Penang, at first glance, isn’t as much of a vegan hotspot as Saigon or Ubud, you will be pleasantly surprised after a few strolls around the nightlife area, the street art district, and little India. The standard for vegan restaurants here is very high and some of them, especially the Indian or Hokkien places, are incredibly cheap. We dare to say, Penang is not only a walkable city with plenty of attractions but also the most vegan-friendly destination in Malaysia!
1. Pinxin Vegan Cuisine
Pinxin is just 20 minutes walk from the city center. They serve exotic Malay flavors while offering international fare such as charcoal buns burgers, healthy colorful salads, Jawa mee, Spicy Thai Tom Yum soup, homemade pastas, etc. Having "food made with love" as their motto, Pinxin uses farm-fresh, all-natural ingredients to prepare their healthy, nutritious food. They have a small shop in the restaurant selling eco-friendly products such as reusable water bottles, reusable bags, metal straws, etc. Make sure to check out their display case of vegan cakes and sweets.
2. SUPE VEGAN
SUPE VEGAN has several branches in Georgetown strategically located across the city. One of their branches in the street art district might look rather small and unappealing from the outside. However, inside is a classy, modern restaurant with traditional tatami mats for guests to sit in as well as normal chairs as an option. They serve authentic Japanese vegan food, including sushi rolls, ramen, udon, etc. Their attention to detail in terms of flavour combinations, texture, and presentation, results in well-seasoned and aesthetic dishes. They also have many selections of vegan desserts, from oat milk cappuccino to chocolate cakes. The price is slightly expensive, but it's totally worth every Ringgit!
3. Vegetarian / Vegan Falafel
This falafel stall is 100% vegan and located outside of a reggae bar in Chulia street. They serve falafel wraps, arabic vegan plates, hummus, babaganoush, stuffed grape leaves, etc. They also create a divine dairy-free garlic sauce from cauliflower. Their food has rich flavours that just melt in your taste buds. They could only serve 2-3 tables at a time, so you can dine in to enjoy your food or do takeaway when the tables are full. The place is owned and operated by a friendly bunch of Syrian guys and all their food is made from scratch right in front of you.
4. THALI NR SWEETS
Just like its name, Thali NR Sweets is known for its delicious inexpensive thali that is served on a large plate (or banana leaf!) with rice and several side dishes, such as curries, daal, papadam, etc. They serve Indian and International vegetarian food buffets, as well as a la carte dishes, which can be veganized upon request. They also serve dessert and sweets that are labelled with ingredients, thus you can easily identify the vegan dessert. Also, the staff is knowledgeable about vegan diets. The menu has English descriptions and pictures of some dishes. Even if the place lacks the atmosphere to take someone on a date, it is a great bang for your buck nutrition-wise. Get yourself a hearty, filling Thali for a mere 5 MYR!.
5. Annalakshmi Temple of Fine Art
Annalakshmi is a pure-veg restaurant at the premises of The Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia. It is located in a nice green garden, with a quiet neighbourhood. They serve traditional Indian vegan food (with the exception of dairy milk in some beverages). They offer a “pay as you wish” buffet during lunchtime and a la carte for dinner. Or you can simply order their thali set meals for RM9, consisting of two different kinds of rice, some curries, daal, papadam, vegan dessert, crunchy snack, tea, and lassi. Note that they open every day except Monday, they serve lunch and dinner.
6. Tanny Vegetarian Restaurant
A homey, small vegan restaurant that serves Malay and Asian food on a budget price. They offer a great selection of noodles, rice sets, and appetizers such as spring rolls, satay, fried wonton, etc. This restaurant is owned by a sweet old lady that will greet you with a big smile as soon as you step into the restaurant. The downside would be the menu since it has no English description or photo. Luckily, the owner speaks good English and is happy to explain and give recommendations.
7. Ee Beng Vegetarian House
Even though the restaurant is called vegetarian, it actually serves vegan food with the exception of honey lemon tea. It is a buffet-style restaurant, serving affordable Malay and Chinese food. They have a great selection of noodles, stir-fried veggies, curries, and mock meats. Not to mention they serve different kinds of warm steaming buns at the entrance.
8. Idealite at Gurney Plaza
Located on the 3rd floor of Gurney Plaza, Idealite is a modern, casual restaurant serving vegetarian and vegan food. They have a wide selection of Malaysian and Asian fusion dishes. From red curry ramen to Japanese style dumplings, to fresh salads with faux fish and vegan ice cream! There's a calorie counter on the menu, as well as ingredient labels to help you identify which dish is vegan.
9. Kek Lok Si Vegetarian
Kek Lok Si Vegetarian is a restaurant located just outside the entrance of the biggest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, Kek Lok Si. Despite being a vegetarian restaurant, the food is 100% vegan. They serve vegan set meals and a la carte menu, predominantly Chinese dishes such as mapo tofu, Chinese soup, etc. This is a nice place to grab yummy vegan food when you're visiting the temple, and a good hideout from the heat since this place is air-conditioned. They open from 10 am to 6.30 pm.
10. Sri Ananda Bahwan
While this place doesn’t look as appealing from the outside and it lacks cleanliness, and an attentive waiter, their mock meat curries and especially their mutton curry is legendary and very filling. Don’t expect a nice dinner atmosphere, just come here to get some delicious takeaway and keep walking! This restaurant is all vegetarian, not vegan. Some dishes may have yogurt or ghee (Indian butter) in it, so keep that in mind when ordering.