Top 10 Best Places To Eat In Penang, Malaysia

best restaurants in penang
Diana
Diana 
Updated
| 3 min read

Penang is one of the most visited states in Malaysia, and we can definitely see why! It’s considered one of the most diverse cities in Malaysia, with people of different races, living in harmony. However, one of the main draws to the state is its variety of food. Gastronomes love to patronise this island for its wide repertoire of foods, ranging from the local satay, char koay teow to Western dishes and more! It’s a city that has easily merged the old and the new, the east and the west in its cuisine and street foods. So check out just a small fraction of the best restaurants and cafes in Penang!

Read on to find out about the top 10 places to eat in Penang, Malaysia:

1. Try the Living Room Cafe Bar & Gallery

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

More living room fun Ben Loh Peter Curran Steve Hall Gordon Adams

Posted by Paula Valentine on Saturday, March 5, 2016

The Living Room Cafe Bar & Gallery serves Asian fusion food, such as barbequed pork ribs, red, sizzling prawns, Thai style chicken, local nasi goreng, or fried rice, satay, salt ‘n’ pepper squid and their nonya kapitan curry. Other dishes include their house beef burger, Penang fried 'koay teow’ and don’t forget the fish 'n’ chips.

You can dine here for breakfast, dinner, lunch or after-hours and there is free WiFi, too. Facilities include a full bar, highchairs and outdoor seating. It serves alcohol and is wheelchair-friendly.

Living Room Cafe Bar & Gallery

Address: 43-C Batu Ferringhi 11100 Penang

Facebook: Living Room Cafe Bar & Gallery

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2. Savour affordable food at Foong Wei Chinese Restaurant at Sri Bahari

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Foong Wei Chinese Restaurant is famous for its affordability, without compromising quality. It is especially well known for its seafood soup, rich in crab meat, fish maw and julienned shiitake mushrooms. The delectable cod in a scallion sauce is another favourite as is the Pomfret, cooked in two styles: fried and battered with bones in and sauteed and sliced, with vegetables.

Foong Wei Chinese Restaurant

Address: 25, Jalan Sri Bahari, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang

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3. Tek Sen Restaurant

Tek Sen Restaurant , Penang Malaysia (11804387983)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Clay Gilliland used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Tek Sen Restaurant serves authentic Chinese food, like braised bean curd with prawns and garnished with spring onions, fried fish in tomato sauce, vinegar and pineapple cubes and curry Assam fish with ladies’ fingers. Check it out and savour it, yourself.

Tek Sen Restaurant

Address: 18, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Facebook: Tek Sen Restaurant

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4. Taste delectable seafood at Zheng Xian Ge Restaurant

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Posted by Zheng Xian Ge on Saturday, March 26, 2022

Zheng Xian Ge Restaurant is well known for its authentic scallops, cooked in a stainless steel steamer. Furthermore, there is also other seafood dishes, like baby lobster, crayfish, crabs and prawns, cooked in a clay pot. The seafood is sumptuous here and there is a wide variety of dishes to choose from.

Zheng Xian Ge Restaurant

Address: A-3-1 Vantage Jalan Desiran Tanjung, 10470 Tanjung Tokong, Penang

Facebook: Zheng Xian Ge Restaurant

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Penang Tour Guide

Vincent Fong

Vincent Fong

I am a licensed tourist guide of Malaysia specialising in the English language, though I am also able to communicate in the Chinese dialects of Mandarin, Cantonese, Taishanese, Hokkien and my country's national language of Malay. I do all tours inbound of Penang island such as walking tours, food tours, drive tours, historical tours, hill & temples, etc. I am a tourist guide with passion and I love talking with people from all walks of life. I hope to be your guide when you come to Penang.

Tours by Vincent

Penang Tour Guide

Ang Chin Boon

Ang Chin Boon

Hello...I am ANG. Licenced Tourist Guide by Ministry of Tourism Malaysia. I was born and raised in George Town, Penang. I just love Guiding !I have been actively doing guiding all these years. Drive my guests to interesting places in Penang Island, Sharing my knowledges & experiences of George Town. I wish their trip becomes story worth sharing.Will you be one of my esteemed guests ?

Tours by Ang

Penang Tour Guide

Hon Seng Phuah

Hon Seng Phuah

Hello. I am Hon Seng Phuah from Penang. I am a freelance tourist guide since 2013. My tour service includes Penang around island and George Town heritage walking tours. You may experience the Penang multi-culture and best foods like Penang assam laksa, nyonya cuisine, nasi kandar and to name a few, traditional business activities, colonial buildings, modern living city and last least the greenery mountain, Penang Hill. Airports transfer can also be arranged.

Tours by Hon seng

Penang Tour Guide

Jenny Wan Kim Lim

Jenny Wan Kim Lim

Hey there, I'm Jenny, your go-to guide for unforgettable adventures in Taiwan and Malaysia! Born in vibrant Penang and with Tainan as my second home, I've been sharing my passion for exploration for the past 7 years as a licensed tour guide. Guiding isn't just a job for me—it's my calling. Nothing beats the thrill of unveiling hidden gems, introducing you to mouthwatering local delicacies, and crafting unforgettable experiences. Seeing the joy on my clients' faces as they discover new sights and flavors fills me with happiness. So, whether you're craving cultural immersion or seeking out off-the-beaten-path treasures, I'm here to make your journey unforgettable. Let's embark on an adventure together and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Penang Tour Guide

Beth Chong

Beth Chong

My interest in travel started from childhood and when I was a teenager, I went for my first solo backpacking trip to Paris and London. It resulted in my working in the Tourism Industry and eventually becoming a nationally licensed Tourist Guide of Malaysia. I managed to go to almost to every corner of my country and now, have become a trainer of Tourist Guides imparting knowledge and experience to the new guides. I want to share and provide local experiences to travellers who come to Penang. Being from the Baba Nyonya community, I had the privilege of learning how to prepare their delicacies from young. Partaking in the cuisine is definitely part of the local experience. With my years of being a heritage and cultural guide as well as a nyonya who cooks, I hope to share an inside look into my culture, taste and memories.

5. Tai Tong Restaurant

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Deep Fried cempedak

Posted by Tai Tong Restaurant on Friday, July 19, 2013

Tai Tong Restaurant serves scrumptious dim sum, in a plethora of mini dishes. There are ‘har kau’ or prawn dumplings, fish balls, 'siew mai’ or pork dumplings, fried carrot cake, steamed prawns wrapped in hor fun skin with scallion sauce, char siew covered in yam paste and deep fried, and Chinese tea, like teh Kuan Yin, puh-er, jasmine, oolong tea and more.

Tai Tong Restaurant

Address: 45, Lebuh Cintra, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Facebook: Tai Tong Restaurant

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6. Andrew's Kampung Restaurant

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

ANDREW KAMPUNG Phase 2 12pm-9pm : : Nyonya ...

Posted by Andrew Kampung Restaurant on Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Located in Ayer Itam, Andrew’s Kampung Restaurant serves delicious Kapitan chicken curry in a glass bowl, steamed grouper in a savoury Siam style sauce, fried belacan chicken and the ubiquitous ‘char koay teow’, amongst a list of other delightful dishes.

Andrew's Kampung Restaurant

Address: 2nd Floor, Eden Parade, Jalan Sungai Emas, Kawasan Perumahan Sungai Emas, 11100 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang

Facebook: Andrew’s Kampung Restaurant

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7. Kuih Nyonya Moh Teng Pheow

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Yummy yummy food.. Authentic Food

Posted by Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay & Canteen on Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Kuih Nyonya Moh Teng Pheow sells pulut inti, wrapped in banana leaves, kuih lapis, kuih bengka, kuih talam, kuih kosui, pie tee, curry puffs, spring rolls, served with tea or coffee and finally laksa and the local favourite nasi lemak.

Kuih Nyonya Moh Teng Pheow

Address: Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Facebook: Kuih Nyonya Moh Teng Pheow

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8. Ivy's Nyonya Cuisine

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Pre Order FATHER’S Day Special NOW! Order by 15th June entitled Free Delivery and one Free Pajeri Pineapple (worth...

Posted by Ivy's Nyonya Cuisine on Friday, May 28, 2021

Located in the heart of Georgetown, Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine offers a succulent burst of flavours, with their Assam prawns, Jiu Hu Char, Assam fish curry with lady’s fingers, acar ikan masin, sambal petai, besides other authentic Nonya Peranakan foods. The owner is friendly, too, and by word of mouth, this restaurant is highly recommended by diners.

Ivy's Nyonya Cuisine

Address: 58, Jalan Chow Thye, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Facebook: Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine

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9. Kebaya Restaurant

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

This week Kebaya Dining Room Takeaway/ Delivery Special. Serves up to 3 pax at RM170. Reorder and exchange your tiffin...

Posted by Kebaya Dining Room on Friday, October 15, 2021

Kebaya Restaurant has a lovely, renovated ambience that is a marriage of old colonial style, with a modern twist. The food is just as good as the surroundings. It is an upmarket restaurant, catered to fine dining in Penang.

Kebaya Restaurant

Address: 2-16, Stewart Lane, 10200 George Town, Penang

Website: Kebaya Restaurant

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10. Jawi House Cafe & Gallery

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Coffee, tea or MEE REBUS??? A nostalgic Jawi Peranakan favourite sure to win the hearts of your mother in law. Noodles...

Posted by Jawi House Cafe Gallery on Friday, January 22, 2021

Jawi House Cafe & Gallery serves awesome cucur udang, or prawns fried in batter, onions with beancurd, with slices of cucumber and peanut sauce on the side. It is a wholesome meal by itself. Other dishes include pizza and blue rice, naturally coloured by morning glory flowers.

Jawi House Cafe & Gallery

Address: 85 Lebuh Armenian, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.

Website: Jawi House Cafe & Gallery

Further Read: 17 Best Street food places in Ipoh you must try

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Glorious food in Penang!

Gurney drive food court
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Drhtgoon used under CC0

This list of top ten places to eat In Penang is not exhaustive. There are many more hidden gems, in obscure places - you just need to hunt around for the next best cafe, should you visit Penang to feast on its local flavours. Penang is famous for its food, not only throughout Asia but around the world. Its restaurants and street food have made the list in Lonely Planet, as one of the top food destinations. Ranging from local Nonya Peranakan food to fusion and continental dishes, Penang has it all as a foodie paradise.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Diana is a formidable travel writer, a virtuoso in her pursuit of uncovering the world's most enchanting locales. With a discerning eye and a masterful command of narrative, she breathes life into...Read more

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