Welcome to Ipoh!
This city is famous for her street and Cantonese cuisine. Below is my personal guide of eateries I have come to like over the years and as far as I am aware, is still keeping up the standard. I appreciate feedback from locals and welcome your comments below.
Do know that you are spoilt for choices in this beautiful city. What and where to eat should be guided by what you feel like eating at a certain moment and accessibility. Your eyes are also your best guide as you observe a stall of coffeeshop. Though best eaten in, some foods can also be ordered in via Grab. Google for the locations and note recommendations by locals.
This is very a very famous dish in Ipoh. Smooth Ipoh Kuay teow, soup or dry, is served with succulent chicken and plump bean sprouts. There are also the popular sides like chicken feet, gizzard, liver and pork meatballs. I recommend San Ma Chicken Rice at https://g.co/kgs/1AK1v2Q. The queue can be long and so best to go during off-peak hours. It is also good for take aways. Other famous places for this includes Cowan Street Ayam Tauge, Lou Wong etc.
Kai See Hor fun
This is another popular dish which is sometimes confused with Bean Sprout Chicken. They are very similar. For this, the Kuay Teow is served in a tasty prawn-chicken broth with chives, slices of prawn and chicken strips. Famous places for this include Loke Wood Kee, Kong Heng Restaurant, Thean Chun (next to Kong Heng), Moon De Moon, Curry Keng etc.
Nga Choi Kai – Bean Sprout Chicken
This is very a very famous dish in Ipoh. Smooth Ipoh Kuay teow, soup or dry, is served with succulent chicken and plump bean sprouts. There are also the popular sides like chicken feet, gizzard, liver and pork meatballs. I recommend San Ma Chicken Rice at https://g.co/kgs/1AK1v2Q. The queue can be long and so best to go during off-peak hours. It is also good for take aways. Other famous places for this includes Cowan Street Ayam Tauge, Lou Wong etc.
Kai See Hor fun
This is another popular dish which is sometimes confused with Bean Sprout Chicken. They are very similar. For this, the Kuay Teow is served in a tasty prawn-chicken broth with chives, slices of prawn and chicken strips. Famous places for this include Loke Wood Kee, Kong Heng Restaurant, Thean Chun (next to Kong Heng), Moon De Moon, Curry Keng etc.
Loke Wooi Kee - 26, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
TauFu Fa (Soy Bean curd)
Charcoal-Fried Fried Noodles
This is a popular dinner-supper favourite. The charcoal fried dishes include Wat Tan Hor, Moon Lit Hor Fun (Yee Kong Hor), Hokkien Mee etc. Tuck Kee (which have branches in KL & Singapore) is famous for this. These are all very good for takeaways and can be grabbed in for supper.
White Coffee, Chee Cheong Fun etc
Ipoh’s white coffee has a unique aroma. Usually drank for breakfast, it is often eaten with Chee Cheong Fun, curry puffs, kaya toast etc. In town old Coffeeshops like Yuan Shan and Sin Yin Loong are famous but usually crowded. The nextgen folks have opened swanky cafes which offers just as good coffee and ccf in comfortable air-cond settings. We recommend Red Mountain Sin Yin Loong. There are many cafes to try and Ipoh do have some very unique ones. Check out this link https://www.traveloka.com/en-my/explore/destination/the-best-white-coffee-in-ipoh/341654
Cantonese Zi Char Dishes
Ipoh is famous for their unique, tasty and affordable Cantonese Zi Char dishes. There are many good restaurants to choose from. Our favorite is Public Pusing Seafood Restaurant at https://goo.gl/maps/KzuU6LJxvs8LFFxv5. Try their steamed chicken in ginger sauce.
Other favourites include Sun Mar Poh (https://g.co/kgs/UBLG4ub), Sin Hup Kee etc.
This is a popular dinner-supper favourite. The charcoal fried dishes include Wat Tan Hor, Moon Lit Hor Fun (Yee Kong Hor), Hokkien Mee etc. Tuck Kee (which have branches in KL & Singapore) is famous for this. These are all very good for takeaways and can be grabbed in for supper.
White Coffee, Chee Cheong Fun etc
Ipoh’s white coffee has a unique aroma. Usually drank for breakfast, it is often eaten with Chee Cheong Fun, curry puffs, kaya toast etc. In town old Coffeeshops like Yuan Shan and Sin Yin Loong are famous but usually crowded. The nextgen folks have opened swanky cafes which offers just as good coffee and ccf in comfortable air-cond settings. We recommend Red Mountain Sin Yin Loong. There are many cafes to try and Ipoh do have some very unique ones. Check out this link https://www.traveloka.com/en-my/explore/destination/the-best-white-coffee-in-ipoh/341654
Cantonese Zi Char Dishes
Ipoh is famous for their unique, tasty and affordable Cantonese Zi Char dishes. There are many good restaurants to choose from. Our favorite is Public Pusing Seafood Restaurant at https://goo.gl/maps/KzuU6LJxvs8LFFxv5. Try their steamed chicken in ginger sauce.
Other favourites include Sun Mar Poh (https://g.co/kgs/UBLG4ub), Sin Hup Kee etc.
Dim Sum
Ipoh’s Cantonese Dim Sum dishes that have evolved into their own, such as, their version of Fried Fish Balls, Salted egg buns etc. They are also very affordable. For example, a plate of 3 Siew Mai will typically cost from 5 to 10 rgt. Try Chooi Yue, Foh San, Sun Kim Aik and many more.
Ipoh Curry Mee
Ipoh Curry Mee
This city version of Laksa do not normally come with coconut milk and relies instead of a good use of spices and stock. The “Police Station Curry Mee” at Xin Guan Fang Restaurant is famous for this but the queue can be long. It is only available in the morning and it runs out fast. You can try Yee Fatt or Curry Keng.
Kuay Teow with “Liu”
For breakfast and lunch, Ipoh kuay teow with “liu” or Yong Tau Foo is popular. Dai Shu Geok (“foot of big tree) Yong Tau Foo is famous. There are also other stalls at this eatery. Location: 652, Jalan King, Pasir Pinji
Kuay Teow with “Liu”
For breakfast and lunch, Ipoh kuay teow with “liu” or Yong Tau Foo is popular. Dai Shu Geok (“foot of big tree) Yong Tau Foo is famous. There are also other stalls at this eatery. Location: 652, Jalan King, Pasir Pinji
TauFu Fa (Soy Bean curd)
Our favourite ToFu Fa stall operates from 3 -6 pm onwards off a pick up truck. It is located at Ipoh Garden East main road. Location: https://goo.gl/maps/wPbyQ21QEfCRc3LaA
Peanut Soup Dessert (Fa Sang Wu)
Peanut Soup Dessert (Fa Sang Wu)
Hong Kee Mah Chee has been serving Peanut soup and Mua Chee from a stall outside their home at 550A, Jalan Queen.
Indian and Malay Cuisine
Indian and Malay Cuisine
Though non-Cantonese cuisine may not be one’s focus for a short trip, Ipoh do have great Indian/muslim eateries serving Nasi Ganja, Roti Chanai, Banana leaf rice and so on. Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah @ Kedai Kopi Yong Suan at Jalan Yang Kalsom is famous.
