This old shophouse on Armenian Street has been transformed anew — thanks to Chef Nurilkarim. Celebrating the Jawi Peranakans (indigenous Malays who married Indian, Arab, Turkish and Persian migrants) of the region, the restaurant’s star chef combines flowers, herbs, and spices to revive the fragrant cuisine of the community.Of note: the Lemuni, a rice dish cooked with blue telang flowers and lemuni leaves. It’s the lemuni that gives the dish its greenish hue and herbal taste — you’ll want to plant some of these babies in your backyard.

Beyond the Michelin stars, located in a shophouse on Armenian Street is Jawi House, which serves superb Jawi Peranakan food (a blend of north Indian, Peranakan, Malay, and Arab flavours) at incredibly low prices. The laksa lemak—tuna and mackerel in coconut milk with mint, pineapple, rice noodles, chiles, onions and raw greens for $5.50—will linger in your memory, as will its tomato rice, cooked with lemongrass, mint, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and milk topped with cashews and raisins.

Beyond the Michelin stars, located in a shophouse on Armenian Street is Jawi House, which serves superb Jawi Peranakan food (a blend of north Indian, Peranakan, Malay, and Arab flavors) at incredibly low prices. The laksa lemak—tuna and mackerel in coconut milk with mint, pineapple, rice noodles, chiles, onions and raw greens for $5.50—will linger in your memory, as will its tomato rice, cooked with lemongrass, mint, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and milk topped with cashews and raisins.

Irama Dining has recently introduced Malay fine dining to Penang (no alcohol served here), while Jawi House has unique Jawi Peranakan food, which has more Arab heritage mixed in, with hummus and babaganoush finding a place in the menu, along with mutton biryani and beef rendang.

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Founded by the Karim family with their Punjabi-Jawi Peranakan background (intermarriage of diasporas of Indian Muslims with local Malays), Jawi House is a long-standing restaurant in George Town’s Armenian street and one of the few specialised in Jawi Peranakan cuisine.From biryani rice to chicken curry and beef rendang, a history of endemic tastes and spices mixes well with the sophisticated ambience in a refurbished original shophouse, all curated by Chef Nuril. All ingredients are sourced from a local garden and end up in inventive salads such as Kerabu Mangga, mixing green mango strips with chillies, torch ginger, lemongrass, coriander and lightly sweet and sour dressing. Jawi House website 85 Lebuh Armeniantel: +6042613680Price Range: $$

Jawi House, located in a 19th-century building on a street once known for brass and copper merchants, dishes out cherished recipes handed down through the generations, blending local Malay culinary traditions with South Asian and Middle Eastern influences. Founded by an anthropologist couple whose sons serve as the restaurant’s manager and head chef, this is one of the few places that promise nasi lemuni, a herbal rice dish with a lightly bitter tang, cooked with coconut milk and lemuni leaves, believed to hold diverse medicinal properties. Come for the food, which showcases masterfully mellow subtleties, then stay and admire the evocative local artwork and heirlooms on display.

For a fusion of Indian-Muslim and Peranakan dishes, Jawi House Cafe Gallery does a beautiful job. Enjoy lush choices of biriyani, papadom (crunchy Indian dough,) barley broth, and jawi laksa lemak which is Malaysian curry laksa. Dr. Wazir Jahan Karim wanted to preserve her family’s story by creating a cookbook, “Feasts of Penang: Muslim Culinary Heritage.” Her restaurant itself is situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with traditional interior décor, full of green plants that accentuate a welcoming allure.

The slightly artsy, old school Jawi House Cafe Gallery on the edge of Little India showcases some top Peranakan and Malay food. We shared an incredible briyani, a deep beef rendang and a surprisingly refreshing Malayan salad featuring dragonfruit, mango, and a sweet sour pomegranate sauce. I also enjoyed our fellow diners at Jawi, a group of ladies who were either best friends or mortal enemies, possibly both, engaged in full and frank discussion over who was doing what for an upcoming social event.

Jawi House Cafe Gallery is inside the ancestral home of a Punjabi-Jawi Peranakan family that now serves as a cafe-slash-exhibit. Its menu blends Malay, Middle Eastern, and South Asian heirloom recipes with a twist, making it a great pick for a cross-cultural gastronomic experience. A stone’s throw away from iconic George Town attractions, this Muslim-owned cafe is every bit welcoming with its cheery yellow walls and antique furniture.

As a long-standing cafe located on Armenia Street, recently taken over by chef Nurilkarim, Jawi House is loved for its unique and distinctive food flavors. In celebration of Jawi Peranakans, the restaurant’s talented chef combines flowers, herbs and spices to create signature dishes, revitalizing the community’s cuisine. Until now, when the celebration has passed for a while, these dishes are still loved and favored by the public.

85, Lebuh Armenian, George Town, 10200 George TownOpen: Wednesday to Monday (11am to 9.30pm). The assimilation of cultures at its best, the Jawi Peranakan cuisine you’ll find here has its origins in Punjabi-Jawi Peranakan ancestry. The recipes here have been passed down through six generations and four generations of women, and is an amalgamation of Arabic, northern Indian, Pakistani, Levant and Malay cuisines.

This boutique cafe serves a gleeful combination of Indian, Arabian and Malay flavour, emphasising on the traditional elements of all the cuisines. The cosy, antique interior decor of the eatery adds to the experience along with deliciousness. One can expect to enjoy absolute classic, nostalgia-inducing flavours right from the first mouthful if you are of South Asian descent.

Malays often refer to Jawi Peranakan cuisine as ‘food for feasting.’ Besides, Jawi House Cafe Gallery aims to transport you through centuries of enchanting culinary heritage. Furthermore, the exterior of the restaurant with wooden doors and windows that give it a nostalgic Nyonya feel. Image Credit: Jawi House Cafe Gallery

An award-winning chef in Malaysia, Chef Nurilkarim has won numerous awards during his undergraduate years. He joined Cilantro at Micasa Hotels, Kuala Lumpur in 2011, the only Malaysian Restaurant listed in the Miele Food Guide. He then returned to Penang to be the Executive Chef and Manager of Jawi House.

Settled in a fashionable and historical Armenian Street, the Jawi House Penang is both cafe and gallery. Their cafe is famous for its traditional Jawi-Peranakan cuisine with a touch of Western-fusion. We recommend their signature dishes ‘Roti Jala’, ‘Nasi Lemuni’ and ‘Laksa Lemak’.

Jawi House Cafe Gallery is a gallery that specializes in regional artwork, prints, hand-painted fabrics, and carvings. It is located on the popular and historic Armenian Street. Additionally, it is a cafe with a focus on both traditional and contemporary Jawi Peranakan food.

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. Jawi House Cafe & Gallery serves awesome cucur udang, or prawns fried in batter, onions with beancurd, with slices of cucumber and peanut sauce on the side. It is a wholesome meal by itself.

The Jawi House Cafe Gallery features local artwork, including prints, hand-painted fabrics, and sculptures. It’s located on the renowned and historic Armenian Street. The café also features a concentration on Jawi Peranakan food, both traditional and modern.

Jawi House has a long history going back to six ages prior in George Town. Additionally, it was four ages of ladies who have made this food. Other than that, the cook of Jawi House is a firm devotee to neighborhood and maintainable food sourcing too.

There is heavy use of mahogany furniture to contrast against colorful windows. Pictures of Chef Nuril’s family and important Jawi Peranakan women folk adorn the walls. Food-wise, the Nasi Briyani with chicken or lamb is on-point.

It gives you the home feelings with decent local food, as well as the famous Red Velvet Gallete that are stacked on top of each other with cream cheese. It costs in a reasonable price with nice ambience.

Ini antara cafe kat Penang yang ada fusion Melayu dan Western. Owner dan chef kat sini Melayu. Dan suasana cafe sini dibuat gaya antik dengan lauk Jawi Peranakan (kacukan Arab, India, Turki, Melayu).

Alamat: 85, Lebuh Armenian, George Town, 10200 Penang Malaysia, Pulau Pinang. Waktu Operasi: Setiap hari kecuali Selasa, 11.30 am – 9.30 pm. Dekorasi kafe Jawi House Cafe Gallery ini cukup cantik.

If you’re looking for local food, Jawi House Café is a place you should go. They serve authentic Peranakan cuisine where you get to a different taste. Peranakan has a unique culture.

Jawi House Cafe Gallery offers delicious main dishes aside from desserts. But in addition to that, they also offer a beautifully designed space that will feed your Instagram too.

This charming cafe in a restored shophouse beautifully showcases the lesser-known Jawi Peranakan cuisine. Their flavorful dishes and elegant ambiance are top-notch.