Best Street Food in Penang | A Chef’s Guide

When writing a list of the best food in Penang, you have to draw the line somewhere.

This was a tough list to keep from ending up at encyclopedic length as there is just too much good food to eat on this island.

Penang’s street food is held with a sense of pride that is attributed to generations of passionate cooks holding onto their traditions.

If you want to know where to get the best street food in Penang, all you have to do is ask a local. You will most likely get more than you bargained for.

Must-Eat Penang Street Food

1. Char Kuey Teow

Nothing is more tantalizing than noodles cooked with lard in a screaming hot wok. The Chefs of Penang are masters of this craft and even have a term called “Wok Hei” which in Cantonese means the breath of the wok.

This extremely high heat technique is what brings out the smoky caramelization that is critical in the execution of a perfectly made Char Kuey Teow.

This must-try dish in Penang is all about the interplay between the flat rice noodles and the larb that they are fried in.

A strong supporting cast consisting of prawns, blood cockles, and lap cheong Chinese sausage are glazed with the noodles in sweet soy sauce.

The dish is finished off with bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and egg cooked in. Many vendors offer the choice of hen or duck egg with the later adding a super creamy texture that is not to be missed.

2. Penang Asam Laksa

Most westerners turn and run when they hear that this famous dish in Penang is made with mackerel.

This is a huge mistake as this sour and spicy noodle soup more than lives up to its hype. This dish is like fireworks for the palette as it delivers explosions of umami, sour, spicy, salty, and bitter.

First, the sour comes from a combination of asam keping (sun-dried sour fruit slices), asam jawa (tamarind), and pineapple.

Next comes the bitter and spicy from torch ginger, dried chilies, and fresh chilies. Last but not least is the salty and umami from fish sauce and belacan (shrimp paste).

All of these ingredients are intertwined in a complex mackerel broth with thick rice noodles that are similar in size to udon.

The roots of this dish come from it’s Nyonya (Chinese- Malay) heritage in Penang and were made wildly famous by the legendary chef traveler Anthony Bourdain.

3. Nasi Kandar

This is more of a mini cuisine inside of the cuisine of Penang than a single dish. You could eat at a restaurant serving Nasi Kandar a thousand times and have a different combination.

The one thing you will always get is a pile of rice that is great for absorbing all the delicious curry. To have the ultimate curry experience, ask for “kuah banjir” which is a quickly and skillfully scooped mix of all the curries.

The side dishes include everything from fried okra to beef curry but our favorites are the fried chicken and lamb curry.

For seafood fans, there is usually some type of fish curry, fish roe, prawns, and fried squid.

When trying out nasi kandar in Penang, don’t get nervous or feel pressured to know the names of all the side dishes. Simply pointing to what dishes you would like to try is more than effective.

4. Loh Bak

If you don’t love fried food, you are probably on the wrong site. The star of this all fried Penang street food is a crispy roll filled with tender pork made with a bean curd wrapper.

What makes it pop is the liberal use of Chinese five-spice which consists of cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, Sichuan peppercorns.

Although this would be enough, many street food vendors add in an all-star lineup of fried treats including firm tofu, breaded pigs ears, Chinese sausage, spring rolls, fish cakes, and prawn fritters. Fried foods are made for dipping and this is no exception.

There are several variations of sauces served, but the most common ones are a sweet dark soy sauce with five-spice and garlic and sweet chili sauce with lime.

This is a favorite of ours to eat along with Char Kway Teow to add a little crunchy texture to the mix.

5. Wan Tan Mee

This Cantonese dish is yet another representation of the multicultural heritage of Penang. Although wan tan mee comes from China, this version is unique to Penang.

What makes this variation special is that it comes topped with char siu (Chinese b.b.q. pork) and is served relatively dry with a coating of oyster sauce, dark soy, and sesame oil.

The garnishes vary a little as every vendor has its own twist that helps them stand out. Almost all use Chinese chives, but some offer steamed dumplings, fried wontons, pickled chilies, and crispy pork fat.

What makes these flour and egg noodles so prized is their toothsome “al dente” texture that comes from the alkalized nature of the dough that comes from the addition of lye.

To make sure you get the dry version, ask for “kon lo” wanton mee which translates to dry tossed wonton noodles.

6. Char Hor Fun 

This is another dish that comes in wet or dry with both versions making a strong argument as to which is better. Who prevails will be decided by two main factors that separate the two.

Will it be the caramelization from the hot wok in the dry version or will the satisfying egg gravy from the wet style that will win out?

The only way to get the answer is to eat this dish as much as your schedule and stomach will allow while visiting Penang.

No matter which you choose they will all have a wide rice noodle as the centerpiece of the dish with some variations also coming with thin vermicelli noodles. Another mainstay is the use of prawns but that’s where the dish starts to vary.

Some versions come with chicken, pork, pork belly, crispy pork fat, Chinese mustard greens (choy sum), and bok choy.

Even the variations of the sauces are in the hands of each cook preparing the dish. Needless to say, when searching for the best char hor fun in Penang, it is up to you to find who makes it just the way you like it.

7. Mee Sotong

In a city with stunning food everywhere you look, this was the dish that we were dreaming of for months after our last visit.

What kind of sorcery or black magic was being used to make something so good that after waiting almost an hour in line, we contemplated waiting again for just one more bite?

This dish starts off as a classic mee goreng with stir-fried yellow Chinese-Hokkien noodles that are tossed in a ketchup laden chili sauce.

Next, bean sprouts, cucur (Indonesian fritters), and firm tofu add several layers of texture to the chewy noodles. This is where this dish shifts direction and separates itself from regular mee goreng.

The dish is topped off with a ladle full of umami called sambal sotong which is dried cuttlefish simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce.

Lastly, it is topped off with green onions and crispy shallots. It may be a good idea to just order two as you will definitely want a second plate. If you’re wondering what to eat in Penang, mee sotong is definitely a must.

8. Roti Canai

This flatbread is a widely popular breakfast that was brought to Malaysia by the Mamaks (Indian Muslims) that now call the region home.

The dough is made up of just flour, water, salt, and ghee (lightly caramelized clarified butter) that has a pleasing elasticity chew.

There are endless variations of how this dish is served and garnished including bananas and others with sardines.

Our favorites are roti banjir (shredded and smothered in curry), roti telur (egg inside with curry on the side), and roti tsunami (smothered in curry, sambal, and soft boiled eggs).

Although roti can be found in several countries in the region, the quality of the curry in Penang along with the flatbread makes this a must-try when visiting.

9. Popiah

Imagine if instead of wrapping a fresh spring roll in rice paper you used a paper-thin crepe. Then instead of putting the sauce on the side for dipping, you put it inside the roll.

Lastly, you get the idea to not keep things simple and use almost 15 different ingredients to fill the spring roll. This is kind of what you can expect from this street food snack in Penang.

It is packed with incredibly fun textures and a huge amount of flavor while still remaining fresh tasting. The sauce consists of a combination of hoisin, fermented soybean paste, soy sauce, shrimp paste, and sometimes sambal.

The filling varies but the usual suspects are chopped peanuts, shredded cooked turnip, jicama, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, fried shallots, and lettuce.

You may encounter versions with meat but the best balance of fresh and savory is found in the vegetarian versions. 

10. Koay Teow Th’ng

This is Penang’s answer to the chicken noodle soup from the west and it carries all the same nostalgia.

This is a dish that is served to people when they are sick for an easy to eat and a comforting bowl of simple noodles and broth. It is also fondly desired whenever the sky opens up and the rainstorms pound the island.

This comfort food dish is also one of the most popular meals during breakfast and can be found at almost any kopitiam (local coffee shop/ cafe).

It comes in two main variations but most vendors usually stick with either chicken or duck that is used not only for the meat but is also used for the clean and simple broth.

The soup is usually topped off with fish balls, green onions, shredded lettuce, and a dash of fish sauce. If you choose the right place, you might get some crispy pork fat sprinkled on top.

11. Nasi Lemak

This much-beloved breakfast is considered the national dish of Malaysia. The centerpiece of Nasi Lemak is rice that is steeped in coconut milk with pandan leaves.

This combination adds a creamy texture and nutty flavor to the rice. The rice is sometimes naturally dyed blue using butterfly pea flowers adding a pop of color.

The usual accouterments include sambal belacan (chili with shrimp paste, ikan bilis (dried then fried anchovies), hard-boiled egg, roasted peanuts, and cucumber.

Most vendors will then offer the option of adding a side like Ayam Goreng (fried chicken), lamb curry, fried fresh anchovies or other small fish, beef rendang, fried squid, and shrimp sambal.

Personally we love the combination of the creamy rice and salty fish alongside a leg of fried chicken.

No matter what stall or vendor you choose when visiting Penang, make sure to get there early as the best Nasi Lemak places sell out around 9 am.

12. Hokkien Prawn Mee (wet or dry)

One of the famous hawker foods in Penang, this dish has been taken to new levels of flavor from its origins in the Fujian province of China.

This prawn and pork dish comes in two forms, wet and dry. The wet version is a must-try as the element that makes this dish so special is the broth.

It is made with an unimaginable amount of shrimp heads and shells that are backed up with rich and unctuous fatty pork.

There is no sense in having all this amazing broth if you don’t have some amazing noodles to slurp up. In this case, the noodle of choice is the alkalized wheat noodles that have a wonderful chewy texture.

This must-eat street food dish is then topped with prawns, water spinach, bean sprouts, fried shallot, chili paste, and the tender pork used for making the broth.

If you are lucky, some vendors will include a hardboiled egg that adds a fun creaminess as you eat it.

Best Desserts in Penang

1. Cendol

The strange but alluring use of beans in desserts seems to have found a home in almost all countries in Southeast Asia.

When thinking about something sweet to eat, it is definitely the last thing I think of but it always works in the dishes.

In this case, these legumes are kidney beans and are scooped on top of shaved ice with pandan flavored palm flour noodles.

It is then doused with sweetened coconut milk and drizzled with coconut palm sugar syrup.

It gets very hot and humid in the equatorial climate of this region, and cendol works wonders at knocking down your body temperature by a few degrees.

A famous dessert in Penang that you shouldn’t miss!

2. Tau Sar Piah

This confusing treat somehow manages to tiptoe the line between sweet, salty, and savory.

Even more perplexing is the dough that is neither a pastry nor a biscuit. To take this treat another step into the bizarre, it uses fried shallots and mung beans as the backbone of the filling.

Many people in Penang refer to them as dragon balls assuming that it is due to the mythical beast’s mysterious nature.

No matter what you call them, they are delicious and a must-try when visiting Penang.

3. Roti Bakar (Toast) with Kaya (Coconut) Jam

At home, we never eat breakfast and when we do, it is never something sweet. When in Penang that is all out the window.

The hardest decision we have to make is if we will skip Kaya toast so that we can try one of the other amazing breakfast options available in this culinary wonderland.

This dish is so simple but how it is executed is everything.

Thick cut white bread is carefully toasted over a charcoal fire that crisps up the exterior while leaving the center super soft.

A light smoky flavor lingers as they spread the toast with butter prior to adding a thick layer of jam.

Kaya jam is as much a type of custard as it is a preserve, as the coconut is cooked with eggs to give it body and a creamy texture.

It is also perfumed and flavored with nutty pandan leaves. You can also get a version that subs out the kaya jam with soft boiled eggs that are seasoned with white pepper and dark soy sauce if you are in a savory mood.

When enjoying this for breakfast in Penang, definitely get a cup of hand-pulled Teh Tarik (hot tea with condensed milk) to pair up with this sweet morning treat.

Cost of Food in Penang

Penang has to be a contender for the best bang for your buck food-wise in the world.

You can get dishes for as low as one dollar that will rival the best dishes anywhere. Although portion sizes are far from what we expect back home in the United States, the value is still incredible.

The fun part is that you can try all the dishes that you came to Penang to experience without blowing up your budget.

Prices definitely vary a bit depending on if you are eating at a restaurant versus a hawker center.

How touristy the hawker or street food area is will also be a big factor in what you should expect to pay.

You will find it pretty easy to navigate the pricing as most vendors clearly post the price on their cart or stall and if that fails, don’t hesitate to ask.

• Char Kuey Teow from a hawker stall- 6.00 to 10.00 RM ($1.40 to $2.34 USD)
• Nasi Kandar from a mamak stall- 6.00 to 14.00 RM ($1.40 to $3.27 USD)
• Nasi Lemak from a hawker stall- 1.50 to 15.00 RM ($.35 to $3.51 USD)
• Hokkien Prawn Mee from a kopitiam- 5.50 to 8.00 RM ($1.29 to $1.87 USD)
• Teochew Cendol from a hawker stall-  1.85 to 7.50 RM ($.43 to $1.75 USD)

Where to Eat Street Food in Penang

Street food in Penang comes in many shapes and forms, from modern-looking food courts to pop up street fairs featuring a huge array of street food carts.

You can also find open-air restaurants that sell mostly beverages and let vendors set up up shop around the inside perimeter.

There is one piece of advice that we can give when it comes to seeking out the best food in Penang.

Don’t assume that because the restaurant is nicer and has fancy decor that it will have better food.

In fact, the best food we have had in Pulau Penang came from the most humble of setting like a Hawker center.

Hawker Centers 

This is essentially Southeast Asia’s version of a food court but with high-quality food. Most are owned and operated by individual owners or families that feature the recipes that have been passed on through the generations.

These hawker centers can consist of fixed stalls or be an assembly of carts that are consistently set up the same way.

Most of these centers are fairly large and can have as many as 40 vendors. Be ready to order something to drink as the tables are usually owned or controlled by the drink vendors loosely requiring each person to order at least one beverage.

Mamak Stalls

These casual eateries got there start from the Indian Muslim traders that had come to the region and decided to set up shop.

The offerings can vary from Nasi Kandar with over 30 different options to only serving one dish like Mee Goreng.

These places are often open 24/7 and draw late-night crowds watch sporting events on their big screens until early in the morning.

When you check out one of the places for the first time, order a hand-pulled Teh Tarik as it is the unofficial drink of the Mamak stalls.

Kopitiam 

This is the region’s version of a coffee shop with a head-spinning amount of different drinks and variations. The beverages are really fun, but the food options make these places a must-visit dining destination.

The little restaurants that are usually on the base floor of a shophouse essentially serve the majority of the food you would find at a hawker center plus a few breakfast driven items.

The perfect way to start the morning in Penang is at a Kopitiam with a glass of white coffee and a charcoal toasted bread with kaya jam and butter.

Is it Safe to Eat Street Food in Penang?

It’s inevitable that you will get some stomach discomfort when traveling. There is no way that you can be prepared for the different bacterias and other bugs that your body will encounter that are completely different from the ones back home.

If you really get unlucky, you might get food poisoning from a piece of pre-cut fruit or ordering something that has been sitting out way too long.

If you use some basic common sense and know what to look out for, you will most likely be totally fine.

The reality is that these hawker centers and street food vendors take a tremendous amount of pride and care in preparing the food they serve.

The dishes they offer are made from scratch every day from the ingredients that they purchase from the markets that morning.

They are there not only to make money for their families but to nourish the community that relies on this relatively inexpensive and delicious food.

Making people sick regularly is a sure-fire way to go out of business as no one will come back, and the local people of Penang are their bread and butter.

If you are going to travel halfway around the world to one of the best food cities in the world, it would be a shame to miss even a single meal out of fear.

Wrap-Up: Best Street Food in Penang

The second you leave the airport and grab a cab over to the island heading to Georgetown, you should already have a plan on where you are going to stop for your first meal.

Forget getting settled in and just drop your bags and go as you will regret having wasted even a single moment on anything other than eating the best street food in Penang.

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