The short answer
New Cathay Cafe: what visitors should know first
A lively breakfast stop with a separate vegan menu, but a mixed kopitiam where meat is cooked too. Come early on weekdays, as weekends bring long waits. It closes at noon and on Sundays.
Useful facts
New Cathay Cafe facts at a glance
- Location
- 425 Jalan Burma, George Town
- Dining style
- Multi-stall kopitiam
- Price signal
- Budget, about RM1 to 20
- Signature order
- Try: popiah or curry noodles
- Good for
- Local breakfasts
Why it matters
Why New Cathay Cafe is worth your time
The kopitiam is where Penang eats breakfast, with shared tables and many stalls. For a vegetarian or vegan visitor, a place with a separate vegan menu lets the group join that scene without eating from a meat-heavy stall.
It is crowded and informal. Expect noise and a wait at weekends. The mixed kitchen means we apply no strict diet tag, so treat the vegan menu as a starting point and ask questions.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
Vegan popiah
Vegetarian-sauce crispy popiah and seaweed popiah are marked.
- 02
Curry noodles
Highlighted by Spinach.
- 03
Separate vegan menu
Ask for it on arrival.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
A kopitiam gathers several stalls under one roof, so order from each. Spinach lists popiah, apam balik, white curry noodles, curry noodles, chee cheong fun and apom manis, and highlights its curry noodles. Choose the vegan menu if you avoid meat, where crispy popiah with vegetarian sauce and seaweed salad popiah are marked.
Because it is a shared kopitiam with several stalls, cross-contact is likely, so strict vegetarians and Jains should ask staff. Spinach says staff have a basic understanding of vegan needs and that popiah can be made vegan on request.
Go early, find a table, and keep orders small. It makes a breakfast that shows how locals eat before the heat arrives.
Plan with confidence
Small checks that make a better meal.
- Arrive early on weekdays
- Ask for the vegan menu
- Confirm hours; closed Sunday
- Ask about shared cooking surfaces
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- 425 Jalan Burma, George Town
- Time needed
- 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Best time
- Early morning, weekdays
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- Outdoor seating is available, and Spinach warns of parking limits and long weekend waits, so older travellers should come on a weekday soon after opening.
- Tickets and access
- Walk-in. Spinach lists 7am to 12pm Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday. Hours may change, so confirm before you go.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near New Cathay Cafe
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
Outdoor seating is available, and Spinach warns of parking limits and long weekend waits, so older travellers should come on a weekday soon after opening.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Does it have vegan options?
Spinach says there is a separate vegan menu with 3 to 5 options. It is a mixed kopitiam, so we apply no tag.
When is it busy?
Spinach warns of long waits on weekend mornings.
Is it open on Sunday?
Spinach lists Sunday as closed.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
