Food markets, farmers markets and covered halls: where Penang shops, snacks and lunches.

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Markets to wander

Chowrasta Market ★ 4.3

Daily from about 06:30; produce floor winds down by mid-afternoon100 vendorsGeorge Town

Chowrasta Market has traded on Penang Road since the 1890s, Penang's oldest wet market, ringed by jeruk stalls selling pickled nutmeg and mango.

Go forJeruk pickled fruits, Nutmeg, Morning hawkers

TipCome before 10:00 for the wet-market floor; the pickled-fruit shops along the Jalan Penang frontage stay open later.

Pulau Tikus Market ★ 4.2

Wet market daily 06:00-12:00; hawker centre daily 16:00-22:0060 vendorsPulau Tikus

Pulau Tikus Market runs a dawn wet market that hands over to an evening hawker centre, the two-shift engine of Penang's most food-proud suburb.

Go forMorning hawkers, Fresh produce, Curry mee

TipDo the 07:00 shift: market hawkers sell out by mid-morning, then return at dusk for the second sitting.

Campbell Street Market ★ 4.0

Mornings daily; stalls line Carnarvon Street from Chulia Street southward40 vendorsGeorge Town

Campbell Street Market fills a Victorian hall from about 1900, likely George Town's oldest market building, with stalls spilling down Carnarvon Street.

Go forFresh produce, Curry mee, Heritage architecture

TipThe curry mee stall outside the hall is the local pick; pair the market with the Campbell Street shophouse walk.

Air Itam Market ★ 4.4

Daily from early morning; laksa and duck-rice stalls run into the evening50 vendorsAir Itam

Air Itam Market crowds the lanes under Kek Lok Si temple, the Penang wet market whose surrounding laksa and duck-rice stalls justify the trip.

Go forAssam laksa, Duck rice, Wet market produce

TipEat the famous laksa by the market steps, then queue for the duck rice from 15:30; both are Air Itam rituals.

Batu Ferringhi Night Market ★ 3.7

Nightly from 19:0080 vendorsBatu Ferringhi

Batu Ferringhi Night Market strings stalls along the beach road nightly from 19:00, Penang's pasar malam of grills, satay and souvenir haggling.

Go forNight market snacks, Souvenirs, Beach-strip dinner

TipHaggling is expected on goods but not on food; eat at the satay and grilled-seafood stalls at the strip's west end.

Medan Renong Padang Kota Lama ★ 4.0

Evenings from about 18:00, stalls run to 22:00 or later40 vendorsGeorge Town

Medan Renong lines the Esplanade seafront by Fort Cornwallis with evening hawker stalls, Penang's Malay-food court with a Michelin-listed tom yum.

Go forMalay hawker food, Green tom yum, Seafront dining

TipGhee Lian's green tom yum at Lot 39 is the star turn; take a sea-wall table and order pasembur alongside.

Markets: tours, tastings and classes in Penang

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