8 restaurants, cafes, and bars to try at Penang's Hin Bus Depot

From hip cocktail speakeasies to trendy cafés, these are our picks of where you should eat and drink at the community art space

Hin Bus Depot was built in 1947 in art deco style, which stood out from among the neighbouring shophouses. After more than five decades, the depot was shut down.

It spent years unoccupied until 2014 when artist Ernest Zacharevic's solo Art is Rubbish is Art exhibition took place in the dilapidated space. The success of the exhibition led to it being lovingly restored and is now a community project managed by independent artists and local creatives, and supports small businesses.

Measuring 60,000 sq ft, it hosts a number of F&B outlets including the acclaimed Restaurant au Jardin.

Here are eight of our favourite spots in Hin Bus Depot.

Restaurant au Jardin

The restaurant's dining room is elegant and cosy, perfect for intimate dinners (Photo: Restaurant au Jardin)

Photo 1 of 3 The famed hay-aged duck at Restaurant au Jardin is a must-have (Photo: Restaurant au Jardin)

Photo 2 of 3 Sardine tart presented in a playful tin box (Photo: Restaurant au Jardin)

Photo 3 of 3 The restaurant's dining room is elegant and cosy, perfect for intimate dinners (Photo: Restaurant au Jardin)

One of Tatler Dining's Top 20 Restaurants in Malaysia for three consecutive years, Restaurant au Jardin has become a destination in its own right. Its ever-changing modern European menu consistently impress and supports local purveyors and producers.

The dishes exude elegance. The flawless execution raises the bar for fine dining in Malaysia, thanks to the talented team led by Su Kim Hock. Its hay-aged duck is a mainstay on its menu and a must-try.

Restaurant au Jardin | 125, Jalan Timah, 10150 George Town, Penang | +6012 428 9594 | @restaurantaujardin on Instagram | Thursday-Sunday, 11:30 am-2:30 pm & 5pm-10 pm

Wells Café

Above The Midsummer Night’s Moon single origin espresso at Wells Café (Photo: @wellscafe.pg/Instagram)

Next door to Restaurant au Jardin is Wells Café, a little nook with a cosy and comfortable interior. Its living room aesthetic adds to its charm whole its rotating specialty coffee offerings will definitely perk up your day.

Every cup of specialty coffee comes with a tiny card of information about the beans' origin and flavour notes.

Wells Café | 125, Jalan Timah, 10150 George Town | +6016 459 9863 | @wellscafe.pg on Instagram | Wedneday-Monday, 9am-6pm

Lè 楽 Café

An iced latté is always a good order (Photo: @lelelelelelelelee_/Instagram)

Above Iced latté (Photo: @lelelelelelelelee_/Instagram)

Above Lè 楽 Café's signature sandwiches (Photo: @lelelelelelelelee_/Instagram)

Lè 楽 Café is known for its sandwiches and coffee, so if you're looking for a midday pick-me-up while browsing at Hin Bus Depot, head over here.

Try the bacon, egg, and cheese with caramelised onions in a homemade brioche bun as well as the shrimp katsu sandwich. You can also bring home a bottle of its homemade kaya and natural peanut butter.

Lè 楽 Café | 33, Jalan Gurdwara, George Town, 10300 George Town | +6010 380 6202 | @lelelelelelelelee_ on Instagram | Thursday-Tuesday, 9am-6pm

How Shy

Above The How Shy hut (Photo: @howshypg/Instagram)

A round of oysters (Photo: @howshypg/Instagram)

Above Fresh oysters (Photo: @howshypg/Instagram)

How Shy's rustic hut belies its decadent offerings: oysters and natural wines. There are also selections of mocktails and craft beers, the latter make for the perfect pairing with its hand-cut fries.

How Shy | 59, Jalan Timah, 10300 George Town | @howshypg on Instagram | Thursday-Friday, 4pm-12am; Saturday-Sunday, 11am-12am

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The Alley House

Above A mookata feast (Photo: @the_alley_house/Instagram)

Get your fill of Thai mookata (Thai barbecue) at The Alley House. The mookata specialists' menu also includes such Thai staples as somtum (Thai green papaya salad) and spring rolls. It is also a great spot to visit after a night out in one of George Town's cocktail bars.

We recommend the mookata set, which includes all the necessary for a satisfying meal; wash it down with ice-cold Chang beer.

The Alley House | 21, Jalan Gurdwara, George Town, 10300 George Town | +6011 2834 1927 | @the_alley_house on Instagram | Tuesday-Sunday, 7pm-3am

Creameal

Above A double-scoop cone at Creameal (Photo: @creameal/Instagram)

You can customise your ice cream orders to include a stack of waffles with your ice cream (Photo: @creameal/Instagram)

Above You can customise your ice cream to include a stack of waffles (Photo: @creameal/Instagram)

Creameal is your solution to beating the Penang heat with its handcrafted ice cream and crispy yet fluffy waffles. Aside from the usual suspects, Creameal also offers vegan options, such as vegan dark chocolate and vegan black sesame. You may choose to have your ice cream alone or with waffles.

Our top flavour picks are salted peanut butter, blue chrysanthemum, and Dalgona coffee candy. Flavours change regularly to keep things interesting.

Creameal | 63, Jalan Gurdwara, George Town, 10300 George Town | +6010 876 2619 on WhatsApp | @creameal on Instagram | Wednesday-Monday, 12pm-11pm

Backdoor Bodega

The Georgetown Gimlet is a signature cocktail with London dry gin, torched ginger flower, kesum leaves, galangal, lemongrass, belacan, tamarind, and a house lime blend (Photo: Backdoor Bodega)

Above The Georgetown Gimlet is a signature cocktail with London dry gin, torched ginger flower, kesum leaves, galangal, lemongrass, belacan, tamarind, and a house lime blend (Photo: Backdoor Bodega)

One of the best cocktail bars not just in Penang but in Asia, Backdoor Bodega is founded by Tatler Asia's Most Influential 2022 honouree Koh Yung Shen. With its vast menu and fun-loving bartenders, a night out at Backdoor Bodega promises to be a blast.

Our favourite orders are the Matcha Magic, made with the bar's signature clarified milk, the Georgetown Gimlet, and the Eugene.

Backdoor Bodega | 37 Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Penang | backdoorbodega.com | @backdoorbodega on Instagram | Thursday-Monday, 8pm-1am

Good Friends Club

The B.B.C. is short for "The Best Banana Cocktail" and is made with banana peel-infused whisky, banana fermented nectar, dehydrated banana skin, and lemon (Photo: @goodfriendsclubpg/Instagram)

Above The B.B.C. is short for the Best Banana Cocktail and is made with banana peel-infused whisky, banana fermented nectar, dehydrated banana skin, and lemon (Photo: @goodfriendsclubpg/Instagram)

The Ban Chang Kuih emulates the taste of the street snack that comprises crushed peanuts, a pancake, and corn (Photo: @goodfriendsclubpg/Instagram)

Above The Ban Chang Kuih emulates the taste of peanut pancake, a popular street snack (Photo: @goodfriendsclubpg/Instagram)

Another bar that you cannot miss here is Good Friends Club. Its motto is "good friends never bojio" (bojio is Hokkien for "not invited") and as soon as you step into the bar, you'll be made to feel like a regular.

Its menu comprises some of the most creative locally inspired cocktails on the island, including the B.B.C., a banana-forward whisky cocktail, and the Ban Chang Kuih, its take on the Old Fashioned inspired by a popular Penang street snack.

Good Friends Club | 39, Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Penang | +6010 550 1204 | @goodfriendsclubpg on Instagram | Monday-Friday, 8pm-1am; Saturday-Sunday, 8pm-2am

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Hin Bus Depot George Town Penang Where and What to Eat

Tatler Asia

Where and what to eat: 8 restaurants, cafés and bars at Hin Bus Depot, George Town