Penang Desserts: 14 Best Sweet Spots in George Town
Penang desserts span generations. Heritage stalls have been scraping ice and pouring gula Melaka since before Malaysia existed as a nation, while a newer wave of patisseries, soft-serve counters and plated-dessert bars has turned George Town into one of Southeast Asia's most rewarding sweet-tooth destinations.
This guide covers 14 dessert shops and stalls across George Town, verified in October 2026. Every entry includes the address, hours, closed days and approximate prices in Malaysian Ringgit (RM). Most spots sit within the UNESCO heritage core, so you can walk between several in a single afternoon.
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At a glance
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
No guide to Penang desserts can skip this stall. Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul has operated from Lebuh Keng Kwee since the 1930s, serving what many consider the definitive version of the dish. A basic bowl starts at RM3.50 and arrives as a mound of shaved ice drenched in thick coconut milk, dark gula Melaka syrup and soft green pandan-flavoured rice-flour jelly strips. You can add red beans or pulut (glutinous rice) for a small top-up.
The stall sits in an open-air area alongside a pork satay vendor, which is why it carries a non-halal label. Queues are standard on weekends and public holidays, but the line moves quickly because service is assembly-line fast. Eat standing at the shared counter or carry your bowl to the shaded tables nearby. Come before noon on a weekday for the shortest wait.
Kek Seng Coffee Shop
Kek Seng is a traditional kopitiam on Jalan Penang that has been running for over a century, and the reason people queue here is a single item: durian ice cream. The stall inside the kopitiam makes the ice cream by hand using real D24 durian flesh, then scoops it onto a bowl of ais kacang loaded with red beans, grass jelly and sweet corn. The flavour is intense and unmistakably durian.
The ais kacang with durian ice cream runs around RM6 to RM8 depending on toppings. Without durian, a plain bowl is roughly RM4. The kopitiam also houses stalls selling assam laksa and other hawker staples, so you can combine lunch and dessert in one stop. The shop closes at 5 pm and popular items sell out earlier on weekends. Arrive by early afternoon if durian ice cream is the goal.
Swatow Lane Ice Kacang
Swatow Lane Ice Kacang traces its history back to 1923, when a pushcart vendor started selling iced desserts near Rangoon Road and Swatow Lane. The stall now operates from a dedicated shoplot within New World Park on Burma Road, restyled as Kafe Swatow Lane Ice Kacang. What sets this ais kacang apart from the standard version is the generous layering of fresh cut fruit: mango, watermelon, papaya, banana and ciku, depending on the season.
A classic bowl costs RM6, or RM7 with a scoop of ice cream, and cendol with red beans is RM6. The ice is shaved fine rather than chipped, which makes a noticeable difference in texture. It opens daily at 11:30 am and runs until 9:30 pm, making it a viable evening option unlike most heritage dessert stalls. New World Park is an open-air hawker centre with its own parking, so you can combine your visit with other food stalls in the same complex.
Hema Hema Ice Cream
Hema Hema opened in 2022 and quickly became one of the most talked-about ice cream shops in Penang. The shop rotates more than 50 flavours on a weekly basis, so the selection changes every time you visit. Standout options include salted egg yolk, coconut pandan, burnt butter sage, Thai tea and seasonal fruit flavours such as durian or mangosteen when they are available. The texture is firm, smooth and noticeably slower to melt than commercial ice cream.
A single scoop costs RM9 and a double RM16, and the buttery spiced waffle cone is an extra RM2. Waffle cones are baked fresh through the day, so ask for one rather than a cup. The shop is small and attracts a queue, particularly on Saturday afternoons. Opening days are limited to Thursday through Sunday, 1 pm to 10 pm. Check their social media for the weekly flavour list before heading over. Lebuh Campbell is in the heart of the heritage zone, within walking distance of Lebuh Chulia and Lebuh Kimberley.
Ludwig Softserve
Ludwig Softserve brings Australian-inspired soft serve to Lebuh Armenian, one of George Town's busiest street-art streets. The soft serve is dense, creamy and presented in tall, photogenic swirls that hold their shape well in the heat. The base flavour is a rotating lineup that leans toward milk-based and matcha options, often topped with biscuit crumbles, drizzled sauces or seasonal fruit.
Prices range from RM10 for a basic cup to RM18 for loaded creations with multiple toppings. The shop is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, a wider window than most dessert spots in this area. Foot traffic on Armenian Street is heavy during the afternoon when visitors walk between murals and clan houses. For a quieter visit, come in the morning or after 7 pm.
Mojo Ice Creams
Mojo Ice Creams launched in January 2024 on Jalan Sungai Ujong, near the Kimberley Hotel. The shop positions itself as a Muslim-friendly artisan ice cream parlour, which broadens its appeal beyond the largely non-halal dessert scene in George Town. Beyond scoops, the menu includes cakes, waffles and drinks. The atmosphere is deliberately laid-back, with curated music and ambient lighting designed to encourage lingering.
Ice cream runs about RM9 to RM16 per scoop, with waffles and combination plates pushing the bill toward RM15 to RM19. The shop now opens daily from 11 am to 10 pm, after earlier operating only Wednesday to Sunday. Jalan Sungai Ujong is a short walk from Lebuh Kimberley, so combine this with a Kimberley Street hawker run.
La Vie En Rose Patisserie
La Vie en Rose Patisserie sits in a quiet shophouse on Lebuh Melayu, a few streets back from the busier tourist corridors. The pastry chef trained in French techniques, and it shows in the entremets, tarts and choux pastries arranged in the glass display. The lemon tart has a clean, sharp filling inside crisp pate sucree. The entremet cakes — layered mousse and sponge constructions — look like they belong in a Parisian vitrine and taste precise rather than overly sweet.
Individual pastries run RM10 to RM16. Whole cakes and entremets are available by pre-order for RM60 and above. The shop opens Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Popular items tend to sell out by mid-afternoon on weekends. The interior is small, with a handful of tables. Most visitors take away rather than dine in. If you want a specific cake, call ahead at +60 14-333 6480 to confirm availability.
Kwason Boulangerie
Kwason Boulangerie is the rebranded incarnation of Le Dux Patisserie, which relaunched under its new name in mid-2025. The name plays on the French word "croissant" paired with "boulangerie," signalling the shop's focus on freshly baked goods prepared on-site. The shio pan (salted butter roll) has drawn particular attention from Penang's bread-obsessed food community, alongside laminated pastries, almond croissants and seasonal tarts.
Pastries range from RM8 to RM15, with whole cakes starting around RM60 for custom orders. The bakery opens early (8:30 am) and closes at 5 pm on weekdays, extending to 6 pm on weekends. Tuesday is the closed day. Lebuh Pantai runs along the waterfront and connects to several other cafes and heritage buildings, making this an easy stop on a Beach Street walking route. Parking is limited on Lebuh Pantai; the nearest car parks are at Weld Quay or the KOMTAR area.
Roots Dessert Bar
Roots Dessert Bar takes a different approach from the heritage stalls on this list. The menu is built around plated desserts that borrow techniques from both Western pastry and local Malaysian flavours. The bubur chacha cheesecake reinterprets the traditional coconut and sweet potato dessert as a layered cake, and the watermelon cake has become a signature draw on social media. Presentation is careful and the portion sizes are generous for the style.
Plated desserts start around RM18 and reach RM30 for the more elaborate creations. The cafe is Muslim-friendly, which makes it one of the few higher-end dessert spots in George Town accessible to a wider audience. Opening hours run from 11 am to 11 pm, closed on Tuesday. The late closing time means you can treat this as a post-dinner dessert destination. Jalan Pintal Tali is a narrow lane off Lebuh Chulia, so look for the sign at the entrance.
Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay
Moh Teng Pheow, listed with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, has been making Nyonya kueh since 1933, founded by a Hainanese immigrant who learned the Peranakan confectionery tradition in Penang. The shop produces a wide range of traditional kueh — ang ku kueh (red tortoise cake), kuih talam (pandan and coconut layers), ondeh-ondeh (glutinous rice balls with palm sugar filling) and several others. The textures lean toward soft, chewy and slightly sticky, similar in some ways to Japanese mochi.
Individual pieces cost RM2 to RM5, making this one of the most affordable dessert stops in George Town. The shop is at its best before 2 pm, when the full range is available and the kueh is freshest. By late afternoon, popular items sell out. Moh Teng Pheow opens daily from 10 am to 5 pm. The shop is pork-free. Jalan Masjid branches off Lebuh Chulia, close to the backpacker area, and the shop doubles as a small canteen with a few tables if you want to sit and eat.
The Ais & Hani
The Ais is a family-run ice cream shop on Lebuh Campbell, a few doors from Hema Hema, that has been making its own ice cream for close to a decade and now trades as The Ais & Hani with a small coffee menu. The cabinet rotates through more than 70 house-made flavours, from avocado, blueberry and dark chocolate to local twists such as hor ka sai (Hokkien milk tea with coffee) and palm wine (tuak).
Classic flavours cost RM9 a scoop, premium RM10 and the more elaborate ones RM11, with double scoops at RM16 and boozy doubles in a cup at RM20. Several flavours contain alcohol, so ask staff if that matters to you. The shop opens from 1 pm to 9 pm. Recent listings disagree on its closed day (Monday and Tuesday, or Thursday), so check its social media before making a special trip.
Shin Shin Gelato
Shin Shin Gelato is a small-batch gelato parlour on Love Lane, decorated in a carnival style with neon lights and bright furniture. The counter splits into alcohol-free flavours such as pistachio, Ferrero Rocher and cereal milk, and grown-up options such as rum raisin, chocolate whisky and coconut Malibu.
A single scoop in a cup costs RM11 and a double RM19, with cones from RM12 to RM20. It stays open until 11:30 pm every day, which makes it the latest dessert stop in the heritage core and an easy add-on after dinner or drinks on Love Lane and Lebuh Chulia. Ask before ordering if you need to avoid alcohol.
Ciao Gelato
Ciao Gelato makes gelato and fruit sorbets in small batches from a shophouse on Lebuh Victoria, between the ferry terminal side of town and the Armenian Street area. Expect rich chocolate and pistachio alongside lighter sorbets and a few local-leaning flavours. Servings come in reusable, double-walled stainless steel cups rather than disposable ones.
A serving costs about RM10. The shop opens daily from 11 am to 11 pm, so it suits both a mid-afternoon break from the heat and a late stroll. Lebuh Victoria runs parallel to Lebuh Pantai, which makes it easy to pair with a pastry at Kwason Boulangerie earlier in the day.
Hangul Bingsu
Hangul Bingsu is a Korean dessert cafe on Jalan Anson, just outside the heritage core near the Pulau Tikus side of town. Bingsu is Korea's answer to ais kacang: a large bowl of milk-based shaved ice, so fine it is almost snowy, topped with fruit, red beans, injeolmi (soybean rice cake) or chocolate. Bowls are sized for sharing.
Budget RM20 to RM50 per person depending on how many bowls and drinks you order. The cafe is pork-free. It opens from noon and closes at 10 pm, or 11 pm from Friday to Sunday, and is closed on Tuesdays. Jalan Anson is a short Grab ride from Komtar, and the cafe works well as a cool-down stop between Gurney Drive and the old town.
How to Plan a Penang Dessert Crawl
All 14 spots on this list sit within or near George Town's UNESCO core zone, so a walking dessert crawl is entirely practical. Here is a suggested sequence by area and time of day.
Morning: Lebuh Pantai to Lebuh Melayu
Start at Kwason Boulangerie on Lebuh Pantai when it opens at 8:30 am for a croissant or shio pan. Walk east along Beach Street and cut through to Lebuh Melayu for a pastry at La Vie en Rose Patisserie once it opens at 9:30 am (Wednesday to Sunday). These two represent the French-leaning end of the Penang desserts spectrum and work well as a late breakfast.
Midday: Lebuh Keng Kwee and Jalan Penang
Head to Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul on Lebuh Keng Kwee for a bowl around 11 am, before the heaviest queues build. From there, walk south along Jalan Penang to Kek Seng Coffee Shop for durian ice cream on ais kacang. The two are about 10 minutes apart on foot.
Afternoon: Lebuh Campbell and Lebuh Armenian
Hema Hema Ice Cream on Lebuh Campbell opens at 1 pm on Thursday through Sunday. Grab a scoop, or try The Ais & Hani a few doors along at 65 Lebuh Campbell, then stroll to Ludwig Softserve on Lebuh Armenian, a five-minute walk away. If you still have room, drop into Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay on Jalan Masjid for a piece or two of traditional kueh.
Evening: Jalan Pintal Tali
Finish the crawl at Roots Dessert Bar on Jalan Pintal Tali, which stays open until 11 pm, or with gelato at Shin Shin on Love Lane (until 11:30 pm) or Ciao Gelato on Lebuh Victoria (until 11 pm). If you are staying outside the core, Hangul Bingsu on Jalan Anson serves Korean shaved ice until 10 pm, or 11 pm from Friday to Sunday. The plated desserts here are substantial enough to serve as a light dinner substitute, and the cafe's Muslim-friendly status makes it accessible to groups with mixed dietary needs.
Penang Desserts: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most famous dessert in Penang?
Chendul (also spelled cendol) is the most iconic Penang dessert. It is a bowl of shaved ice topped with green rice-flour jelly strips, coconut milk and dark palm sugar syrup called gula Melaka. The most well-known stall is Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul at 27 Lebuh Keng Kwee, which has been serving it since the 1930s.
Where can I find durian desserts in Penang?
Kek Seng Coffee Shop at 382 Jalan Penang serves handmade durian ice cream scooped onto ais kacang (shaved ice). It is one of the oldest and most reliable spots for durian ice cream in George Town, open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Hema Hema Ice Cream on Lebuh Campbell also carries seasonal durian scoops when the fruit is in season.
Are Penang dessert shops halal?
Halal status varies across Penang dessert shops. Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul is non-halal as it operates next to a pork satay stall. Mojo Ice Creams is Muslim-friendly. Some gelato shops, including Shin Shin Gelato and The Ais, make alcohol-infused flavours, so ask before ordering. For traditional Nyonya kueh, Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay is pork-free. Always confirm directly with each shop, as certification status can change.
How much do desserts cost in Penang?
Traditional desserts such as chendul and ais kacang cost between RM3 and RM7 per bowl. Artisan ice cream scoops at places like Hema Hema, The Ais and Shin Shin Gelato cost RM9 to RM12 for a single. French pastries at La Vie en Rose or Kwason Boulangerie typically cost RM8 to RM20 per item. Plated desserts at Roots Dessert Bar start around RM18. Nyonya kueh at Moh Teng Pheow runs RM2 to RM5 per piece.
What time do Penang dessert shops close?
Heritage stalls close early. Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul closes at 6:30 pm. Kek Seng Coffee Shop wraps up at 4:30 pm. Newer dessert cafes stay open later: Roots Dessert Bar serves until 11 pm and Hema Hema Ice Cream until 10 pm on open days, and Shin Shin Gelato until 11:30 pm. Ludwig Softserve and Mojo Ice Creams run until 10 pm daily. Plan traditional dessert stops for early afternoon to avoid sell-outs.