GEORGE TOWN, April 17 — Twelve years ago, we ran a piece in the print edition of Malay Mail about where to find great street food in Penang, every hour of the day.
That’s right. Twenty-four hours. Twenty-four stops. It was a winding, filling trek of truly epic proportions.
Inspired by that, here is a shorter version centred around George Town, all within a five-kilometre radius on the fringes of the heritage zone.
Lum Lai’s soothing duck meat ‘koay teow th’ng’ (left). Hokkien mee at Bridge Street Prawn Noodle, with pork ribs (right).
7am: Barefoot Char Koay Teow and Lum Lai Duck Meat Koay Teow Th’ng at Pasar Lebuh Cecil
Morning is the best time to visit any market, and that’s especially true of the Cecil Street Market.
And what better way to start a day of eating in Penang than with char koay teow?
The old man at Barefoot Char Koay Teow is still frying up a smoky storm of noodles over a charcoal flame, and yes, he is still doing it with his feet bare for all the world to see. Who let the dogs out?
On the other side of the market, Lum Lai’s koay teow th’ng is a decades-old love letter to the soul-soothing properties of a simple bowl of koay teow in soup, elevated by the rich flavours of duck and pork.
Its popularity has only increased since being named in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand selection for 2025, so it’s best to get here early.
24, Lebuh Cecil,
George Town, Penang
Barefoot Char Koay Teow: Open Friday to Wednesday, 6.30am-3.30pm
Lum Lai Duck Meat Koay Teow Th’ng: Open daily, 7am-5pm
8am: Bridge Street Prawn Noodle
Just 850 metres and a 12-minute walk away is Penang’s other iconic noodle dish, Hokkien mee, otherwise known as prawn noodles to the rest of us not from around here.
The broth balances the sweet, savoury complexity of shrimp with a gentle chilli heat. A bowl comes topped with slices of shrimp, boiled egg and a generous handful of aromatic fried shallots. You can also add pork ribs for a touch of extra sweetness, as I did.
533, Lebuh Pantai
George Town, Penang
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 7am-2.30pm
Fried fish ‘bee hoon’ with a one-of-a-kind sauce at Kedai Kopi Goh Chew.
9am: Fried fish bee hoon at Kedai Kopi Goh Chew
This gem was so unique that it warranted a return in this list, too. Twelve years on, the stall is still serving up thick hunks of battered and deep-fried sea bass and prawns, economy bee hoon and that one-of-a-kind sauce.
Fried fish with bee hoon is a common dish around the island, but their sauce, a chunky brown paste rich with aromatics like shallots, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf, is the standout highlight.
45, Lorong Baru,
George Town, Penang
Open Wednesday to Monday, 8.30am-11.30am
Sister Yao’s Char Koay Kak still operates on the side of the road.
10am: Sister Yao’s Char Koay Kak
Here is a satisfying paper plate of rice cakes, egg, bean sprouts and preserved radish, fried until thoroughly singed and teeming with wok hei.
The previous list featured the famous stall on Kimberley Street, but that has since ceased operations.
Sister Yao’s has been around since 1963 and is more popular than ever after landing in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand selection.
Though it is a roadside stall, you can eat in Kedai Kopi Seow Fong Lye right next door. Just make sure you order a drink. Don’t be that kind of customer.
96, Lorong Macalister,
George Town, Penang
Open Friday to Tuesday, 7am to noon
A snacking detour: Lai Yoke Kee makes some of the best ‘bak kwa’ you’ll ever try.
11am: Snacking intermission with ‘bak kwa’ at Lai Yoke Kee
This small family-run business does one thing and one thing only: make great bak kwa, which comes either hand-sliced or minced.
A chef friend of mine who’s a Penang native recommended them to me, describing it as “the greatest bak kwa in the world”.
Between the smoky, caramelised but ultimately dry — none of this sticky, saccharine nonsense — hand-sliced pieces, of which the charred, crispy burnt ends are the best part, and the soft, fatty, almost creamy texture of its minced counterpart, I’m inclined to agree.
A word of advice: they will only sell you small, limited quantities. Do not try to haggle — they won’t budge because they don’t make much.
90, Jalan Pintal Tali,
George Town, Penang
Open Monday to Saturday, 8am-1pm
Expect a wait at No. 5 Char Koay Teow, as the chef cooks each plate individually, to order.
Noon to 2pm: No. 5 Char Koay Teow
You’ll notice this entry comes with a two-hour slot. That’s because if you arrive anytime after noon, you can expect to wait up to an hour for your char koay teow.
But sir, you ask, there’s already another char koay teow on this list — why another one?
Dear reader, allow me to explain. This was, hands down, one of the best plates of char koay teow I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying.
It was slick, smokey, full of wok hei and bursting with umami. Get it with duck egg and it turns lush and creamy.
Worth every bit of the wait — even the rigid system that sees each plate fired individually, to order.
Grab a table. Then go up to the stall — not to order, but to collect a beeper. That’s your place in the queue.
When it finally goes off, you head back up and place your order. By that point, you’d better know what you want.
You have the choice to add flower crab, mantis prawn and the lot, but the duck egg is all you need.
Forty minutes passes, which is plenty of time to recover from a morning of snacking, just in time for a masterful plate of char koay teow.
And don’t call me sir.
94, Jalan Macalister,
George Town, Penang
Open Monday to Friday, Noon to 10pm
Unwind with ‘the best capati in town’ at MAJ — Restoran Haji Kamal.
3pm: MAJ – Restoran Haji Kamal
Afternoon tea is the perfect time to slow things down, so why not snack on the “best capati in town”, as proudly declared on the sign at Restoran Haji Kamal?
The flatbread is made fresh to order, so you can sit under the rustic patio and enjoy a cup of teh tarik while waiting.
Light, fluffy and fragrant with the aroma of toasted wheat, the thin pieces of capati are best enjoyed torn up and dipped into some chicken curry.
47, Lebuh Ah Quee,
George Town, Penang
Open Monday to Saturday, 8am-6.30pm
Boey Chong Kee is a timeless Cantonese ‘dai chow’ with traditional preparations of dishes like sweet and sour pork (left). The day ends on a satisfying note with Deens Maju Nasi Kandar (right).
5.30pm: Boey Chong Kee Restaurant
It’s dinner time, and this distinctly Cantonese dai chow is a relic from a time before, tucked away in the People’s Court flats off Lebuh Campbell.
Cantonese food is far more common in the Klang Valley than it is in Penang, but this family-run, timeless gem is worth seeking out for old-school preparations of classics like sweet and sour pork, stir-fried beef with ginger and spring onions, and stir-fried egg with glass noodles and carrots — a dish often referred to as “fried sharks’ fin” for the way the noodles resemble the real thing.
C-6, People’s Court,
off Lebuh Campbell,
George Town, Penang
Open Wednesday to Monday, 5.30-8.30pm
8.30pm: Deens Maju Nasi Kandar
The portions at Boey Chong Kee are… restrained, to say the least, so second dinner is almost definitely in order.
Deens Maju doesn’t stay open into the wee hours, which is why the final stretch before closing at 10pm is always steady with foot traffic.
All sorts walk in here — young families, tourists, office workers, labourers, security guards — everyone comes for a hearty plate of nasi kandar, Penang’s iconic “working man’s meal”, ideally drenched in kuah campur banjir style.
The air is warm, the mood unhurried, and as the shutters ease down and the last few trays of fried chicken disappear, you’ll know the day of eating has ended exactly as it should.
170, Jalan Gurdwara,
George Town, Penang
Open Saturday to Thursday, Noon to10pm
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
