The Mugshot Cafe — Restaurant in George Town

Tucked away in love lane of Georgetown, The Mugshot Café has built itself a reputation as one of those quirky, must-visit spots that travelers and locals alike always talk about. From the outside, it looks unassuming, but the moment you step inside you’re greeted by a rustic, artsy atmosphere. The exposed brick walls and the famous “mugshot photo boards” give the café a playful personality, making it a great place not only to enjoy food but also to take a few fun pictures and soak up the vibe of Penang’s creative café culture.

The real standout here is the bagels. Freshly made and perfectly toasted, they’re chewy yet soft on the inside. My favorite is the smoked salmon and cream cheese it’s simple but done really well. The bacon and egg version is also a hearty option for those who want something filling to kickstart the morning. They also serve homemade yogurt that feels refreshing and light, especially when topped with crunchy granola or sweet fruits. It’s the kind of breakfast that’s both wholesome and satisfying without being too heavy.

As for the coffee, it’s decent and enjoyable, though I’d say it’s more “okay” rather than the best in Georgetown. If you’re someone who’s very particular about specialty coffee, you might not find it mind-blowing here, but it pairs nicely with the bagels and makes for a pleasant morning cup. The atmosphere is what really elevates the experience it’s laid-back, youthful, and buzzing with energy from both travelers and locals stopping in.

Overall, The Mugshot Café is less about perfection in coffee and more about the full experience, the food, the quirky interior, the fun concept, and the charm of sitting in a cozy spot while watching life pass by outside in Georgetown. It’s the kind of place where you can start your day with a hearty breakfast, take a few memorable photos, and just enjoy the easy-going Penang vibe. Definitely worth visiting at least once if you’re...

Revisited 26jun2024

I reached this semi-airconditional cafe on weekdays at about 9am. 80% of the tables were vacant. The seating were very special short chairs and tables. Ordering at the counter and waiting time for take out about 15 minutes.

I ordered a cream cheese bagel with smoked salmon at RM19. I top up another RM8 for scrambled egg and RM9 for an extra avocado. The bagel, avocado, and scrambled were very delicious and fresh. The smoked salmon was mediocre. 3 stars

Espresso RM10 was mediocre with no surprise factor. 2 stars

Bagel with bacon and egg here is out of this world. Even the plain bagel was very good. It was a bit hard outside, but inside is soft. The bacon in a cup shape and the egg taste perfect. It is fun to see how they prepare my bagel by hand in an oven in the middle of the cafe. It's kiwi and honey yoghurt taste too sour at the beginning. But if u mix this sour taste with bitter taste of espresso together with bagel, soooooo good. The yoghurt kiwi win my heart, not just the taste but also healthy. The atmosphere here is nice. I really enjoy

small wooden chair here. I wish to sit at the balcony enjoying the great street view, but unfortunately, somebody was smoking there and spoiled my place. Will back...

We were at the corner of Chulia and Carnavon and decided it was too hot and muggy so looked for a cafe to chill for a while. This one looked good and had the most important thing: decaf coffee!

It's a double shop twinned with a big cake cafe next door, but this side has the coffee and food. There's a wood fired oven in the middle but I didn't see anything cooking (mid-afternoon when we were there). A few larger tables with benches and lots of small tables. And free wifi :-)

We got a decaf macchiato for my wife and a long black for me. Both were excellent. The slice of lemon poppyseed cake from next door (Rainforest cafe, i think) was maybe a bit too lemony but the slice was large and the two of us shared. We saw a lot of other customers eating cakes (all sorts) so obviously popular. And the variety of cake was really large.

We hung out for quite a while and no pressure to chase us out. We got fresh squeezed juice (orange and apple) later and both of them were good as well. Basically, no complaints and we were happy to hang out here drinking coffee, juice, water and eating cake. Definitely will come back if we need to hydrate or hide...