Flagship by Navy Serves Coffee & Cocktails In A Former Factory Building In Penang

Flagship by Navy

A cafe is hardly just a cafe these days. With many of us regularly on the hunt for good food and aesthetic interiors, new cafes have been putting a lot of thought into their dining spaces.

In Penang, Flagship by Navy has many foodies and Instagrammers excited. This new cafe is housed in a former factory building, which oozes effortless industrial aesthetics with a modern, futuristic touch. By day, it dishes out speciality coffee from behind a marble-neon coffee bar – soon, it’ll serve cocktails by night too.

Cafe by day, bar by night

Walk along Jalan Hamilton in Jelutong, and spot a premise that looks to be in the midst of construction, just next to Heng Ee High School. Once housing a factory, the building is now still very much industrial – but only in terms of appearance.

Image credit: @johnnyyloh_

The sleek, grey building is actually home to a cafe called Flagship by Navy. Cleverly leaving intact most of the industrial touches from the abandoned factory that once operated in the building, the cafe boasts a bold and minimalist facade with cement floors and simple yet stylish concrete walls.

Image credit: Google Photos

Instead of the grey and black furnishings typical of most industrial spaces, Flagship by Navy has levelled up the usual subdued ambience with eccentric pieces that pop with colour.

Image credit: @feliciaphuah & @flagshipbynavy

Spot a neat cluster of muted-coloured chairs, exposed ceilings, and recessed light fixtures, complimented by refreshing splashes of colour from polychromatic tables and stools with graffiti art. Be equally mesmerised by the centrepiece counter – this barista bar practically glows with marbled neon colours, adding a futuristic feel to the space.

Image credit: @flagshipbynavy

Flagship by Navy is also the first cafe in Penang to have a Modbar under-counter espresso machine – a series of standalone coffee-brewing equipment that resemble sleek beer taps. This helps with the efficiency of the baristas’ coffee-making, and adds to the aesthetic of the cafe.

Image credit: @jerriexlim

With a space that is a good mix of hip and contemporary, the cafe makes full use of its aesthetics by doubling up as a cocktail bar once night falls. The pops of fluorescent colours in the cafe pulses with light at dusk, and is a vibe not to be missed especially when you’re sipping on specially-curated cocktails.

The soft launch of their cocktail menu will be on 2nd September 2022. They’ll continue to serve customers every Friday and weekend nights.

Range of pastas and coffee drinks

Image credit: @feliciaphuah

Flagship by Navy’s menu includes a range of pastas, such as freshly-made fettuccine and tagliolini. Those who have tried the cafe’s dishes swear by their Carbonara Angus Beef Streaky (RM34), which is perfectly silky, flavourful, and not cloyingly creamy.

For a good fusion flavour, the Tomyum Cream Spanish Octopus (RM40) might delight your palate. If not, oil-based pastas such as King Prawn Aglio Olio (RM40) or Chicken Pesto Rocco (RM32) are worth a try too.

Image credit: Google Photos & @david_dysm

Their drinks are as adventurous as their interior. A signature drink you’ll regularly spot patrons flaunting on their social media accounts is the Matcha Taro (RM18) – a rich, violet taro drip with a layer of matcha foam served in a tall and square, wine-like glass.

With such an exquisite coffee machine by the bar, you won’t want to miss out on a taste of their coffee – coffee lovers can find options on the menu such as Dirty Latte (RM14) or Gula Melaka Affogato (RM18).

Non-coffee drinkers can also find a variety of Chinese teas or kefir sodas.

Flagship by Navy in Penang

With industrial-themed cafes being the latest fad in the cafe scene these days, Flagship by Navy is a new cafe that Penangites and beyond will want to drop by to dine on coffee and pasta in an industrial space.

Once September rolls around, you can sip on cocktails at the bar too.

Address: 57, Jalan Hamilton, Jelutong, 11600 Jelutong, Penang
Opening hours: Thu–Tue 11AM-10PM (Closed on Wednesdays) | Cocktail Bar: Fri–Sun 8PM-1AM
Telephone: 016-424 2911
Flagship by Navy’s Facebook | Instagram

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Cover image adapted from: @jerriexlim and Google Photos