[Penang] The Mugshot Café in George Town sits on one of Penang’s oldest roads, Chulia Street, a place once crammed with rickshaws, travellers, and hawkers.
Now it’s cafés (and more cafés), bike rentals, and souvenir shops.
But Mugshot keeps a foot in both worlds. It hasn’t tried to dress itself up too much.
Inside, the paint peels on purpose. The furniture’s a mix of worn wood and mismatched stools.
There’s a wooden pterodactyl hanging from the ceiling for no real reason.
Actually, there are many photo spots inside.
That’s when I learnt the name “Mugshot” isn’t random either. There’s a photo wall where guests can take staged mugshot-style pictures. It started as a joke, but it stuck.
Mugshot shares a space with Rainforest Bakery, run by the same brothers who own the café.
That’s why the bagels hit harder than most. They’re baked fresh, chewy in the middle, and always just warm enough to hold together.
You can opt for Cream Cheese (RM 11.50), Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon (RM 19.00), Bacon and Egg (RM 17.00), Turkey Ham and Cranberry Sauce (RM 17.00), and Nutella and Banana (RM 16.00).
For something more filling, scrambled eggs on toast are available with Salmon or Ham.
On the other side, Rainforest Bakery prides itself on using preservative-free ingredients, offering a range of handmade products.
The display was so stacked, I had a hard time deciding. Cake selections include Chocoholic Cake (RM 16.50), Ginger Caramel Cake (RM 16.40), Banana Upside Down (RM 15.40), Mango Upside Down Cake (RM 15.40).
There are also Pineapple Ginger (RM 14.30), Banana Choc Chip (RM 16.40), Cinnamon Nutella (RM 13.20), Lemon Drizzle Choc Chip (RM 12.10), Banana Walnut Cake (RM 14.50)… just to name a few.
What Mugshot does well is stay in its lane. It isn’t trying to be a lifestyle café or an Instagram magnet. It’s scrappy, a bit odd, and fine with that.
The Mugshot Cafe
302, Chulia St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 12am (Sat – Sun)
Google Maps – The Mugshot Cafe
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