Best Duck Rice in Penang

Being in the food paradise of the country, there is no surprise that suppers are seriously looked after here. Among the hotspot for impeccably good duck rice, make your way to Air Itam market where a bustling stall has cemented a strong place in the heart of locals for years. The perpetual queue indicates you’ve got to make it even longer. Expect tender and juicy duck meat, steaming white rice and homemade gravy to round up a truly satisfying meal. Other components that tempt you are their bean curds, roasted pork and intestines, and egg. What greater joy then waddling to your bed after a delicious meal. 

Despite mushrooming branches, during peak hours, you’ll feel like walking between aisles as this eatery is widely patronised by meat-guzzlers. No matter how long it takes, remember patience is a virtue and keep peering at the dangling meats behind the glass shelve. The de-boned duck meat is intensely flavourful and it just melts in your mouth after sopping up the soy gravy. You can either lay it on the mattress of rice or have it by the side; it’s up to you and make sure of dipping in their chilli sauce.

Sited at the heart of Georgetown, this humble stall is widely hailed as the best-roasted meat and rice stall on the island. Justifying the statement, it’s filled to the brim with locals and trudging tourists. The most vouched meat is the char siew nevertheless walking out without wolfing down their roasted duck is a huge crime. The de-boned meat with gorgeous layers of fat and marbling skin is a real winner, it works wonders together the rich soy sauce, fluffy rice and chilli concoction. If your guilty scale is steeping up, neutralise it with their blanched choy sum showered with oyster sauce. 

A hidden gem that hasn’t seen much of the limelight yet it’s a must-go for duck rice fix. Located at ground floor of a flat nearby Super Tanker, you’ll see this coffee shop which houses this bustling stall. Expect a hearty portion of duck slices which is roasted to a crunchy skin and tender meat and liberally loaded with thick sauce then served with a mound of rice. Flavours are further augmented with their Chai Boey soup, made from leftover duck and muddle of vegetables. 

Located at the core of Paya Terubong, this modest-looking restaurant has been an anchor-point for a good duck rice fix in the surrounding nabe. Despite the hordes of patrons, the huge dining space shoves away any need of waiting for an empty table. With deep mahogany hued skin enveloping a succulently emollient meat interior, it’s rather hard to stop once you’ve started. The soy sauce, steaming rice, hardboiled eggs and chilli condiment further elevates the flavours and fragrance of the dish. During little intervals, sip up their Chai Boey Soup!  

Planted on the ground floor of Star Hotel, one can easily witness a long queue snaking in the establishment during lunch hours which leads to an elderly man constantly thudding down a sumptuous spread of meats. Spanning more than three decades, their top seller, duck rice has is a must-have for duck devotees of all ages. The highlight here is Peking Duck which has leaner texture and after meticulously roasted with their signature sauce, the end result is nothing but exceptional. The meat is packed with flavours and extremely juicy with a crispy skin sitting atop. Their special sweet sauce and regular chilli sauce perks up each bite. It’s sure to hook you up with a daily obsession and if someone starts griping about calories, ditch the person but never the duck. 

Rather a lesser known eatery but you'll surely expect a huge crowd as duck lovers from the neighbouring area has made it a second home. During lunch hours, you see tables and chairs fully occupied and tables replete with moreish meats and scoops of rice. Alike the chicken and pork, the duck is subtly roasted to a soft texture that soaks up all the soy goodness. As its cost-friendly, you can constantly hear raining orders for add-ons. Wash it all down with their mildly flavoured soup. 

Burrowed between bustling stalls in a typical coffee shop backdrop, one who loves duck should never miss out this stall. Grab yourself a table and wait for the poultry package to arrive. The deep mahogany skin is crispy and the meat beneath is moist and succulent while the fluffy rice and rich soy sauce do not disappoint. It takes self-discipline not to slid your hands to your partner’s plate if you’ve finished with yours much earlier. 

Just a stone’s throw away Wisma Perkeso, this unsurprisingly renowned stall opens up at mid-afternoon and shuts at 1.30am, offering a late night respite with fabulous flavours. Roasted to perfection, the duck isn’t oily and the skin is resoundingly crisp and what matters most is the flavours that burst to the fore while chewing the meat and fat. Pleasantly satisfying and it hardly makes any pressure on your wallet, always a good sign for another round. 

Fancy duck rice for breakfast? Look no further; make your way to this crowd-rousing cafe as the duck rice stall will leave you all happy all day long. Reasonably priced and generously portioned, you can easily understand the never-ending crowd. Diced into morsels, the duck packs a strong smoky taste and it’s absolutely tender, offering the perfect marriage to the steaming rice which is drenched with treacly sauce and paired with an additive chilli sauce by the side. If you’re a typical lunch person, be sure of getting in early as it runs out as soon as 1pm.

We may be biased over our regular duck rice spot but every here and then, a change is required, both the environment and flavours. First of all, walking into this cosy cafe reminds you nothing about your previous duck rice scenes and their rendition on the latter will blow your mind away. Thick yet tender slices of smoked duck and a bouncy poached egg is perched on steamed rice then sprinkled with sesame seeds and lashes of soy sauce.  The duck is second to none and erases off previous notions you had on duck rice, while the poached egg adds a subtle layer of creaminess.  Wrap up your meal with a quality brew and yes, the environment does feed your Instagram account, unlike others in the listing. 

Nothing but a full-of-life coffee shop that is draped with a myriad of mouthwatering local delights which includes duck rice! The food is certainly fuss-free but it delivers on all accounts as the meat is downright delicious and tender, the sauce is thick and flavourful and the rice is fluffy. With a spicy chilli sauce by the side, nothing is stopping you for seconds and thirds as its easy on the wallet too. 

This cavernous food court is a food lover’s heaven. Each sight leads to a delightful meal that does not disappoint. Among the stalls that always does a brisk business during lunch hours is the duck rice stall. The duck is sumptuously roasted to a perfect texture and taste yet the real deal is piling up the platter with roasted pork and chicken too. Steep up the flavours a degree higher with chilli sauce and aromatic soy sauce. Certainly lives up to the hype and crowd. 

You wouldn’t ask for a more encouraging name for a food court. The duck rice stall has been a haven for all walks of life in the surrounding area. What sets the apart beside the lip-smacking flavours is the portion of the meat, which completely shrouds the bed of rice then ladled with soy sauce. Add up a few slices hard boiled eggs and bean curds that leave you hard-pressed to find a fault till the last mouthful. 

If you pass by Sin Kek Seng Coffee Shop during lunch hours, you would certainly clap your eyes on a huge beeline of patrons heading towards Nam Huat duck rice stall – which is a dead giveaway you should be in the line too if you’re devoted to duck. Despite served deceptively simple, the flavours definitely deliver, which matters the most. Adequately portioned with a luscious sauce and steaming rice, a meal that truly justifies their fame. 

What you’re seeing above is a masterpiece. If you’re already weak at knees, make your way to Bee San Coffee Shop, a laid-back and humble-looking restaurant that is embellished with local delight stalls. With the perfect roasted marbling hue that offers a crispy bite and reveals a tender and juicy meat beneath which benefits from the accompanying black bean sauce. The fluffy rice and chilli sauce bring it a level up.