Malaysian$george-townWed-Sun 07:00-13:30; closed Mon-Tue
Kheng Pin Cafe is the morning kopitiam on Jalan Penang whose loh bak stall, five-spice pork rolls fried in beancurd skin, draws half of George Town.
Signature: Loh bak, Wanton mee
Tip: Claim a table with drinks first, then order loh bak from one stall and wanton mee from another; come in the morning, it winds down by 13:30.
Peranakan$george-townMon-Tue, Sat-Sun 09:00-15:30; Thu-Fri 08:30-15:30; closed Wed
Rasa Rasa keeps daytime hours on Chulia Street Ghaut, pairing pandan nasi lemak sets with Bib Gourmand prices rare even by Penang standards.
Signature: Pandan nasi lemak combo, Nyonya kuih
Tip: It is a lunch room, not a dinner one; come before 14:30 and add the day's kuih to whatever combo you order.
Malaysian$george-townDaily 00:00-24:00, open 24 hours
Line Clear Nasi Kandar has ladled curry down its famous alley off Jalan Penang since the 1940s, Penang's round-the-clock nasi kandar rite of passage.
Signature: Nasi kandar with ayam ros, Sotong curry
Tip: Point at three curries and let them flood the rice; the mixed gravy, called banjir, is the whole point here.
Malaysian$george-townOpens midday daily; the queue forms before opening and curries sell down by late evening
Deens Maju is the nasi kandar Penang locals queue for, a midday-opening Jalan Gurdwara canteen where the ayam goreng line often wraps the block.
Signature: Ayam goreng nasi kandar, Bendi curry
Tip: The queue moves faster than it looks; go earlier in the service for the full spread of curries before favourites sell out.
Malaysian$george-townDaily 10:00-22:00
Hameediyah has served nasi kandar on Campbell Street since 1907 and holds the Malaysia Book of Records listing as the country's oldest, a Penang icon.
Signature: Murtabak, Kari ayam nasi kandar
Tip: Order the murtabak from the front griddle plus one curry over rice; the air-conditioned annexe a few doors down has seats.
Indian$george-townDaily 00:00-24:00, open 24 hours
Restoran Kapitan keeps its tandoors lit around the clock at the Chulia Street corner, four decades into serving Penang's benchmark claypot briyani.
Signature: Claypot chicken briyani, Tandoori chicken with naan
Tip: The claypot briyani takes time; order it before your tandoori so both land together, and finish with almond milk.