Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay

Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay is a charming, old-school eatery in Penang that offers an authentic taste of Nyonya kuih in a delightfully rustic setting. Stepping inside feels like a journey back in time, with its vintage decor and traditional atmosphere. One unique aspect of the dining experience is walking through the kitchen to reach the seating area, where you can catch a glimpse of the kuih-making process. It’s clear that everything is prepared fresh daily, which adds to the appeal. The kuih selection is excellent—each piece is soft, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The Roti Jala (net pancakes) is another standout, perfectly light and paired well with curry. That said, don’t expect much personalized service here. The place is popular among both locals and tourists, so it’s often bustling with people coming and going. The staff are efficient but mostly focused on keeping up with demand rather than providing attentive service. Overall, Moh Teng Pheow is a must-visit for anyone craving traditional Nyonya kuih in an authentic, no-frills environment. Just be prepared for a casual, self-service experience amid the crowds. Great food and atmosphere, but service is minimal due to high traffic.

I now know why Michelin needs a bib when pulling up at this shop, I was salivating myself when I was looking at the selection. It was insane. They must have over 20 people preparing all those standard bearing treasures because these kuih (this is standard modern Malay for the treat. You will also see Koay, Kwey, Kueh, etc. elsewhere) are very very labour intensive. I still remember seeing the current proprietors' mother making popiah skins on-site over 30 years ago and guess what? She was still there knocking out Ang Ku Kuih yesterday when I visited. There are shops all over the world peddling nyonya kuih and anybody can go to YouTube to learn how to make kuih. Yet nobody can make as many varieties in one place, to the taste that's exactly how I remembered them to be (I was born in Penang), and asking for so little money for the privilege to enjoy them. They didn't try to tweak anything to make the products up-market or cut corners to make a few extra bucks. Everything is kept exactly like how I tasted them as a kid. For context, nyonya kuih was the little indulgence that was accessible to everybody when I growing up, not some over-packaging imitation marketed as luxuries reserved for people with money (I have seen this phenomenon worldwide, even within Penang. You should be suspicious of anything that says Nyonya on the packaging). It is simple food made with fresh local ingredients (and love usually because it's labour intensive), that is fit for a King. I'm glad there's young people (the founder's grand children specifically) dedicating their lives to preserve the craft, so that my children can literally enjoy the taste of my childhood. Did I mention that one of the proprietor is a young woman (she looks around 24?) that's as pleasing to the eyes as the beautiful kuih that's made on-site? Yes, we get to see how every piece of kuih is meticulously crafted by a very inclusive workforce (I think they are treated like family because they can all sport a wide smile). Although the individual pieces of kuih are relatively small, lots of restraints are required to not over indulge because there are so many delicious things to try. It is best to plan the adventure over 3 days like Disneyland if anyone attempts to sample everything on the menu. This is because even if we don't mind the calories, the stomach won't hold one each of everything on offer. No way! My personal favourite is the Chai Thau Kueh (radish cake topped with crushed peanuts), pulut tai tai (glutinous rice cake with kaya), bengka ubi (baked tapioca cake), pulut inti (glutinous rice with candied coconut wrapped in banana leaf) and abuk-abuk (this one is bloody hard to explain. Let's say it's tiny sago balls packed inside a banana leaf cone, held together by coconut cake that's poured inside and then steamed, with a little bit of palm sugar packed in the centre. See why nobody made these things at home?) There are savoury stuff as well of course. Such as nasi ulam, nyonya chang, pie tee and roti jala that's not readily available even in Penang. If you ask me, these people deserve more than just recognition from Michelin. This is UNESCO cultural heritage stuff. It will be fair to say you've never been to Penang (and sampled it's world renowned delicacies) without stopping by at this unassuming little shop.

A great unique old style summer peranakan food. We had the assam laksa which came out as authentic as you can imagine. Next we had the nasi lemak with assam prawns and ikan kampung. The rice was very fragrant with the cocnut flavour. It was unique. The assam prawns were done to perfection. Couldn't ask for a better one. Ikan kampung was good. Lastly the sambal was to die for. We then close it off with nyonya kuehs which they are famous for. We washed it down with the nutmeg drink. All in one of my favourites.

⭐⭐⭐ Tried this traditional Nyonya shop in the heart of Penang — a city known for its rich Nyonya heritage 🇲🇾. This place has received a few Michelin nods over the years, so of course I had to check it out! 😎 The interior is charming and photogenic 📸, with vintage Nyonya decor and even an open-glass kitchen counter to help you *kuih-spot* your favourites easily. Bonus points for having a guard to help with the limited parking situation — not bad considering how hard parking usually is around Penang 🚗. Now… here comes the part that turned my kuih-craving joy into *waiting-game mode* 🕰️. During peak season, the whole ordering and seating system felt like a real-life puzzle game with no instructions 😅. Staff were clearly overwhelmed, and I felt like I became part of the wall for a while — invisible and slightly confused 🧍‍♂️🌀. After almost an hour of waiting, the food finally arrived, but sadly the kuih was just okay for me — not something I'd queue up again for. Great spot for history lovers and camera rolls, but maybe not if you're hangry and on a tight schedule 🤭.

A unique experience to try local Malaysia small delights where you enter and watch a traditional handmade cakes in making before you entered the sitting area. The ambience brings you back to the 80s while enjoying heritage malaysian delights. A must visit if you come to Penang Island

Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay is a well-known spot in Penang that offers freshly made Nyonya kuihs, prepared the traditional way in a charming, heritage-style setting. With over 20 kuih varieties available, customers are spoiled for choice—from colourful layered kuih lapis to soft onde-onde bursting with gula Melaka. It’s a place that captures the nostalgic essence of Penang's Peranakan culture. The kuihs are affordably priced, making it accessible for both locals and tourists. Aside from kuihs, the shop also serves local dishes such as nasi lemak, asam laksa, bak chang, and ju hu char. While these are welcome additions, I personally find the asam laksa to be rather mediocre, lacking the strong punch and depth that defines a great laksa. The ju hu char is decent, offering a savoury bite, and the kuihs themselves, while tasty, are smaller than what I’ve had elsewhere. In terms of flavour, they are good—but not the best I’ve come across. Overall, while Moh Teng Pheow offers a pleasant experience and has a wide spread of kuihs, its recognition by some as Michelin-worthy raises questions, especially given how competitive Penang’s culinary scene truly is.

Have been here several times before they got their Bib Michelin's award. Good that traditional food is recognised and maintained. This trip, taste has improved than our previous one; will come back again next time 🙃... pie tie was good!

The place kind of hidden. You will not see it from the main road of Chulia Street. The setting and environment do have the heritage vibe. The selection of nyonya kuih is alot, many of those traditional type where you can't find else where, you can get it from here. They serve main dishes too like Nasi Ulan and Nasi Lemak (recommend)👍🏼 Roti Jala (not recommend, the potato taste cannot blend in with the curry).

Moh Teng Pheow is my favorite place to buy Nyonya kueh in Penang. Kueh is similar in taste to Japanese mochi. Though many of the kueh have different ingredients like coconut milk which makes it soft and creamy. The restaurant is in a building just off Chulia Street in George Town. There is a parking lot in front and then a kitchen passage that you need to walk through to go inside. While you can have a meal in the restaurant, I have opted to just buy several pieces of kueh to go. The kueh is located in a glass display. There is a menu in which you can mark down the item you want or you can let the staff know which ones you want. A small piece of kueh is RM 0.60, so you can a buy a half dozen pieces for about $1 US here which makes it a cheap and delicious snack. If you are new to kueh, I would recommend ordering one of everything to see what you like. Make sure to eat the kueh right away or at least by the end of the day as they do not keep well.

This was a Michelin recommended location and being an avid lover of kueh, decided that we have to pay this location a visit. We got a good selection of kueh they offered. From the simple kueh talam to the kueh lapis to the curry puff. Though there was a short line, service was fast. The ambiance is the place is very old school but with some nice fixtures and is just a cool place to be. What was unfortunate is that the kueh to us was just ok. It was not something that wow us since the kueh were all a little too soft lacking in the texture that we preferred. It's possible that our personal preference is different to what others may be looking for.

snacks! nyonya dumpling and coconut based treats and atmospheric set up...proceed past the experts preparing trays of glutinous rice to the counter and seating courtyard in the back

The location of this place is hidden in a little warehouse so be patient and Google Maps it. The kueh here has a great variety but the quality and taste are just soso. They do sell some other savory food that I didn't try. The prices are very reasonable. I did have a honey pandan drink that tasted overly grassy. Not impressed, but good for someone who wants to try various types of kueh and isn't fussed.

Such good little treats, inexpensive, and variety. We ended up ordering almost all the sweets on the menu and it was about 15 ringgit... Or about 4USD. Definitly try a bunch to get some varied flavors. The staff is cool, the place is very laid back and has a great seating area. When you arrive you need to just keep walk straight back to get there... You'll see!

Its a small canteen which is located at the end of an alley. The nearest parking will cost you RM3. They are famous for their nyonya kueh, which is around 50 cents for a piece. I especially like their pulut tai tai served with their homemade kaya. Their laksa was average and the kopi o was quite sweet. However, it was worth the trip for their assorted kueh.