Jawi House Cafe Gallery

Cafe · George Town

Jawi House Cafe Gallery

Cafe · George Town

2

85, Lbh Armenian, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Photos

Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null
Jawi House Cafe Gallery by null

Highlights

Nestled in a heritage district, Jawi House serves up vibrant Jawi Peranakan cuisine like fragrant biriyani and tender lamb curry in a cozy, charming space.  

Featured on Michelin
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85, Lbh Armenian, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia Get directions

jawihouse.com
@jawihouse

RM 20–40

Information

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85, Lbh Armenian, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia Get directions

+60 4 261 3680
jawihouse.com
@jawihouse

RM 20–40

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Last updated

Mar 13, 2025

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@atlasobscura

"Penang is well-known for its vibrant Straits Chinese Peranakan culture, but if you know where to look, there’s another chapter to its history. While the focus is often on the marriage between overseas Chinese traders marrying local Malay women, the truth is, the Chinese were not the only traders conducting business in George Town. Merchants from around the region were familiar with Penang, having already flowed through Penang on various trading missions. Between the 10th and 18th centuries, traders and migrants from India, Persia, and the Middle East arrived in Penang. Their marriages with local Malay women gave rise to a new branch of the Peranakans, known as Jawi Peranakan, with Jawi denoting Southeast Asian Muslims, and Peranakan taking its meaning from the Malay word ‘anak’, or child. Over time, this group expanded to include those who had Arab-Malay ancestry. In Penang, they were also once known as Jawi Pekan. The Jawi Peranakan cuisine, much like its Chinese cousins, draws on cultural exchanges between Malay cuisine and its Indian, Arab, and Persian influences. Jawi Peranakan dishes tend to feature ingredients from India and the Middle East, including ground almonds and cashews, saffron, and rosewater. The cuisine of the Jawi Peranakan was generally recognized to be more lavish, and was often served during feasts and special occasions. To get a taste of this chapter of Peranakan history, visit Jawi House, located on Armenian Street in the heart of George Town’s downtown heritage district. The house was recently renovated in 2012 according to UNESCO World Heritage Guidelines, but it has existed for six generations. It was established by the Karim family of Punjabi-Jawi Peranakan history, and today functions as not just a restaurant showcasing a modern take on Jawi Peranakan cuisine, but also as a small gallery charting the family’s history as well as classic handcrafted art.Helmed by Chef Nurilkarim Razha, a descendant of the Karim family, the restaurant offers up iconic Jawi Peranakan fare. Popular dishes include lamb bamieh, a fragrant, aromatic Persian-inspired okra and tomato-based lamb stew; serabai, a Malay kuih which resembles a tangy, spongier pancake made from fermented rice batter and served with caramel kaya (coconut jam); and nasi lemuni, an herbaceous rich rice dish cooked with butterfly pea flowers and the herb Vitex trifolia. Know Before You Go Jawi House is closed on Tuesday. Also, this is not the hotel—that is the Jawi Peranakan Mansion." - samanthachong

Jawi House – George Town, Malaysia - Gastro Obscura
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@michelinguide

"Nestled in a neighbourhood rich in cultural heritage, Jawi House blends in seamlessly. The retro room sets the backdrop for the chef to experiment Indian recipes with Peranakan influences. On the menu, a good selection of biriyani with different ingredients are found alongside jawi laksa lemak (rice noodles with flaked tuna and mackerel in coconut milk broth) and papadum. Fish curry is always good; ask servers about the catch of the day." - Michelin Inspector

Jawi House
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Toms Arackal

Google
Delicious food, awesome service, and an amazing heritage ambiance. Everything i had from the Roti Surai to fish Curry and the dessert was perfect. The fish curry tasted divine. Would definitely visit if I return to Penang.

Xiao Hui

Google
lunch at Jawi House Cafe Gallery, a Michelin-guide spot in George Town. They serve Peranakan Muslim cuisine in a charming, nostalgic old house. Food didn’t quite hit the mark for me, and prices are on the high side—but service was great!

Melissa Eisner

Google
Very cool place to come and have lunch or dinner. We loved the beef rendang and the coconut rice. Mango salad was tasty as well. Friendly service and cool vibe.

Mubarak Shaikh

Google
Food is average in taste and it is understandable that restaurant cook considering all types of visitors. Bit light for me. But the desert is very nice in taste.

Giuseppe D'Elia

Google
Thanks to a friend' suggestion we discovered this amazing place. We loved the food, a unique way of interpreting Peranakan traditional cuisine, and the welcoming attitude of the staff. The building itself is very nice and cosy. We suggest the Seasonal Malaysian Salad and the vegetarian udang, if available.

Alsmie Alias

Google
Few times eating here. Today having lunch here. Good foods and good environment. Service awesome. Thank you.

Christian Breitkreutz

Google
Wonderful Peranakan-Muslim restaurant. Beautiful little old house which is decorated very nicely too. The food was marvelous. I had a green mango salad, which reminded me of Som Tum in Thailand without the fish sauce. Delicious! The mutton stew with bread was excellent as well. Super tender and rich in taste. Service was top notch. I asked to make the dishes spicy and spicy they were. Superb dining experience and the prices were very fair. I will be back. Only the music didn’t really match the ambiance (they played 80s soft rock including…BON JOVI)

Nel N

Google
This is rather pricey place. A bowl of rice is exceptionally high due to its exquisiteness. Food taste was alright but not very great. We do not quite like that the entire restaurant is so dark which could encourage breeding of mosquitoes.