Lunch Food Tour in George Town, Penang
Penang lunch dishes garnished with local history
We want to tell you a hidden story of Penang while showing you some of our favourite lunch dishes in George Town. Food, history and differing perspectives collide in our lunch food tour - creating a unique experience for first-time travelers as well as seasoned visitors alike.
There’s much to learn, much to discover and so, so much good food to eat.
Find out more about our Lunch Hop below.
The Lunch Hop
Lunch time in George Town is a bustle of activity. Recipes that were developed to nourish port workers and labourers have evolved to cater to executives and engineers. And yet they retain their rustic roots, and are all the more special and delicious for it.
Come experience the story of George Town's inception and discover the dishes that fed generations of working class Penangites. Enjoy food from the ethnic Hokkien, Indian-Muslim and Nyonya communities as well as some nice, cool and sometimes suprising desserts.
Details
Time: 10.30am - 1.30pm (3 hours)
Distance: 2.0 - 2.5km with ample rest stops
Spice Level: Low to Moderate
Price: MYR315 (approx. USD68*) per person
Suitable for solo travelers, couples, small groups & families
Open all days based on host availability
*approximate USD for comparison purpose only. This is not an exact exchange rate calculation and should not be construed as such.
Reviews for Our Lunch Food Tours
Read more reviews for Heritage on a Plate
“Would thoroughly recommend this tour to anyone who wishes to experience Georgetown”
“A feast of food and information on the food and culture of George Town”
“We learned about Penang culture, street art, its diverse communities and religions while eating our way through copious amounts of delicious street food”
More About the Lunch Tour
Depending on your host for the day, the lunch tour might take different directions and offer varying, but always enlightening, insights into Penang food, culture and community. We like to call it a Lunch Hop because we “hop” from place to place, dish to dish and in many ways, through the different historical eras of Penang.
Perhaps we’ll look into the industrious personalities of the island’s past, the mythology and reality behind colonialism or the effects of the Second World War on the island. Or we’ll trace the journey of spices and merchants from India and China and the evolution of various local favourites like Penang laksa and Char Koay Teow.
Penang’s food culture is still tied to the local routines and schedules. That means certain dishes are often only available at certain times.If you’re looking to try lunch time food favourites in Penang - Laksa, Char Koay Teow and desserts like Cendol, then you want to choose the Lunch slot. There’s often options for these at cafes and restaurants, but we’d like to show you our favourite places that we feel have great food, great stories and a connection to Penang’s history.
If you’re looking for a dinner food tour, read about the dinner hop here.
Location and Landmarks
Most of the lunch tour takes place in the George Town Core Heritage Zone, which is one of the most historic parts of the city. This area covers Jalan Pantai (Beach Street), where the ferry terminal and Fort Cornwallis are located, to around Lebuh Kimberley near Komtar and the Chowrasta Market.
Along this route there are plenty of historic landmarks as well as street art and other areas of interest. We really enjoy showing you the places that are a bit less well known among travelers, and helping you see things from the local perspective. Sometimes there are even surprising historic and culinary tidbits that might just change what you think you know about Penang.
Every food tour we do is different, so your experience will be different from another travellers’ journey. But we always try to make it memorable and significant.