Sleek furniture designed by Empt Studio populates the space, which was transformed to retain the space’s industrial charm while introducing modern aesthetics.

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Located in the affluent suburb of Pulau Tikus, JT Patisserie is the brick-and-mortar home of chef Jeffrey Tan. The accomplished pastry chef offers his exquisite French-Asian desserts in this renovated house surrounded by lush trees

Like the refined desserts, JT Patisserie’s interior design exudes elegance in white. The pristine interior features softly rounded furniture, gentle arches and gold accents to create a sophisticated backdrop allowing their delectable desserts’ vibrant colours to take centre stage.

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Mangga Cafe is a cafe on the grounds of one of Penang's most iconic heritage buildings, Cheong Fatt Tze - The Blue Mansion. Located in a single-store building that used to be the servant’s quarters, the breezy cafe gets its name from underneath a mature mango tree. 

Indoor seating sees diners eating amongst original timber trusses set against an elegantly designed interior with saffron-coloured feature walls, timber furniture and large windows. Outdoor seating is offered on a raised platform with chequered yellow-and-white mats and nostalgic string chairs in cheerful colours.

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Set in a pre-war terrace house in George Town, Chapel Street Cafe, as its name suggests, is inspired by Australian cafe culture. The monochromatic interior gives the space a sleek appearance with industrial flourishes from the mild steel detailing and raw surfaces. 

Natural lighting and plenty of plants soften the interiors, offering clients a chic backdrop to capture their best shots of the hearty menu. 

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Housed in an erstwhile shipping yard, Norm Micro Roastery is a cafe in an art-deco-style building with rounded corners and sky-high ceilings.

Reputed to serve some of the island’s best (and boozy) cakes, the spacious cafe benefits from abundant natural light and is designed with an industrial meets zen aesthetic. A sculptural garden with grey pebbles and low shrubs is at the heart of the space, with polished cement seating wending through it.

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A relatively new addition to Penang’s plethora of cafes, Jo Gourmand is a new Parisian-inspired cafe on historic Lebuh Pantai. Appropriately the cafe features charming European details like awnings, wainscotting, patterned mosaics and a fireplace.

Open weave rattan chairs and stripey bistro chairs populate the space, with soft lighting and greenery completing the look.

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In the revitalised Macalister Mansion, a 100-year-old colonial mansion turned boutique hotel, Restaurant Blanc blends Old English charm with modern sophistication while preserving the building’s heritage aspects.

The recent refurbishment by Chaos Design Studio aligned the interior with the restaurant's new branding direction, creating a warm yet polished fine dining environment that seats up to 42 guests.

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The waiting area by the entrance features a metallic gold frame with timber screening and a fully wainscoted wall before guests are ushered into the main seating area.

Here, classical walnut timber panels and deep blue walls set the tone for an Old English ambience, as white modern fixtures bathe the space in a comfortable glow.

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Sectioned off by a custom-made metal screen and wine rack, the VIP dining room offers an intimate dining experience amidst Victorian-style furnishing with a modern twist.

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Penang-based CKHO Architect has succeeded in preserving the authentic character of a heritage shophouse along Hutton Lane in George Town’s heritage district, transforming the space into a vibrant commercial venue for the artisan ice cream shop Petit-Petit.

Guided by a “Hide, Highlight, Enhance” strategy, the design team prioritised sustainability and budget-consciousness, opting for readily available, durable materials that complement the heritage setting.

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Key historical elements were preserved using traditional techniques, such as lime plaster on shear brick walls and exposed brick surfaces to enhance breathability. Meanwhile, new interior features like the staircase motif wall, a cladding method was used to avoid compromising the integrity of the existing walls.

Central to the design is the reimagined courtyard, where strategically arranged greenery creates a living, sculptural element. This innovative use of plants extends throughout the shop, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces and serving both aesthetic and functional purposes.

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Nestled within 88 Armenian, a heritage luxury boutique hotel on Penang’s storied Armenian Street, Tong pays homage to the building’s past–two original shophouses meticulously restored after they were lost in a fire. 

Designed by Singapore-based Farm Architecture, the space features an impressive single-piece copper bar counter–a centrepiece that pays tribute to Armenian Street’s rich past, particularly its 19th-century incarnation as Coppersmith Street, when Chinese immigrants’ copper and brass industry thrived in the area.

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Alongside prominent copper and brass features, exposed brick walls, remnants of the original structure, provide a rustic contrast to the gleaming metalwork.

In a nod to the site’s fiery past, the dining area features shou-sugi ban panelling–a traditional Japanese wood preservation technique, which involves charring the wood surface–serving as a symbolic reminder of the building’s history, but also contributing a unique textural element to the space.

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