Best Char Kuey Teow In Penang

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 godsend!

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

Char Kuey Teow By Area:

Best Char Kuey Teow In George Town

1. Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow

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

The Famous Mouth Watering Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow In Penang
The Famous Mouth Watering Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow In Penang – photo credits to crappysotong (Instagram)

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

Uncle Tan At His Stall (Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow)
Uncle Tan At His Stall (Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow) – photo credits to crappysotong (Instagram)

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!

Note:

  • There’s more seating area since the renovation in 2018
  • Shorter queue after 1:30pm

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!

Ah Leng Char Koay Teow
Ah Leng Char Koay Teow – photo credits to chasing320 (Instagram)

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 char koay teow off your bucket list.

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.

Tiger Char Koay Teow In Penang
Tiger Char Koay Teow In Penang – photo credits to cweizhi (Instagram)

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!

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 that you can find in Penang at night!

Ah Shen Presgrave Street Charcoal Duck Egg Char Koay Teow
Ah Shen Presgrave Street Charcoal Duck Egg Char Koay Teow
Ah Shen Presgrave St Famous Duck Egg Char Koay Teow
Ah Shen Presgrave St Famous Duck Egg Char Koay Teow – photo is from the official Facebook Page

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

5. Heng Kee Presgrave Street Char Koay Teow Stall

The char kuay teow at Presgrave Street Corner Heng Kee Char Koay Teow 三条路炒粿条 next door to Ah Shen Presgrave St Famous Duck Egg Char Koay Teow is good too.

Heng Kee Presgrave Street Char Koay Teow Stall
Heng Kee Presgrave Street Char Koay Teow Stall

Especially if you don’t like yours too salty, oily, or burnt. What’s not nice here are the diluted drinks.

We ordered Char Koay Teow with mixed eggs (both chicken and duck). There’s also a stall selling oyster omelette here – it’s not bad, just a little soggy.

Heng Kee Presgrave Street Special Mixed Egg Char Koay Teow
Heng Kee Presgrave Street Special Mixed Egg Char Koay Teow

Come before 6pm if you can help it so that finding a table will be less stressful.

  • Location: 67D, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
  • Opening Hours: Daily from 4pm–9:30pm (Closed on Mondays)

6. Left-handed Char Koay Teow

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

Close Up Of The Char Koay Teow From The Left-handed Char Koay Teow Stall
Close Up Of The Char Koay Teow From The Left-handed Char Koay Teow Stall – photo credits to jkcultrip (Instagram)

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!

7. Hillside Ah Soon Cafe – Ah Soon Char Koay Teow

Students from the nearby college come here to eat this yummy char kuey teow that is full of wok hei and not oily. They still use a charcoal fire to cook their namesake dish.

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

Ah Soon Char Koay Teow Stall
Ah Soon Char Koay Teow Stall – photo credits to devyd_tan (Instagram)

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.

8. Chulia Street Char Keow Teow

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

Chulia Street Hawker Stalls At Night
Chulia Street Hawker Stalls At Night

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

The Chulia Street Char Kuey Teow Stall
The Chulia Street Char Kuey Teow Stall – photo credits to this website hirogosomewhere

This simple rendition of the classic 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)

9. 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 is served in a watery prawn sauce (char kuey teow basah).

Halal Char Kuey Teow In Penang (Parit Longkang Stall)
Halal Char Kuey Teow In Penang (Parit Longkang Stall) – photo credits to easteryeoh (Instagram)

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!

Late Night Dining At The Char Kuey Teow Parit_Longkang Stall
Late Night Dining At The Char Kuey Teow Parit_Longkang Stall – photo credits to sabillahmohd (Instagram)

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

10. Char Kuey Teow Tokong Ular

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

Gravy Loaded Sany Char Koay Teow
Gravy Loaded Sany Char Koay Teow – photo credits to mamacergas (Instagram)

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

Best Char Kuey Teow In Bukit Mertajam

11. 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!

Roadside Stall Of The Best Duck Egg Char Koay Teow In Bukit Mertajam
Roadside Stall Of The Best Duck Egg Char Koay Teow In Bukit Mertajam – photo credits to charis.ching (Instagram)

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!

Best Duck Egg Char Koay Teow In Bukit Mertajam
Best Duck Egg Char Koay Teow In Bukit Mertajam – photo credits to yimengmy (Instagram)

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

Note: This is a modest roadside stall

12. 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.

Duck Egg Char Koay Teow With Sunnyside Up Egg
Duck Egg Char Koay Teow With Sunnyside Up Egg – photo credits to foodibeaucoup (Instagram)

Fried with rich duck egg, silky noodles, and a sweet sauce that’s simply irresistible, its 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!

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)
Penang Tour - RayTheTour & Travelswithsun

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

Just contact them on WhatsApp.

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!

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