Gurney Drive Hawker Centre Moves to Gurney Bay in 2027 With 100+ Stalls

Gurney Drive Hawker Centre Is Getting a Major Upgrade — Here's What Singapore Foodies Need to Know

Over 100 hawker stalls and mobile kiosks are packing up and relocating — and if you've ever made the pilgrimage from Singapore to Penang specifically for the char kway teow at Gurney Drive, this news hits differently. Penang's most iconic hawker centre, the open-air seafront institution that has fed generations of locals and tourists alike, is set to move to a brand-new purpose-built home at Gurney Bay in early 2027. This isn't a closure. It's a full-scale reinvention, and for anyone who treats Penang food tourism as a serious hobby, you need to start planning around it now.

For Singaporeans, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre isn't just a food court across the Causeway — it's a bucket-list destination. The drive up to Penang for a weekend of hawker hopping, with Gurney Drive as the centrepiece, is practically a rite of passage for serious eaters here. Whether you're going for the Hokkien mee, the famous Penang laksa, or the grilled stingray that comes out sizzling on a banana leaf, this relocation affects your next trip in ways worth understanding before you book that flight or bus ticket.

What the New Gurney Bay Site Actually Offers

The new Gurney Bay development isn't just a like-for-like swap of location. It's a purpose-built hawker complex designed with modern infrastructure, improved sanitation facilities, better crowd flow, and — ly — expanded capacity. The move is being planned in phases to minimise disruption for traders, many of whom have been operating their stalls for decades and have loyal regulars who would notice even a single day's absence. Phased relocation means your favourite uncle's char kway teow stall should theoretically keep cooking through the transition.

The scale of the new site accommodates over 100 stalls alongside mobile kiosk spaces, giving both established hawkers and newer vendors room to operate. Think of it as the hawker centre growing up — retaining the soul of the original while gaining the bones of something more sustainable long-term. The seafront setting at Gurney Bay also promises to preserve one of the original location's most beloved qualities: that open-air, sea-breeze atmosphere that makes eating there feel like an event rather than just a meal.

Gurney Drive Hawker Centre has been one of Penang's most visited food destinations for decades — the 2027 Gurney Bay move is the biggest shake-up in its history, with over 100 stalls making the transition to a purpose-built site.

What to Order When You Visit — The Non-Negotiable Dishes

If you're planning your first or next trip to Gurney Drive before or after the 2027 move, here's what you absolutely cannot leave without eating. The hawker centre is famous for specific dishes that you simply cannot replicate at the same price point or quality anywhere in Singapore, no matter how good our own hawker scene gets.

• Penang Char Kway Teow: Flat rice noodles wok-fried over high flame with cockles, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts — the smoky wok hei here is the benchmark everything else is judged against. Expect to pay around RM7–10 per plate.
• Assam Laksa: The Penang version is a tamarind-based fish broth that is sour, pungent, and deeply addictive. Nothing like Singapore's coconut laksa. Non-negotiable.
• Hokkien Mee: A rich, dark prawn broth with yellow noodles, pork belly slices, and crispy lard — this is Penang Hokkien mee, which is entirely different from the Singapore version. Order it with extra sambal.
• Grilled Stingray: Comes out on a banana leaf with sambal and a squeeze of lime. Best eaten immediately while the edges are still charred and crackling.
• Cendol: The dessert closer. Pandan jelly noodles, coconut milk, palm sugar, and shaved ice. The Gurney Drive version with a generous pour of gula melaka is the stuff of food memories.

Prices across the board remain significantly lower than Singapore equivalents — most dishes land between RM6 and RM15, making a full hawker spread for two people achievable well under RM60. That value gap is a big part of why Singaporeans keep making the trip.

Gurney Drive Hawker Centre (Current Location)

📍 Persiaran Gurney, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

⏰ Generally open from late afternoon through midnight; individual stall hours vary

🗺 View on Google Maps

How to Plan Your Penang Food Trip Around the 2027 Move

The phased relocation is expected to begin in 2026 with the full move to Gurney Bay completed by early 2027. That gives you a clear planning window. If you want to experience Gurney Drive in its current, iconic form — the one you've seen in every Penang food documentary and travel blog — the window is now through late 2026. After that, the Gurney Bay chapter begins, which will almost certainly be worth visiting in its own right, but will be a different experience aesthetically.

The smartest move is to plan a trip in the second half of 2026 to catch the original site in its final months, then plan a return visit in late 2027 once the new Gurney Bay location has fully settled in. That way you get both chapters of the story. Flights from Singapore to Penang run frequently on budget carriers, and the journey by bus through the Causeway and up the peninsula is a classic road trip option for those who want the full experience.

Key Dates Ahead — What to Watch

For anyone tracking this as a food travel story, here's the timeline as it currently stands:

1. Now through 2025: Gurney Drive Hawker Centre operates as normal at its current Persiaran Gurney location. Best time to visit if you want the original setting.
2. 2026: Phased relocation begins. Some stalls may move earlier than others. Worth checking which vendors have shifted before you make the trip.
3. Early 2027: Full relocation to Gurney Bay expected to be complete. The new purpose-built site opens with 100+ stalls and mobile kiosk spaces.
4. Late 2027 onwards: Gurney Bay becomes the new normal. Expect the food quality to carry over; expect the infrastructure to be a significant upgrade.

Keep an eye on updates from Penang food communities and local tourism boards as 2026 approaches — stall-by-stall relocation news will matter if you have a specific vendor you're loyal to. The hawker culture that makes Gurney Drive legendary isn't tied to the building — it's tied to the people behind the woks. As long as those hawkers make the move, Gurney Bay will be worth every kilometre of the drive up north.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Gurney Drive Hawker Centre moving to Gurney Bay?

The full relocation to the new purpose-built Gurney Bay site is expected to be completed in early 2027, with phased moves for traders beginning in 2026 to minimise disruption.

Will all the existing stalls move to the new Gurney Bay location?

The plan is for existing traders to relocate in phases to the new site, which has capacity for over 100 stalls and additional mobile kiosks. Phased relocation is designed to keep as many vendors operating as possible throughout the transition.

Is it worth visiting Gurney Drive before the move happens?

Absolutely. The current site has a distinct open-air, seafront character that has defined the hawker centre experience for decades. If you want to experience it in its original form, visiting before the 2026 relocation begins is the best window.

How do I get from Singapore to Gurney Drive Hawker Centre in Penang?

The fastest option is a direct flight from Changi Airport to Penang International Airport — budget carriers like AirAsia and Scoot operate this route regularly, with flight times under an hour. Alternatively, long-distance buses from Singapore to Penang are a popular and affordable option, taking roughly five to six hours.

What are the must-order dishes at Gurney Drive Hawker Centre?

The non-negotiables are Penang char kway teow, assam laksa, Hokkien mee (Penang-style), grilled stingray on banana leaf, and cendol for dessert. Most dishes are priced between RM6 and RM15.