9 Nasi Kandar Spots in Penang that Offer the Most Authentic Dining Experiences
As someone who loves a good and messy plate of nasi kandar, you can consider me as some sort of connoisseur of this famous Malaysian food. It features steamed rice, an array of curries and some sides—what’s not to love?
You can find it across various parts of the country, but trust us, there’s nothing like trying it in its homeland, Penang. However, there are countless restaurants in the state that offer this delicious meal, making it hard for newcomers to find the gems—that’s where we come in!
We’ve embarked on a quest to find the spots that house the best nasi kandar that Penang has to offer and we’re here to share them with you!
Nasi Kandar RM1
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Address: 691, Jalan Perak
Contact details: +60 11-7033 4556
Operating hours: Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Cost: $
Website
Menu
If you’re on a tight budget but still want to taste authentically made nasi kandar, then Nasi Kandar RM1 should be right up your alley! Now, this dish isn’t necessarily expensive, but it doesn’t get cheaper than RM1, we’ll tell you that, and that’s the main draw of this humble stall!
The owner stated that this price point was finalized to cater to people with different backgrounds. It’s safe to say that he was onto something, as it’s now one of the most beloved nasi kandar spots in George Town, or Penang, in general.
They don’t just offer nasi kandar as well, as they also feature other dishes that are dirt cheap!
Pro tip:
If you want to add more stops to your food-hopping journey while you’re here, you can stop by the next-door Restoran Mee Sotong. They offer a mean version of the famous mee goreng dish, which is topped with sambal sotong.
Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu
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Address: A-29, Jalan Kampung Melayu
Contact details: +60 10-450 3434
Operating hours:
- Saturday to Thursday: 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 6:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
If you ask any local in Penang where to get the best Nasi Kandar, chances are, they’ll mention Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu. It’s not hard to see why too, as this restaurant offers monstrous servings of this dish at dirt-cheap prices—talk about value for money!
You can either go with their squid or fried chicken when ordering their nasi kandar, both of which feature delicious curries. You can’t go wrong with any of these dishes because the chicken is super tender while the squid is perfectly cooked and doesn’t feature that rubbery texture.
OG’s of Penang know this place because it’s been around since 1970. And to put into perspective just how successful they are, they’re able to sell 1,000 plates per day—how crazy is that?
Pro tip:
If you want to pair your nasi kandar with other Malaysian delights, you can also order their ayam goreng bawang, which is essentially a tender fried chicken with a super crunchy exterior.
Nasi Kandar Tajuddin Hussain
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Address: 45-63, Queen St, Georgetown
Contact details: +60 4-262 5367
Operating hours: Monday to Saturday: 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM, 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Cost: $
Menu
Nasi Kandar Tajuddin Hussain is one of the best dining spots in Little India, Georgetown simply because of its authentic Indian dishes. Anything from their menu can simply take the cake for the best but for our money’s worth, we’re going for their rich nasi kandar.
It also offers the best bang-for-your-buck deals in the state, as you’ll be getting a messy overloaded plate of curries, rice and chicken at an affordable price. Also, if we could give one piece of advice, we recommend ordering their roti canai to go along with their nasi kandar.
This Indian cuisine staple serves as the perfect vessel for the fiesta of flavours found in the nasi kandar served here. Plus, we also live their version of roti canai because they’re perfectly flakey and aren’t too greasy.
Pro tip:
Make sure to get here as soon or before the doors open, as it can get crowded really quickly because of its great value for money. Additionally, we recommend visiting on weekdays to make sure that they don’t run out of nasi kandar!
Nasi Kandar Sulaiman
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Address: 739, Jalan Air Itam
Contact details: +60 3-2282 0411
Operating hours:
- Saturday to Thursday: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Friday: 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Nasi Kandar Sulaiman is one of the oldest joints in the city to get this beloved dish, being around for more than 60 years. It’s not hard to see why they lasted this long though, as their price-to-ratio value is unmatched!
For a cheap price, you’ll be served a messy pile of nasi kandar that can easily be for two people. Aside from its generous serving size, however, this dish deserves all the spotlight because of its spicy curries, flavourful gravy and crunchy fried chicken!
If you’re not into poultry, you can also get seafood like prawns and squid for your nasi kandar.
Pro tip:
Be sure to get here before the doors even open, as it will immediately have a queue early in the morning. If you arrive as late as 2:00 PM, there’s a high likelihood that they’ll be out of nasi kandar.
Kedai Makanan Singgah Sebentar
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Address: A-G-2,Taman Nusantara, Jalan Makloom
Contact details: +60 10-382 7860
Operating hours: Daily from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Cost: $
Website
Menu
If you’re looking for someplace to start your day while you’re in George Town, then Kedai Makanan Singgah Sebentar should be on your radar! This humble restaurant is one of the best breakfast spots in town because of its wide array of Indian dishes, one of which is nasi kandar!
Although it isn’t necessarily a breakfast dish, nasi kandar is one of those dishes that you can eat at any time of the day, especially if it’s prepared the way it is in this restaurant. For starters, the curries aren’t too spicy, but they’ll still make you break a sweat.
Furthermore, we also love the way their chicken is marinated, as the flavour of the curry seeps into the tender meat. A close second to the chicken is the ikan bilis nasi kandar, which uses fried fish and is equally superb.
Pro tip:
If you’re looking to drink something refreshing to start your day or to regenerate your energy after travelling all day, you have to order their fresh cow milk!
Deens Maju Nasi Kandar
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Address: 170, Jalan Gurdwara
Contact details: +60 12-425 2421
Operating hours: Saturday to Thursday: 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Cost: $
Website
Menu
OGs will know that Deens Maju is one of the best places to get nasi kandar, as it offers one of the most authentic versions of this dish in the city. The restaurant itself is a small stall where the delicious nasi kandar is displayed behind a glass—think school cafeterias, without the bad food.
What it lacks in ambience, however, is entirely made up for by the serving size and flavour of this dish. To give you an idea of just how delicious their nasi kandar is, people are willing to queue up underneath the sun just to get their hands on this dish.
They offer a variety of this dish, but if you want our advice, it’s best to go for the bestseller, the ayam bawang. This nasi kandar features chicken drenched in homemade gravy and topped off with some onions, garlic, and of course, curries!
Pro tip:
Avoid visiting during lunchtime to save yourself from the long queues. If you do want to be first in line, however, make sure to bring an umbrella to protect yourself from the sun since there’s little to no shade while you’re in the queue.
Hameediyah Restaurant
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Address: 164 A, Lebuh Campbell Street
Contact details: +60 4-261 1095
Operating hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Cost: $$
Website
Menu
You can’t leave Penang without stopping by Hameediyah Restaurant, which is the oldest known restaurant that serves nasi kandar. This spot has been around since 1907 and is still going strong today, which gives us the feeling that they’ve nailed down their recipe to a tee.
For starters, the chicken they use for their nasi kandar is well-marinated, making every bite super flavourful. Furthermore, it also helps that the curries they use here are spiced just right, making them the perfect accompaniment for your nasi briyani/white rice.
Another reason why we put this on the list is because it’s a fully-fledged restaurant complete with proper seating and AC units, which makes dining here all the more pleasing. This is a far cry from the humble stalls and eateries that usually serve nasi kandar.
Pro tip:
Make sure to try other Malaysian/Indian delicacies while you’re here to make the most out of your visit! Aside from nasi kandar, some of their must-try dishes include beef rendang, ayam kapitan and mutton kurma.
Restoran Nasi Kandar Line Clear
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Address: Beside 161 & 177 Penang Road
Contact details: +60 4-261 4440
Cost: $
Operating hours: Open 24 hours
Website
Menu
One of the main reasons why Restoran Nasi Kandar Line Clear is famous is because of its 24-hour business operation. This gives locals the chance to satisfy their cravings for nasi kandar at any time of the day—plus, it also helps that they serve a great version of this dish.
Aside from its operating hours, this restaurant garnered fame and love among locals because of its generous serving sizes. Whether you’re ordering prawns or fried chicken to go along with your nasi kandar, you can expect your plate to be piled up to the brim.
This affordability is more impressive when you consider how cheap they’re charging them, which perfectly sums up the Malaysian street food scene.
Pro tip:
If you’re squeamish or you’re visiting with kids/elders, you may want to skip this stall. It’s located in a narrow alleyway and the hygiene here isn’t exactly up to other people’s standards.
Restoran Deen Nasi Kandar
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Address: 598-D & 598-E, Jalan Jelutong
Contact details: +60 11-4042 8633
Operating hours: Daily from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Cost: $$
Website
Menu
You can easily spot Restoran Deen Nasi Kandar from afar because of its guaranteed long queues. There is a reason for these lines forming throughout the day though, as this spot is one of the oldest restaurants in the city that serves nasi kandar.
It’s hard to choose one specific item from their menu, as everything from their fried chicken down to their squid is worth highlighting because of their freshness and quality. If you don’t know what to get, it’s always safe to go for their fried chicken and drench your plate with gravy.
They also serve ikan goreng (fried fish) for those who don’t want chicken or squid. Just be sure to mix up your curries and gravies to get that fantastic combination of flavours that this dish is known for.
Pro tip:
We recommend ordering your food to go since the seating area in this restaurant isn’t that spacious, and they do get filled up quite fast. Furthermore, be sure to bring cash, as they don’t accept other modes of payment.