Bored of Hawker Eats? Try Out These 12 Cafes In Penang!

You’ve strolled down Gurney Drive, you’ve braved the crowds at Lorong Selamat to sample the world-famous hawker selections and you’ve savored all the Char Kuay Teow, Oyster Omelette and Assam Laksa there is to offer. But one can only stomach so much! If you’ve got a craving for picturesque desserts and yummy Western brunches, where do you go?

Save your time scouring the web! The LaceyBunny team has sourced for you 12 cafes in Penang where you can go when you need a place to catch up on work, meet someone or just sit back for a chat! 😄

 

1. Lavish Fusion Bakery (George Town, Penang)

This bakery cum cafe in George Town is famous for many things but most notably – their fuwa fuwa pancake! If you haven’t heard of this trend yet, fuwa fuwa pancakes are extremely light and fluffy pancakes. We’re talking HEAVENLY kind of fluffy! The pancakes originated in Japan but has become a craze in many other countries such as Taiwan. 😍

Lavish Fusion offers 6 different flavors including mango, chocolate, matcha, durian and sakura! Furthermore, they also sell the infamous “towel roll cake” in matcha red bean and chocolate oreo. Basically, if you’re looking for more than just the usual artsy bakery, this is the place to go! ❤

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00am – 10:30pm

📍 Address: 214, Lebuh Victoria, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 014 261 0107

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2. Awesome Canteen (George Town, Penang)

Situated in the rustic retreat of Sekeping Victoria, Awesome Canteen also has another outlet in KL. What makes them so awesome? Their Paleo menu selections! This cafe for lunch in Penang prides itself on serving healthy, delicious Paleo-inspired meals in a charming repurposed heritage house where you can peacefully enjoy the ambience away from the noisy streets of tourist-filled Penang. ❤

What is the Paleo diet, you ask? Also known as the caveman diet, dishes are made from ingredients that would’ve been easily sourced thousands of years ago. This healthy, no-processed food concept shows in their menu selections which feature dishes such as Paleo burgers and avocado banana smoothies! 😍

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm

📍 Address: 164A-B, Lebuh Victoria, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number:  04-261 3707

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3. Behind 50 (George Town, Penang)

If there’s one place to bring your “matsalleh” friends to when they’re in Penang, (other than the hawker centres, of course) is this old-school style cafe in Penang. Only open till 1:00pm, Behind 50 caters to the breakfast and lunch crowd with its simple, straightforward cafe eats. 😃

But the real eye-catcher here is the overall ambience. The facade is painted a sweet turquoise color and at first glance, you’d think it to be some nondescript hole-in-the-wall shop, but step inside and you seem to go back several decades. With its uneven cement walls and nostalgic decor, this is one place you want to come to when feeling overwhelmed by the modern-day world. 👍

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00am – 1:00pm (closed on Wednesday and Thursday)

📍 Address: Lebuh Muntri, Georgetown, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 012-401 3392

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4. Pik Nik (George Town, Penang)

Claimed as the “Best Lepak Place in Penang”, Pik Nik is a whimsical cafe in Nagore Square and has been around for a few years now. Spot this place by its iconic green door and step inside to a highly photogenic cafe perfect for all your Insta needs! It’s no wonder why the place is often frequented by influencers. 😍

As for the food, Pik Nik specializes in their rendition of waffles – burger-style! Try the Korean Chicken “Burger” or a simple Bacon and Egg Waffle! Yoghurt smoothies are also a specialty of theirs, try the passionfruit mango one for the perfect amount of sweetness and zest to pair with your waffles! Whether it be food or interior design, Pik Nik’s aesthetics certainly make it one of the top cafes in the vicinity. 😋

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 3:00pm – 12:00am (closed on Tuesdays)

📍 Address: 15, Jalan Nagor, 10500 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number:  016-448 1517

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5. The Mugshot Cafe (George Town, Penang)

The best cafes are the ones that have unique offerings you can’t easily find at any standard cafe. At The Mugshot, patrons get to try homemade bagel muffins baked to perfection! Soft and warm on the inside, crispy and studded with poppy seeds and sesame seeds on the outside, all with a generous filling sandwiched in the middle. Corned beef with rocket or the classic cream cheese and smoked salmon, anyone? 🤩

Don’t leave the doors of this cafe without finishing off your meal with a fruity, refreshing dessert! Adorable little jars of yogurt are topped with fruit and honey. Lastly, finish off the full Mugshot experience by doing exactly that – getting your “mugshot” taken at their famous photo op! 😮

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 8:00am – 12:00am

📍 Address: 302, Chulia St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number:  012-405 6276

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6. The Twelve Cups (George Town, Penang)

Fuss-free and unpretentious, Twelve Cups is another cafe in George Town which promises good hearty Western food done right, without all the pomp that too many cafes fall prey to in an effort to stand out from the crowd. If you’re anything like us, and you always order a plate of big breakfast for that special Sunday brunch, you’d be glad to know that Twelve Cups does theirs with a multitude of different sides for a generous, generous portion. 👍

But if you’re craving something else, try out their crepes! A house specialty, crepes here are available in either sweet or savory. For sweet, think “Red Queen” and “Blooming Matcha” or if you’re a savory type of gal, maybe “Smoky Samurai”? 😃

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00am – 11:00pm (Mon- Thurs)/ 9:00am – 12:00am (Fri-Sun)

📍 Address: 12, The WhiteAways Arcade, Beach St, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 04-262 6812

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7. China House (George Town, Penang)

What do you get when you combine 3 heritage buildings, an open air courtyard and a sweet tooth? You get China House, one of the top cafes frequented by tourists and locals alike in Penang. A mix of everything from bakery to bar to library to art gallery, there’s never a lack of things to see, eat and do here. 😄

From Friday through the weekend, enjoy jazz and indie music at “The Canteen”, but before that, make sure you peruse their huge cake selection and sample a slice or two! With flavors like Australian lamingtons and classic chocolate tarts, you’ll be tempted to tapao some home for sure! ☺

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00am – 1:00am

📍 Address: 153, Beach St, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number:  04-263 7299

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8. Macallum Connoisseurs (George Town, Penang)

KL isn’t short of warehouse or industrial-style cafes, but Penang typically specializes in cafes with a hipster-heritage vibe. So if you’re looking for something a little more modern and coffee-centric, pay Macallum Connoisseurs a visit! Better known simply as Macallum, this coffee shop in Penang takes their beans seriously and even has an in-house barista academy! 😎

With its high ceilings, industrialized interior and ample parking space, it reminds us very much of Grey Sky Morning in KL. Here, you can munch on variations of their bagelicious bites such as their “Breakfast Bagel” consisting of cream cheese and scrambled eggs. Of course, the coffee is the star here so indulge in a good cuppa, you deserve it! 👍

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00am – 12:00am

📍 Address: 1, Gat Lebuh Macallum, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 011-1259 1459

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9. Norm (George Town, Penang)

Norm is a new cafe in Penang, popping into the scene with their amazing waffles. The interior is bright and minimalistic, enhanced by the touches of green the potted plants add. During the day, come here for a sip of coffee and pick from an array of waffle flavors. Mmm…apple crumble waffles… 😋

But when the sun sets, the place undergoes a 360 degree transformation to become a cocktail bar. Bathed in neon lights, come here with your colleagues for your next Friday night gathering! 👍

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 9:00am – 12:00am

📍 Address: 260c, Lebuh Carnarvon, Georgetown, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 017-401 1300

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10. 2F+ Cafe by Yellow House (Bayan Lepas, Penang)

Don’t worry, we’re not going to leave out Bayan Lepas! You may or may not have heard of this popular establishment with the unique name of 2F+. While most cafes rake up their prices to the 20’s or even 30’s, this cafe in Penang offers the same type of menu for half the price! Their menu is pretty extensive too, from pastas to bagel sandwiches and most importantly, waffles! 👍

There seems to be a trend in Penang with waffles and bagels. This cafe in Bayan Lepas though, is especially popular for their waffles. They even have unique affogatos like matcha and coconut affogato! 😄\

 

⏰ Opening Hours: Mon: closed/ Tues to Thurs: 12:00pm – 10:30pm/ Fri: 12:00pm – 11:30pm/ Sat – Sun : 10:00am – 11:30pm

📍 Address: Jalan Paya Terubong, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 012-421 1714

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11. Fuku Eatery and Desserts (George Town, Penang)

One of the best cafes around since its inception, Fuku shares its space with Mano Plus, a vintage home and living store. Knowing this, it’s no wonder why the ambience is so beautifully simplistic. The building itself is a heritage building refurbished for a more contemporary look! ❤

Fuku sticks true to its name, serving up simple Japanese options like Omurice with curry and tori karaage, or onigirazu (sandwich-style onigiri) of different flavors such as smoked duck and tuna furikake. For desserts, their galaxy cake is one of the most popular. Who knew you could try the infamous mirror glaze cakes here in Malaysia? 😍

 

⏰ Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs: 9:00am – 6:00pm / Fri – Sun: 9:00am – 9:00pm

📍 Address: 37a&b, Beach St, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 016-302 2102

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12. Brown Pocket (George Town, Penang)

Lastly, we’re going to include a cafe that’s located inside a mall. A halal one at that! Located inside Gurney Paragon, this dessert paradise allows you to explore a waffle experience like no other. They pride themselves on the unique twists they put on their waffle recipe which makes for really good textural contrast. We love that they have flavors like “roasted root veggie” and “poached pear and yogurt.” 👍

This halal cafe in Penang allows you to indulge in never-ending waffles, pancakes and yogurt parfaits, all in a spacious and minimalistic setting perfect for a larger crowd. If you’ve got a larger family, fret not as there’s enough space for everyone here! ❤

 

⏰ Opening Hours: 10:00am – 10:00pm

📍 Address: Gurney Paragon L- 10250, 6-11, Jalan Kelawai, Georgetown, 10250 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

📞 Contact Number: 04-370 5034

 

😉😁 Now that you know what cafes to go, call up the girls and make sure to jot it down in your planner for next weekend! If you do visit any of them, let us know which you liked best! 💕

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