Ipoh

Aun Kheng Lim

The red-and-white striped corner shop is the place for local speciality salt-baked chicken. Tender meat falls off the bone, just about enough to share for two or for one very hungry person. There's drive-through business like Funny Mountain down the street.

11AM-10PM·RM25-35

Choy Kee Bakery

才記餅家

A little out of the way for most tourists, retaining their authenticity. They sell Chinese breakfast pastries like prawn fritters, pork buns. They are best known for their flaky custard egg tarts. Operates from a stall in the market from 5AM-11AM, after which, they operate from their bakery at Lebuh 3.

5AM onwards

Citrus Wine & Dine

Modern European fine-dining cuisine with Asian flair in a cosy atmospheric shophouse. Service is excellent with a selection of wines and cocktails. Offers cheaper 3-course set lunches during weekdays.

Tue-Sun 6:30AM-3PM, 6:30-11PM·RM90-120

Cowan Street Ayam Tauge & Koitiau

Less famous than Lou Wong and Onn Kee, yet far more popular among locals. Their opening hours are actually more variable than listed, but it doesn't stop hungry patrons from turning up and hoping to fill their cravings.

7PM onwards, closed Mon-Tue·RM20-30

Dai Shu Geok

Big Tree Foot

Sells a variety of noodles accompanied by a large selection of yong tau foo, vegetables stuffed with fish paste. Soup base is also variable, from the normal clear chicken soup to the lemak coconut-based curry soup. The busy stall is set up underneath the shade of a few big trees, hence the name.

8:30AM-5:30PM

Family Food Court

Woolley Food City

A food court selling a variety of local dishes as well as some localized versions of Japanese, Vietnamese, Western and Thai cuisine. The ais kacang from ABC Desserts, especially the gula melaka version, is a sinfully sweet mix of red beans, cendol (pandan-flavoured rice strands), condensed milk, syrup combined with shaved ice - perfect on hot days.

Lunch Only

Foh San Restaurant

Most well established dim sum restaurant in the city. Tourists flock here by the bus loads (literally). Even with two floors, weekends have the place filled to the brim, with strangers sitting next to strangers as long as there's an open seat. Not the place for a leisurely chat over tea unless you get there very early in the morning.

6AM-1PM, closed Tue·RM25-35

Funny Mountain Soybean and Traditional Tau Fu Fah

A little stall that serves creamy soy milk and tau fu fah (silky soybean curd in sugar syrup). They will serve you curbside, so you don't even have to get out of your car. They usually run out by about 2PM.

10:30AM onwards·About RM1.20 for either product

Indulgence Restaurant and Living

Serves European inspired meals all day. Opened by nationally renowned chef Julie Song, what was once a quaint cafe has now expanded to a laidback Western dining experience few can rival. They source and put together quality ingredients to make unique dishes that aren't found on menus elsewhere.

RM50 and upwards

Kafe Best Hillview

山景美食中心

Popular spot for dinner with a dozen of stalls serving local food. Can be difficult to find a seat and is a bit of a windy spot. Prices run a bit high for street food

dinner only·RM2-10 (June 2017)

Medan Aneka Selera/Gourmet Square

Tung Koo Thing

Variety is the name of the game here. A giant food court with hawkers selling just about every local fare imaginable as well as local renditions of Japanese, Thai and Western fare. One of the attractions is a stall selling exotic Chinese seafood.

Dinners only

Michelangelo'S Pizzeria

Opened by an American, this place serves authentic American style pizzas in a lively rock-and-roll environment. Their wood-fired pizzas are crispy and toppings are very generous.

RM30-50

Ming Court Hong Kong Dim Sum

Many locals will argue that the dim sum here is superior to the more well known Foh San though their servings portions are also smaller. Their tong sui (sweet dessert drinks) are just as popular.

6AM-noon·RM25-35

Mun Choong Restaurant

Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant

The popular choice for special family occasions in Ipoh because of their consistently good food and large portions. Their steamed freshwater prawns with ginger are a crowd favourite. Service is attentive and efficient.

RM60+

Nasi Kandar Yong Suan

Nicknamed "Nasi Ganja" for the addictive quality of their food that keeps people coming back for more. Housed in a crowded non-descript coffeeshop, join the queue and choose a selection of various dishes like ayam merah (red chicken curry) and spicy egg omelette, then watch as the proprietor pours the special mixed curry sauce all over your plate of rice. They have a separate shop lot called Nasi Vanggey on Persiaran Greentown 11.

Ong Kee Restaurant

Onn Kee and Lou Wong have a much touted rivalry, having had stalls opposite each other for as long as locals can remember. Their quality is a little more consistent compared to the other place.

1PM-3AM·RM20-30

Restoran Kong Heng

Classic Chinese coffee shop with a variety of hawkers. They're noted best for their Ipoh kai see hor fun. The popiah (spring roll) is made fresh on the spot to order. Located next to equally renowned Thean Chun, one can be seated in Kong Heng and still order food from hawkers in Thean Chun.

8AM-4:30PM, closed Wed

Restoran Li Heng Fatt

Bouncy fishballs, springy fish cakes and chewy fish paste dumplings, all served in a light soup with noodles of your choice, altogether better known as hor hee. Add a dipping of soya sauce and tiny chilli padi for that extra bit of spice.

11AM-10PM

Restoran Nam Chau

Their dry curry noodles are topped with roast pork, chicken, prawns and a generous dousing of rich curry gravy. Twist a little lime into it, and the mix of spicy, sour, sweet and savoury makes the dish irresistible. Also, their white coffee is among the best and can be taken alongside half-boiled eggs and kaya toast.

7AM-3PM, closed Sat

Restoran Samy

South Indian style banana leaf rice, the choices of curry are aplenty. Besides the typical chicken, fish, prawn, squid and mutton curries, they also serve crab, shark and seasonally, turkey curry as well.

Restoran Tauge Ayam Lou Wong

Claims to be Ipoh's most famous purveyor of nga choy kai, the local speciality chicken and beansprouts. It's almost always a crowd here. Chances are you'll have to wait and right on the road to boot, though the large kitchen churning out dish after dish is interesting to watch.

10:30AM-2:30AM·RM20-30

Restoran Thean Chun

Also known as the "hall of mirrors" for the large mirrors adorning the walls of the coffee shop, it is famous for its pork satay and Ipoh kai see hor fun. Their caramel egg custard is a perennial favourite, and can sometimes sell out by noon on weekends. The satay man might plonk a whole bunch of sticks on your table, but you're only obliged to pay for the ones you eat (he'll count the empty sticks), and the rest are returned back to the grill. Located next to Kong Heng, one can order food from any hawker in either coffee shop, except for hor fun.

8AM-4:30PM, closed Thu

Restoran Yoke Fook Moon

The lesser known Dim Sum restaurant on "Dim Sum Street", one can generally avoid the crowds here. The char siew baos are freshly steamed and fluffy. Portions are slightly bigger and unlike Foh San and Ming Court, this place is open for dinner too.

6-10AM, 6:30PM-11PM·RM20-30

Sin Meng Kee Products

Excellent Chinese vegetarian restaurant, there for more than 50 years. Very large options of food, mostly rice with toppings. Amazing mock meat and mushrooms. Self service. You will be charged after you finish putting food on your plate by someone checking what you got. Large range of drinks and take away also possible.

6:30AM-5PM·RM7.5 for rice with two toppings (Dec 2017)

Sun Swee Kiong

The place stands out with its large aquariums teeming with soon-to-be dinner. Kon chin har, pan-fried prawns to be dipped in soya sauce, is the dish you'll see on everybody's table. Prawns usually cost 30 bucks a pop. Expensive? Perhaps, but it doesn’t stop intrepid food hunters from making long detours just to have a meal here.

RM40-60

Tong Sui Kai

糖水街

Long stretch of about 50 inexpensive hawker stalls selling mainly dessert but also a variety of Malaysian food. Best for dessert with a large selection of stalls selling Rojak, Ais Kacang and local speciality mixed fruits. Stalls 21 and 41 appear to be pretty popular dessert spot among locals.

5PM-1AM depending on the stall·RM2-7 (June 2017)