Ipoh Food Guide: 8 Must-Try Local Spots Beyond White Coffee

Ipoh is often reduced to “that place for white coffee”, yet the city’s real charm lies in its incredible kopitiams, noodle shops and late‑night streetside feasts. Here is a food‑lover’s guide to 12 must‑try stops that go well beyond a caffeine fix, drawing on what online reviewers rave about most.

1. Restoran Thean Chun

This old‑town coffeeshop is a classic first stop because you can graze your way through half a dozen Ipoh favourites without leaving your table. Reviewers consistently praise the kai see hor fun, noting its rich chicken and prawn broth and silky, slippery rice noodles that “go down like a dream”.

Food bloggers also single out the caramel egg custard, which many describe as dangerously smooth and not overly sweet, and the smoky pork satay threaded with tiny pieces of fat for extra succulence. It is busy and a little chaotic, but that is part of the appeal.

2. Restoran Ipoh Kong Heng

Next door to Thean Chun, Kong Heng has its own loyal following for kai see hor fun, popiah and caramel custard, served in a slightly grittier, old‑school setting. Travellers on review sites like the variety: from prawn noodles with chicken strips to nasi lemak and surprisingly good char kway teow, with most dishes staying under RM10.

Many reviews highlight the “proper kopitiam atmosphere” and the chance to order from multiple stalls, including satay and spring rolls, then finish with wobbly crème caramel and a strong local kopi.

3. Ipoh Tuck Kee (Jalan Yau Tet Shin)

Not to be confused with the air‑conditioned Tuck Kee Restaurant in Pasir Pinji, this Tuck Kee is a cramped, eternally busy noodle shop famous for wok‑fried kuey teow. Bloggers and diners praise the moonlight kuey teow, a glossy plate of flat noodles tossed with lard oil and dark soy, crowned with a raw egg that you stir through yourself.

The wat tan hor divides opinion on “wok hei”, but most agree the eggy gravy is thick, flavourful and generously laced with pork lard. Boiled baby octopus in a garlicky, soy dressing is another much‑recommended side if you want to eat like the regulars.

4. Restoran Sun Tuck Kee

If you prefer a slightly more comfortable setting without losing that old‑school flavour, Sun Tuck Kee a short walk away is often described by reviewers as “one of Ipoh’s finest Chinese restaurants”. Regulars on review sites rave about the yu kong hor, a richer cousin of wat tan hor, and the classic moonlight hor fun.

Many diners also highlight the smoked duck and inventive dishes like fish‑paste noodles, plus nostalgic desserts such as gula melaka crème caramel and “Golden Tau Fu Fah”, a soy pudding set on agar jelly. Portions are generous and prices are frequently called very reasonable for the quality.

5. Funny Mountain Tau Fu Fah

Opened in the 1950s, Funny Mountain is repeatedly called the best tau fu fah in Ipoh, and sometimes “the best in the world” by devoted fans. Online reviewers love the ultra‑smooth, almost drinkable texture of the warm beancurd, which slips down with barely any effort, and the option of ginger syrup or gula melaka for fragrance rather than cloying sweetness.

The other quirk that keeps being mentioned is the drive‑through culture: staff serve bowls directly to your car window, keeping queues moving incredibly quickly. Expect to stand or eat in your vehicle, but nobody seems to mind for a dessert this silky.

6. Tong Sui Kai (Dessert Street)

Tong Sui Kai is not a single shop but a whole night‑time food street dedicated to sweet and savoury cravings. Guides and reviewers describe it as “a magical place” that comes alive after dark, with around 50 stalls lined up on one side of the road and plastic tables on the other.

Locals point newcomers towards dessert stalls selling towering bowls of ice kacang with ice cream, nyonya kuih and hot sweet soups, as well as Cheong Kee’s beef noodles with bouncy beef balls and smooth kuey teow in a light but deeply flavoured broth. Expect crowds, smoky air and the occasional parking headache, but also a very local supper experience.

7. Restoran Tauge Ayam Lou Wong

Lou Wong divides opinion, yet it remains an essential stop for many first‑time visitors. Food writers note that online reviews sit on both ends of the spectrum: some travellers call it the best chicken and beansprouts they have ever had, praising the flavourful poached chicken, crunchy tauge and fair prices. Others find the taste ordinary for the hype or criticise crowds and hawkers outside.

More recent write‑ups describe Lou Wong as a “cornerstone” of Ipoh’s food scene, with efficient if brisk service and very quick table turnover, while also acknowledging that some locals now prefer less touristy bean‑sprout‑chicken shops nearby. It is still a useful benchmark dish if you want to understand what nga choy kai is all about.

8. Kedai Kopi Yong Suan (Nasi Ganja)

Yong Suan’s nasi kandar is so addictive that it picked up the nickname “nasi ganja”, though the only high involved is a curry one. Bloggers and hotel guides describe queues snaking out of this very simple coffeeshop, especially for plates of rice drowned in mixed curries and topped with ayam merah, salted egg and coconut sambal.

Reviews praise the thick, lemak gravy and the way a request for “kuah banjir” leaves every grain of rice coated and spicy. Some TripAdvisor users find it merely average despite the hype, but even they tend to concede that it is at least a solid, very local nasi kandar experience in a wonderfully old‑fashioned setting.