Many of you might’ve heard that the best place for food in Malaysia is on the colonial island of Penang. And more specifically the best street food in Penang can be found in its capital, George Town. From Hawker food stalls to full on street food night markets like the Kimberley Street Food Night Market. You’ll find no shortage of delicious eats to fill your hungry stomachs with.

So come with me on this foodie journey as I show you the best places for street food in Penang!

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A Cultural Melting Pot of Street Food!

When you’re traveling on Penang Island, whether that’d be at the gorgeous Penang Hill mountain resort or at Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Buddhist Chinese temple in Malaysia, you’re bound to end up hungry for some of the local street food.

From a comforting bowl of local spicy Laksa, to an array of Indian-Malay Nasi Kandar one plate curry dishes, to the soothing heritage Chinese egg noodle soups. What makes Penang island so special in terms of street food is that the island is a mishmash of cultures from immigrants who have settled on the island throughout its history.

And the British Colonial rule of the 18th century introduced even more to the already bustling culture of street food in Penang.

The majority of the best street food in Penang is located in George Town and its outskirts, the Air Itam Suburb. So the following list of recommendations I’ve provided are street food stalls and restaurants located in that area.

Roti Bakar Hutton Lane

I think it’s fitting to start off this list with a little breakfast. Roti Bakar Hutton Lane is a local favorite breakfast spot spanning back many decades, it’s basically an institution at this point.

Roti Bakar Hutton Lane specializes in grilled breads (roti) of various types, from thick fluffy white toast to crispy and oily flatbreads, all with different toppings and curries. You need to try their Signature Roti Canai Hutton Lane, a crispy toasted flatbread roti doused with a rich and flavorful beef (or chicken) curry topped with 2 Japanese style onsen eggs for that extra richness.

Just typing that out made my mouth water, it’s such a simple dish but it’s so good, and I think that speaks for how beloved this street food stall is. I should warn you though, come early because there is always a long line and it’s difficult to find tables.

As far as breakfast street food in Penang goes, you can’t go wrong with Roti Bakar Hutton Lane.

Roti Bakar Hutton Lane Details

Phone: +6 013 402 5497

Location: 300, Jalan Phee Choon, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 5:00 AM - 1:30 PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: ~6 MYR | $

Penang Air Itam Laksa

The Air Itam suburb is where you can find much of Penang Island’s most famous attractions like Penang Hill, and I think that it’s only fair to give the famous street food hawker stall, Penang Air Itam Laksa, the title of a “famous attraction”.

Penang Air Itam Laksa is where you can find arguably the best Assam Laksa in all of Penang. Laksa is of course, a noodle soup dish with thick chewy rice noodles, the Assam version is where the broth is made with tamarind and a blend of mashed mackerel fish and aromatic herbs like lemongrass, galangal, and chilis.

This gives the Assam Laksa a nice sour, tart, and umami taste that many locals love. Although, honestly I prefer the Curry Laksa, I still can’t deny that Penang Air Itam Laksa is something special.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a better street food in Penang than the humble bowl of Laksa, and this iconic hawker stall in Air Itam is the best place for it.

Penang Air Itam Laksa Details

Phone: +6 012 500 7063

Location: Jalan Pasar, Paya Terubong, 11500 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: ~5 MYR | $

Tek Sen Restaurant

Be prepared to queue up for 2 hours because Tek Sen Restaurant serves up the ABSOLUTE best Heritage Chinese cuisine in all of Penang and everyone knows. Originally started in 1965 as a humble street food stall in Penang, Tek Sen Restaurant has grown to become a culinary institution in George Town. Even earning itself a Michelin Guide Recommendation!

Penang island is home to a sizable Chinese immigrant community and the foods served at Tek Sen are authentic representations of what people in this community would have eaten. Some of the dishes that I recommend are the Double Roasted Pork with Chili Padi, and the Stir Fried Water Morning Glory with Shrimp and Sambal. These two dishes, especially the morning glory one, is absolutely mouthwateringly delicious.

Tek Sen Restaurant is an eatery that I wholeheartedly recommend you visit, just be ready to arrive early or risk having to wait 2 hours in line…

Tek Sen Restaurant Details

Phone: +60 12 981 5117

Location: 18, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Mon - Sun (Closed Tuesday)

Pricing: ~60 MYR | $$

Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls

Not really a single street food stall but more like an entire street full of delicious foods! The Chulia Street Night Market is just a few steps away from Tek Sen Restaurant. One of the oldest roads in George Town, Chulia Street is home much of the Indian immigrants who settled on Penang island.

This means that Chulia Street is where you can find some of the best Indian street food in Penang! Some recommendations I have for you are:

If you know me, you know I love Indian food and Chulia Street is where some of George Town’s best Nasi Kandar (rice and an assortment of curries), can be found.

Aside from Indian food, during the night, Chulia Street comes alive with a lot of clubs and bars, being the center of nightlife in George Town, Penang.

Chulia Street Night Market Details

Phone: N/A

Location: Chulia St, Georgetown, 10450 George Town, Penang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 4:30 PM - 10:30  PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: ~20 MYR | $$

Tok Tok Mee Original Bamboo Noodle

If you’re hankering for some classic Cantonese style egg noodles, then Tok Tok Mee Original Bamboo Noodle is the restaurant for you!

What makes Tok Tok Mee special is that traditionally, a long bamboo log is used to flatten the egg noodle dough. The log would be anchored on the table and the chef would bounce on the end flattening the dough that’s in between. It’s a fun technique for sure but honestly I feel like it’s a bit of a gimmick, more for theatrics rather than practicality.

Though that doesn’t change the fact that these are some damn good egg noodles! Smooth and a bit bouncy in texture, and if you ordered the soup version, the broth has some shrimpy/fishy flavor to it giving it a complex umami flavor.

ALSO! Don’t forget their flakey and buttery pastries. Literally the best baked goods I’ve ever had in my life, especially their baked BBQ pork bun. In fact, I’d say Tok Tok Mee is probably more famous for their pastries rather than their egg noodles.

Tok Tok Mee Original Bamboo Noodle Details

Phone: +60 4 261 9875

Location: 37, Lebuh Campbell, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 9:30 AM - 7:30 PM | Mon - Sun (Closed Thursday)

Pricing: ~15 MYR | $

Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow

One of the best Char Kway Teow in Penang. Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendation, this small hawker street food in Penang specializes in one dish and one dish only! An aromatic wok hey infused stir fry of flat rice noodles, and my favorite Malaysian street food dish, the Char Kway Teow.

You might be able to find better tasting Char Kway Teow but I believe that this stall is more than just about the flavor, it’s about the sensory experience as well as seeing culinary history manifesting itself in the modern day. That’s because, as the name states, this Hawker stall still uses a wooden charcoal flame to stir fry their Char Kway Teow.

That I believe is the essence of street food in Penang.

Beware of the long queues though as the stall still maintains its original traditional approach with only one elderly chef masterfully stir frying each batch to perfect precision.

Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow Details

Phone: N/A

Location: 82, Jalan Siam, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 12:00 PM - 6:30  PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: 9 MYR | $$

Kimberley Street Food Night Market

Much like Chulia Street, the Kimberely Street Food Night Market is where you can find the best street food in Penang. And that’s an undisputed fact because Kimberley Street is home to “The Four Heavenly Kings” otherwise known as the four street food hawker stalls who have a Michelin Bib Gourmand Recommendation, also known as, long queue simulator. The Heavenly Kings are:

Kimberley Street Duck Kway Chap - Famous for their savory duck meat and offal kway chap noodle soup
Super Star Chicken Feet and Kway Teow Soup - Famous for clear broth chicken noodle soup and braised chicken feet
Penang Char Kway Teow - Famous for the intense wok hey filled Char Kway Teow stir fried noodles
Traditional Home of Dessert - Famous for their Si Koh Soup, a local dessert of shaved ice with syrups, ginkgo nuts, and fruits.

Though a small stretch of road, you can easily spend all night here if you are intent on trying all the 4 Heavenly Kings, due to waiting in line that is.

Kimberley Street Food Night Market Details

Phone: +6 016 365 3977

Location: 1, Jalan Sungai Ujong, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 5:00 PM - 11:00  PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: ~15 MYR | $$

Hameediyah Restaurant

Serving up authentic Indian-Muslim Nasi Kandar (rice and curry) since 1907, Hameediyah Restaurant is probably the most legendary street food restaurant in Penang!

When you come here, I highly recommend you order their fried chicken, lamb shank, and tiger prawns, these items are the most popular to order and for good reason, they are absolutely delicious. The spices, the sauce, the tender juiciness of the chicken and the flavorful spices caked on to the tiger prawns. It’s so good.

While popular with the locals, Hameediyah is also very popular with tourists so I advise you to come early as to avoid the large queues. Perhaps on the weekdays are the best if you want to avoid waiting in line.

Hameediyah Restaurant Details

Phone: +60 4 261 1095

Location: 164 A, Lebuh Campbell, street, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 10:00 AM - 10:00  PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: ~30 MYR | $$

Penang Road Famous TeoChew Chendul

Penang Road in George Town, on Penang island is where you can find a group of stalls all selling similar classic Penang street food dishes like Laksa noodle soups, Char Kway Teow, but one stall in particular sells the most famous sweet treat in all of Penang, Penang Road Famous TeoChew Chendul.

Chendul is a shaved ice dessert with a variety of toppings, mainly Green Rice Flour Jelly Noodles, and then doused with coconut milk. It’s the perfect refreshing treat after trekking through the hot and humid streets of George Town.

The one at Penang Road Famous TeoChew Chendul, is served with red beans and I have to say that this Chendul really hits the spot. the refreshingly cool shaved ice, combined with the subtle sweetness of the coconut milk, and the fun textures of the toppings.

Do yourself a favor, if you want to escape the heat in Penang, get yourself a Chendul.

Penang Road Famous TeoChew Chendul Details

Phone: +60 4 262 6002

Location: 435B, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:30  PM | Mon - Sun

Pricing: ~15 MYR | $$

Looking for Things to Do in Penang?

TOP Penang - 249 meter tall observation point atop Komtar Tower, tallest in George Town
Entopia Butterfly Farm - A large farm with over 15,000 butterflies and 200 plant species
ESCAPE Penang - Water park with the world record for Longest Tube Water Slide at 1,111 meters
Discounted Tickets - Browse a variety of attractions, tours, and transports all for a great price

Useful Resources for Traveling in Malaysia

Tourism Information - All the information you need when travelling in Malaysia
Private Airport Transfers - Private transfer from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the city
KLIA Ekspress Ticket - Ticket for the KLIA transfer via express train