If you’re heading over to Taiping, it’s only fair to try out some of the delicious food and restaurants you can find in the city.
From authentic Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisine, this quaint little town has a lot to bring to the table.
Read on as we list out our favorites, so you’ll know just what to eat while you’re here!
1. Ansari Famous Cendol
You can find most cendol places at roadside stalls, but Ansari’s is a proper shop lot and has been around for three generations.
The is usually a queue at this shop. Our personal experience, however, is that there is better cendol in Penang and Ipoh as this cendol lacks the fragrance of Gula Melaka (they use white sugar).
But their cendol is creamy and there’s the option of adding pulut to it for more texture. Plus, the cendol jellies are plump and tasty.
And the fact that they have space for diners to sit down and enjoy their cendol is a bonus. There are also two sinks for patrons to use. Moreover, service is speedy and the cendol is affordable.
Apart from desserts, there are also local delicacies such as pasembor or pulut udang too after or before relishing your bowl of cendol. We didn’t get to try these.
- Address: 92, Jalan Barrack No.2 Medan Simpang , Simpang, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 10am to 6:30pm
- Contact: +6012-562 9440
2. Taiping Famous PSL Goreng Pisang
Pisang goreng (fried banana fritters) is a popular Malaysian tea-time snack;
At PSL Goreng Pisang, the fried bananas are simply marvellous – Crispy on the outside and sweet and gooey on the inside!
The battered skin of the fried bananas tends to separate from the bananas though. This could be because the bananas are very large.
Apart from fried bananas, the stall also serves fried cempedak and spring rolls, with yam lovers enjoying the kuih bakul here immensely.
PSL Goreng Pisang is not a restaurant but more of a takeaway place. Do come here if you’re in the neighborhood to try out some tasty (if slightly unhealthy) pisang goreng!
It is interesting to watch them fry the bananas on site too. And this place is within walking distance from both Restoran Yat Sun and Ansari Famous Cendol.
- Address: 85, Jalan Pasar, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 12pm to 7pm
- Contact: +6016-516 1818
3. Yat Sun Restaurant
Yat Sun Restaurant is a Muslim-friendly eatery complete with nostalgic marble top tables and mosaic tiles lining the wall.
It’s a relaxing place to have a meal with its pre-war colonial charm. There are 2 branches in Taiping – and both along Jalan Pasar just a minute’s walk apart.
The main branch is at the corner at the intersection between Jalan Lim Tee Hooi and Jalan Pasar while the second is on the opposite of the road, at the intersection between Jalan Ong Saik and Jalan Pasar.
As expected from a typical Hainanese restaurant/coffee shop, Yut Sun serves a variety of Hainanese delights, as well as broader Chinese cuisine.
They have chicken chop, beef steak, and fish & chips, and a variation of roti sayur (literally translated as bread with vegetables) that are worth trying.
We do like their Hainanese chicken chop (especially the tasty sauce) but haven’t tried their other dishes. See more photos from our experience at Yat Sun Restaurant.
Note: The chicken chop at the second Taiping branch has french fries while the main branch serves the dish with potato wedges.
- Address: 63, Jalan Pasar, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 10am to 8pm; Closed on Thursdays
- Contact: +6011-3618 3266
4. Tai Chien
This old-school kopitiam at the corner where Jalan Pasar and Jalan Lim Tee Hooi meet (diagonally opposite of the main branch of Yat Sun has some of the best curry mee in town.
But they also have nasi lemak and other commendable local noodle dishes like wan tan mee, lor mee, and char kway teow. And it’s a great idea to order a side of popiah to go with your noodles!
We’ve tried the wanton mee here (better than the one at Larut Matang Hawker Center) and the popiah (simple and tasty with an all-vegetable filling and no crispy bits).
The char kway teow has wok hei and is well portioned and seasoned but just a little oily for our liking.
There is another a unique dish available at this eatery. It is the orange chicken rice, where you can opt for curry or orange sauce.
And yet another Taiping specialty here is hor ga sai (“tiger bites lion”, a Hokkien way of implying “mixed things”), where local coffee is mixed with milo, lending it a similar taste to a mocha – except with traditional-style coffee and the absence of milk.
You’ll see a lot of locals having their breakfast here since there’s a wide variety of good food for affordable prices!
- Address: 79, Jalan Pasar, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 7:30am to 3:30pm; Closed on Wednesdays
- Contact: +6016-540 0300
5. Aulong Kaya Kok @ Chok Kee Confectionary 后廊祝记咖椰角
Within Taiping is another small village known as Aulong, home to the historical Chok Kee Kaya Puff/ Kaya Kok pastry.
This handmade sweet confectionery by Chok Kee Confectionery has been around since 1947, and still delights customers to this day.
Their kaya puff is known for its crispy texture and the silky taste of kaya (coconut milk-based gooey concoction) filling that is a nostalgic snack for many Taiping-ites and Malaysians in general.
This is a home business in a residential lot. Customers usually make orders from the side door. The rest of the shop is dedicated to the large ovens and pastry preparation.
Personally, we don’t think the kaya puffs are mind-blowing – we do prefer kaya puffs with less filling as these have an unusually generous stuffing of kaya.
- Address: 1106-D, Jalan Permaisuri, Kampung Baru Aulong, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm daily (Closed on Thursdays)
- Contact: +6012-595 6940
6. Larut Matang Hawker Center
Larut Matang Hawker Center is a popular localfood haunt. It’s great if you’re looking to be spoilt for choice.
There are over a hundred stalls under one roof, serving food from all the melting pot cuisines known throughout Malaysia. The hawker center is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner too.
With plenty of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisine eateries around, so try them to see what suits you best!
Of note is stall number, 63 (open from 8.30am) which serves a reputable koey teow goreng (fried kuay teow):
Besides their impressive braising and wok frying techniques, this kuay teow here has a delicious smoky flavor which lifts the dish to another level.
There’s also a wanton mee stall (in the middle of the food court) that’s not bad – they don’t have the anchovy soup on the side like in Ipoh, but you get tender pieces of chicken!
The hor ka sai from the drinks stall next to this notable wanton mee stall is good too – it has a well-balanced taste of both coffee and milo.
We got a fluffy apam balik from a stall closer to the front as well.
- Address: Jalan Iskandar, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 5am to 9pm
- Contact: +6019-750 0851
7. Lian Thong Restaurant
This is a small family-run business that serves local homemade cuisine. So, if you are in the mood for some comfort food, Lian Thong is the place.
Of note are the fried koay teow, curry noodles, and the ever-popular half-boiled eggs on toast.
Other dishes that might surprise first-time patrons are the kerabu chicken rice, fried tofu pok, bomb mee, and many more unique dishes.
We haven’t tried everything here yet but we do find the coffee shop to be comfortable (even without air conditioning) and spacious. The food and drinks are not bad either. See what we ordered at Lian Thong Restaurant.
Note: Employees are senior citizens, so patience and sensitivity are advised.
- Address: No. 5, Jalan Kota, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 2pm, Closed on Saturday and Sunday
- Contact: +605-807 2645
8. MJ’s Cuisine 明記
MJ’s Cuisine is a family-style restaurant that has been around since Sept 2013.
They serve traditional western and eastern fusion food and exclusive coffee, placing a premium on quality food and equally dependable service.
The extensive menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, and mains, and the varied fusion cuisine means it’s a great catch-all if you can’t decide what to eat!
Our favorite dish from here is their signature pork chop. The pork chops are delightful thin cuts. And there are edamame peas and creamy mashed potatoes together with the pork chops.
On the other hand, the pork burger with the homemade patty was too soft for our liking but still alright for the price. There are fries that come with the burger and they’re fine overall, just a little salty.
We like the comfortable and clean dining environment. It’s very aesthetically pleasing with ambient lighting, solid wood furniture, live plants, and exposed walls from long ago.
And as a bonus, they have seating to suit large groups. We think it’d be a suitable venue for a small dinner with friends or family. Wine is available here.
- Address: 36A, Jalan Kota, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 12pm–3:30pm, 5:30pm–9:30pm daily (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
- Contact: +6010-379 8423
9. Cheeky Summer
With a memorable name, Cheeky Summer offers up its services as a smoothie and juice bar, the first of its kind in Taiping.
There is air conditioning inside the shop, and some garden-appropriate chairs and tables too.
Their juices are cold pressed with no added sugar, which is perfect if you happen to be watching your calorie intake.
There is substantial a food menu too, and it includes pizzas, salads, and much more. Such as their ‘Alligator Lay Eggs’, which is simply poached eggs on smashed avocado.
We came here for a couple drinks choosing the milk-free variety, their cold pressed juices (Guava Power House and Sunny Hawaii. Both are chilled, and the juices are freshly prepared. We find them really refreshing to have on a hot afternoon. They taste tangy without being too sour, and they are not too sweet.
You can pick different sizes of cups, we went with the medium sized cups and these cost about RM14 per cup.
- Address: 92, Jalan Barrack, 34000 Taiping, Perak
- Opening Hours: 9:30am to 6pm daily (Closed on Mondays)
- Contact: +605-810 2028
10. Hua Soon Fireworks Char Koay Teow
While you’re not going to watch fireworks while having a mouthful of yummy char koay teow, it’s still a delicious experience.
Fun fact: The fireworks are embers that come from a manual pulley fan when the owner stokes the fire.
Although you can find char koay teow basically anywhere in Taiping or Malaysia, the ones here are served on a green leaf from a simpuh air plant.
Moreover, with 50 years of experience making this dish, the cook Ah Soon stir-fries with such speed that his hands and the ladle become blurry. Also, they use charcoal for their fire which is becoming a rarity.
To uphold the quality of the dish, he only fries for two or three plates at one go, with his sons assisting in the serving and takeaway process.
The char koay teow here is not oily and has a well-balanced taste with lots of flavor. There are cockles, eggs, and bean sprouts served together with the char koay teow on a kam yuit leaf.
We strongly advise trying the duck egg version of this char koay teow! It’s very delicious.
This humble stall is in the compound beside a Chinese temple. There are plastic tables and chairs to sit at. And a roof with some fans installed. It’s not the most appealing setting but it’s comfortable enough.
Drinks are available but we recommend asking for less sugar or just going with beer or water instead of the overly sweet chrysanthemum drink.
- Address: 13 Medan Pasar, Jalan Taiping-Kuala Kangsar, 34700 Simpang, Perak.
- Opening Hours: 6:30pm to 11:15pm daily, closed on Sundays
Conclusion
There’s plenty of great food in Taiping if you know where to look. This includes inexpensive noodles, curries, snacks, desserts, and western food.
But you can’t go wrong with Hainanese chicken chop from Yat Sun Restaurant or the kam yuit char koay teow we mentioned earlier!
Taiping Cafes
Taiping has some nice cafes to check out too. Most are in town but there are even cafes that face Taiping Lake Gardens, like DoubleTap Café.
Things To Do In Taiping
You’re sure to work up an appetite when sightseeing around Taiping. Keep these eateries in mind when you are exploring things to do in Taiping.
