The hawker centres
Char kway teow, assam laksa and rojak, cooked by families who have made the same dish for three generations.
Duration
1 hr – 2 hrs
Best time
In the evening
Open
Every evening
Entry price
Free
Penang is considered Malaysia's culinary capital, and the reason is structural: each hawker stall makes one dish only, often for three generations, from a family recipe. Extreme specialisation produces the quality.
The dishes to know are char kway teow — flat noodles seared in a very hot wok — assam laksa, a tamarind fish soup, rojak and cendol. The main gatherings are Gurney Drive, New Lane and Chulia Street. Stalls close early or late depending on the dish, and many have a fixed day off.
Getting there
Gurney Drive and New Lane in the evening, Chulia Street at night. All on foot or a short ride from the historic centre.
Rules on site
Almost every stall takes cash only, in small notes. The best ones have a fixed weekly closing day: check before crossing town for a particular stall.