Armenian Street is home to the Cheah Kongsi and Yap Kongsi clan houses, as well as the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple. However, most travelers come for the shopping—mainly souvenirs, furniture, and antiques—and the food. Many food tours swing by here, particularly at night when the lanterns are lit up. You can also explore the area in one of Penang’s popular trishaws (3-wheeled rickshaws), board a Vespa with your own chauffeur, or jump aboard a hop-on, hop-off bus for a self-guided visit.
Although Armenian Street is known for its food, there are no Armenian restaurants—and no evidence Armenians ever lived here.
Exercise caution when buying antiques in Penang. Products are not always as old as they seem.
Most kids will love the colorful trishaws and street art on Armenian Street. Back carriers or slings are a better choice than strollers for folk traveling with little ones.
High curbs and narrow, crowded sidewalks mean travelers who use wheelchairs will likely find themselves moving along the road.
Lebuh Armenian runs roughly parallel to Lebuh Acheh, connecting to it at the north end, in the heritage district of George Town, Penang. It’s about a 0.5-mile (800-meter) walk east of the city’s main Komtar Bus Terminal.
Early evening is a good time to visit Lebuh Armenian, when the street stalls are in action and the light for photography is good.
Many Penang food tours swing by Lebuh Armenian. But here are a few other quintessential Penang food experiences you might want to try—eating at a hawker center; discovering “Nyonya” cuisine at a Peranakan restaurant; touring a fruit orchard or visiting a spice garden; shopping for roots and herbs in a local wet market; or posing for foodie selfies with outsized plates of your favorites at the Wonderfood Museum.
