9 Great Restaurants in Penang

Kebaya Dining Room at Seven Terraces in Penang is a great place to sample fine heritage cuisine in beautiful settings. The interior design has white mosaic tile floors, intricately carved wooden antique Peranakan furniture, and pots of fuchsia and white orchids.

When it comes to the food, the menu is a marriage of classic Indochinese and Peranakan dishes infused with unexpected flavor by French cooking techniques. Must-tries include the popiah taco to start with, then the gulai (curry) chicken or tamarind glazed beef for mains. Seafood lovers can go for the charcoal-grilled seabass topped with sambal chili jelly.

Restaurant Blanc Penang at the Macalister Mansion puts out a menu of French haute cuisine that’s robustly flavored and artfully presented. The menu changes bi-monthly, though diners can always expect the best with a kitchen committed to creating culinary masterpieces using classic techniques.

The decor at Restaurant Blanc Penang is pure colonial couture. It has all-white furniture accented by a giant faux white tree in the center of the room, flanked by a sky-blue stag and soft pink deer. Its set degustation menu features Hokkaido scallop with truffle potato mousseline or New Zealand langoustine with Hollandaise sauce, as well as Iberico pork or Tokushima A5 Wagyu for mains.

Orinea by Farquhar Mansion is a great option for affluent travelers looking to savor French haute cuisine in Penang. This fine-dining restaurant occupies a colonial-era mansion with elegant decor, velvet cushions, and glittering chandeliers.

It has 2 dining sections, with the first floor catered for walk-in diners while the upper floor is reserved for Farquhar Mansion’s exclusive Royal and Nobleman members. 5-course chef's tasting menus, an extensive ala carte menu, and a wine list are available at Orinea by Farquhar Mansion. Standout dishes include the seared foie gras, pistachio-crusted lamb rack, and the flourless Valrhona chocolate mousse cake.

ThirtyTwo at The Mansion is a glorious recreation of an Anglo-Indian restaurant at the northeastern tip of Penang. The restaurant is on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in central George Town. The graceful and elegant seaside manor, which is done up in 1920s colonial style, offers fine dining that largely falls under the classic Asian or French haute cuisine category.

Among its standout dishes are a slow-cooked lamb shank and barbecued beef ribs. Chef recommendations include bbq chicken, bisque soup and sticky toffee pudding. ThirtyTwo at The Mansion's overall setup is great for families and small groups.

Feringgi Broil at Shangri La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa serves fine contemporary fusion cuisine done with classic cooking techniques. It's a nice place to go on a date due to its refined vibe and dress code. There’s often a piano player providing live tunes to accompany your meal.

A standout from the menu is the juicy steak Diane. It’s flambéed with Cognac table-side, set on a bed of smooth mushroom sauce, and served with soft gratin potatos and crunchy vegetables.

Spice Market Café at Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa in Penang features charming, rustic and creative interior design and serves cuisine from all around the globe. The informal buffet-style restaurant presents Baba Nyonya, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai and western cuisine.

Spice Market Café hosts regular traditional musical performances. You can choose to sit indoors or out on lumber decks overlooking the gorgeous sandy beach of Batu Ferringhi.

Suffolk House Restaurant offers a dining experience in one of Penang's most important heritage landmarks. Set along Jalan Ayer Itam, it's housed inside a 200-year old Anglo-Indian garden house that also serves as an arts and culture museum.

Suffolk House Restaurant doubles as a fine-dining restaurant with an award-winning kitchen presenting an array of western dishes with Asian influences. The decor, with gilded mirrors, chandeliers, oil paintings and Georgian screen windows, is designed to highlight its colonial heritage.

Beach Blanket Babylon is an upmarket bar and bistro and a popular lunchtime spot among Penangites. Fronting the sea, it occupies a heritage mansion with beautifully manicured lawns on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. The menu may be limited but the food is satisfying and delicious.

Start with cream of mushroom soup, followed by char-grilled rosemary chicken with black pepper sauce for the main dish. If you're in the mood for local specialties, the laksa lemak (creamy noodle dish) is an especially popular choice.

Mews Cafe is a dining and chill-out spot in George Town that might remind you of an Australian beach cafe. It offers a lengthy menu of food packed with flavor and down-to-earth inventiveness. Food comes in elaborate and generously-sized servings. Don't forget to check out the seasonal blackboard specials at this vibrant bistro.

Among Mews Cafe's most popular dishes include tender chicken tikka with spicy curry sauce, served with a side of savory eggplant salad and crispy pappadam. The creamy spicy smoked duck pasta and beef lasagna are also worth checking out.