Hameediyah Restaurant shares free meals with the community using the traditional ‘Kandar’, showcasing Penang heritage food and local culinary traditions. Image: Hameediyah Restaurant
When people tell me I grew up eating Penang heritage food, I smile.
For me, hawker food isn’t just what we eat.
It’s who we are.
Penang Heritage Food
Penang started as a poor state, and immigrants made do with whatever simple, cheap ingredients were available.
We eat a lot of carbs, little meat, and use strong seasoning.
Many dishes were born from cooks being creative, using scraps or by-products.
Even prawn shells and bones were boiled to make soup stock for noodles.
There are too many of these dishes to record, much less to gazette.
This guide focuses on Penang heritage food that visitors can actually find and eat easily, especially around George Town and well-known hawker areas on Penang Island.
For senior Penangites, these meals aren’t just food.
They are memories, friendships, and decades of community life.
Recently, Penang’s state government gazetted 10 dishes as part of the state’s intangible cultural heritage.
It might sound formal, but to locals like me, it’s a gentle reminder.
These foods are ours, to own.
It is part of a shared history that spans generations.
Why Gazetting Matters
For those of us who grew up on the island, the food has always been part of daily life.
The gazette does not make the dishes more “Penang” overnight.
It simply acknowledges what locals have known all along.
And in Penang It is about community, not recipes.
Recipes evolve and hawkers adapt, but the heart of the hearth remains.
It is in the hands that knead dough, to make noodles.
All that chopping and cutting vegetables and stir pots and woks over high heat.
The same hands have been feeding families and the local community for decades.
Recipes evolve over time.
Some cooks swap lard for vegetable oil, and others decided to make dishes halal.
Does that make them any less Penang?
Not at all.
It is a reminder that these dishes are created by a community, for a community.
The 10 Gazetted Dishes
Let’s dive into the 10 gazetted Penang heritage foods selected by the state with some of my personal take.
In Penang, everyone has their favourite stalls, hawkers and restaurants.
Ask five locals and you will get five different answers.
It does not mean one is the best and the rest are not up to par.
It simply means they like the taste of a particular dish made by that hawker.
And if you know Penangites, you know they also lean heavily on the price.
Contents
1. Nasi Kandar
Classic Nasi Kandar at Hameediyah Restaurant, a must-try Penang heritage dish
For me and my family, the Nasi Kandar at Hameediyah takes the top spot.
We have been eating here since my grandfather brought my parents on their first date.
Opened in 1907, it is still at the same spot.
The queues do not bother me.
Along the way, I have made friends with fellow nasi kandar lovers.
This is not just food; it is decades of family history.
I may be tempted to try other stalls, but I remain a regular here.
2. Pasembor
A colorful plate of Pasembor from Kareem, a local favorite Mamak dish in Penang
Kareem Pasembor has been my go-to since 1983.
Every year, after banking errands, I make it a point to stop by.
The warung, the smells, the taste all remind me of a time when Pasembor was a weekly lunch treat.
And I was earning my humble apprentice salary.
3. Char Koay Kak (Fried Radish Cake)
Sister Yao’s signature Char Koay Kak, a beloved Chinese hawker classic in Penang
I grew up eating from the pushcart stall where Sister Yao’s father first sold this dish.
Less famous than Penang Char Koay Teow, but for me it is perfection.
Charred just right, full of flavor, with extra chai por, egg and chives.
Maybe I will go for breakfast there next week.
4. Oh Chien (Penang Oyster Omelette)
Surprisingly, it is not my favorite.
Maybe it is the oysters or the starchy texture.
I prefer the crispier Sitiawan style Oh Chien.
My first taste was so memorable that we ordered two servings back in the 1990s.
Even if it is not my top pick, it is a staple of Penang hawker heritage that you will want to check out.
5. Kerabu Bihun
The best kerabu bihun comes from Malay stalls in the wet market or my Nyonya mom.
Bihun is tossed with herbs, chilli paste, lime juice, pounded shrimp and kerisik.
Simple, tangy and unforgettable.
6. Hokkien Mee (Penang Prawn Mee)
Penang Hokkien Mee, a spicy and flavorful noodle soup popular among locals
Penang Hokkien Mee is briny and made from a stock of prawn shells that gives it an irresistible umami kick.
I remember growing up sitting on tiny stools by a stall next to the drain. It felt chaotic, alive, a little like Vietnam.
The prawn broth, the noodles, the spicy chilli paste, vinegared garlic and fried shallots make it Penang in a bowl.
My favourite stall is at New World Park.
7. Mee Udang
Mee Udang at Teluk Bayu, a must-try seafood noodle dish in Penang
I did not get my first taste of Mee Udang until 2005.
My first experience was in Sg Dua, Butterworth, with contractors.
The place was not perfect hygiene-wise, but we went back anyway.
Now I prefer the stall at Teluk Bayu.
The prawns are fresh, the flavors sharp, and it is a dish worth every trip.
8. Mee Sotong
Famous Hameed Pata Mee Sotong, a flavorful Mamak-style noodle dish in Penang
I realized that I have been a regular here since 1976.
Hameed Pata’s Mee Sotong has been my favorite all these years.
My mom and I have an unspoken rule.
If it is Hameed’s, she eats two-thirds and I get one-third.
Other stalls? Sorry, according to mom, they do not count.
9. Mee Jawa
It is hard to find a decent Mee Jawa these days.
My first taste was in CLS in the high school canteen, and that simple Malay dish became my benchmark.
This dish carries memories of school days, and I have not been able to find a stall that makes it the same way.
Maybe it was the kicap manis and vinegar that we could add liberally to our taste.
Then I realized I miss the sour and sweet taste.
10. Roti Benggali
Roti Man serving freshly made Roti Bengali and baked goodies from his tricycle
From the “roti man” to Patchee and Malia Bakery, roti benggali has been a staple since I was small.
When sliced bread became popular, we tried it, but nothing replaces freshly baked loaves.
Thick-cut roti benggali soaks up leftover curries and makes a meal on its own.
Food Is People, Not Just Plates
Hawkers are the real heartbeat of Penang heritage food.
They wake before dawn, some starting as early as 3 a.m. to prep complex broths and other ingredients.
Then they get their mobile kitchens ready and push the carts out to set up their stalls.
This is one of the reasons hawker food is so revered.
The labor begins long before customers arrive for breakfast at 7 a.m.
They do this day in and day out, all to feed families and communities.
The Barefoot Char Koay Teow Uncle Chen, 71, has been working at his stall for 36 years. Seeing his dedication really hits you. The next generation may not take up hawking, which makes it clear that preserving heritage is not just about recipes. It is about the people who bring the food to life every day.
Every stall has a story.
For me, the hawkers are like extended family members.
Some ‘scold’ you lovingly.
Others remember you from childhood.
It is not just a bowl of noodles or a plate of rice.
But rather it is decades of sweat, laughter and human connection.
Lessons for Visitors and Locals
When you visit Penang, do more than just eat.
Look beyond the plate.
These dishes are gifts from a community that welcomes you.
Showing respect to the hawkers matters.
Recipes may change over time.
Less lard, halal ingredients or modified sauces may be used.
But the essence of Penang lives in the hands that cook, the stalls that serve and the community that gather around them.
For anyone visiting Penang, this is not just a food trip.
It is stepping into decades of community, history and love.
The 10 gazetted dishes and the people behind them are the living heart of the island.
Penang heritage food is not a list or a title.
It is a way of life.
For locals and visitors alike, it is something to savor with care and respect. Please show respect and do not call us “cheap cheap cheap.”
