Where to Eat in Penang?
 

We are now in Penang for a couple days. Would love recs of where to eat. Food stalls, trucks, restaurants. Whatever you think is good. Thanks!

I'm a fan of Nyonya food. The only Nyonya restaurant that I remember the name of is Kebaya in the 7 Terraces boutique hotel. My best friend and I ate there 5 years ago. The other restaurants where I've had Nyonya food were within shopping malls, but I don't remember all of the names of them. But, below is a list.

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style...ending-chinese

I also get a lot of to-go food from Real Food in Straits Quay. It's on the first floor right after one walks into the building and directly across from the Monica Quen clothing boutique. That's the food that I order when I need some Western food and also after having been in the region for over 3 weeks and have been eating S.E. Asian food non-stop every day. Real Food has some really good food and in January 2020, I met the bread baker who sells her breads there and it was the best bread that I've had in the region. I've been going to Penang for 6 years straight now. I have the restaurant wrap me up some food and I take it back to my hotel. Plus, they usually have some really good healthy desserts if not sold out by the time I get there.

https://www.realfoodgrocer.com

There's also Nyonya Breeze Desire restaurant in Straits Quay. I haven't eaten there, but a Fodorite friend recommended it to me in Jan 2020 as he and wife eat there and also know the owner. So, since I was going to Straits Quay anyhow, I dropped by to meet the owner, but it was too late to order as they have lunch hours and dinner hours. They're on the third floor in the Straits Quay building and directly across from Subway. That day, I went downstairs to Real Food to order my food to go. But, if I'm back in Penang in Jan 2021, I will try to get to Nyonya Breeze Desire for lunch one day.

There are other restaurants, but I can't remember the names of them as some are outdoor type of hole-in-the-wall places. There's so much food in Penang until it can make one dizzy.

Happy Travels!

We love the hawker stalls along Kimberley Street and the food carts along New Lane. Georgetown is a great places for grazing! Fav dishes include Char Kway Two, Belacan Chicken. Penang is great for seafood too, esp. Chilli Crab, Teochew Oyster Omelette, Stingray grilled in Banana leaf. Love Indian food but do tend to stick to the “normal” restaurants and food courts for that. As always, we try to avoid the westernised and tourist orientated places and go where the locals go. we mainly stick to Georgetown but Gurney drive has a massive food court area which offers a more sanitised version of street food but we find it not as good and much more expensive. God I’m hungry ;)

Crellston: I know. Really good food in Penang. :) I eat a lot in mall types of settings when I'm out doing errands as I have a private driver taking me around to get things done and faster than if I had to do it on foot or in individual taxis. I've had the same driver for all 6 years. But, the new Bayan Lepas LRT line was approved last year to begin building and the building of it will start in June 2020. So, Penang will have a public transportation system which will be nice. My Malaysian friends have been talking about it for some years now.

I know of that Gurney Drive foodcourt area as I'm always in Gurney area running errands.

Happy Travels!

We loved the hawker stalls in Georgetown Penang. Frankly, I wasn't as impressed with the hawker stalls out on Gurney Drive.

Thanks,all! Last night we ate at the Chulia St night Hawker Stalls.. Wonderful food for the grand sun
of $10USD.

I have become a huge fan of Char Koay Teow. E&O does a great version for breakfast even. Want to try the oyster omelette.

Restaurant at Seven sounds like a nice possibility.

good eating in Penang, that’s for sure.

guenmai-loving E&O.

Yestravel: Great that you're loving the E&O and also eating well in Penang. :) Oh, if you want a souvenir from Penang, then at the E&O gift shop in Victory Annexe, they have pieces of the original E&O china from throughout the decades; cups, saucers, plates, etc. There are very few pieces left as I have watched them dwindle over the past 6 years and when they're all gone, that's it. I'm glad that I picked up my pieces 6 years ago and then a couple years later, my best friend was with me at the E&O and bought up a lot of pieces and loves them. So, now we own a bit of E&O history. The new china is made by a Thai company and the coloring is different. The old China was English made.

Keep having fun and eating well.

Happy Travels!

Participating in this thread caused a yearning for Malaysian food! Fortunately we happened to be staying near the coast in Suffolk, England this week and are able to source fresh oysters ? Oyster omelettes for dinner last night. Thanks for the inspiration guys!

Glad to help out. We did go to Kimberly Street for the hawker stalls. We had good chicken, satay and oyster omelette, but 2 noodle dishes that were disappointing.

“I'm a fan of Nyonya food. The only Nyonya restaurant that I remember the name of is Kebaya in the 7 Terraces boutique hotel. My best friend and I ate there 5 years ago. The other restaurants where I've had Nyonya food were within shopping malls...”
thank you for the recommendation for Seven Terraces restaurant. We ate there tonight and it was delicious. So much food and all of it wonderful.

We’re off to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

"We’re off to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow." Lucky you!

Din Tai Fung" have an outlet in the Pavillions Mall. A Taiwanese chain they serve the best Dim Sum ( recommend the pork, shrimp and soup dumplings!!) . Jalan Alor is great for outdoor Chinese , BBQ stingray and v. Cold beer.
high

For great nighttime views of the Towers head to the Skybar at Traders Hotel. We were last there with another Fodor couple, internetwiz and hubby.

We have eaten at DTF in KL and Singapore and I agree with Mr. C. Do go!

Their locations in HK and Macau have been awarded Michelin stars.

Thanks! We know internetwiz and she told us about your meet up and the view. Will go this evening. There is also a DinTai Fund 5 minutes from us so will be there too.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12b6bc369.jpeg
Dinner last night at Seven Terraces, beef in tamarind sauce.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ed0cb65d8.jpeg
Duck confit
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a8d78fe5b.jpeg
Thai scrab salad

Yestravel, our paths cross again!

Where did you stay in Penang? AT the E&O? I loved that place but was there about 35 years ago!!! There is also The Edison which looks great..

Any tips for me as far as hotels and train to Penang, if you took one??

Hi! Yes, we stayed at the E&O in March 2020 just before the world shut down. One bldg had just been redone and was getting ready to reopen, but we stayed in the more modern one which was great then, We loved it.
i dont recall where we ate. We are in Taiwan now but I can look back and see if I can remember where we ate. I’ll let you know. Whe are you goin?

This thread pre-COVID. Many restos closed, gone forever. Who cares?

“Who cares?”

I suppose yestravel and ekscrunchy do. They are exchanging information currently so it’s relevant.
Did you see that?

1. the owners of the restaurants.
2. the workers in the restaurants
3. the families of the workers and owners
4. their customers
5. anyone looking for places to eat in Penang

why some people bother posting on these forums is beyond me.

To both Crellston and Jacketwatch, a big thank you....

Have to do some thinking about this trip....keep reminding myself that while I traveled widely in the area, one ago, partner is older and has not experienced this type of travel.....so trying to find a path between totally western/touristed and too "rustic," ie...outdoor loos, no screens on windows, eating one little plastic stools...you all know the charm, and the discomfort, of that..... On other hand, do not want to be secluded in a resort with no access to warungs, or whatever they call those in Malaysia....hawker stalls??

Jakarta portion would be overseen by my relative who lives there with this family in central Jakarta. I would like to not impose on. him and so perhaps stay in a hotel nearby that has a good swimming pool (NOT chilled to icy temps)..looked at a few but have to get exact area where they live.... Any of you know Park Hyatt? Where else with great pool for swimming laps in central city....price flexible. My last time it seemed as if many hotels had chilled the pools with ice water and they were freezing..here's looking at you, Peninsula Bangkok!

No problem. Thank you too. Good luck with your planning.