If you’re ever in Penang and happen to be a foodie, you should give the Hokkien mee in Penang a try! Prawn mee goes by a few names too – in Cantonese, it is Penang har mee.
But what you need to know is that Hokkien Mee here is like no other bowl of soupy prawn noodles, with recipes and skills passed down from generation to generation.
Be sure to check out at least one of these eateries that make this irresistible dish!
Table Of Contents:
- 888 Hokkien Mee
- Bridge Street Prawn Noodle
- Ah Koo’s Hokkien Mee @ Classic Café
- Sungai Ara Hokkien Mee
- Oh Lay Ee Hokkien Mee
- Granny’s Hokkien Mee
- Mu Tong Hokkien Mee @ The Shark
- Hokkien Mee @ New Cathay Café
- Hokkien Mee @ Swee Kong Coffee Shop
- Halal Hokkien Mee @ Bee Hwa Café
- Halal Hokkien Mee @ Toon Leong Coffee Shop
- Prawn Noodle @ Dannok Café
1. 888 Hokkien Mee
Along the corner of Presgrave Street, is this humble eatery famous for its savory Hokkien Mee. For many years, this remains our favorite place to get Hokkien mee.
Their broth is incredibly tasty with the strong flavor from all the prawns they use to make it. And the siew yok on top of the dish is excellent too.
Unlike other places on this list, 888 Hokkien Mee is open for dinner. But we do advise coming here before 6pm if you don’t want to struggle with the crowds.
The shop lot is long but it fills up quickly with hungry customers around 7pm.
PS: Order the sarly juice with plum – it is rich and refreshing!
- Address: 67-A, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 3pm to 9:30pm
2. Bridge Street Prawn Noodle 正宗橋頭福建蝦麵
Occupying the sides of bustling Lebuh Pantai, the Bridge Street Prawn Noodle serves old-school Hokkien mee with a strong following.
Unlike other stalls that are predisposed towards thicker broth, the broth here is thinner, milder, and less spicy.
Furthermore, the ingredients used are extremely fresh, lending a natural sweetness to the dish.
For less than RM5, you’ll get a bowl of noodles topped with egg, small prawns, pork slices, fried shallots, and bean sprouts; the result is utterly delicious.
If you want a great experience here, be ready to reach this place by 8am. Because having this Hokkien mee for lunch is near impossible.
Note: Owing to its popularity, expect a queue during peak hours.
- Address: 533, Lebuh Pantai, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 7am to 2:30pm (Closes earlier at 1pm on Saturday and 12pm on Saturdays; Closed on Mondays)
- Contact: +6018-467 4232
3. Ah Koo’s Hokkien Mee @ Classic Café
If you love your broth thick and spicy, then head over to Ah Koo’s Hokkien mee!
The stall is at Classic Café. And the tantalizing aroma of prawn paste greets you even before the bowl arrives. It’s not cheap but portions (including the soup) are adequately large.
Because the store opens its doors from 8 am, it’s normally sold out by 11 am! And you might still have a chance if you get here before 9am.
That being said, the environment is rustic so if cleanliness is a top priority, you can opt for takeaway instead!
- Address: 126, Jalan Perak, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 7:30 am to 11:30 am, closed on Tuesdays
- Contact: +6012-4741893
4. Sungai Ara Hokkien Mee
For mouth-watering Hokkien mee, the Sungai Ara Hokkien Mee is the place to be.
Firstly, the signature fried prawn fritters are crispy perfection. Together with roasted pork and pork skin, you’ll get a heavenly combo that hits all the right notes!
Furthermore, the store is helmed by a friendly owner who accepts customizable orders too.
So, you’ll be sure to get a hearty dose of Penang’s favorite noodles, served with a smile. A bowl starts from RM5.
- Address: 16, Jalan Sungai Ara 1, Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, Penang.
- Business Hours: 10am to 3pm, Closed on Mondays
5. Oh Lay Ee Hokkien Mee
In a traditional Chinese eatery, Oh Lay Ee Hokkien Mee offers a bowl of prawn mee with the right balance of sweetness and spice.
This stall is just down the road of its famous sibling, the 888 Hokkien Mee. But Oh Lay stands out with its cleaner taste that’s far less oily.
Its robust broth pairs well with other side dishes which include braised chicken feet, intestines, and pork slices.
Favored by locals, this Hokkien Mee store is relatively small, so seats are limited. It costs more than RM5 for a basic bowl.
Note: the stall opens during the day only.
- Address: 13, Gat Lebuh Presgrave, George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 5am to 10am; closed on Tuesdays
- Contact: +6016-4529180
6. Granny’s Hokkien Mee 奶奶福建面
Granny’s Hokkien Mee serves a flavourful broth infused with a rich taste of shrimp essence. The broth here may look red, but its taste is quite mild despite its appearance.
Although it leans towards a sweetish taste. And this broth is not very thick.
With the exception of the smallish shrimps, you’ll get a generous amount of everything in the bowl!
And once you’re done with the meal, wash it all down with their classic Kopitiam coffee. Or try their unique beverage of milo plus coffee (Ho Kar Sai).
Price-wise, it can be costlier compared to other stalls (but a basic bowl starts at RM5), mainly due to the comfier and roomier ambiance.
- Address: Lengkok Nipah, Taman Lip Sin, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 7:15am to 2:15pm, closed on Mondays
- Contact: +6012-4715945
7. Mu Tong Hokkien Mee @ The Shark
With more than 60 years of culinary history, Mu Tong Hokkien Mee at The Shark Food Court doles out a delicious broth for its customers.
The rich broth has a thick texture and aromatic flavors that perfectly complement the signature prawn paste.
Also, the chili paste (sambal) is not overly spicy, so feel free to add more if you’d like more spice in your dish!
Servings are not as generous as they used to be but Mu Tong takes pride in showcasing one of the best Hokkien mee recipes on Penang!
- Address: 192, Jalan Burma, Kampung Syed, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 7:30am–10am; Closed on Mondays
- Contact: +6016-4964595
8. Hokkien Mee @ New Cathay Café 新国泰茶餐室
While New Cathy Café is brimming with food stalls selling a variety of local delights, and the Hokkien mee stall is one of these.
The broth is thin, but it’s flavorful, and not overly rich. Portions are small.
But this gives you the chance to try other dishes apart from the Hokkien mee. Like the char kuey teow, wanton mee, banana pancake, and duck flat noodles which are crowd pullers too.
As you can expect, the place is crowded even on weekdays. So be prepared to walk further than expected to get there since you will likely have to park at a remote spot.
- Address: 425, Jalan Burma, George Town, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang.
- Business Hours: 7am to 12pm, closed on Sundays
- Contact: +6016-478 9378
9. Hokkien Mee @ Swee Kong Coffee Shop 瑞江茶室
Folks have been known to queue here early as 6 am to satiate cravings for Hokkien mee. In fact, at Swee Kong Coffee Shop, the top-tier Hokkien mee sells out around 8.30 am!
Because, at Swee Kong Coffee Shop, the top-tier Hokkien mee sells out around 8.30 am!
It is simply delicious – The spicy broth is well-flavored with notable nuances of prawn essence, dried shallots, and fried pork lard!
And for only RM5.50 per tasty bowl, we’ll admit that the slightly crowded and noisy environment of the coffee shop is worth putting up with.
- Address: 317, Jalan Burma, George Town, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang.
- Business Hours: 5:30 am to 1pm (Closed on Thursdays)
10. Halal Hokkien Mee @ Bee Hwa Café 镁华茶室
Established in 1992, this halal Hokkien mee packs a punch with huge succulent prawns accompanied with a heavenly dollop of sambal.
To our tastebuds though, the broth of this Hokkien mee is not flavorful enough. It doesn’t have a strong prawn taste.
The cafe interior is clean but naturally crowded because there are many other savory dishes to try:
Such gastronomical delights include their char kuey teow and white curry noodles.
On the downside, prepare to wait anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes to be served.
Besides this, finding a parking spot is troublesome given the high traffic here, so you might want to hail a ride there for convenience.
Note: Come before 8 am before the star attractions sell out.
- Address: 10, Lebuh Dickens, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang.
- Business Hours: 7am to 3pm, closed on Sundays
- Contact: +6012-8540005
11. Halal Hokkien Mee @ Toon Leong Coffee Shop
Another halal Hokkien mee shop to add to your foodie trail is Toon Leong Coffee Shop.
This corner lot eatery along Transfer Road boasts a host of good eats. But the chart-topper here is none other than Aimi’s halal Hokkien mee. A Muslim Chinese couple run this humble stall.
The broth tastes refreshingly full-bodied, with natural sweetness from the prawns and condiments.
Add in a generous serving of ingredients, and it’s a worthy contender for any Hokkien Mee out there.
With raving accolades from the community, Toon Leong Coffee Shop definitely serves one of the best if you’re looking for a halal rendition of Hokkien mee in George Town.
- Address: 84, Jalan Transfer, George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 7am to 3pm; Closed on Sundays
- Contact: +6018-7612922
12. Prawn Noodle @ Dannok Café
Overflowing with condiments and a rich prawn broth:
A hearty bowl is reasonably priced (considering this is George Town) and has all the basic toppings like fried shallot and fried lard bits to make it a satiating dish.
You can also add on extras like spareribs, prawns, egg, quail egg, fish ball, and Fuzhou fish ball.
The noodles are extremely gratifying as well, with the soup striking a good blend between savory and sweet. This dish is spicy too.
Additionally, the obliging owner Mr. Lim caters to requests to add more soup too.
Throw in speedy service and short wait times, and the Hokkien mee at Dannok Café deserves second helpings!
- Address: 41, Jalan Seang Tek, George Town, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
- Business Hours: 7:45am to 2pm; Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays
- Contact: +6019-4805656
Conclusion
Now that you know where the 11 best Hokkien mee joints in Penang are, start planning your gourmet trail on the island to savor the best the island has to offer!
Be patient with the waiting times, and you’ll be rewarded with a feast that’s hard to come by. And after you eat, make your way to some of these top attractions in Penang for some fun!
Or find more must-try local food in Penang!
Further Reading:
- 11 Delicious Char Kuey Teow In Penang
- 11 Tasty Asam Laksa Restaurants in Penang
- 9 Cendol Dessert Places in Penang
