It’s no secret that Penang is a paradise for foodies. Boasting a variety of diverse, multi-ethnic cuisines, you can find all sorts of tasty treats in this vibrant and culturally rich state. And yes, that includes yummy authentic Chinese food! We believe there is very little that can compare to the sheer diversity of Chinese cuisine. So if you find yourself craving some authentic Chinese fare, here are some of the best halal ones you can go to in Penang!
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Halal Chinese restaurants in Penang
1. CMR China Muslim Restaurant 3.0
Credit: CMR China Muslim Restaurant 3.0
This cosy restaurant is helmed by Muslim Chefs from the Ningxia Muslim Autonomous Region of China and serves a large and unique array of North-western style Chinese Cuisine. The cuisine is really different from the Cantonese/Hong Kong/Teo Chew style of Chinese cuisine that we’re used to, so you have to try this one for yourself!
Some of the food here might even be new and unique to many of the local Penang Chinese population as well ?! If you’re stuck on what to order, why not try some of their signature dishes such as the Yang Zhou fried rice, the La Mian (pulled noodle dish) and the Thanh Cai, a tasty dish that originates from the Xinjiang region of China.
In terms of portion size and taste, you can be assured that the restaurant offers quite a generous serving size for each dish (so you’ll be getting a real bang for your buck!) and the food here is remarkably flavourful.
Status: Halal Certified
Address: 70-1-12 D’Piazza Mall, Jalan Mahsuri, Bayan Lepas, Penang
Operating hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 11 am – 3 pm, 5.30 pm – 10 pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: 04-240 7286, 016-5531423
2. Anna’s Chinese Muslim Kitchen
Priding itself in serving happiness in bite-sized portions, Anna’s Chinese Muslim Kitchen is one of the few places in Penang where you can get a wide variety of delicious and halal dim sum. The restaurant has a simple but well-put-together breakfast and lunch set menu that’s reasonably priced and the ala carte menu items can also be considered rather cheap considering the portion sizes. If you happen to stop by the restaurant, do give their ‘wan tan mee special’ a try as it’s super scrumptious! And for those of you who cannot get enough of the halal dim sum that the restaurant has to offer, you can take home their frozen dim sum and savour them at home!
Status: Halal certified
Address: A-G-9, Sunway Business Park, Butterworth, Malaysia
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday: 7 am – 7 pm (closed on Sundays)
Contact: 013-617 3624
3. Sin Bee Chew Restaurant
Sin Bee Chew is a restaurant that has been around for nearly half a century! This seemingly unassuming restaurant serves one of the best authentic Hainanese-style chicken chops; a dish made by utilising a mix of tomato ketchup, Worcester sauce, potato chips and peas. But that's not all it has to offer. The restaurant also serves delicious Hokkien Char, Inchi Kabin Chicken and Fish curry. You'd regret not trying these while you're here! Be warned though - the restaurant is really popular among locals and can be packed during peak hours!
Status: Uses ingredients sourced from halal-certified suppliers.
Address: No. 11-A, Lorong Bagan Luar 3, 12000, Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia
Operating hours: Monday – Friday: 12 pm – 2.45 pm, 5 pm – 8 pm (closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Contact: 04-333 2928
Note: Kungfu Kitchen has permanently closed
4. KOTA Dine & Coffee
Nestled within the compounds of George Town’s UNESCO World Heritage site, Fort Cornwallis (a popular tourist spot for local and foreign tourists alike), this restaurant is a little hard to get to but definitely worth it! There are minimal entrance fees to the site but as long as you spend a minimum of RM30 at the restaurant (trust us, this is not hard?), the fees are waived. KOTA not only serves beautifully crafted Peranakan-style dishes but is also super modern and chic; making it the perfect place if you want to snap some insta-worthy shots.
Aesthetics is not all there is here. The taste of the food will blow you away! If you want to try a little bit of everything, choose their Jumbo Platter as it comes with bite-sized portions of a variety of dishes such as it including Pai tee, turmeric chicken, jiu hu char (stir-fried jicama), tandoori chicken (yoghurt-marinated chicken), Samosas as well as kerabu mangga (pickled mango salad).
But if you prefer something more filling, try the ‘Nyonya’ - a beautifully crafted, tiered dish made out of traditional blue pea rice, chicken rendang, achar (pickled vegetables) and otak-otak (fish and egg pudding).
Status: Halal-certified
Address: Railway Bungalow, Lot 250, Town of Bukit Bendara, North East District, George Town, Penang.
Operating hours: 8am - 8pm (closed on Tuesday)
Contact: 016-465 1888
5. Kungfu Kitchen @ Anson Road
If you love your food a wee bit on the spicy side, then you’re going to love the dishes served at the Kungfu Kitchen! The restaurant's chefs hail from China and predominantly serve dishes that originate from the Ningxia province. Their noodle-based dishes definitely rank high on the ‘must-try’ list! The best part is that the noodles are made from scratch here, and it gives the noodles a unique and firmer texture. Be sure to try their Hometown Beef Noodles! The clear soup combined with the spicy chilli and clean cuts of tender beef has quickly become a fan favourite
Status: Uses ingredients sourced from halal-certified suppliers
Address: 55, Jalan Anson, George Town, 10400 George Town, Penang
Operating hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 11 am – 2.30 pm, 6 pm – 10.30 pm (closed on Mondays)
Contact: 604 – 226 0868
Note: Kungfu Kitchen has permanently closed
6. Muhamad Loh Restaurant @ Bertam Perdana
This restaurant needs no introduction, especially since it was featured in Malaysia’s famous food travelogue, ‘Jalan Jalan Cari Makan’. The Muhamad Loh restaurant is pretty famous in Penang for serving delicious Chinese Muslim cuisine in a typical Chinese restaurant-style setting!
While some of the dishes are humbly presented, there are dishes which are spectacularly presented as well! Some of the restaurant’s most sought-after dishes include the delectable Lemon Chicken, the Shark Fin Soup and the Cuttlefish cooked in butter and topped with egg yolk. Additionally, their dim sums and Claypot Yee Mee are also pretty popular!
Status: Muslim-owned
Address: No 7 Jalan Dagangan 9, Pusat Bandar Bertam Perdana, Kepala Batas, Penang
Operating hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 12 pm – 2.30 pm, 5.30 pm – 10.30 pm, Friday: 5pm – 11 pm, Saturday – Sunday: 11 am – 11 pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Contact: 604 – 577 0005, 012-5456409
7. Bee Hwa Café
Bee Hwa is probably the safest cafe in all of George Town. Established in 1992, Bee Hwa Cafe is located directly opposite the Penang Police Contingent Headquarters and serves up some of the tastiest halal Curry Mee, Char Kway Teow, and Hokkien mee. One of the must-try items on the menu is the Char Kway Teow! It’s less greasy than what you would normally find (some might say it tastes healthier than normal too) and comes with tender prawns, a good amount of sliced fish cake, and an abundance of crunchy bean sprouts. Additionally, for an extra RM 1, you can even add a fried egg to top it off.
Status: Uses ingredients sourced from halal-certified suppliers
Address: 10, Lebuh Dickens, George Town, 10050 George Town, Penang
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday: 7 am – 3 pm (closed on Sundays)
Contact: 04-263 6092
8. Radzidah Hokkien Mee
Radzidah Hokkien Mee is a simple stall located next to Bukit Jambul Complex serving up authentic halal Chinese dishes. Besides Hokkien Mee, signature dishes include Char Hof Fun and Kuey Teow Th'ng. Prices are really affordable here too (between RM4 - 6 per dish), so you'll be getting a tasty and delicious bargain.
Status: Muslim-owned
Address: Jalan Rumbia, Bukit Jambul, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang (next to Kompleks Bukit Jambul)
Operating hours: Thursday - Tuesday: 4pm - 12am (closed on Wednesdays)
Contact: 017-577 7089, 017-552 6086
There you go! Penang is home to a pretty decent amount of halal authentic Chinese eateries, both on the island and on the mainland. So grab your loved ones and go on a little culinary expedition around this beautiful state! Your taste buds will surely thank you for it.