Where to go for the best Penang Char Koay Teow?

Char Koay Teow in Hokkien/Teochew dialect literally means stir-fried flat rice noodles 🍜.

It is believed that Char Koay Teow originated from southern China and was brought to Nanyang (南洋 - Malaya, Singapore) by Chinese immigrants—mainly the Teochew and Hokkien—back in the 19th century. What started as a simple, cheap meal for labourers has since evolved into a beloved (and often time not-so-cheap-anymore 😅) street food icon.

You can find Char Koay Teow in almost every state across Peninsular Malaysia, with each place putting its own spin on it. In Melaka, Char Koay Teow—also known as Siham (blood cockles) Ker Teow—is usually darker in colour and skips the chives, using only bean sprouts. Locals sometimes order ker teow mee (a mix of flat rice noodles and yellow noodles) instead.

And then comes the most important thing that sets it apart from everywhere else… drum roll please 🥁 ….. 👉 The sweet sauce (甜酱)!

Yes, you read that right 😁. It must have sweet sauce. It seriously brings everything together—the wok hei, the savouriness, the oomph 🤤. You really have to try it to understand.

The Malay community has its own version too—Koay Teow Basah. Basah means “wet” in Malay, and yup, you guessed it right 😄. This version comes with gravy. It is different but delicious too.

Among all the variations, Penang Char Koay Teow is hands down the most famous. Often the first thing people think of when Penang is mentioned. Some even say you have not truly visited Penang if you have not eaten Penang Char Koay Teow. And no, it is not just a tourist thing—Penangites love it too… sometimes one plate a little too often then what your cardiologist would approve of 😅.

Typically, Penang Char Koay Teow features flat rice noodles wok-fried over high heat (wok hei 🔥) with soy sauce, chilli, cockles, prawns, eggs, bean sprouts, chives, and often Chinese sausage and lard. It is famous for its smoky, savoury-sweet flavour. The best plates are usually cooked one at a time. That said, every stall has its own style—some are darker from thick soy sauce, some are reddish from chilli, some are drier, and some are creamier.

In Penang, most Char Koay Teow stalls—especially the less touristy ones-also offer different carb options. Besides koay teow, you can choose:

Mee (面, yellow noodles)

Misua (面线, thin wheat noodles that are already deep-fried)

Tanghoon (冬粉, chewy transparent mung bean noodles)

Bee Tai Bak (老鼠粉, short, smooth rice flour noodles)

Or even rice 🍚

Okay, secret time 🤫 —a tip I learnt from my MIL. When ordering mee (yellow noodles), ask for “char ka tam” in Hokkien, which means make it wetter. This slightly gravy-ish version is so good with mee 🤌.

In Penang, we are truly blessed with an abundance of Char Koay Teow stalls. With such fierce competition, you are pretty much guaranteed a good plate wherever you go, doesn't matter if it is a famous or just a small neighbourhood stall. Although I try not to eat too much Char Koay Teow, my FIL and hubby must have their Char Koay Teow fix. So yes, I have eaten my fair share 😄. Though there are so many more to try and discover.

Based on my own makan experience, here is a list of some of the most memorable Char Koay Teow in Penang-the ones that made me go wow. Keep in mind that this list is not in any particular order. I will keep adding to this list as I journey on 😊. Keep checking back!