New cafes and restaurants in Penang
Just when you think you’ve eaten your way through the island, Penang surprises with a new wave of cafes and restaurants, giving us more reasons to eat out again.
This year, the list is shaping up to be a good one, with a collection that includes a mix of new neighbourhood cafes, refurbished ones with comfier spaces, as well as first outlet openings of large restaurant chains.
Table of Contents
– May –
1. Baked by Kenny Hills Bakers
Customise your own bagels at the sandwich bar
Image adapted from: @bakedbykhb via Instagram
Beyond the bakery items and sandwiches, the café also offers a long list of beverages and coffee selections, including Iced Coconut Coffee (RM19) or Gula Melaka Latte (RM17), to complement the food menu.
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2. Dāku Coffee
Japanese-inspired coffee from London
Image adapted from: @daku_coffee_my via Instagram
Coffee lovers in Penang can now check out Dāku Coffee, a Japanese-inspired cafe brand originating from London, which boasts a spacious and comfortable two-floor layout, with sleek interiors and plenty of seating, making it an ideal spot for both quick coffee breaks and long cafe sessions.
Guests can order easily through self-order kiosks while exploring drinks like the Dāku Americano (RM11), Café Mocha (RM16), and Coconut Latte (RM15). For those who enjoy brewing coffee at home, the cafe also carries coffee bean options, such as the Dāku Espresso Blend, Single Origin Filter, and Single Origin Decaf.
3. Root House by Gēn
Upscale Malaysia-Chinese cuisine in a heritage hotel
Image credit: @roothousebygen via Instagram
Set inside the beautifully restored 1926 Heritage Hotel, Root House by Gēn is the latest dining concept by the team behind Gēn, combining a refined take on Malaysian Chinese cuisine with contemporary elegance. The restaurant’s interior flaunts a similar aesthetic, blending heritage charm with modern sophistication, with grand ceilings, cosy lounge seating, warm wood accents, and a serene dining environment.
Image credit: @roothousebygen via Instagram
The menu is deeply rooted in the story of Malaysian Chinese cuisine and how it evolved through the movement of Chinese settlers over generations, leading to the unique distinctions between Hokkien, Cantonese, and Teochew cuisine today. Signature dishes include the Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken with Young Ginger Fried Mushroom (RM88), Hokkien Rainbow Prawn Cheong Fun (RM78), and Green Mussel Claypot Rice with Curry Leaves (RM98).
The restaurant also houses a stylish bar specialising in drinks infused with tea and medicinal herbs, offering a unique beverage experience that complements the rich flavours of the food menu.
4. Nua Nua Coffee
Quaint and quirky cafe in an alleyway
Image adapted from: @jerriexlim via Instagram & Tsang Anson via Google Reviews
Tucked within the alleyway along Lebuh Chulia, the quaint cafe of Nua Nua Coffee is one of Penang’s newest hidden cafe gems with a cosy and laid-back charm. As the sister cafe of Noa Noah Cafe in Butterworth, this cafe brings out its unique personality with its raw and rustic aesthetic, featuring quirky décor pieces, mismatched furniture, and intimate corners for slow coffee sessions and casual catch-ups.
Coffee lovers can enjoy drinks like the Orange Americano (RM16) and Matcha Yuzu (RM17), alongside desserts that perfectly complement the cafe’s beverage menu.
5. Elsewhere
French-Italian cafe bistro
Image adapted from: @elsewhere.penang, @nicole_lsx94 via Instagram
Quietly settled in Tanjung Bungah is Elsewhere, a newly opened French-Italian bistro. The cafe-restaurant features vintage minimalist interiors with a cosy atmosphere, simple rustic décor, and a welcoming neighbourhood vibe.
The menu focuses on comforting Western fare, including sweet crêpes, galettes, toasties, wraps, and pasta dishes. Highlights include the La Complète galette (RM12) with cheese, egg, and chicken ham, Salmon Benedict galette (RM34), Rigatoni Marinara (RM18), and Vongole pasta (RM32). Sweet options include Lemon Sugar crêpes (RM8), Chocolate or Caramel crêpes (RM9), alongside signature desserts like Suzette (RM29) and Tiramisu (RM34).
– April –
1. KINS
Cozy bistro serving classic European comfort dishes
Image adapted from: @kins.penang via Instagram
The newly-opened KINS sits comfortably in a restored heritage shophouse in George Town, decked out with minimalist interiors and softened with European colonial touches, warm wood panelling, and rattan-backed chairs.
Their menu is built around honest European comfort food – you’ll find starters like Onion Soup (RM36), rich and composed mains such as the classic Duck Confit (RM78), paired with silky mashed potatoes, berry coulis, and duck jus, as well as firepowers including the Wagyu Ribeye MB6/7 (RM250) and the Black Angus T-Bone (RM300), both plated with classic bistro-style sides done generously.
Desserts are kept simple here: there’s the Crème Brûlée (RM36) infused with Earl Grey, and KINS Tiramisu (RM38).
2. Red Door Cafe
Coffee in the heart of George Town with a view of the Beach Street fire station
Image adapted from: @imvnrvzz_ via Threads & Houston Loh via Google Photos
Red Door Cafe sits right in the heart of George Town, with one of those views that tourists would love—a clear line straight to the famous Beach Street fire station. Inside, the cafe is cosy and relaxed, with a simple drinks menu that covers all the familiar bases.
There are classics such as Espresso (RM9) and Macchiato (RM9) to keep things simple, while Americano (RM11) and Flat White (RM13) are the everyday go-tos for cafe hoppers. For more variety, the Caramel Latte (RM15) adds sweetness, while the Dirty Latte (RM15) gives you that strong coffee kick softened by milk.
3. Lazy Ember
A modern Malaysian open-grill experience
Image credit: @lazy_ember via Instagram & Christopher Loh via Google Photos
Sitting right opposite the famous Ome by Spacebar Coffee, along the alleyway of Lorong Toh Aka, is the new Lazy Ember restaurant, with a concept here is refreshingly bold: an open-grill and kitchen to tempt and delight. Step inside, and you’ll be greeted with a rugged charm and a slightly smoky aroma in the air from the open-fire kitchen where the chefs do their magic of coaxing, charring, and fermenting.
On the menu, you’ll find dishes that embrace that fire-kissed identity. The Ikan Bakar (RM78) uses Red Emperor fish with a tangy sauce, while the Pork Chop (RM92) is an indulgent one that’s juicy, with a char siu-like tenderness, coated with a fermented bean curd sauce. Claypot rice options serve some wok-hei rice with XO Pork Ribs (RM48) and Kampung Fish Rice (RM42).
4. ULAM
Authentic nasi ulam and Peranakan classics
Image credit: @casper_in.the.house via Instagram
ULAM is a new spot that keeps things straightforward, simple, delicious and familiar. As the name suggests, the restaurant, which is connected to 5 Elements within Lebuh Victoria, centres around Peranakan cuisine. Their standout dish, the nasi ulam (RM30), is a nostalgic plate of finely chopped herbs and leafy greens mixed into warm white rice, giving it a fresh, slightly herbal fragrance that’s light but still full of flavour.
You can have your ulam rice with ayam goreng or tempeh, and add on sides like kerabu bee hoon (RM20), as well as ayam serai or lemongrass chicken (RM16).
5. Tokyo Tonkatsu Aokiya
Juicy Tonkatsu & Japanese fare
Image adapted from: @nicole_lsx94 via Instagram & @suka_chiak via Instagram
A low-key Japanese food enclave in Pulau Tikus, Tokyo Tonkatsu Aokiya, is Penang’s newest Tonkatsu spot, with a cozy space tucked within a residential terrace house. The menu is a celebration of all things katsu, including the chicken tender cutlet set (RM29), offering a juicy and lean chicken interior beneath a crisp coating, and the show-stealer pork tenderloin (RM43) that has 230g of thick-cut pork loin coated in fresh Japanese panko and fried to golden perfection.
– March –
1. Ovalthinker Coffee
A small cafe below a residential apartment
Image credit: @_____eee via Instagram
Tucked within an apartment block, Ovalthinker Coffee has a certain neighbourhood charm that most quaint cafes in the city cannot replicate. Warm, small, and charmingly yellow, the cafe is exactly the kind of place where you might see patrons working quietly on their laptops, sketching, or simply staring out of the window whilst sipping their coffee.
Coffee menu here sticks to a speciality cafe philosophy: well-made and simple. Drip coffees are the cafe’s signature, with a nice selection of various flavour profiles to choose from, as well as coffee classics including americano and lattes. Pair them with homemade baked goods such as the cheesecake tofu and madeleines.
2. Acupaday Gelugor
New cafe outlet at Gelugor
Image credit: @ifat2015 via Instagram
Acupaday has recently expanded with a new branch at Vona Park in Gelugor, bringing its coffee beverages, Western dishes and Asian-inspired eats to the residents and locals in the area.
There’s a selection of Japanese-inspired donburi rice bowls such as the chicken katsu don (RM20) and teriyaki aalmon don (RM20), as well as pasta selections including a classic aglio olio (RM18) and their best-selling creamy pumpkin pasta (RM24). Acupaday’s coffee and speciality beverages remain the cafe’s highlight – there are signature drinks such as espresso cube or mocha cube with silky milk (RM17), where you pour creamy milk over a glass of frozen cubes of coffee.
3. Butter Cheezy Chicken
Fried chicken goodness
Image credit: @cindy.teoh via Instagram
Butter Cheezy Chicken is the perfect supper spot to hit when you’re feeling something real sinful when it’s bedtime. At the heart of the menu is their lineup of fried chicken options. Priced at just RM9.90, there’s the deluxe chicken burger, which features a crispy boneless chicken thigh tucked into a soft bun, the crispy boneless chicken bites and crispy wingettes and drumettes that are ideal for sharing or snacking.
For those looking for a complete meal, the BCC Solo Feast Combo (RM19.90) bundles the fried chicken with sides and drinks. Customers can choose between items like a chicken burger, boneless chicken bites, or wings, paired with shaker fries or golden fried corn sticks, along with a refreshing iced drink.
4. A-Xing Rice Roll
Chewy purple rice rolls with various fillings
Image credit: @axingriceroll.pg via Instagram
Sometimes, we just want to drop by a casual eatery and be satisfied by some simple, convenient and delicious food. At the newly opened A-Xing Rice Roll, you’ll get that.
Inspired by Asian rice roll snacks that combine rice, seaweed, and a variety of savoury ingredients into one compact meal, the star here are freshly made purple rice rolls packed with flavourful fillings in a handheld format, making it a great option for a light lunch or an easy snack on the go.
Must-try recommendations include the salted ggg yolk rice roll (RM15), the teriyaki unagi rice roll (RM17) for those who enjoy sweet-savoury Japanese flavours, the black pepper chicken rice roll (RM16), and the indulgent mozzarella cheese rice roll (RM15) that adds a creamy, melty twist to the traditional rice roll.
5. So Do Fun
Authentic Sichuan cuisine
Image credit: @leeqin via Instagram
Recently opened at Queensbay Mall is So Do Fun, a Chinese restaurant that specialises in authentic Sichuan cuisine. Its menu offers classic Sichuan dishes that highlight the region’s signature flavours, including a standout item and a staple Sichuan dish, the boiled fish in spicy broth (RM88), which has tender fish simmered in a deep red broth infused with chilli oil, dried chillies, and Sichuan peppercorns.
There’s also the Leshan sweet skin roast duck (RM39), chilli eggplant with century egg (RM28), as well as Chengdu Mapo Tofu (RM26), all of which are best enjoyed with a bowl of steamed rice to soak up the bold sauce.
6. Kak Tao Lang
Home-cooked-style Malaysian comfort food
Image adapted from: @kaktaolang via Instagram
The new Asian eatery in George Town called Kak Tao Lang brings a warm, homey touch to familiar dishes, with a focus on simple and hearty comfort food.
You’ll find crowd-pleasing classics such as fried chicken chop rice (RM16.90), sour spicy lala noodles (RM19.90), curry chicken rice (RM18.90) and homestyle sambal sotong rice (RM21.90).
– February –
1. Yume Studio
Houses a film camera store & ceramic workshop
Image credit: Jia-Ju
Once a hidden gem in Bukit Mertajam, Yume Studio has begun a new chapter along the buzzy streets of Lebuh Acheh in George Town, bringing along the same creative spirit, and of course, coffee that’s as good as ever.
The space carries a distinctly Taiwan cafe-inspired aesthetic, exuding a chic-cosy charm with dark wood furnishings, cosy corners of potted plants and retro posters, as well as the soft daylight filtering through the huge sunroof.
Image credit: Jia-Ju
Their small menu of drinks offers a selection of coffee and non-coffee beverages that are exceptional, but here, it isn’t all just about the coffee. Right at the entrance, patrons will be greeted by a film camera store, and further inside within the cafe, there are curated corners for various personalities including a space for ceramic workshop, as well as a modest display of vibrant risograph zines.
2. Kin Coffee
New cafe in a pickleball hub
Image adapted from: @kin.coffee via Instagram
Kin Coffee is a new abode that feels like a corner of calm within the lively new sports hub Pickle by the Sea. Nestled along Penang’s Gurney Drive, a well-known stretch of scenic seafront where locals enjoy a nice promenade, the cafe makes for the perfect go-to caffeine spot, and post-game refuel spot for the fellow pickleball players, as well as casual passersby.
Here, you’ll be served with aromatic coffee drinks, alongside easygoing fare such as sandwiches, salads, and comforting cakes, as you wind down after a round or two of pickleball, or simply to enjoy a laid-back afternoon by the sea.
3. Moonshine Cakes and Coffee
Galore of cakes & other desserts
Image adapted from: @moonshine.cc via Instagram
After a good three years tucked away cosily on Penang’s man-made Andaman Island, Moonshine Cakes and Coffee has shifted to a new home along the heritage-lined streets of Sri Bahari, George Town. Its new space boasts an old-shophouse charm and exudes a similar laid-back rhythm as it did previously, and a menu of eats and coffee that’s just as good.
Image adapted from: @nicole_lsx94 & @moonshine.cc via Instagram
There’s the Truffle Mushroom & Scrambled Eggs Tartine (RM25.90) and Pomodoro Eggs (RM25.90) as part of their brunch selections, as well as the usual coffee offerings with the espresso starting from RM9.90.
But the very thing not to miss at Moonshine is their galore of cakes and desserts. The Boozy Tiramisu and Pistachio Lemon Poppy cake are the cafe’s dessert staples, but it is the seasonal specials to look out for, with unique creations such as Kaya Toast Panna Cotta and the Chocolate & Mandarin cake in celebration of CNY.
4. Egg Percent
Speciality drinks like Mango Coconut Latte
Image credit: Egg Percent via Google Photos
One can never have too much dessert, and Egg Percent clearly agrees with its arsenal of dainty cakes and sweet drinks. You’ll find an assortment of visually-pleasing cakes, arranged in satisfying order behind a chiller display, with flavours such as Blueberry Rice Pudding and Pistachio Strawberry.
For their drinks, there’s the usual Americano (RM10) or Latte (RM12) to have with your sweet treats, as well as speciality iced drinks such as Mango Coconut Latte (RM15) and Matcha Strawberry (RM15).
5. The Coffee Factory
Drip-of-the-day coffee
Image credit: Jia-Ju
The Coffee Factory is a cafe, yes, but it is also a little more than just a cafe. Located on the second floor of Ivory Plaza, the cafe is a nice, quiet haven that has become a favourite study and hangout spot for students of the nearby Universiti Sains Malaysia, thanks to the friendly baristas and their robust brews.
Image credit: Jia-Ju
Apart from sipping on bold coffees such as the TCF Drip-Of-The-Day (RM14) or a comforting Cappuccino (RM13), you can browse through the cafe’s curated selection of micro packs of beans, each cubic comprising roasted beans from estates of different countries.
6. Buono Gelato
Bronte Pistachio & Black Thorn Durian gelato flavours
Image credit: @omu_my via Instagram
At Buono Gelato, you’ll walk in with a smile. The decor is delightfully a little offbeat and full of character, setting the perfect mood for what’s promised: lots of good gelato.
Their flavours mean business. The Classics have flavours such as Forest Berry and Belgium 70% Chocolate, the Premiums include the likes of Isuzu Matcha and Yokkaichi Black Sesame, while the special Buono flavour and Seasonal flavour are the Bronte Pistachio and Black Thorn Durian, respectively.
Sizes are straightforward: a small scoop gets you one flavour for RM12, a medium with two flavours starts from RM15, and a large lets you try three flavours for RM18.
7. Big Nuts Cafe
Health-conscious nut-based drinks
Image credit: @bignutscafe via Instagram
Big Nuts Cafe has just cracked open in Penang’s Arena Curve, a brand that locals may already know and trust. As a cafe venture of an existing homegrown roastery and healthy nut store, Big Nuts brings its passion for quality nuts straight to a friendly and spacious cafe and to its drink offerings.
Think coffee with nutty twists: their signature is an almond butter latte (RM19.90) that’s creamy and gently nutty. There’s also the signature chocolate (RM15.90) that’s rich and unapologetically satisfying.
Don’t miss out on the dedicated retail corner for patrons to shop for Big Nuts’ signature granolas, roasted nuts, and dried fruits.
8. Longjing Restaurant
Zhejiang cuisine
Image credit: @cozywei via Instagram
LONGJING Restaurant has officially opened its doors at Gurney Plaza Penang, and stepping inside takes you immediately to Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province. The space is thoughtfully composed with bamboo elements, tasteful wood elements, and subtle textures that echo the feeling of strolling through a misty bamboo grove near the popular West Lake.
The cuisine stays true to the heart of Zhejiang cooking, with dishes that are comforting, authentic, and deeply homely, including signatures such as Longjing tea roast chicken, pork belly wraps, vermicelli wrapped shrimps, and claypot rice.
Address: Gurney Plaza, Penang
Opening hours: 11am-2pm & 5pm-10pm, Daily
Contact: LONGJING Restaurant Instagram
9. ChaPanda
First ChaPanda outlet in Penang
Image credit: Cher Ong via Google Photos
The new outlet opening of ChaPanda at Queensbay Mall marks the China tea brand’s seventh outlet in Malaysia, and excitingly, Penang’s very first official store. Fans of tea beverages can look forward to trying out ChaPanda’s signature drinks, which include the crowd-favourite Mango Pomelo Sago, the fragrant Oolong Milk Tea, as well as the unique Soybean Cheese Foam.
New cafes and restaurants to try in Penang in 2026
The fun of Penang’s food scene is that it never sits still. With new cafés and restaurants popping up every month, there’s always another spot to bookmark, another menu to try, and another excuse to plan your next makan adventure. So, bookmark this list, which we’ll be updating monthly, to keep your cravings well-informed.
Cover image adapted from: @axingriceroll.pg, @_____eee, @jiawenn_0507 via Instagram
This article was updated on 20th May 2026.