10 budget eating worth the trip across Malaysia, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Malaysia guides.
Roti Canai Transfer Road ★ 4.4 · Penang
george-town · 110 Jalan Transfer, 10050 George Town, Penang
Roti Canai Transfer Road has flipped flaky flatbread at its roadside stall for around half a century, Penang's definitive curry-flooded breakfast.
Tip: Ask for banjir, flooded with curry, and add a curried egg; go before 11:00 because the gravy pots empty first.
Super Star Koay Teow Soup ★ 4.3 · Penang
george-town · 78 Lebuh Kimberley, 10100 George Town, Penang
Super Star Koay Teow Soup has run its Kimberley Street cart since 1960, a third-generation Bib Gourmand bowl that keeps Penang dinners under RM10.
Tip: The braised chicken feet are the sleeper order; get them as a side even if the koay teow soup is your main.
New Lane Hawker Centre ★ 4.3 · Penang
george-town · Lorong Baru, off Jalan Macalister, 10400 George Town, Penang
New Lane Hawker Centre lines Lorong Baru with twenty-odd evening stalls, the after-dark hawker parade Penang locals rate above the seafront rows.
Tip: Start with the chee cheong fun and koay kak carts near the Macalister end, then work down the lane as it fills.
Ah Boy Koay Teow Th'ng ★ 4.2 · Penang
george-town · 1 Lebuh Clarke, 10050 George Town, Penang
Ah Boy Koay Teow Th'ng simmers chicken and pork-bone broth on Lebuh Clarke, a second-generation Bib Gourmand breakfast from RM5.50 in Penang.
Tip: Try the dry-tossed version with the soup on the side; the springy tendon balls are the add-on worth the ringgit.
Joo Hooi Cafe ★ 4.2 · Penang
george-town · 475 Jalan Penang, 10000 George Town, Penang
Joo Hooi Cafe packs char koay teow, assam laksa, lor bak and duck bee hoon into one corner kopitiam on Penang Road, a full hawker crawl per table.
Tip: Seats are scarce at lunch; claim a marble table with a drink order first, then collect dishes stall by stall.
Goh Thew Chik Hainan Chicken Rice ★ 4.2 · Penang
george-town · 338A-338B Lebuh Chulia, 10200 George Town, Penang
Goh Thew Chik has carved Hainanese chicken on Chulia Street for over 70 years, Penang's old-guard benchmark for every newer chicken-rice shop.
Tip: The house chilli sauce is the differentiator; ask for extra and spoon it over the chicken-oil rice, not the meat.
Penang Famous Samosa ★ 4.2 · Penang
little-india · 45 Lebuh Queen, 10200 George Town, Penang
Penang Famous Samosa fries mutton, chicken, sardine and vegetable parcels at pocket-money prices on Queen Street, Little India's Michelin-listed snack stop.
Tip: The mutton samosa is the flagship; grab a mixed bag and eat them hot walking Little India's sari row.
Sri Weld Food Court ★ 4.0 · Penang
george-town · 19 Lebuh Pantai, 10300 George Town, Penang
Sri Weld Food Court feeds Beach Street's office crowd from a shaded row of stalls, the weekday Penang lunch defined by Ali's nasi lemak queue.
Tip: Come before 13:00 on weekdays; the beef koay teow and deep-fried tofu make the best supporting order.
Ee Beng Vegetarian Food ★ 3.9 · Penang
george-town · 20 Lebuh Dickens, 10050 George Town, Penang
Ee Beng Vegetarian Food fills trays with meat-free economy rice on Lebuh Dickens, the pay-per-scoop buffet Penang's vegetarians rely on daily.
Tip: Prices are per item, so load vegetables and one mock meat; the sweet and sour rolls go fastest at lunch.
Gurney Drive Hawker Centre ★ 3.8 · Penang
gurney-drive · Persiaran Gurney, 10250 George Town, Penang
Gurney Drive Hawker Centre gathers the seafront's night stalls into a covered court off Persiaran Gurney, Penang's most tourist-friendly hawker hit.
Tip: Peak service runs 19:00 to 21:00 when every stall is firing; locals rate New Lane higher, but the rojak here holds up.