Best spots to eat in Batu Ferringhi, Penang

Malaysia, Penang in particular, is know for its amazing cuisine.  While we are not terribly adventurous with our meal choices we have been in Penang long enough to have scouted out some great eateries.  Whether you want Western food, Chinese, Indian or traditional Malay these eateries offer something for everyone, kids included!

Sri Anada

Sri Anada seems to be famous!  Everyone that I have brought to the restaurant walks away absolutely in love and counting the days until they can return. It is located in Tanjung Bungah across from the Flamingo hotel, a quick 10 minute drive from Batu Ferringhi.  It is so close and so delicious that I felt I would be remiss in not mentioning it on our list.

Sri Anada offers basically just Indian food but the menu is still diverse.  They have spicy food, great rotis and naan bread, as well as more mild food, vegetarian dishes and the kid's favorite ice cream cakes and Indian candies for desert.

Our favorite dishes are the garlic chicken, cheese roti, butter chicken marsala, paneer, fried cauliflower, and daal.  That being said I haven't been with anyone who hated their dish so whatever you choose should be good!

Cost Factor: Low to medium.  Roti $1, fried cauliflower $2, garlic or butter chicken $5-$8.  Again this can vary drastically but we typically spend around $35 on dinner for the 5 of us, excluding drinks.

Long Beach Hawker market

One of Penangs' best food attractions is the hawker market!  There are many, some better then others, some are big and others smaller but all in all they can be a very inexpensive, safe, and a delicious spot for a quick meal.  We have visited a couple smaller ones and even quite a large one in Georgetown.  They all seem to offer basically the same types of food.

Since we are living in Batu Ferringhi the market we are most familiar with is the Long Beach hawker market.  Just down the street from the Golden Sands hotel and in the heart of the main walking street along the beach that puts on a daily night market complete with authentic foods, ice cream, shoes, shirts, wallets, and all the standard tourist trap purchases.


When you arrive at Long beach it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes.  Rows and rows of tables, bustling people all over the place, and multiple stands of different types of food.  There is Indian, Western, Chinese, Claypot, Malay, soups, salads, tepanyaki, roti, and so much more.  I may be a bit biased but in my opinion the satay, fried mee, chicken doners, and sizzling plate noodles are the true highlights!


When you get there pick your seat (remember the table number), then head around picking out your food, make your order including table number at the stalls themselves, and head back to wait.  Once the food comes you pay and enjoy.  Waiters will come to the table to take your drink order.  Try the ice blended drinks, they are awesome, diabetic nightmares but YUM!

Long Beach is open for dinner only and starts around 6:15pm, but 7 onwards is best as some stalls open late. Parking is available and costs 2 RM.  This fee is well worth it as the parking "ninja" can squeeze you in and out of any number of tight spaces.

Cost Factor: Very low!  Springs rolls for $1 each, Satay sticks (30) for $8, fried rice, fried mee $1-$2 each, chicken doner $3, butter chicken $3, and a list of desserts for $3 or less!
Enca

Enca is a small restaurant located across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel.  They have everything from pizza and pasta to Indian food.  They also deliver which is a great option when its raining or just too hot to venture out.  Overall Enca may be our favorite restaurant here!


The dishes we most recommend are the samosas, butter chicken, salads, and pastas.  They have an assortment of pasta sauces and each and every one of them is delectable.  They also offer fresh pressed fruit juices for $2.  The thing we love most aside from the food is the staff.  They are friendly and go above and beyond the whole time we are there.  They often play with our children and never seem put out by the rather large mess we sometimes leave behind, especially when we show up with friends.

Cost factor: Low most nights but depending on what you order it can get expensive.  Samosas are $2, pasta dishes $4-$6, salad $4, curry dishes $8-$10, and grilled anywhere from $8-$15 depending on what meat you choose. 

Bar B Que Nights

A restaurant with a view!

Located just down the street from Long Beach and still within the walking street area, BBQ nights is a great option for a family fun dinner.  Probably the best part about the restaurant is it's location on the beach.  Here you can enjoy chatting with friends while enjoying an amazing Penang sunset all while the kids can have a blast getting sandy, playing with puppies, or taking a horse ride!

The food is also good yet more expensive than it should be.  Our favorites are the chicken burger, hummus with garlic naan, and for the kids the pizza.  They also have a nice desert menu of cakes and ice creams.

We have showed up on numerous occasions with well over 25 people and they handled it in stride. Another great thing is that they open earlier for dinner so when you have smaller kids and wish to eat before 7pm its can be a nice yet more expensive alternative to Long Beach.

Cost factor: Mid range.  Chicken burger $6-$8, hummus with naan $6, large pizza $9, and the salad is $3-$5.  One of the more expensive places we frequent but like I said the atmosphere and location are well worth it most nights!

Ferringhi Coffee Garden

The coffee garden is located down the street from the mosque in Batu Ferringhi and it is perhaps the loveliest setting in Penang.  They are open all day for breakfast and then in the early evening the menu switches and they open up a larger section to suit the dinner needs.  Dinner is significantly more expensive, wonderful for a date night out but not so much for a family of 5!



Breakfast and lunch are both reasonably priced and absolutely scrumptious.  I believe they have the best coffee in town and I can be quite a coffee snob!  Our favorites are the fresh made scones, the turmeric chicken BBQ wrap, and the free range chicken patties.  They often use caramelized onions, sun dried tomatoes and baby spinach...YUM!  Don't forget about the dessert where they serve cheesecake, passion fruit tarts, and a variety of other French pastries.

The coffee is a huge draw as well.  They offer lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, and espresso and they are all divine.  If coffee is not your thing they also have tea and fresh pressed fruit juices.  The orange juice is simply amazing and has you yearning for your own orange grove.  Basically the Ferringhi Coffee Garden is one of our favorites and should not be missed.

Cost factor:  Mid range. coffee $3,  scones $4, wraps $6, fish and chips $10, and burgers $7.  Remember though the dinner menu is more on the high side for cost.


As you can see Batu Ferringhi is teeming with great cuisine options.  There are more expensive places like the coffee garden at night and the Thai restaurant in the Spice garden but these are by far our favorites and the most cost efficient.

Have you been to Penang?  What are your favorite eateries?