11 Famous & Best Char Kuey Teow In Penang 2023 (With Wok Hei)

Yearning for a plate of authentic Penang char kuey teow with robust flavors and sufficient wok hei*?

*wok hei: smoky flavor released from cooking at high heat with a blackened wok

It’s a simple dish with noodles, pork lard, oysters, and bean sprouts, yet a delicious plate of char kuey teow is a god-send!

So, check out these famous char kuey teow stalls in Penang that have been in the business for years, all for excellent reasons!

Table Of Contents:

• Best Char Kuey Teow In Georgetown
• Best Char Kuey Teow In Bayan Lepas (Halal)
• Best Char Kuey Teow In Bukit Mertajam

11 Best Char Kuey Teow In Penang

Best Char Kuey Teow In Georgetown

1. Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow

Fancy having Penang famous food for lunch?

Hailed by the BBC as the “Humble King of Noodles”, Uncle Tan Chooi Hong never fails to work his magic with every plate.

Using traditional charcoal to cook the noodles, it has a heavenly flavor that’s full-bodied with a smoky aftertaste.

What’s more, each serving is cooked individually so that the taste isn’t compromised.

Just expect a crowd during peak hours, although the food is well worth the wait!

• Location: 82, Jalan Siam, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 12–6:30pm, Closed On Sunday & Monday

2. Ah Leng Char Koay Teow

Established in 1979, this generational char kuey teow store is sure to keep you coming back for more.

Go all out with the extra special char koay teow at this stall! With large, juicy prawns, creamy duck eggs and bits of crispy deep-fried pork fat!

Especially busy during lunch hour, this family business shows no sign of slowing down! This is a great stop if you’re trying to check Penang char koay teow off your bucket list of authentic local Malaysian food.

• Location: 343, Jalan Dato Keramat, Kampung Makam, 10150 George Town, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am–4pm, Closed On Wednesdays
• Contact: +6012 498 3962

They have another stall in the evening at Ayer Itam, close to Kek Lok Si temple. And that famous Penang assam laksa stall (in the same area):

• Location: Lorong Zoo 6, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily 4–8;30pm, Closed On Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
• Contact: +6012 498 3962

3. Tiger Char Koay Teow

Tiger Char Koay Teow opens early so if you can stop by here for a local Penang breakfast!

If you like your char kuey teow lighter and less burnt, head over to Tiger Char Koay Teow.

While some say it’s overrated and lacks wok hei, others swoon over the dish with extra chili and added cockles.

You can also have a choice between duck eggs or chicken eggs for your plate of char kuey teow!

Moreover, the waits here are quite short, which gives this stall another plus point!

Note: Try the lobak stall while you are here!

• Location: 179, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily 7:30am–2pm
• Contact: +6016 458 0926

4. Ah Shen Presgrave Street Famous Duck Egg Char Koay Teow

Ah Shen Presgrave St Famous Duck Egg Char Koay Teow may well be the best char kuey teow you can find in Penang at night!

For ~RM7, it makes for an affordable and delicious meal with succulent prawns, duck egg, cockles, spicy sambal, and even char siew in the mix!

Note: Taste is a bit unconventional

• Location: 67b, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily from 5pm–10pm (Closed on Thursdays)
• Contact: +6018 223 8810

5. Left-handed Char Koay Teow

Helmed by a friendly leftie uncle, he cooks up a storm with flaming flair to boot.

His flavorful char koay teow (CKT) is pork-free and stir-fried with cockles, egg, bean sprouts, chives, and prawns!

Savor succulent prawns with bits of charred meat and noodles – all rich ingredients that work perfectly well in the dish.

Originally located beside a famous cendol stall in Penang, Left-handed Char Koay Teow now claims a restaurant of his own!

Note: You can get cendol at this restaurant too!

• Location: 79-G-11, Ivory tower, Kampung Jawa Baru, Off, Jalan Dato Keramat, 10150 George Town, Penang
• Opening Hours: Daily from 11am–7pm (Closed on Wednesdays)
• Contact: +6019 394 9185

6. Ah Soon Char Koay Teow

Students from the nearby college come here to eat this yummy char kuey teow!

Founded in 1983, this outdoor café under a tree canopy started as a humble roadside stall.

The CKT here is brimming with fresh plump prawns, pork lard, bean sprouts, slivers of Chinese sausage, and cockles!

To interest their growing number of patrons, they’ve also added new dishes like Koay Teow th’ng (kuey teow noodles in soup) and fish ball soup to their repertoire of Penang delicacies.

• Location: 26, Jalan Sungai Kelian, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily from 8:30am–5pm, Closed On Tuesdays
• Contact: +6012 455 0382

7. Chulia Street Char Keow Teow

While there are tons of street food along Chulia Street, this stall truly stands out:

It’s hard not to, with a telltale long queue and the aromatic waft of charred ingredients lingering in the air.

This simple rendition of the classic Penang char kuey teow is wok-fried with chicken or duck eggs!

If that’s just the way you like your char kuey teow, Chulia Street Char Kuey Teow is perhaps one of the best in Penang town.

Note: Quality drops if there’re too many people

• Location: Chulia Street, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang
• Opening Hours: Daily 6pm–10pm

Best Char Kuey Teow In Bayan Lepas (Halal)

8. Char Kuey Teow Parit / Longkang

While it’s odd for a food stall to be associated with a drain (parit), this open–air hawker stall is still a treat.

Breezy, bright, and hygienic, this halal version of the best char kuey teow in Penang is served in a watery prawn sauce (char kuey teow basah).

Despite being soupy, it’s still aromatic and robustly fired up with enough wok hei.

Topping off this interesting twist to a traditional dish is a sunny-side-up egg!

Furthermore, pickled chili adds a hint of sour to the overall spiciness!

Note: You’ll only find this open-air stall open late at night!

• Location: Jalan Mahsuri, Bandar Bayan Baru, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily from 9pm–2am

9. Sany Char Koay Teow

Another halal char kuey teow you can try is at this open-air food court by the Penang Snake Temple.

The special sauce leans towards the sweet side, and is sold separately if you can’t get enough of it!

Be aware that it’s not your regular char kuey teow, with the egg and thick prawn broth lending a unique watery texture.

Note: Portions run small

• Location: 10, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Bandar Bayan Baru, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily 4pm–12am
• Contact: +6019-456 5493

Best Char Kuey Teow In Bukit Mertajam

10. Duck Egg Char Koay Teow (鸭蛋炒粿条)

You can still find great char kuey teow over on the mainland, for only RM6 per plate!

One fine example is this char kuey teow with fried duck egg, a generous helping of small prawns, and sufficient wok hei!

While some prefer their char kuey teow to be less oily, this charcoal-fried noodles boasts oodles of fragrance with the right balance of heat!

It is supposedly the best in Bukit Mertajam so be prepared to wait for it.

Note: This is a modest roadside stall

• Location: Jalan Pasar, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily 7pm–12am; Closed on Thursdays

11. Duck Egg Char Koay Teow (阿兴鸭蛋炒粿条)

A veteran in the business for the past 35 years, this duck egg char kuey teow is nestled inside Mei Le Hwa Coffee Shop (美麗華海鮮餐室), now named Restaurant EIGHTY SIX.

Fried with rich duck egg, silky noodles, and a sweet sauce that’s simply irresistible, it’s best savored with a sunny-side-up duck egg (hor pao tan)!

As the runny egg oozes down the noodles, you’ll get a juicy and satisfying explosion of flavors!

Note: Waiting time expected. The sifu (master chef Ah Heng) can whip up a serious fireworks display with his frying skills!

• Location: 2741, Jalan Kulim, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang
• Opening Hours: Daily 6pm–11:30pm, Closed On Mondays

Getting Around Penang With A Penang Food Tour

Penang has just too much good food to pass on!

If you would like some local insight on what to eat, where to go and even how best to order:

Go on a Penang food tour with RayTheTour!

• Comfortable transport (MPV or van)
• Free and easy itinerary from between 8 to 9am and until 6-8pm
• Knowledgeable guides from Penang
• Pick up from your hotel or anywhere else in Penang (drop off too)

Raythetour can arrange tours in Ipoh, Taiping and Cameron Highlands too!

Just contact them on WhatsApp or Facebook!

Conclusion

Don’t leave without trying the best char kuey teow in Penang! After all, it’s one of the dishes that Penang is most famous for!

The secret is the skill of the chef, a charcoal fire, or special ingredients like duck eggs or homemade sambal! Regardless, you can find great char kuey teow at literally any hour in Penang!