Best Curry Puff in Penang

Adam’s Curry Puff has been a household name among the locals, especially in the vicinity of Pulau Tikus. This humble stall is located in front of Sin Hup Aun Cafe, and the never-ending clienteles are a dead giveaway that you should be darting over too. The crispy and light pastry is the ideal vessel to stuff in the generous filling of curry chicken and potato morsels. The main appeal is the treacly gravy which hits the sweet spot, not being too spicy yet full of savoury. Scoff down two puffs and you’re good to take on the day. 

Despite being one of the newcomers in the curry puff scene, Mak Ee has been making waves with their chicken curry puff. The traditional clamshell pastry imparts additional crispiness while not being skimp with the chicken and potato filling inside makes it a real winner. Unlike those spirit-sapping puffs where chicken bits are scarcely spotted, here the tender chunks are on par till the last bite. Not a fan of chicken? Their tuna curry puff does not fade in comparison. Besides that, others pastries like chicken pie and Portuguese tarts are given starring roles too.  

Located along Jones Road, this nondescript stall has been drawing over a decent amount of crowd for their curry puffs. Nothing to write home about the ambience but the puffs have flavours written all over, which matters most, all the time. The chicken rendition may be the best seller but other options like beef and sardine are worth a go to. Fried to perfection, the crispy ridges that seal the puff and liberal filling within could make your diet plans to futile, as the prices are pocket-friendly too. There are few plastic tables and chairs scattered at the side of the stall if you wish to dine in while watching the world go by. 

Lips are sure to curve upwards for curry puff buffs upon visiting this modest stall at Seong Huat Cafe. Why? They have taken curry puff to a whole new level with mind-boggling choices such as vegetable, squid, chicken, prawn, crab, lamb, sardine, egg, beef, deer and even ostrich. Phew! Besides scoring in variety, they are sure not sacrificing taste too, as each and every puff comprise a resoundingly crispy outer layer and the filling isn’t modest. A handful of pickled onions escorts the curry puff too for a sourish tang. One thing is for sure, their promotion of “buy 10, free one” is pretty easy to hit. 

Ensconced in a narrow alley along Campbell Street, Toh Soon Cafe is habitually filled to the brim during breakfast hours. They are particularly famed for charcoal toasted bread and black coffee, but that does not mean their curry puff should be pushed aside. It’s a study of simplicity - blistered carapace is stuffed with sweet and pleasantly spicy potato filling. Delicious. Chomp down few puffs along a glass of coffee on an ambience that comes with a heaping side of nostalgia. While some prefer grabbing an armload to accompany them while scouring the historic streets and alleys.   

Having established a strong reputation for roti canai and roti bakar, chances to turn your attention to other dishes is certainly not on cards here. However, every day an elder man with a bicycle heads over to sell homemade curry puffs that are well acclaimed by the patrons who managed to look beyond the main obsession. The portion of the puff is huge and holds a crispy crust on the outside, complementing the mildly spiced potatoes inside. The real deal is the generous spoonful of pickled onions perched on top the puff, which offers a contrasting flavour that surprisingly ties together quite well.