Penang's Hokkien mee is a deep-red prawn broth over yellow and rice noodles, topped with prawns, pork slices, egg and crisp shallots, chilli paste on the side.
Brought by Hokkien immigrants who wasted nothing, the soup extracts its colour and sweetness from prawn heads and shells pounded and simmered with pork bones. In Penang the name Hokkien mee means this prawn soup, while Kuala Lumpur uses the same name for black fried noodles, a divide locals police fiercely. Presgrave Street's 888 stall has kept its version to the 30-year mark, and morning stalls like Bridge Street serve it as a breakfast rather than a supper.
2 editor picks for Hokkien mee (prawn mee) in Penang, ranked by editorial score. All Penang signature dishes · Hokkien mee (prawn mee) across every city.
888 Hokkien Mee ★ 4.4
jelutong · 67-A Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Penang
888 Hokkien Mee has stirred its deep-red prawn broth on Lebuh Presgrave for 30 years, the evening bowl that anchors Penang's Hokkien mee argument.
Bridge Street Prawn Noodle ★ 4.3
george-town · 533 Lebuh Pantai, 10300 George Town, Penang
Bridge Street Prawn Noodle serves its Bib Gourmand Hokkien mee mornings only at the far end of Beach Street, Penang's old-time daybreak bowl.