Planning for your next holiday? Have you considered hiring a private car down to Penang? if you’ve not, let me tell you why you should consider. There are a few words that come to mind whenever Penang island is mentioned, words like Food, Culture and People are but few of many. Which is true considering Penang has a lot to offer, just the food scene alone in the island ranges from Michelin level to your average roadside street food. Visitors and Tourists are usually spoiled for choice when it comes to making a decision during their time there.
Now, an interesting article that might be to talk about Michelin and street food, we’ll save that for another post as that itself won’t fit in what we are going to talk about in this article.
Before the pandemic happened, with the help of social media there were a lot of trends there was trending and vanishing, trends likes bubble/boba teas, Korean BBQs, artisanal gelatos and the perhaps the most recent ones, freshly brewed teas, before all of this the one trend that ruled over Penang, is coffee and cafes or cafe culture as that’s how they are usually described as
There are numerous cafes in Penang, in fact there was a time where there’s at least one new cafe popping up every month out of the blue. However not many were able to survive the stiff competition especially after the pandemic struck, so for those that managed to survive it shows that there are definitely more than meets the eye.
Cafes to stop by in Penang #1 – Moody Cow (Georgetown, Gurney Paragon)
Image credit: weirdkaya
Infamous for their decadent and exotic cheesecakes that would peak the most adventurous of tasters. With options like century and salted egg cheese cake, cognac chocolate, and durian to name a few of many paired with the décor and atmosphere of the main branch located in Georgetown, Penang it would definitely make a good shot for the gram. Yes there are branches to this cafe, as recently despite the pandemic and other trends, the cafe expanded its business to Gurney Paragon Mall which is located in Penang and Paradigm Mall located in Selangor.
Cafes to stop by in Penang #2 – China House (Georgetown)
Image credit: thesmartlocal
Built in a compound that consists of three heritage buildings with an open air section in the middle, and completely different decoration and atmosphere between two ends. The cafe offers three different menus with three different price points catering to people with different financial situations and perhaps the most impressive feat is the bakery table located just before the open air section with over 30 different cakes and pastries made daily to choose from.
Cafes to stop by in Penang #3 – Black Kettle (Georgetown)
Image credit: Felicia Grace
The yellow heritage building opposite of the fire station in Georgetown, the part bakery, part cafe part, event space has been through it all and is still standing as of today. When you enter the cafe for the first time, you’ll be greeted with the smell and sight of freshly baked goods right in front of you, unlike the two mentioned above in the list, this cafe focuses more during the day than the night as it embraces the sunlight with its glass panel windows shining through making the whole atmosphere ideal for an afternoon meal or break while on tour.
Cafes to stop by in Penang #4 – Forest Cloud Brewing Company (Georgetown)
Image credit:Forest Cloud
Primarily a coffee beans roaster, recently Forest Cloud Brewing Company has adapted themselves into cafe status by collaborating with other local independent bakeries and patisseries to be enjoyed in their space. Being a roastery means that you’ll get access to specialty coffee which is rising in popularity as people started to pick up home barista skills during the pandemic as a way to pass their time. Aside from great coffee and beverages, the company sells coffee beans and brewing equipment ideals for those budding home baristas.
Cafes to stop by in Penang #5 – Dua Sua Ka X De Antique (Bukit Mertajam)
Image credit: Taufuloh
An underrated gem, located in Bukit Mertajam which is in mainland Penang. There are two sides to this cafe, a fusion of traditional and modern. When you enter the cafe, you’ll be greeted with traditional setting that sells homemade snacks and food but if you venture down, you’ll be greeted with the modern side of things, with carefully crafted coffee themed beverages alcoholic and non alcoholic, and mouth watering cakes, especially their viral matcha watermelon slice, which is a matcha sponge cake with a slice of watermelon in the center, a hassle free experience when you have your own private transport.
Cafes to stop by in Penang Honorable mentions –
Ang Ang’s Roasterty
Image credit : crispsoflife
Ang Ang Roastery with their various locations throughout island and mainland, is another coffee roastery famous for their minimalist design in all their venues paired up with delightful coffee, given that they are about to have their newest branch in Butterworth, mainland Penang, this is definitely a place that is worth checking out during your time over in Penang as there are good reasons on why they are or have the capabilities to expand as fast as they are.
These are only a few of many places that one should go during their visit to Penang, it is recommended that one would hire a private car services for an additional layer of convenience and flexibility as the public transport in Penang level is not as good as the ones in Singapore, and constantly using e hailing servicing would rack up the costs of a budget friendly trip.
With a private car service, navigating the island’s culinary and cultural wonders becomes a personalized journey, allowing you to explore the places that have stood the test of time at your own pace. Private car hires empower you to delve into the hidden gems that Penang has to offer, ensuring that your exploration goes beyond the surface and encompasses the rich and diverse experiences the island has preserved. So why stop now? Get in contact with us today to know our rates for your next Penang trip!
Established in 2014, VIP Transport Sdn Bhd has served over 150,000 customers. With a team of over 20 people, we are committed to bringing an excellent ride experience to each customer. We provide various vehicles where customers can easily travel from Singapore to Malaysia according to their needs.
