A humble home bakery boasting the freshest bread in town. Be sure to pick up a tasty souvenir, like the unique jams, from the display case.
Coming here at least once for breakfast is always implied whenever we visit George Town. I get a little buzz when the plan is to eat here, and sad when Mark comes here solo when he’s in Penang for business! Yin’s Sourdough Bakery bakes up clean, from-scratch bread that is additive and preservative-free. This humble little home bakery has gained so much popularity that they’ve opened up a second location in KL.
Ambience & Amenities
There’s not that much space in the dining area, so at peak times (early morning until 10:30 am or so) you’ll be sitting really close to your neighbours, sharing the one big table, or sweating it out on the patio.
The bathroom is upstairs, and when up there, it’s clear that you’re now walking through someone’s home. House slippers are scattered about and laundry might even be drying on the line outside the window. The washroom for patrons is at the end of the corridor, just follow the signs. It’s a sitting toilet with paper and soap, in a room that has a real family home feel to it.
Bakery Case
This display case is the focal point of Yin’s Sourdough Bakery and is filled with goodies. You can pick up a three-pack of bagels, coconut oil, huge cookies or Chinese biscuits if the season calls for it. Yin’s also does ice cream now and will put up a handwritten sign with the flavours of the day and bread/ice cream combinations, like a croissant ice cream sandwich. Yum!
On the bottom shelf are butter and jams for sale. On the left is Yin’s kaya and nut butters (peanut and almond on this day) made in-house. The jams on the right are not “Yin’s” brand but made by another local Penang company, Lokal Fine Foods. They’re not the standard boring strawberry flavour, but really interesting sounding ones that will tempt you to try them: papaya and nutmeg, apple and roselle, and I even saw a red wine sangria jam!
They’re all different prices, ranging from RM12 to over RM20. The varieties are available on a rotating basis – what you get today might not be here a month later, and new flavours pop up frequently. Last year, we picked up an apricot jam that was not here anymore. This year, we got a jar of Pineapple and Cinnamon (RM12) and Nangka and Coconut (RM16)… “nangka” being jackfruit.
Menu
Click any picture to enlarge
Everything on the menu, naturally, includes their homemade bread. If you want something lighter, also make sure to check out the display case or the blackboard at the back of the restaurant, which will have items that are not listed on the menu such as banana bread, sweet buns, cinnamon rolls and croissants. Water is free and served in small metal cups that the staff refill for you.
Food
The Banana Kefir Smoothie (RM11.50) is smooth and a nice drinking consistency. If you like banana smoothies, this tastes just like that except a little fizzy.
The Sourdough French Toast (RM13) is made up of thin slices and honestly isn’t that great. The caramelised bananas are good, but there’s no drizzle of syrup. Sourdough is already a drier bread that what is normally used for french toast, and the almonds just make this extra dry. This ideally needs an extra cup of maple syrup on the side that you can pour over the dish to bring it all together.
We got the Guacamole Grilled Cheese Sandwich (RM18) with Chicken Luncheon Meat, which is basically just Spam but made of chicken (it’s not as bad as it sounds!). It’s barely cheesy enough to be called a grilled cheese – this is more accurately a grilled sandwich with cheese. The mushy guacamole paired with the crusty sourdough provided a good mix of textures.
Saturday Worthy?
Despite the high praise and even being visited by Jason (of Malaysian foodie show, Jason’s Market Trails), Yin’s Sourdough Bakery has remained an unpretentious place. The portions aren’t huge or ever too oily, so you’ll get a light, fresh breakfast before your day of exploring George Town.
Price for 2 Pax: RM45.05
Sourdough French Toast: RM13.00
Guacamole Grilled Cheese Luncheon Meat Sandwich: RM18.00
Banana Kefir Smoothie: RM11.50
6% SST: RM2.55
Yin’s Sourdough Bakery & Cafe
11 Pesara Claimant, George Town, 10100 Pulau Pinang
Monday to Saturday: 7am – 5pm
Closed on Sundays
Alcohol Served: No
