Best Bak Kut Teh in Penang

Coffee Island is a charming restaurant tucked blissfully along Gurney Drive, where locals and tourists alike are singing praises for their mixture of Western and Asian meals. Among the stars of this restaurant is their Bak Kut Teh, with a choice of either the dry or soup version. Priding itself with serving pork without any antibiotics or hormones, the meats are a little chewy, yet packed with flavours. Nab a table in their al fresco setting; the breezy cool air and mild music elevates the meaty hot pot dining experience.

This old school coffee shop lures patrons from all walks of life to have their tummy filled with local delights at affordable prices. Renowned for Char Kuey Teow and Beef Noodles, yet their Bak Kut Teh are among the best in the island. The clay pot is filled with pork ribs, Chinese cabbage, spongy tofu, and meat balls simmered in a piping hot soup. Crunchy Chinese cruller, white rice and chopped chilies accompany the scrumptious pot of herby and meaty goodness. 

Located along Jalan Macalister lies a fairly vibrant restaurant that offers bak kut teh by the bowl instead of claypot. Unlike many others, Hong Xiang Bak Kut Teh excels in a few things - one of which is the cut of pork served. Commonly done in either lean, fat or a mix between both, Hong Xiang's approach is simply providing you with an entire rib. It will stick out of the bowl, but to some that is decorative. The broth is also incredibly flavourful and goes really well with both rice and fried beancurd pieces. In short, if you are looking for a place to indulge in porky goodness, this might be it!

Spanning more than 25 years, this humble stall has been taking the locals and tourists by storm with their impeccable pot of Bak Kut Teh. The broth is meticulously boiled for hours with assorted cuts of pork, herbs, and spices to evoke your appetite. The pork ribs are simmered till tender, accompanied with a generous portion of vegetables, and are best eaten with their special Yam Rice. Their wide range of stir fried vegetables should not be missed too. 

Along the restless Macalister Road lies this brightly-lit and spacious restaurant that holds a reputation among locals for their impeccable Bak Kut Teh. Upon entering this realm of pork, be astounded with the choices of cuts - from ankle to shank; you name it, they serve it. Unlike other restaurants, pick your preferred cuts of meat and it will be separately served in their thick, dark soup. As each cut of pork has its own unique flavours, you can test how discerning your palate is.

Delima Mas Cafe definitely bombards your brain with a plethora of local delights to choose from. Looking for a toothsome yet wallet-friendly Bak Kut Teh? Head further in till you spot a welcoming uncle behind a busy stall. You’ll be amazed by the  varieties of pork cuts this little stall offers. Serving a rich herbal soup in a clay pot with an assortment of lean and fatty cuts, offal, vegetables, mushrooms, beancurd, meat balls, Chinese crullers and even black fungus for an earthy flavour, this hidden gem is nothing short of amazing.

Zealand, not New Zealand, Bak Kut Teh and Seafood Restaurant is a fairly popular eatery located along Gurney Drive, Penang. It is Gurney after all, which makes it a fantastic spot for tourist. Facing directly at the oceans of Penang, this restaurant offers quite a number of stunning looking dishes. One of which is the bak kut teh served in a large claypot filled with glorious chunks of meat and dark-coloured broth. As you would expect, the taste of the soup is evident while the pork as well as vegetables and beancurd found within are absolutely delightful. 

Not a soup person? Why worry when a renowned restaurant in Bukit Mertajam has been churning out the best of both dry and traditional Bak Kut Teh. It does impersonate rojak at a glance, as the tender meats of pork ribs, intestines, tofu, okras and other vegetables are coated in a concoction of dried chilies and dark soya sauce. Pair the precious pot with regular sides of yam rice and crispy Chinese crullers for a truly satisfying meal.

During cold rainy nights, it’s undeniable that a sizzling pot of Bak Kut Teh can warm both the soul and belly. For more than 15 years, this humble restaurant has been renowned for flocking patrons till late hours, akin to walking into a "clay pot bar". The broth has the perfect balance of earthy and savoury flavours that bind the chunks of pork ribs, tofu, beancurd sheets and assorted vegetables. On top of that, their dish of boiled lettuce topped with meat floss and braised chicken legs is worth devouring too. 

As funny as it may sound, Klang Bak Kut Teh is actually their establishment's name in Penang. Operating from a small stall, this eatery is able to produce some magnificent looking and tasting bak kut teh to the people of Penang. Their bak kut teh is famed for 2 things - their ribs and dark broth. The ribs are cooked to tender perfection where it will just slide of the bone rather easily. As for the broth, you can expect it to taste rather herbal-ish as compared to most. They also offer a fantastic fried tofu which is found on every table. 

Khoon Klang Bak Kut Teh is located along Perak Road, Penang. It is one of the more popular places where they serve 2 types of bak kut teh - soup and dry. Do not be fooled by it's rather small outlet as this place is always buzzing with people, sometimes queuing up to 20 minutes just to get a seat. As you can already tell, their bak kut teh is incredibly flavourful, both the soup and dry. Served in a claypot alongside a generous amount of enoki mushrooms, fried beancurd, tofu and vegetables, Khoon Klang Bak Kut Teh is certainly one of the best there is. 

If you are looking for air-conditioning and comfortable seating area, then Lai Xiang Bak Kut Teh may not be the place of visit for you. However, if you do not mind the mosquitoes and humidity, then by all means, do head on down and give them a try. Lai Xiang Bak Kut Teh is located at BB Cafe, right behind Suntech Building. They usually open late in the evening, after all the other shops are closed. Their broth, which is pitch black in color, is one of the main reasons any one would visit. It has a rich and deep flavour with a herbal-ish aroma, filled with plenty of enoki mushrooms and beancurd, as well as your choice of meat.