These great restaurants in Penang make up most of the dining scene on the island. Food-lovers are well-catered for in Penang – after all, the island is best known for its reputation as the country's unofficial food capital. The dining scene has reached international heights, with several top-notch eateries concentrated around George Town and Batu Ferringhi.
On an island where most people used to pick up street food to finish off a day's work, you can find efficient service deserving of gold stars and interior design designed to impress even the most seasoned gourmet travellers. Read on for ideas on where to eat in Penang and what to try.
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Kebaya Dining Room
Fine Indochinese dishes in beautiful settings
- Food
- Luxury
Kebaya Dining Room at Seven Terraces in Penang is a great place to sample fine heritage cuisine in beautiful settings. The interior design has white mosaic tile floors, intricately carved wooden antique Peranakan furniture, and pots of fuchsia and white orchids.
When it comes to the food, the menu is a marriage of classic Indochinese and Peranakan dishes infused with unexpected flavour by French cooking techniques. Must-tries include the popiah taco to start with, then the gulai (curry) chicken or tamarind glazed beef for mains. Seafood lovers can go for the charcoal-grilled seabass topped with sambal chilli jam.
Location: Seven Terraces, 14A, Stewart Lane, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Monday–Friday from 6 pm to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2.30 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm
Phone: +60 (0)4-261 8888
Map - 2
Restaurant Blanc Penang
Fine dining inside a mansion
- Food
- Luxury
Restaurant Blanc Penang at the Macalister Mansion puts out a menu of French haute cuisine that’s robustly flavoured and artfully presented. The menu changes bi-monthly, though diners can always expect the best with a kitchen committed to creating culinary masterpieces using classic techniques.
The decor at Restaurant Blanc Penang is pure colonial couture. It has all-white furniture accented by a giant faux white tree in the centre of the room, flanked by a sky-blue stag and soft pink deer. Its set degustation menu features Hokkaido scallop with truffle potato mousseline or New Zealand langoustine with Hollandaise sauce, as well as Iberico pork or Tokushima A5 Wagyu for mains.
Location: 228 Jalan Macalister, 10400 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 7 pm to 11 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +60 (0)4-228 3888
Map - 3
Orinea by Farquhar Mansion
Excellent French cuisine in George Town
- Couples
- Food
- Luxury
Orinea by Farquhar Mansion is a great option for affluent travellers looking to savour French haute cuisine in Penang. This fine-dining restaurant occupies a colonial-era mansion with elegant decor, velvet cushions, and glittering chandeliers.
It has 2 dining sections, with the ground floor catered for walk-in diners while the upper floor is reserved for Farquhar Mansion’s exclusive Royal and Nobleman members. 5-course chef's tasting menus, an extensive ala carte menu, and a wine list are available at Orinea by Farquhar Mansion. Standout dishes include the seared foie gras, pistachio-crusted lamb rack, and the flourless Valrhona chocolate mousse cake.
Location: 68-18-1, Sunrise Gurney, Gurney Dr, 10250 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 6 pm to 10 pm, Friday–Sunday from 3 pm to 10 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +60 (0)19-528 8933
Map - 4
ThirtyTwo at The Mansion
Family-friendly restaurant in George Town
- Families
- Food
ThirtyTwo at The Mansion is a glorious recreation of an Anglo-Indian restaurant at the northeastern tip of Penang. The restaurant is on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in central George Town. The graceful and elegant seaside manor, which is done up in 1920s colonial style, offers fine dining that largely falls under the classic Asian or French haute cuisine category.
Among its standout dishes are a slow-cooked lamb shank and barbecued beef ribs. Chef recommendations include bbq chicken, bisque soup and sticky toffee pudding. ThirtyTwo at The Mansion's overall setup is great for families and small groups.
Location: 32, Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Daily from noon to 3 pm and from 7 pm to 8 pm
Phone: +60 (0)4-262 2232
Map - 5
Feringgi Grill
Fine dining in Batu Ferringhi
- Food
Feringgi Grill at Shangri La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa serves fine contemporary fusion cuisine done with classic cooking techniques. It's a nice place to go on a date due to its refined vibe and dress code. There’s often a piano player providing live tunes to accompany your meal.
A standout from the menu is the juicy steak Diane. It’s flambéed with Cognac table-side, set on a bed of smooth mushroom sauce, and served with soft gratin potatoes and crunchy vegetables.
Location: Shangri-La Rasa’s Sayang Resort, Mezzanine Level, Rasa Wing Lobby, Batu Feringgi Beach, Kampung Tanjung Huma, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Daily from 8 am to 10.30 am and from 6.30 pm to 8 pm
Map - 6
Spice Market Cafe
Flavours from around the globe
- Food
Spice Market Café at Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa in Penang features charming, rustic and creative interior design and serves cuisine from all around the globe. The informal buffet-style restaurant presents Baba Nyonya, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai and western cuisine.
Spice Market Café hosts regular traditional musical performances. You can choose to sit indoors or out on timber decks overlooking the gorgeous sandy beach of Batu Ferringhi.
Location: Shangri-La Rasa's Sayang Resort & Spa, Beach Garden Wing, Batu Feringgi Beach, Kampung Tanjung Huma, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Daily from 8 am to 8 pm
Map - 7
Suffolk House Restaurant
Family dining in a heritage landmark
- Food
- History
Suffolk House Restaurant offers a dining experience in one of Penang's most important heritage landmarks. Set along Jalan Ayer Itam, it's housed inside a 200-year old Anglo-Indian garden house that also serves as an arts and culture museum.
Suffolk House Restaurant doubles as a fine-dining restaurant with an award-winning kitchen presenting an array of western dishes with Asian influences. The decor, with gilded mirrors, chandeliers, oil paintings and Georgian screen windows, is designed to highlight its colonial heritage.
Location: 250, Jalan Air Hitam, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Daily from 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: +60 (0)4-228 3930
Map - 8
Beach Blanket Babylon
A seaside bar and bistro house
- Food
- Nightlife
Beach Blanket Babylon is an upmarket bar and bistro and a popular lunchtime spot among Penangites. Fronting the sea, it occupies a heritage mansion with beautifully manicured lawns on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. The menu may be limited but the food is satisfying and delicious.
Start with cream of mushroom soup, followed by char-grilled rosemary chicken with black pepper sauce for the main dish. If you're in the mood for local specialities, the laksa lemak (creamy noodle dish) is an especially popular choice.
Location: 32, Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Daily from noon to midnight
Phone: +60 (0)4-262 2232
Mapphoto by Andrea Mann (CC BY 2.0) modified
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Mews Cafe
Casual and laidback dining on Muntri Street
- Food
Mews Cafe is a dining and chill-out spot in George Town that might remind you of an Australian beach cafe. It offers a lengthy menu of food packed with flavour and down-to-earth inventiveness. Food comes in elaborate and generously-sized servings. Don't forget to check out the seasonal blackboard specials at this vibrant bistro.
Among Mews Cafe's most popular dishes include tender chicken tikka with spicy curry sauce, served with a side of savoury eggplant salad and crispy pappadam. The creamy spicy smoked duck pasta and beef lasagne are also worth checking out.
Location: 77, Muntri St, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Open: Daily from noon to 9 pm
Phone: +60 (0)4-263 6125
Map