Taiping is such an understated town. With a picturesque lake garden surrounded by centuries-old rain trees and stretches of mountains from afar, Taiping is a sanctuary for nature lovers and anyone who prefers a slower pace in life.

It is no wonder then that Taiping is recently named the third most sustainable cities in the world, just behind Ljubljana, Slovenia and Vancouver, Canada at the International Tourismus-Börse travel trade show.

But take a few steps further into the streets of Taiping and you will find that it is a town steeped in history, with many restaurants that has been operating for decades.

Food in Taiping may not be as renowned as the ones in Ipoh, but for a small town, it certainly has a lot of top-notch quality places to eat! The variety of choices is dizzying — from local favorites such as cendol and nasi lemak, to more unique dishes such as Malay-styled prawn noodles, and crab noodles.

We guarantee that a road trip to Taiping for its food will surely not disappoint. We even made it easy for you by narrowing down eight of Taiping’s must-eats while in town. Scroll down to check them out!

Having been in operation for close to 100 years, Yut Sun is somewhat a local institution in Taiping and often frequented by locals of all races. Housed in a pre-war building, the restaurant has a typical old school kopitiam vibe, complete with marble top round tables, wooden chairs and colourful, mosaic tile floors. For Muslim foodies, fret not, this restaurant is halal-certified. The must-try here is the signature Hainanese chicken chop. The dish features a battered chicken cutlet, deep-fried then drenched in brown sauce, with peas, tomatoes and potato wedges on the side. The chicken is juicy and crispy, while the brown sauce is the perfect complement — we bet you’ll be wanting a second serving!

Yut Sun Restaurant

78 & 80, Jalan Pasar, 34000, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia

Opening hours: 8.00am – 7.00pm (closed on Sundays)

Tel: 05-808 3250

Instagram: Noorazalia.ahmad

Another establishment that has been around for decades, Doli Kuey Teow Goreng has a reputation for being a pitstop for hungry travellers coming into or passing through Taiping by road. Typically, a Malay-styled fried kuey teow, or flat rice noodles, has gravy but at Doli’s, its version is dry and fried using a charcoal stove, giving it the fresh-off-the-wok charred taste! Ask for the signature kuey teow goreng special which has generous toppings of prawns and cockles… yummy!

Doli Kuey Teow Goreng

No. 5, Regat Tupai, Taiping.

Opening Hours: 12.00pm – 11.00pm (Closed on Fridays)

A bowl of frosty cendol, a type of coconut milk dessert, is especially refreshing on a hot day. Bismillah Cendol has been around since 1993 and has perfected the mouth-watering bowl of dessert. The signature delicacy at Bismillah is in fact, cendol at its most basic — green rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. We suggest getting one with glutinous rice, which could fill your stomach for a little while longer before you arrive at your next food destination.

Bismillah Cendol

Lot 233, Jalan Barrack, Taiping

Opening hours: 8.00am – 6.00pm

No Malaysian foodie list is complete without the nasi lemak. Taiping has a nasi lemak stall which everyone goes to, called Warung Muhibbah. Here, the nasi lemak is served in its most basic form, and you could do a build-your-own-nasi lemak by helping yourself with various kinds of side dishes like chicken, beef or cuttlefish. Served with slices of cucumber, peanuts and fried anchovies, the nasi lemak will fill you up until lunchtime! It’s best to get there as early as possible, as queues are usually long and the food runs out pretty quickly.

Nasi Lemak Warung Muhibbah

Taman Tupai Mas, Taiping

Opening hours: 6.30am – 12pm

Tel: 017-560 6406

The food court is perfect for the indecisive, as well as the very hungry. With more than 120 stalls selling a variety of local favorites, one will definitely be spoiled for choice! Go early in the morning for breakfast or later for lunch. There are two sections here, halal and non-halal so, Muslim foodies can also get their fix!

You don’t have to go far to Penang for char kuey teow. Just head over to stall number 83, or known among locals as Ah Leng char kuey teow, for a plate of flat rice noodles fried with bean sprouts, chives, shrimps, cockles and eggs. The standard measurement of a good char kuey teow is whether it has the “wok hei” (a smoky, charred flavor from frying the noodles in an iron cast wok over an intense heat source). At Ah Leng, you will not walk away disappointed. Other street food worth sampling include the chee cheong fun, chicken rice, and oyster omelette.

Larut Matang Food Court

Jalan Panggung Wayang, Taiping, 34000

Opening hours: 7.00am – 6.00pm

If you have more time and don’t mind driving out of Taiping, head over to Kuala Sepetang. Formerly known as Port Weld where the country’s first railway was built, Kuala Sepetang is a fishing village where seafood is generally cheaper. Go to the aptly-named Restoran Tepi Sungai (as it is located right next to the river) and enjoy a seafood dinner overlooking the sunset. Order a drink and enjoy the breathtaking view of the picturesque fishing village with your friends and family. The two-storey restaurant has its own fishing boat dock below for daily deliveries, which means your seafood can’t get any fresher than this! We’d suggest trying the oyster omelette, deep fried prawns and baked flower crabs.

Restoran Tepi Sungai

Jalan Sungai Manggis, Kampung Kuala Sepetang

Opening hours: 12.00pm – 9.00pm

Also in Kuala Sepetang is Mak Jah’s stall where you could try the Malay-styled mee udang (prawn noodles), served with the freshest and most succulent prawns here. While there are other stalls selling mee udang, what sets Mak Jah apart is that a bowl of noodles would come with five to seven big, fat, juicy prawns served in a thick sweet and spicy broth. Trust us, the sheer size of the prawns alone is worth the price!

Mee Udang Mak Jah

Kampung Menteri, Kuala Sepetang

Opening hours: 11.00am – 10pm (Closed on Wednesday)

Tel: 05-898-1400 / 012-293-1101 / 017-469-5026

Instagram: @syahirahyusoff

We’re saving the best seafood galore for last! Head over to Kampung Dew, about 20 minutes’ drive north of Taiping for the mee ketam (crab noodles). It is easy to spot the stall, just look for the the jetty terminals. The crabs are freshly caught, then cooked in a coconut-based broth, so expect only the freshest crabs in your bowl. Best eaten with your hands! We’d highly recommend this before heading for the firefly tour!

Mee Ketam Kampung Dew

No 1A, Kampung Dew, Simpang Empat Semanggol

Opening hours: 3.00pm – 11.00pm

Tel: 019-574 6454

With so many delicious food waiting to be discovered, Taiping deserves to be on top of your to-visit list. Make that road trip to Taiping this weekend! Don't forget to book your hotel room and Singapore to Ipoh flight on Traveloka App because we’ve got you covered with our fantastic flight and hotel deals on Traveloka. There are so many popular hotels that you can choose for your stay in Malaysia or only want to do your staycation Singapore. You can plan your family time during public holiday Singapore. Therefore, here is the list of hotels in Singapore that you can explore with hotel promotion Singapore and redeem your Singapore Rediscovers Vouchers :
Marina Bay Sands | Hotel 81 | Shangri La Singapore | Fullerton Hotel | Hotel Boss | Sentosa Hotel | Andaz Singapore | Mandarin Orchard | Pan Pacific Singapore | Sofitel Sentosa | Capella Singapore | Raffles Hotel | Mandarin Oriental Singapore | Resorts World Sentosa | Ritz Carlton Singapore | Fairmont Singapore | Grand Hyatt Singapore | Intercontinental Singapore | Fullerton Bay Hotel | Goodwood Park Hotel | Hilton Singapore | Orchard Hotel | Carlton Hotel | Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa