morning)
Mee Jawa

Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru. – This one might be difficult for those who’re not familiar with Bayan Baru to locate but it should be popular among those working in Bayan Lepas MNCs. – It is a small food court in the middle of the Jalan Tengah flats. If you come from Sunshine Square, you will see GIANT on your right. After the traffic lights at Giant, go straight then take the first turning to the left. It is in the middle of the blocks of flats. (night)

Nasi Kandar

Kayu – They have already branched out, you can eat it outside Penang.

Line Clear near KOMTAR.

Duck Rice

Terengganu Road – House come coffee shop/open air corner (the right hand corner if you turn into Jalan Lim Lean Teng from Taman Free School heading to Han Chiang college.) – My personal favourite. (Night)

Leng Nia coffee shop, Taman Lip Sin – small portion. Boneless and the Kiam Chye Boay rocks.
Northam Beach café – Quite nice but it’s expensive!

Original Thai fried Rice (Pineapple, Belacan, Pattaya etc.) – Thai hawkers

Since Penang is not far from the Thai-Malaysia border, you can sample original Thai cuisine in Penang. Since we are only concentrating on hawker food, I will recommend only those available at hawker centres.

Cameron Coffee Shop, Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, near Lam Wah Ee Hospital. (night)

Super Tanker food court, Taman Lip Sin. (night)

Fried Koay Kak

Batu Lanchang market food court, both Char Koay Kak at Batu Lanchang market food court is nice. (noon-evening)

Burmah Road, in front of Union Primary School, at pedestrian traffic light. (Night)

Perak Road wet market, near Hospital Bahagia and BOMBA. The stall is located next to the traffic light for pedestrian crossing as well. (morning)

Fried sweet potatoes, Huar Chee, etc

Opposite Heng Ee Secondary School, in front of Heng Ee’s basketball court. (afternoon)

Jalan Free School. (noon-evening), very good business in the afternoon.

Island Glades, in front of Genting café (afternoon)

Chee Cheong Fun

Genting café, Island Glades. – 10/10

Tong Sui

Jelutong market (night).

Jalan Terengganu, opposite Taman Free School flats.

Cucur Udang – My favourite

New World Park food court – Mamak.

Near Beach Street Immigration Department, one of the lorongs there. (afternoon)

Seafood

Bukit Tambun, on the mainland – wide selection.

Batu Kawan, on the mainland.

Hai Boey restaurant - Teluk Kumbar

Bali Hai – Along Gurney Drive.

Bali-Bali Farlim, opposite SMK Air Itam, near Sunshine Farlim hypermart.

Penang Lok-Lok.

Pulau Tikus market

Sup Torpedo

Be a little bit more creative and you will know what that is. It can be found in the mamak stall opposite MOMO club, near Cititel Hotel.

Kuehs

Batu Lanchang market food court – Mentioned by 5XMOM in on of her previous entries.

Homemade Pies

Chicken Pie – Penang Hill

Shepard’s Pie and others – Northam Beach café (night)

Muar Chee

In front of Genting café, Island Glades. (afternoon)

French Pancake

Crepes – Gurney Drive – I love this place. (night)

Buffet Steamboat

Nagore Road

Macalister Road, opposite Bata.

Recommended for its variety and/or extraordinary view

SuperTanker food court, Taman Lip Sin

Teluk Bayan food court, Bayan Baru.

Northam Beach café for the sea view – Try the homemade pies and German sausage menu.

Bukit Genting Thai restaurant in Balik Pulau – The food is so-so but the view up there is breathtaking. Don’t worry, you won’t sweat a lot up there coz it’s slightly cooler.

New World Park

New Lane.

Batu Lanchang market food court.

Pulau Tikus area.

Goodall Café, opposite Penang Chinese Girls High School.

My favourite mamak corner

Kapitans, Gurney Hotel. – Recommended: Milo blended, chocolate blended, roti canai, tandoori and cheese nan.

Ali, opposite IPG college.

JAYA, Penang Road, opposite Cititel Hotel.

Penang’s nightlife

Penang’s nightlife is nothing compared to KL but it is getting better each year.

Upper Penang Road clubbing scene – Check out Momo and Mois for the local clubbing scene.

If you love ang mohs better then go to Soho or SS (Slippery Senoritas).

Chillout and Mambo at Gurney Hotel which is mostly empty nowadays.

BED at Belissa Row – Check it out!

QE II at the Ferry Terminal/Jetty

E-Gate, Gelugor/Jelutong Expressway – If you just wanna chill at cafes.

New World Park

Gurney Place – Cafes.

Beach cafes in Tanjung Bungah.

Juru Autocity on the mainland

Miscellaneous: Drive around Chulia Street, Penang Road, New Lane, Love Lane and off these roads after 11pm for transsexual sightings if you are lucky. I’m not discriminating but most local youngsters do that (I mean drive around for sightings not visit them), not because we have no life but….like it or not they are already part of Penang’s nightlife charm, lol.

That list up there is the best I can do as a Penangite for 21 over years. I’m sure I missed out a few things and if you can contribute pictures, please provide the link in my comments. I’m sure most non-Penangites don’t know some of the hawker food mentioned.

-updated October 2008