← All guides
Food & Drinks

Johor Bahru food guide for first-timers: must-try dishes and old-town classics

Last checked 2026-11-10

Johor Bahru is a food city. If you are new here, start with the local dishes below, then explore the old town where many of the classics sit within walking distance of each other.

Dishes to try first

Laksa JohorA Johor twist on laksa: thick, fragrant fish gravy, usually served with spaghetti instead of rice noodles.
Mee rebus JohorNoodles in a sweet-savoury potato-based gravy, topped with egg, tofu and lime.
Mee bandung MuarA Muar specialty: noodles in a rich, slightly sweet and spicy prawn-based gravy.
Nasi beriani gamFragrant spiced rice served with a rich chicken or mutton curry, a Johor favourite.
Cendol and ABCShaved-ice desserts with gula melaka, coconut milk and beans. Perfect after lunch.
Kacang poolA hearty fava-bean dish eaten with bread, popular for breakfast in Malay eateries.

Old-town classics

  • Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory (Jalan Tan Hiok Nee): a wood-fired bakery running since 1919, known for banana cake and buns. It often sells out and may close on certain days, so go early and check opening hours.
  • Kam Long curry fish head (near JB City Square, Jalan Wong Ah Fook): a claypot curry fish head loved by Singaporeans and locals. Queues build up before lunch, and it is not halal.
  • Hainanese kopitiams such as Hua Mui: traditional coffee shops for chicken chop, kaya toast and kopi.
Halal note: the Johor-Malay classics (laksa Johor, mee rebus, mee bandung, nasi beriani gam) are from Malay and Indian-Muslim eateries and are normally halal. Many old-town Chinese institutions are not halal-certified, so check the sign or ask.

Practical tips

  • Heritage places often open early and close mid-afternoon: breakfast and early lunch are the safest time.
  • Check the latest opening hours on Google Maps before you go. Hours and closing days change.
  • Many stalls accept Touch 'n Go eWallet, but keep some ringgit for small stalls and parking.
  • Night markets (pasar malam) rotate through the suburbs on set evenings and are a cheap way to try laksa Johor, otak-otak and cendol.

Thinking of living here?

Good food within ten minutes of home is part of the JB lifestyle. See our project map to compare projects near the old town, JB City Square and CIQ.

Plan your food trip by area

  • Old downtown (around Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Jalan Trus, Jalan Dhoby and Jalan Wong Ah Fook): the easiest start if you walk in from Woodlands, with heritage kopitiams, curry fish head, banana cake and the Meldrum Walk food centre within about ten minutes of City Square.
  • Taman Sentosa (near KSL) deserves its own visit, and Mount Austin and Taman Melodies are 15 to 20 minutes by Grab from CIQ.
  • Pick two areas and eat across them instead of zigzagging the city.
  • Johor has its own dishes you will not find done the same way in KL or Penang, such as laksa Johor, mee bandung, nasi beriani gam and kacang pool. Small stalls are usually cash-only in ringgit, while bigger cafes take cards and e-wallets.
Sources

Keep reading

Singapore to Johor Bahru day trip checklistRTS Link from Johor Bahru
💬