Just 2 hours north of Kuala Lumpur, lies the quaint town of Ipoh in the state of Perak – my personal favourite spot for a quick foodie road trip! It’s also one of the best places to see Malaysia’s multicultural side come together, all for the love of food. If you're hankering for some good old local comfort food and you're up for a drive, mark this town as your next destination for a yummy trip. Read on to check out the ultimate halal food guide in Ipoh!
P.S. If you're from out of town or not up for a drive, you can always take the ETS train direct to Ipoh and use Grab to get around town!
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12 Halal Food In Ipoh You Can’t Miss
1. Canning Dim Sum
Starting our list of halal food in Ipoh is Canning Dim Sum, which came onto the scene a while back and has quickly become a must-visit spot when in Ipoh for its delicious dim sum. This halal-certified eatery has an extensive array of dim sum available, from loh mai kai (glutinous chicken rice) and barbeque buns to even abalone caviar mai! It's the perfect spot to go with friends, order a bit of everything and feast away.
Halalstatus: Halal-certified
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Thu-Tue, 7.30AM-3.30PM (closed on Wed)
Address: 1, Lebuh Cecil Rae, Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Negeri Perak
Contact: +6016-268 0535
2. Ipoh Hainan Chicken Rice
You can't leave Ipoh without having the dish that's synonymous with the city – taugeh (bean sprouts) with chicken rice. And at Ipoh Hainan Chicken Rice, which is a halal-certified eatery, you can! You will love the flavoursome poached chicken served with light soy sauce. The dish is best eaten with a serving of boiled bean sprouts together with a bowl of smooth and fragrant rice. The icing on the cake? The delicious chilli sauce to dip your chicken in!
Halal status: Halal-certified
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 11AM-9PM; Sat-Sun, 10AM-10PM
Address: 107 Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +605-254 5591
3. Laksa Telur Goreng Bersarang
If you love laksa, you need to try the laksa telur goreng bersarang served at Cafe Setinggan. The traditionally cooked laksa noodles and spicy fish gravy is topped off with a unique style of fried egg that makes it look like a bird’s nest, hence the name ‘telur goreng bersarang’. With just the right amount of flaked fish and traditional garnishing of cucumber, red onion and pineapple, the strange-looking but melt-in-your-mouth fried egg topping is the perfect complement to the sour and spicy dish. The homey kampung-style restaurant also has stalls right next to it serving special drinks and a variety of pau that you can have on the cafe premises as well!
Halal status: Muslim-owned
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Sat-Thu, 12PM-7PM (closed on Fri)
Address: Jalan Margosa D/8, 31350 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +6018-577 2955
4. Nelli's Deli
Continuing our list of halal food in Ipoh is Nelli's Deli. Located in the heart of Ipoh's Old Town, it serves a wide Western menu from English breakfast sets to fish & chips, but their signature nasi lemak is what keeps patrons coming back for more! Although slightly on the pricey side for a plate of nasi lemak, it's well worth it as Nelli’s Deli Nasi Lemak Full Plate comes with a huge piece of fried chicken, calamari sambal and prawn sambal.
Another popular dish to try is Nasi Ulam with Fried Chicken using local herbs. For snacks, try their prawn and anchovies fritters for something savoury or have churros with chocolate sauce for dessert! If you're dining in, make sure to arrive early to get a spot since their maximum capacity of customers is 15. Call ahead to find out if there's a waiting time in case you're in a crunch. Otherwise, you can always opt to do takeaway.
#HHWT Tip: Nelli's Deli is located next to Burps & Giggles cafe, and right behind Kong Heng Square. Don't forget to explore the area while you're there!
Halal status: Muslim-owned
Price range: RM5-RM50
Opening hours: Tue-Sun, 10AM-4PM (closed on Mon)
Address: No 99 Jalan Sultan Yusuf, Ipoh
Contact: +6012-447 6605/ +6016-524 2365
5. Mee Daud Mat Jasak
Mee Daud Mat Jasak stall dates back to the 1970s when the owner started selling his food from a pushcart. Now his mee kicap and kari laksa are well-known in Ipoh! It's one of the few places to serve good mee kicap with yong tau foo, as well as mee kari with succulent fishballs in coconut curry gravy. Have the mee kicap with either flat rice noodles or yellow noodles! If you're planning a staycation, Bedrock Hotel Ipoh is one of the best budget-friendly hotels in Ipoh, and it's just a 7-minute walk from Mee Daud Mat Jasak.
Halal status: Muslim-owned
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Mon-Thu, 9AM-2PM, 4PM-9.30PM; Fri-Sat, 9AM-2PM, 4PM-9.45PM; Sun, 9AM-2PM
Address: 1, Jalan Datuk Onn Jaafar, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +6019-441 0096
6. Dimsum Cafe Greentown
With favourites on the menu like siew mai, prawn dumpling and bbq chicken pau, you can't go wrong at Dim Sum Cafe Greentown! They also serve meals like fried rice and wantan noodles or other Chinese favourites like Lor Mai Gai (Chicken Glutinous Rice) and Lor Bak Gou (Fried Radish Cake) on the menu.
Halal status: Halal-certified
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 9AM-7.30PM (closed on Sat-Sun)
Address: 10, Persiaran Greentown 4, Pusat Perdagangan Greentown, 30450 Perak, Malaysia.
Contact: +6012-398 2010
7. Miker Food
When dinner time rolls around and you’re not sure of where to eat, head on down to Miker Food for a whole host of choices from Malay dishes to Western selections. If you're a fan of tom yum, try the special Tom Yam Nyor that’s packed with seafood and served in a coconut. The water from the coconut itself is used in making the tom yum, giving it the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. If there's only one thing that you have at Miker, you can't miss the handmade, stone oven pizza from the Chik Pizza stall! Crunchy, thin crust with generous toppings and gooey cheese, you’ll forget that you’re in Ipoh and not in Italy. Try their Kampung pizza that's topped with fried anchovies and cili padi for a local twist or their Crazee Meat which comes with pepperoni and meatballs. You can even try half-and-half of any of their topping combinations if you're indecisive!
Halal status: Muslim-owned
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: 4PM-11PM (closed on Monday)
Address: Jalan Padang, 30020 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +6011-1030 0033
8. Deen CT Corner Cendol
There's nothing more refreshing than an icy bowl of cendol on a hot day, and Deen CT Corner serves up cendol with just the right balance of sweetness and flavours. Operating for more than 20 years, you know you're in the right hands to serve you this famous Malaysian dessert, with its worm-like green jelly, decadent coconut milk and the perfect drizzle of palm sugar on top of finely shaved ice. Go for the classic plain cendol or customise your bowl with toppings like sweet corn, kidney beans or 'pulut' - glutinous rice that just adds another depth of texture to your bowl. My personal favourite? Cendol with sweet corn and pulut. YUM!
Halal status: Muslim-owned
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Mon-Thu & Sat-Sun, 11.30PM-6.30PM (closed on Fri)
Address: 21B, Jalan Mustapha Al Bakri, 30300 Ipoh
Contact: +6016 535 0351
9. Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah at Kedai Kopi Yong Suan
The mark of a good plate of nasi kandar, in my opinion, is when the smell of curry and gravy still lingers on your fingers even hours after your meal. There are several nasi kandar places in Ipoh, and Kedai Kopi Yong Suan is arguably one of the best! Also known as ‘Nasi Ganja’ (because it’s that addictive!), it’s actually a stall located on the premises of a Chinese coffee shop. This Indian Muslim stall has purportedly been in operation since 1956 – That’s a good 60+ years of finger-licking good food! You can either add side dishes like vegetables, squid and the likes but I like to keep mine simple with their standard plate of gravy, ayam merah, salted egg and their must-have coconut sambal. This isn't the place to linger over your meal, so be sure to clear your plates quick for the next round of customers! #HHWT Tip: Don’t get discouraged by the long line outside as those are just people queueing up for takeaways. Grab a seat inside and it won’t be long for someone to serve you! Besides dining at Kedai Kopi Yong Suan, there are more things to do in Ipoh!
Halalstatus: Uses ingredients sourced from halal suppliers. Please note that the establishment is not halal-certified, we recommend that you dine at your own discretion.
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Sun-Fri, 9.30AM-6PM, Sat, 9.30AM-5PM
Address: Kedai Kopi Yong Suan, 2, Jalan Yang Kalsom, 30250 Ipoh
Contact: +605-254 4314
10. Funny Mountain Soya Bean
You can’t come to Ipoh and miss out on probably the one and only drive-through tau fu fah shop in Malaysia! At Funny Mountain Soya Bean, you can either park your car somewhere and savour the silky and sweet dessert by the side of the shop (there are no tables here, only limited seats) or drive up to the shop and their workers will come by your window to take your order. Eat the delectable bowl of tau fu fah in your car and hand back the bowl once you’re done, or take it away. They also have fresh soya bean drinks and soya with cincau (which is frankly, the best thing ever!) - definitely a delight to have especially when the weather is scorching hot!
Halal status: Tau foo fah made with fully plant-based ingredients.
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Wed-Mon, 10.30AM–7:30PM (closed on Tue)
Address: 50 Jalan Mustapa Al-bakri, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +6012-516 1607
11. Bits & Bobs
This nostalgic childhood snack from way back then has made a hipster comeback! Basically, a ball of shaved ice that's flavoured with syrups, Bits & Bobs serves the ais kepal with a combination of classic flavours like sarsi, gula melaka, rosella, lychee or asam, wrapped up in greaseproof paper. You're definitely in for numb lips and cold sticky syrup running down your hands if you're a messy eater. Bits & Bobs really brings on the nostalgia with its old-school decor. Located in the now hipster Kong Heng Square, make sure to explore the area where you can also find a pop-up market on weekends, quirky boutique accommodation at Sekeping Kong Heng, cafe dining at Plan B, a museum that pays homage to the late Yasmin Ahmad (one of Malaysia's most celebrated filmmakers), murals, various knick-knacks, a barbershop and loads of Insta-worthy spots (Check out more Instagrammeable spots near halal food in Ipoh here!). You can also purchase a postcard of Ipoh at Bits & Bobs, write down a note to your loved ones and they'll send it for you! #HHWT Tip: The trick to eating the ais kepal is to rotate it as you suck on it till you get to the centre!
Halal status: Ice kepal is fully-made with plant-based ingredients (ice, sugar syrup).
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Mon, 11AM-5.30PM; Wed-Fri, 11AM-5.30PM; Sat, 10AM-6PM; Sun, 10AM-5.30PM (closed on Tue)
Address: 99 Jalan Sultan Yussuf (@ Kong Heng Square), 30000 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +6016 521 1283
12. Restoran New Hollywood
It’s not easy to find halal Chinese food in Ipoh, so if you’re in Ipoh early enough for breakfast, Restoran New Hollywood, more fondly known just as Hollywood, is THE place to be for a variety of halal local delights! A mini food court of sorts, you'll be able to savour halal Chinese hawker favourites like freshly made chee cheong fun that’s made to order on the spot with either prawn or chicken filling, char kuey teow with succulent prawns, an assortment of fried yong tau foo, hearty curry mee, classic half-boiled eggs on toast and fluffy chakoi! There are also Western dishes and nasi kandar, if you're there later in the day. Don’t forget to down your meal with a cup of Hainanese coffee, served in an old-style cup and saucer!
Halal status: Uses ingredients sourced from halal suppliers. Please note that the establishment is not halal-certified, we recommend that you dine at your own discretion.
Price range: RM5-RM20
Opening hours: Tue-Sun; 7AM-10PM (closed on Mon)
Address: 38, Jalan Lee Kwee Foh, Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Contact: +6012-290 8887
With this list, prepare for a delicious feast on your next trip to Ipoh! To complete your road trip, check out these amazing accommodations for the perfect getaway in Ipoh!
