100 Johor Best Heritage Food Places to Eat · JB Hawker Guide · DIY Food Trip Planner

(✍ Updated 31 Aug 2024) After 12 years of full time writing over 3,000 posts and tasting, re-tasting many more Johor hawker food stalls, I have updated the Johor Kaki Top 100 for 2024. I personally tried and tasted each and every recommendation several times.

JB Local's Favourite Lai Kee Fish Ball Noodles in Tun Aminah Johor 来记西刀鱼圆 (皇后花园) Updated 2024

Lai Kee Fish Ball 来记西刀鱼丸 was one of the first posts on Johor Kaki, way back in 2012. Over the years, I wrote 4 separate blog posts about Lai Kee as every time I visit them, I like them more. My last visit 3 days ago was no different. In fact, I felt that they are better now than ever.

✍ I still feel the same after my visit on 29 Aug 2024.

Penang Char Kway Teow at Leong Seng Huat Perling Johor (Now @ Restoran Yang Jia in Impian Emas)

There are many regional variations of the well loved fried rice noodle dish, char kway teow. Of all the regional varieties, the Penang style seems to be the best travelled - it is found all over Malaysia, Singapore and even around the world. In Johor Bahru, one of the most popular Penang char kway teow stalls is at Leong Seng Huat 两成发 coffee shop in Taman Perling.

Kulai Mok Chai Hainanese Beef Noodle for Real Beefy Goodness 莫才牛肉粉.猪肉面 CLOSED

CLOSED I am a big fan of Hainanese style beef noodles - the type with the gooey beefy brown sauce. When I was a child labourer working at construction sites during my lower secondary school holidays, I used to gladly splurge half my daily wage on a good bowl of beef noodles near my work site. I am so glad that I could still enjoy this traditional Hainanese classic at Mok Chai 莫才 in Kulai.

Johor Bahru Kebun Teh Seng Huat Fish Soup 成发

Updated 29 May 2019. Visited the fish soup stall at Jalan Kebun Teh Lama today. This was one of the first places I blogged about in Johor Kaki (in Jan 2012, the first month of Johor Kaki). 

榕树下果条 (成发). 汤头够味. 鱼肉新鲜又甜. 酱油够香. 好吃. 价格公道. 环境特别. 不妨试试.

Yew Swee Laksa and Lor Mee - Johor Folks Favourites 友水叻沙

Yew Swee 友水 is one of those nondescript eateries found all over Malaysia which one would hardly notice when driving by. But, local folks know that this plain Jane of shops serves one of the best curry laksa noodle in JB, and today I found out, one of the best lor mee 鹵麵 as well.

Loke Tien Yuen Seafood • Jewel of Mersing Restaurants 乐天园酒家

There are probably no more than a small handful of small restaurants in Malaysia and Singapore, the likes of century old Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing still serving authentic old school Cantonese classics. So for fans of Cantonese food, it is worth the 150km drive from JB to Mersing through windy and undulating roads for a taste of the dishes at Loke Tien Yuen.

Restoran Ah Kaw📍33 Jalan Perang Pelangi 亚九咖哩鱼头店

San Lou bee hoon 三楼干炒米粉 is an iconic dish created in Johor Bahru, reputedly by Ah Kaw 亚九 back in 1979.

Teck Sing Paper Wrapped Herbal Chicken Sentosa Johor Bahru 德星茶餐室

Teck Sing is a well loved family oriented restaurant in Taman Sentosa where the food is delicious and reasonably priced. This is the place I go to for paper wrapped herbal chicken and for their "Indonesian style curry prawns".

Senai Bitter Gourd Soup at Makanan Hakka 士乃大众

For some time, I have been taste testing different bitter gourd soup shops as it is one of the unique delicious dishes of Johor, seldom found outside the state. Thanks to Johor Kaki readers' suggestions, I came to Makanan Hakka 士乃大众 in Senai and tasted the best bitter gourd soup that I have eaten so far.

士乃大众苦瓜汤是柔佛创建这道菜的第一家. 苦瓜脆脆的, 清新甜美. 这家的客家炸肉也很不错。喜爱苦瓜汤的朋友们一定要试试.

Warung Kurniawan Soto and Sup Tulang in Johor Bahru

The street side Warung Kurniawan which has been around for 50 years is famed for its soto (Indonesian style chicken soup) and sup tulang (lamb shank soup). Warung Kurniawan is a favourite with locals.

Warung Kurniawan 这个50岁年历史大排档的印尼鸡汤, 羊肉骨汤, 和椰酱饭很受欢迎。他们的辣椒酱非常辣, 非常够力。地方有点热又挤，但还是值得一试。

Monyet Mee Tai Mak Noodle Senai Johor Restoran Sin Peng 猴子面茶餐室

✍️ 22 Dec 2024. Revisiting Restoran Monyet, it's called Restoran Sin Peng now. Forgot to ask why the change but the Chinese name remains the same 猴子麵茶餐室 i.e. Monkey Noodles. 

Sin Kee Pontian Wanton Noodle 笨珍新记云吞面

Bumped into my foodie buddy Ong who is from Pontian town and he reminded me that Sin Kee Pontian wanton mee has moved to it's own shop at Jalan Bakek Jaya Utama. Ong said I should visit Sin Kee again soon if I had not been to their new shop.

新记云吞面是笨珍风格云吞面最佳代表之一。无论您是否喜欢番茄酱，辣椒酱，我想您会对新记爽口的全蛋面留下深刻的好印象。如果您来笨珍找美食, 记得要包括在 Jalan Bakek Jaya Utama 的新记云吞面在您的行程中。

Penang Prawn Noodle Taman Perling Johor Bahru 北海仔虾面

Jeff, my JB foodie buddy said that I must try this Penang prawn noodle stall at Jalan Rawa, a quiet inside street off Taman Perling.

Taman Perling, Jalan Rawa 家亲茶餐室 - 北海仔虾面有越来越多粉丝。粉丝们喜欢北海仔虾面的鲜甜汤头, 新鲜大海虾, 够辣的 sambal 辣椒, 还可以加粉肠, 猪尾和软骨。可以试试看。

Update: Butterworth Boy Prawn Mee has moved to their own shop house at 189, Jalan Rawa in Sep 2020. They are just a few shop lots away from their old coffee shop stall.

Restaurant name: 北海仔虾面 Butterworth Boy Prawn Noodles

Address: 189, Jalan Rawa, Taman Amira, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor

Tel: +6018 988 2990

Hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm (Sun & Mon off)

Shoon Huat Famous Bak Kut Teh Johor Bahru JB Sentosa 顺发肉骨茶

Johor Bahru has many bak kut teh shops (more than in Singapore perhaps because it's a bigger part of people's diet here than south of the Causeway). There are many bak kut teh brand names and the best known one in JB is probably 顺发 (Soon Huat spelt various ways) with over twenty branches all over the city.

Sang Heng Teochew Noodles at Permas Jaya • Formerly at OCBC Tan Hiok Nee 甡兴茶餐室

✍️ 5 Aug 2024. The legendary Sang Heng in the fourth generation now is today located in Permas Jaya.

CLOSED Plentong 阿仙 Hor Fun, Hokkien Mee, Bee Hoon, Fried Chicken Johor Bahru

(CLOSED as owner chef retired.) Thanks to Lee Keng Chong's sharing on 柔佛新山美食 foodie group, we came to Plentong 阿仙 for dinner today :-D

Penang Asam Laksa in Johor Bahru Permas Jaya 槟城干妈亚叁拉沙

✍ 26 July 2024. Haven't been back at Godma Penang laksa in Permas Jaya in JB for a long time. 

Beggar's Chicken in Johor Bahru Ban Heong Seng 万香城叫化鸡乞丐鸡

On the table, beggar's chicken 叫化鸡 or 乞丐鸡 looks like any herbal chicken, which it basically is.

According to Chinese folk lore, during the Qing Dynasty 清朝, a starving beggar stole a chicken from a farm. To hide his loot, the beggar dug a hole and buried the chicken deep in mud.

Senai Curry Laksa & Pork Noodle Min Kee Johor 明记茶室

✍️16 Dec 2024. Revisited Senai town this morning. Lady boss at Min Kee still remembers me even though my hair had turned to snow since I was last here in 2016 😅

Told her I will be back after making my rounds about town first.