A guide to the best street food to eat in Penang

Penang is renowned for its vibrant street food scene in Malaysia, where you can get some of the best dishes across Malay, Chinese, and Indian cuisines. I was personally more excited to eat street food in Penang than do any other touristy stuff!

Here are some of the best street foods to try in Penang, with recommendations on where to eat based on my experience as a tourist + a local friend’s favourites!

Char Kway Teow

One of Penang’s most iconic dishes, Char Kway Teow is a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish with prawns, Chinese sausage, eggs, bean sprouts, and chives, often cooked in a rich soy sauce over high heat. The best versions are cooked with wok hei (the smoky aroma from cooking over intense heat).

Recommended places to eat Char Kway Teow in Penang

阿兴鸭蛋炒果条 (86饮食中心,2741, Jalan Kulim, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang)
味乡鸭蛋炒果条 (Jalan Perniagaan, Pusat Perniagaan Alma, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang)
忘不了炒果条 (Bee Hooi Cafe, 155, Lebuh Kimberley, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang)
Siam Road 炒果条 (82, Jalan Siam, George Town, 10400 George Town, Penang, Malaysia)
赤脚炒果条 @ 七条路 (40-48, Lebuh Cecil, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang)
香香炒果条 @ Batu Lanchang 饮食中心 (Lrg Batu Lanchang, Taman Sri Damai, 11600 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang)
明秦炭烧鸭蛋炒果条 (29, Jalan Betek, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang)
亚龙炒果条 (东园茶室, No 358, Jalan Dato Keramat, Kampung Makam, 10150 Penang, Malaysia)
噢噢白咖啡屋 OO White Coffee Cafe (262-264, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10450 Penang, Malaysia)
老虎炒果条 (槟园茶室, 179 Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10450 Penang, Malaysia)
Goggle Man Char Koay Teow (98, Lorong Selamat, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang)

Penang Assam Laksa

This is my all-time favourite street food in Penang!

A tangy and spicy fish-based noodle soup, Assam Laksa is made with tamarind, mackerel, mint, chilies, and lemongrass. The dish offers a refreshing contrast of flavours—sour, spicy, and slightly sweet—and is a must-try in Penang.

Note: the Penang version tastes very different from the ones frequently sold in Singapore, which are more spicy than sour. I definitely favour the Penang Assam Laksa!

Recommended places to eat Assam Laksa in Penang

Kimberley Street Food Night Market (1, Jalan Sungai Ujong, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)
Penang Road Famous Laksa (5-7, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

Hokkien Mee

Penang Hokkien Mee is a flavourful noodle soup made from a rich prawn-based broth, usually served with yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, topped with prawns, boiled eggs, pork slices, and fried shallots. A dash of sambal adds a spicy kick.

P.S. this is also different from the Singapore version!

Rojak

Penang Rojak is a fruit and vegetable salad tossed in a dark, thick shrimp paste sauce. It often includes ingredients like cucumber, pineapple, jicama, tofu puffs, and crispy fritters, sprinkled with peanuts.

The Penang version of this dish stands out from other versions of rojak in Malaysia due to its bold, tangy, and slightly spicy flavour profile, as well as its unique blend of ingredients.

Unlike the Indian-style fruit rojak or the Indonesian version, Penang rojak is a Chinese-style fruit and vegetable salad drenched in a thick, dark shrimp paste sauce known as “hae ko” (petis udang).

Char Koay Kak (carrot cake)

Char Koay Kak is a local street food that consists of stir-fried rice cakes mixed with eggs, bean sprouts, and preserved radish. The name itself literally means fried carrot cake.

Again, Singapore also has this dish but the Penang version is darker!

Cendol

For dessert, Cendol is a refreshing must-try in Penang.

This traditional shaved ice dessert is made with green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup, offering a sweet and creamy experience that’s perfect for hot weather.

Recommended places to eat Cendol in Penang

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul (435B, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

Nasi Kandar

Nasi Kandar is a popular Penang dish where rice is served with various curries, meat, and vegetables. It’s a flavorful meal with influences from Indian Muslim cuisine and can be found in food stalls and street vendors across Penang.

Recommended places to eat Nasi Kandar in Penang

Nasi Kandar Deen Maju (170, Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang)
Nasi Kandar Beratur (98, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

Oyster Omelette (Oh Chien)

Penang’s version of the Oyster Omelette is crispy and chewy, made with a batter of starch and eggs, fried with fresh oysters and often served with a chili sauce.

Apam Balik

A sweet snack, Apam Balik is a fluffy pancake filled with sweet corn, peanuts, and sugar. Otherwise known as min jiang kueh, this snack is light, crispy on the edges, and soft in the middle. It’s an excellent snack to grab while strolling through Penang’s streets!

Lok Lok

While many Singaporeans probably have this in Johor Bahru, it is also popular in Penang.

This is a street food experience where diners can pick skewers of meats, seafood, and vegetables, then cook them in boiling broth or fry them on-site. After cooking, dip your skewers into a variety of sauces like satay or chili for added flavour.

Curry Mee

Curry Mee in Penang is a must-try dish for any food lover visiting Malaysia’s food capital. This iconic noodle soup combines a rich, spicy coconut milk-based broth with yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, topped with ingredients like tofu puffs, cuttlefish, shrimp, cockles, and a dollop of aromatic chili paste.

The Penang-style version stands out for its unique balance of creamy and fiery flavours, often made even more irresistible by the addition of pig’s blood cubes in traditional stalls.

Recommended places to eat Curry Mee in Penang

Sister Curry Mee (612 T, Jalan Air Itam, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang)
Old Green House (223, Jalan Burma, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

Dim sum

Dim sum in Penang is a mix of Cantonese tradition and local Malaysian flavours, making it a popular breakfast and brunch choice among both locals and tourists.

From steaming baskets of siu mai, har gow, and char siu bao to unique offerings like yam puffs and pandan-flavoured desserts, Penang’s dim sum scene is both authentic and inventive.

Many beloved dim sum restaurants in George Town and beyond serve freshly made bites in the classic pushcart style. You can pick and choose your favourites from there, or else order on a sheet to pass to the staff.

Recommended places to eat Dim Sum in Penang

Lip Sin Red Tea House (56, Lorong Nipah 4, Taman Lip Sin, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)
Tai Tong Dim Sum (45, Lebuh Cintra, Georgetown, George Town, Penang 10100, MY)

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A guide to the best street food to eat in Penang