Finding breakfast in Ipoh is confusing. It’s only too easy to be overwhelmed with so many foodie locations.
Don’t stop at just local kopitiam food though. Ipoh has plenty more up its sleeve like western food and dim sum that will make your first decision of the day (breakfast) an unforgettable one.
Take a look at this fine list of options!
Local Breakfast Spots
Undeniably, kopitiams are where you should start if you want to taste some authentic local food and white coffee.
1. Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong
Do not let appearances deceive you! This rather simple coffee shop is where you will see local patrons as well as tourists crowding the coffee shop from the early morning.
Thus, you will often see local patrons as well as tourists crowding the coffee shop from the early morning.
Pair your coffee with roti bakar (toasted bread with butter and kaya spread) or roti goyang (toasted bread with 2 soft-boiled eggs on top). Or chee cheong fun.
There aren’t too many choices for food here, but you can order dishes from the coffeeshop across too if you please!
- Location: 15A, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
- Contact: +605-241 4601
- Opening Hours: 6:30am to 2:30pm
2. Nam Heong White Coffee Shop
Kedai Makanan Nam Heong has been running for 60 years (that’s 10 years less than Sin Yoon Loong) and they pride themselves as one of the founders of Ipoh white coffee too.
Unlike Sin Yoon Loong though, they’ve expanded their business commercially, and you can see their branches in other Malaysian states.
But the original branch on Jalan Bandar Timah in Ipoh is still going strong!
They serve local fare like curry mee, char koay teow, some dim sum, baked char siew pau and egg tarts which are worth trying together with their Ipoh white coffee!
See what we personally like about Ipoh Nam Heong White Coffee Shop.
- Location: 2, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Negeri Perak
- Contact: +6012-588 8766
- Opening Hours: 6:30am to 4:30pm
- Remark: Crowded between 9am to 1pm
3. Restoran Thean Chun
Walking distance from Concubine Lane and Kong Heng Square, Restoran Thean Chun’s kai se hor fun never fails to draw daily crowds!
Don’t forget to try the pork satay, caramel custard, popiah, and chee cheong fun too.
If you want to escape the throngs of tourists, try to come here before 9am! Truthfully, this place is too expensive for local standards, but we still think the kai se hor fun here is delicious.
Read more about Ipoh Thean Chun Coffee Shop.
- Location: 73, Jalan Bandar Timah, 31650 Ipoh, Perak
- Opening Hours: 8am to 4:30pm (Closed on Wednesdays & Thursdays)
4. Restoran Sin Lean Lee
Many tourists bypass this simple-looking coffee shop with a dimly lit interior. But if you look closely, this place is full of locals in the morning.
There’s not much variety for food. Beef noodles are the main thing to order. The portions are normal, but the soup is delicious, and the meat is tender.
And you can get decent homemade yong tau fu for sides too.
Most of all, we think that their coffee is wonderful. It is smooth and flavorful, although the flavor is not as rich as at Xin Xiang Er Nong Restaurant.
When we have relatives around, we love to bring them here for breakfast. The prices are affordable too.
- Location: 15, Jalan Panglima, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
- Opening Hours: 6am to 2pm on most days (6:30am to 1pm on Mondays, Closed on Tuesdays)
5. Chang Jiang White Coffee
Chang Jiang White Coffee always seems to be full. We do not recommend coming here during a weekend or on a public holiday. The service is very slow.
But the interior of this air-conditioned café showcases a modern twist on traditional kopitiam style – very photogenic!
Their toast or steamed bread are pretty good (they use real butter) and their Ipoh white coffee is highly commendable. You can even buy their 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 packets to take back home as gifts!
See what it’s like to dine at Ipoh Chang Jiang White Coffee.
There is a new branch (Chang Jiang 9) that is outside the main branch within walking distance.
In fact, there are now 4 Ipoh branches in total. Check out this new branch, Kin Loong Valley close to Mirror Lake in Ipoh.
- Location: 7, Jalan Windsor, 30250 Ipoh, Perak
- Contact: +605-253 8896
- Opening Hours: 8am to 6pm
- Remark: Pork-free
6. Loke Wooi Kee Café
Loke Wooi Kee Café is a hawker food center on a corner shop lot that has been in operation for many decades.
The most notable dish here is the kai se hor fan (shredded chicken noodle soup or 鸡丝河粉).
But you will also find:
- Fried kuay teow
- Peanut pancake, apam balik (大块面)
- Fruit rojak
- Hor Hee (河嘻) – You cannot easily find this Teochew-style dish with thick rice noodles, broth with extras like fried fishcakes and fish balls!
- Their signature 7 Up float (mixture of red syrup, 7 Up soda with vanilla ice-cream on top)
- Location: 26, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
- Opening Hours: 8am to 2pm
7. Kedai Kopi Nam Chau
Just a stone’s throw from Thean Chun, is Kedai Kopi Nam Chau – another old-school coffee shop that opens for breakfast and lunch.
The dry curry noodles are what they are famous for! Other than this, they have the usual breakfast items:
- Soup noodles
- Sesame buns
- Kaya-butter toast with soft-boiled eggs on top
- Iced cham (an equal blend of tea and coffee)
- Ipoh white coffee
See what we specifically like about Kedai Kopi Nam Chau.
- Location: 54, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
- Opening Hours: 7:30am to 3:30pm (Closed on Thursdays)
8. Restaurant Moon De Moon
Restaurant Moon De Moon’s kai se hor fun (shredded chicken noodle soup) has a strong fan base. There is usually always a long line of hungry customers who want to have it for breakfast!
Be prepared to wait at least 20 to 30 minutes at peak times (~9am) regardless of whether it’s a weekend or public holiday! Sometimes, it can take 45 minutes for your bowl of noodles to come!
A bowl of the delicious broth has adequate portions. Though you may want to request more soup (at additional cost). Try their unique hock chew fish balls with minced meat too!
Other dishes available here:
- Chee cheong fun
- Nyonya kuih
- Fried bean curd skin (Fu Pei)
- Yong tau fu
- Iced cham or Milo
- Location: 148, Hala Wah Keong, Taman Mirindi, 31400 Ipoh,Perak
- Contact: +6012-516 0485
- Opening Hours: 7:30am to 1pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)
9. Kedai Kopi Keng Nam
Only open for breakfast and brunch, Kedai Kopi Keng Nam is yet another traditional coffee shop that serves dry curry noodles and is easily swarmed with customers from 8am!
It is usually full of customers from 9am. Do go as early as you can manage to avoid potentially bad service from the stressed-out operators!
Other must-try items that they serve:
- Chee cheong fun (Chili or mushroom sauce)
- Yam cakes
- Sticky rice with kaya (Pulut kaya) – you can’t find this one everywhere!
- Ipoh white coffee – Get the iced version!
- Kaya butter toast
Read about our experience at Kedai Kopi Keng Nam.
- Location: 127, Jalan Raja Ekram, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh,Perak
- Opening Hours: 6:30am to 11:30am
10. Medan Selera Stadium
Medan Selera Stadium is home to a sizeable hawker food center with stalls serving excellent local food!
There are two honourable mentions that are open during the day:
Min Chee Wan Tan Mee At Stall No.36
This family-run stall only serves one dish – A very humble version of wan tan mee. What you’ll notice with this wan tan mee is the pleasant springy texture of the noodles!
It tastes a little different compared to other wan tan mee around Ipoh. You must try it for yourself!
Note: The standard serving is very small so do be sure to ask for more when you order!
Opening Hours: 6:30am to 4pm (Closed on Tuesdays & Wednesdays)
Fai Kee Noodles – Fish head noodles! At Stall No.43
The long queue is enough to tell you how tasty their fish noodles and milky broth are!
Add on fish cakes or fried minced pork patties (or both) for a truly hearty breakfast! There is typically a long wait for the food after 9am.
- Opening Hours: 8am to 4pm (Closed on Mondays)
- Location: Kompleks Sukan Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Dim Sum For Breakfast
We have a post just on dim sum restaurants in Ipoh so be sure to check that out if you’re looking for more options (including halal dim sum restaurants).
But for this post, we’ll just mention two!
11. Restoran Chooi Yue Dim Sum
Clearly even 3 shop lots is not even enough to contain all the business that this dim sum shop receives! Tables often spill out onto the road.
If you get in early enough, you can have a table inside the restaurant in a more comfortable environment!
Their popularity lies in their impressive assortment of quality dim sum that is both yummy and affordable! The head chef has over 10 years of experience in preparing dim sum.
Read more about what we ordered at Chooi Yue Dimsum Restaurant.
- Location: 2, 4 & 6, Tingkat Taman Ipoh 12, Taman Ipoh Selatan, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
- Contact: +6016-534 5965
- Opening Hours: 7am to 1pm (Closed on Thursdays)
- Remark: Not halal
12. Canning Dim Sum (Halal)
Canning Dim Sum will change sceptical minds that a pork-free dim sum restaurant will never come close to one that serves pork!
The lovely dim sum shop is next to Restoran New Hollywood strategically luring Malay customers over with their pork-free dim sum and fabulous decor.
You can see that they put just as much effort in presenting their delish dim sum! We find their food in general to be good but a little towards the sweet side.
What we really do appreciate is that they serve coffee here!
- Location: 1, Lebuh Cecil Rae, Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
- Contact: +6016-268 0535
- Opening Hours: 7:30am to 3:30pm (Closed on Wednesdays)
- Remark: They are halal-certified.
Western Style Breakfast
If you’ve already tried breakfast at a local kopitiam scene, you can go for a western-style breakfast for a change of taste!
Ipoh has many western restaurants and cafes – some of which do open in the morning!
13. Aud’s Café
This secluded cafe serves a worthy Eggs Benedict and pulled pork or avocado and egg sandwiches! We are a fan of their sandwiches.
Most of their mains feature pork. Including their pasta and pesto pork burger!
Drinking water is free-flow, but you absolutely have to try their ice cube espresso and avocado smoothies!
- Location: 97, Jalan Sultan Yusof, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
- Contact: +605-246 1310
- Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm (Closed on Mondays)
Getting Around Ipoh
One of the obvious benefits of taking a private tour service (like RayTheTour) is of course, the transport around Ipoh!
Which is one way of avoiding having to drive altogether! Finding parking is not very convenient in touristy parts of Ipoh. Especially during breakfast and lunch hours. And of course, public holidays and weekends.
Aside from these advantages, you’ll have the additional benefit of a personal and experienced Ipoh-born guide to show you even more local food spots that most tourists aren’t aware of.
WhatsApp RayTheTour to get a quote.
Conclusion
Now that you have this list, the question of where to go for breakfast in Ipoh is easier to answer. Regardless of which spot you choose, we highly recommend getting there around 8am.
Especially for tourist spots like Thean Chun and Moon De Moon.
Moreover, going early will give you enough time to enjoy your breakfast and get some sightseeing done before the heat of the day kicks in!
Things To Do In Ipoh Old Town
Many breakfast spots in this list are in Ipoh Old Town so you can plan to spend the whole day wandering Ipoh Old Town.
Ipoh Food That You Have To Try
Breakfast is a golden opportunity to try Ipoh food! But no pressure, there are options for dim sum or Western style breakfast too.
Ipoh White Coffee
Want even more options on where to try the local coffee in Ipoh? Some suggestions in this list have air-conditioning too. Don’t underestimate how hot it can get in the afternoons here. A glass of iced coffee is wonderful after a morning of sightseeing!
