Pasar Chowrasta Market

Chowrasta Market, first built in 1890, has been part of George Town’s heartbeat for over a century. Originally a single-storey market serving the local Tamil community, it was rebuilt in the 1960s into the multi-storey landmark we see today. Recently refurbished, it continues to thrive as a hub where small business owners sell everything from fresh produce to beloved Penang snacks. Living nearby means convenience at your doorstep, while tourists find it a lively spot to pick up local treats and souvenirs. With history etched into its walls and flavours at every corner, Chowrasta Market earns a solid four stars.

Pasar Chowrasta, once a traditional wet market, is now a lively hub similar to KL’s Central Market. Mornings are bustling with locals selling fresh fruits, food, and all kinds of goods. With multi-storey parking and rows of small traders, it’s both convenient and vibrant. Best to visit on weekends, especially Saturday and Sunday. A must-see for first-time visitors — and still enjoyable for us locals.

The place is quite crowded but well-organized. There are many vendors selling various sweets and pickled fruits, making it a great spot to explore local snacks. It's also conveniently located near a bus stop, so getting there is easy.

One of the more convenient places to park and can serve as a focal point if you want to have a good walk exploring the area. There is a wet market on the bottom floor and you can get raw ingredient as well as the variety of assam/jeruk products here. I usually go here for the cucur udang next door and the secondhand bookstores within the building. Some of the mamaks are really good at sourcing books and will give you good prices. They usually have old books but sometimes if you're lucky they have a pretty good selection of new ones. Not bad options if you only have budget to pay less than the retail price. I also had a good experience at one of the stores selling souvenirs that opened early morning even though the rest of the shops weren't open yet. We ended up buying a lot because the staff made us feel like VVIP with their good customer service. I don't know the name of the store but it's right next to the escalator with the hanging kaftans on the second floor. The local chinese gentleman was very fluent in Malay and was very friendly and attentive. He was happily promoting the goods without forcing us so shopping here was a pleasant experience. Recommended!

It is an old school market that brings back memories. I didnt visit the wet market portion but did go to the dried good area. I was astounded by the many stalls that were selling pickled fruits and the varieties it comes in. It can get quite warm as the day progresses although the liveliness picks up. It was a bit of a surprise to stumble upon the first floor having some clothings stores too. One thing though, I did freak out a bit seeing some of the stalls selling packed dried herbs having insects crawling inside the sealed packet. It is worth a visit to check out the market if you haven't been before.

This place has the wet and dry morning market. Beside the market, there are various of non-halal food breakfast store available. The upper level of market has various of bookstore, souvenir shops as well. Price are reasonable and sellers are friendly. In front of the market has a bus stand for easy access, most of the 101 and 202,203 and free shuttle bus will pass by.

Local wet market where you can do your grocery shopping (just like the old days). There's also a small enclave of food stores just beside the market. You will a variety of local food and it's pretty crowded in the morning. We tried a bit of almost everything. Totally enjoyed the atmosphere and the food.

Friendly people and delicious food — that’s the charm of Pasar Chowrasta Market! A perfect spot to taste local flavors and feel the warmth of Penang’s community. 🥢🌸