Delicious Penang cendol easily beats a hot day!
This is a simple dessert of shaved ice, coconut milk, gula melaka, beans, and cendol; the dessert was popularized by Penang Road Cendol, a famous stall-turned-chain.
However, there are plenty of other cendol stalls to get your fix. So, read on as we list out amazing cendol on both the island and mainland!
Table Of Contents:
- Swatow Lane Ice Kacang
- Cendol Asli Pak Haji
- Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
- Penang Road Famous Chendol
- Ais Tingkap
- Penang Road Famous Ice Kacang Cendol At Tan Jetty
- Relau 88 Laksa And Ice Kacang
- Kulim Best Cendol
- Cendol Casa Prima
- Cendol Pulut At Jalan Chowrasta
9 Best Cendol In Penang
1. Swatow Lane Ice Kacang
We walked here after having lunch at Hot Bowl White Curry Mee. This cendol stall has its own spacious open-air seating area.
It’s airy here and there’s also a nice fountain nearby and attractive landscaping around. A very pretty spot to enjoy cendol we must say. They may not have air conditioning but they do have large fans.
The cendol itself is mild tasting – we didn’t detect the aroma of gula melaka, but they do use coconut milk. Thick red bean paste, very large red beans and plump cendol jellies top the dish.
Despite the mild taste of this cendol, we still really enjoyed it. It’s particularly great if you don’t want overly sweet cendol. What’s more this cendol spot is still open after dinner!
You can also get rojak with a thick paste that has a strong taste of prawns. Not our thing but some people really like it. There is assam laksa too, but we didn’t see anyone order it.
- Location: E, 102, 1, Jalan Burma, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Opening hours: 11:30am to 9:30pm
- Contact: +6016-459 5213
2. Cendol Asli Pak Haji
Just 2 minutes’ walk from Miami, a nice beach in Penang is Cendol Asli Pak Haji – a cendol stall that’s a hit among patrons.
Manned by the friendly Pak Haji himself, the Cendol Durian Pulut is a crowd puller with customers flocking to the roadside stall on most weekends.
Striking a perfect balance between sweet palm sugar and creamy coconut milk, there’s robust flavor in every scoop.
The humble stall serves cendol in plastic drink cups with straws. Not exactly traditional, but very convenient.
You can try to bring your own tumbler and straw to avoid unnecessary plastic waste!
Many flavors are available at RM4-8 except for the original which costs RM3:
- asli (i.e. original)
- cempedak/ nangka (i.e. jackfruit)
- mangga (i.e. mango)
- jagung (i.e. corn)
- kacang (i.e. beans/ nuts)
- keladi (i.e. yam)
- durian (All-year-round with frozen durians used off-season)
- Location: Kampung Batu Feringgi, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Penang
- Opening Hours: Weekends only from 10am to 6pm
- Contact: +6018-409 0286
3. Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
Founded in 1936 by Mr. Tan Teck Fuang and currently managed by the sixth generation, Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul is now a widespread chain across Malaysia:
And perhaps the most touristy of all the cendol stalls on this list too!
Their cendol stands out with a bold Gula Melaka flavor and creamy rich santan that makes each bowl divine!
If you can’t find it, just ask a local for the Penang famous cendol near KOMTAR! It is approximately a 5-minute walk to reach the stall from KOMTAR!
The queues are long and are often inevitable, but at only RM4.20 per bowl, it’s well worth the wait.
While you’re there, you can try their other signature menu items, assam laksa and rojak! Or something different like duck egg char koay teow from their other stall a few steps away!
- Location: 4 2, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang Island
- Opening Hours: Daily from 10am to 6:30pm
- Contact: +604-262 6002
4. Penang Road Famous Chendol / Penang Road Nyonya Cendol
You definitely didn’t read the name wrong!
Located along the same alley as their rival, you’ll find this stall on the left of the entrance.
Anyways, even if you accidentally choose this stall, you won’t be missing out as the cendol here is just as good. Some say it’s even better! With its bold gula melaka flavor!
The best part is there won’t be a long queue!
- Location: 27, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang Island
- Opening Hours: Daily from 9:30am to 6pm
5. Ais Tingkap
At the other side of the Chowrasta market, is a family business that has been running for a few generations selling chilled drinks!
Their signature pink beverage, the Ais Sarbat(RM2.50/cup), is a concoction of rose-flavored syrup, getah anggur, basil seeds, and coconut seeds, alongside other secret ingredients.
This drink is unique to Penang and hard to come by elsewhere, so it’s definitely worth the wait!
Aside from ais sarbat, they sell cendol with gula melaka, coconut water and other thirst-quenching drinks!
Note: Long queues are normal as they make the drinks in batches.
- Location: 2, Lebuh Tamil, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang Island
- Opening Hours: Daily from 11am to 7pm
6. Penang Road Famous Ice Kacang Cendol At Tan Jetty
If the clan jetties of Penang are on your agenda, there is one cendol stall right at the entrance of Tan Jetty.
A bowl of cendol at only RM3 makes the heat so much more bearable as you explore the jetties on foot!
They have other cold desserts like ice kacang or tong sui (Chinese sweet soups with glutinous rice balls) if you want some variety!
The char koey teow around here is not bad either!
- Location: Tan Jetty, Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town, Penang Island
- Opening Hours: Daily from 11:30am to 6pm (Closed on Wednesdays)
7. Relau 88 Laksa And Ice Kacang
Away from the touristy hotspots in Penang, Relau 88 is a favorite cendol joint among locals.
Their homemade palm sugar gives the creamy cendol a distinctive flavor unlike other cendol in Penang.
Besides, other than serving cendol, Relau 88 is one of the best places to have authentic Penang laksa too! As well as deep-fried popiah, curry puffs, and ice kacang!
And with lush bushes and ornamental plants around, Relau offers a unique dining experience within a botanical garden.
There are plenty of seats to savor your meal at this open-air family restaurant.
- Location: Persiaran Paya Terubong 2, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang Island
- Opening Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 11:30am to 6pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)
- Contact: +6012-444 4227
8. Kulim Best Cendol
Cendol is not limited to the island alone.
This roadside stall by an old Malay couple at Bukit Mertajam uses fresh coconut milk for their classic rendition of cendol with firm red beans!
A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness of the gula melaka they use, and you even have the option of adding pulut (i.e. black glutinous rice) too!
The cendol here trends towards the sweeter side, so go ahead and request for “less sugar” to dial down the calories.
Customers can sit at the plastic tables and chairs around the stall.
And be sure to try their reputable pasembur as well!
- Location: No 11, Tingkat Tenang, Taman Tenang, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Penang
- Opening Hours: Daily from 11:30am to 5pm, they close at 5:30pm on weekends (Closed on Mondays)
- Contact: +6011-14429854
9. Cendol Casa Prima
If you like your cendol with a thinner consistency, then head over to Cendol Casa Prima:
Unlike conventional stalls that use coconut milk, Cendol Casa Prima uses condensed milk, which explains the runnier texture.
Tucked away under a shaded canopy of trees, the cendol is served in a large ice-cream cup.
Another unique feature is that it’s served with ice cubes instead of shaved ice flakes!
Since the cendol is relatively cheaper, it’s not surprising to see students from the nearby university here!
The varieties here is mind-boggling, offering a refreshing twist to the regular cendol:
- coco crunch
- biasa kosong (i.e. original)
- pulut
- pulut special
- jagung
- kacang
- nata
- Location: Jalan perdana taman sutera seberang jaya, 13700 Perai, Pulau Pinang
- Opening Hours: Daily from 11:30am to 6pm (Closed on Sundays)
- Contact: +6013-522 3628
10. Cendol Pulut At Jalan Chowrasta
Around the corner from the building that houses Pasar Chowrasta (Chowrasta market):
This 20-year-old business that’s still going strong selling their cendol with pulut (i.e. glutinous rice) and fresh coconut milk!
Add on kidney beans and green noodle jelly, each bowl is satisfyingly delicious.
They have other drinks for sale too. Like air sirap (sweet syrup added to water), air soya (soya milk) or air kelapa (coconut water) – all under RM3!
Note: Takeaways are in a cup and costs slightly more than dining in
- Location: 1, Jalan Chowrasta, George Town, 10450 George Town, Penang Island
- Opening Hours: Daily from 11am to 7pm
Finding Authentic Cendol In Penang With A Tour
Malaysia has a lot of other sweet treats besides cendol. You can learn more about them from their local guides!
More about their private tour service, RayTheTour:
- MPVs and vans for transport
- Make your own itinerary or leave it to the guides!
- Flexible times between 8am to 8pm.
- Pick-up from your hotel or even the airport before the tour.
- Drop-off back to your hotel after the tour
- Unlimited stops
- Chinese-speaking and English-speaking guides
- They do inter-city tours too! Like Penang to Ipoh and Ipoh to Cameron Highlands!
Further reading:
Conclusion
Cendol is another Malaysian classic to add to your must-try Penang food bucket list! It pairs particularly well with Penang assam laksa too! Or Penang nasi kandar for that matter.
Different stalls usually have their own way of preparing the dessert – with or without gula melaka, shaved ice and various toppings like corn and pulut!
There are plenty of great cendol stalls around Penang, and so you don’t have to stick to George Town for a fix during your stay!
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