Hameediyah Restaurant, Penang: What to eat and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Hameediyah Restaurant

Wikipedia's article on nasi kandar says Hameediyah began in 1907 as a stall under a tree in a field on Lebuh Campbell, and describes it as recognised as Penang's oldest nasi kandar restaurant.

The New Straits Times reported in 2019 that the founder was a spice trader from India, M. Mohamed Thamby Rawther, that the business is still family run, and that the interior was refurbished in an old-world style, keeping the original wall tiles and facade.

Useful facts

Hameediyah Restaurant facts at a glance

Location

Lebuh Campbell, George Town

Dining style

Counter-served nasi kandar, dine in

Price signal

Moderate

Signature order

Try: nasi kandar with kapitan chicken

Good for

Heritage meals for meat-eaters

Why it matters

Why Hameediyah Restaurant is worth your time

Nasi kandar is one of Penang's best-known dishes, and a shop that has kept one family recipe going for over a century gives a useful view of how the dish was once sold from roadside carriers. Wikipedia says Hameediyah began in 1907 under a tree on Lebuh Campbell, and the Malaysia Book of Records recognised it in 2020 as the country's oldest nasi kandar restaurant, as reported by Malay Mail.

For Indian visitors, the food will feel familiar in spirit, with spiced curries and rice, yet it is Malaysian Indian Muslim cooking rather than anything from a home kitchen. Treat it as a cultural meal for travellers who eat meat, and look to the vegetarian listings in this guide for dependable meat-free food.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Nasi kandar

   Rice with mixed curry gravy, the dish the shop is known for.

2. 02

   Kapitan and murtabak

   Named by the New Straits Times among its signature dishes.

3. 03

   Old tiled shopfront

   The refurbished interior keeps its original tiles.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Nasi kandar is steamed rice served with a choice of curries and side dishes, with mixed gravy poured over the top. The New Straits Times lists kapitan chicken, murtabak, nasi briyani, rendang and mee goreng among the dishes here, and says the masala is made from whole spices roasted and ground in the kitchen. Point to what you want at the counter and ask for the gravy on the side if you prefer less heat.

Because the curries are mostly chicken, beef, fish and prawn, vegetarians and Jains should not plan a meal here. Press coverage mentions vegetable dishes, but neither source we read describes a vegetarian menu, and shared serving spoons are normal, so ask staff directly before ordering anything. We have not seen halal certification confirmed on a page we opened, so ask if that matters to you.

Keep the visit unhurried. The old tiled interior is worth a look, and the shop sits within a short walk of Little India, so it combines easily with a morning in the heritage zone.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Lebuh Campbell, George Town

Time needed

1 to 1.5 hours

Best time

Weekday mid-morning or early afternoon, to avoid queues

Walking level

Easy

Senior comfort

The shop is at street level on a flat, central road, so there are no steps to climb on the way in. Photographs show queues at busy times, so older travellers should arrive off-peak and ask for a table before ordering.

Tickets and access

Walk-in. Photographs on Wikimedia Commons show queues at busy times. A 2016 Star report gave hours of 11am to 10.30pm except Tuesdays; confirm hours before you travel, as these may have changed.

Plan it with

FAQs