English | 中文

home > Travel Tips> Johor's Hidden Old-School Food Spots

Johor Bahru · Food Guide

Johor's Hidden Old-School Food Spots

Curry fish head, charcoal putu piring, nostalgic chicken chop kopitiam, Teochew braised duck, Nyonya kuih, grilled ikan bakar and a legendary kway teow soup — eight JB institutions worth knowing.

Curry Fish Head Putu Piring Ikan Bakar Old-School JB

About This Guide

Johor Bahru's food scene extends well beyond the restaurants that appear on every tourist list. The city's real culinary character lives in places that have been quietly serving the same dishes for decades — kopitiams where the chicken chop recipe hasn't changed since the 1970s, a putu piring stall that draws queues every night, a braise duck shop that locals drive across town for. These are eight of those places.

Restoran Sulam Curry Fish Head Johor Bahru

Image credit: celinemy

Image credit: celinemy, Izato S H, Restoran Sulam Curry Fish Head, Norah Suleman

Restoran Sulam Curry Fish Head

51, Jalan Sulam, Taman Sentosa, 80150 Johor Bahru

When it comes to JB's signature curry fish head, Restoran Sulam is the first name locals cite. The curry here is thick, deeply aromatic, and built on a spice base refined over years of daily cooking — not the kind of flavour that comes from a packet. The fish is tender and absorbs the curry without falling apart, and the steamed rice underneath soaks up the sauce perfectly.

Beyond the fish head, the menu extends to curry mutton, fried chicken, and vegetable curry — every dish maintaining the same commitment to real spice and authentic Malaysian flavour.

Curry Fish HeadCurry MuttonTaman SentosaLunch

Image Credit: Nik Salmiah Nik Ismail

Image Credit: Nik Salmiah Nik Ismail, Mohamed Azman Md Nor, AJ Afham, Khairul Ahmad

Larkin Bakar Putu Piring

46, Jalan Langkasuka, Larkin Jaya, 80350 Johor Bahru

Putu piring is one of Malaysia's most loved traditional desserts, and this stall in Larkin is where Johoreans go when they want the real thing. The putu piring here are grilled — not just steamed — which produces a slightly smoky, charred-edge character. The palm sugar centre is warm and liquid when you bite in, the rice cake exterior is soft, and the grated coconut on top adds the final textural contrast.

Long queues form every night, particularly after dinner. The wait is worth it — this is the kind of snack that people plan their evenings around.

Putu PiringTraditional Malay DessertLarkinSupper

Image Credit: Yong Hwa Goo

Image credit: Yong Hwa Goo, Shanna Gandicela, Boon Leong Chong, Andy

IT Roo Café

17, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru

Downtown JB has no shortage of chicken chop claims, but IT Roo Café's version — described on the menu as "Best Chicken Chop in Town" — has earned its reputation over years of consistent execution. The chicken is crispy-fried and drenched in homemade brown sauce, served with shoestring fries and a fried egg in the traditional Malaysian kopitiam Western style.

The café itself is genuinely nostalgic — wooden furniture, old photographs, and the kind of unhurried pace that has become rare in the city centre.

Chicken ChopOld-School KopitiamDowntown JBLunch

Image Credit: Lim YuFeng

Image Credit: Lim YuFeng, Amos, Chong Chong Tan, Jessen Yeo

Baliban Teochew Braise Duck

17, Jalan Kilang Nenas, Batu 8½, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor

Teochew braised duck rewards patience — the gravy develops complexity through hours of simmering with soy, spices, and aromatics, and the duck absorbs it all until the meat is yielding and deeply flavoured. The version at Baliban is consistently cited by locals as among the best in Johor, with a braising liquid that is darker and more intensely spiced than most.

The menu extends to pork leg, braised tofu, and hard-boiled eggs slow-cooked in the same pot — every piece better for having spent time in the gravy.

Teochew Braise DuckPork LegSkudaiLunch

Image Credit: Tiger Sai

Image Credit: Tiger Sai, Michelle Soh, Kelvin Lim, Tee Ken Hong

Restoran Min Corner

110, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, 81300 Skudai, Johor

Restoran Min Corner is where you go when you want handmade traditional Chinese and Nyonya kuih prepared the way they were made before anyone thought about shortcuts. The carrot cake is crispy outside and soft within. The glutinous rice is steamed to the right stickiness. The coconut-based desserts are freshly made daily and sell out — arrive early.

Each piece carries decades of tradition. The kind of food that tastes most meaningful when you know what it takes to make it properly.

Nyonya KuihCarrot CakeGlutinous RiceSkudai

Image Credit: Shawn Tye

Image Credit: Shawn Tye, Angel Kho, i'm kid, Yokefu Wok

Restoran Wah Cai 3-in-1 Chinese Cake

86, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, 81300 Skudai, Johor

The 3-in-1 fried Chinese cake at Wah Cai is a local legend. A single golden-fried piece contains three distinct layers — yam, sweet potato, and sticky rice cake — wrapped in a batter that crisps perfectly in the wok. Crunchy, chewy, and sweet in alternating textures, it is the kind of snack that is difficult to stop eating.

Peak tea-time hours produce queues that stretch out of the shop — the most reliable indicator that you are in the right place.

3-in-1 Fried CakeYam & Sweet PotatoTea TimeSkudai

Image Credit: Andy Chen

Image Credit: Andy Chen, See Yie Yang, Shing Yi Yap, Michelle Cen

Sin Huat Ikan Bakar

8, 51, Jalan Loo Hong Joon, Kampung Baru Pandan, 81100 Johor Bahru

Ikan bakar — grilled fish — is one of Malaysia's most satisfying ways to eat seafood, and Sin Huat does it properly. Fish is grilled on a hot plate with sambal belachan applied during cooking, producing a charred, spicy, smoky exterior while the flesh inside stays moist and flaky. The sambal is made in-house with the deep shrimp-paste funk that distinguishes real sambal.

Pair the fish with grilled squid, fresh prawns, and clams for a full spread — best with a group, best ordered in quantity.

Ikan BakarGrilled SeafoodSambalPandan JBDinner

Image Credit: edtayjb

Image Credit: edtayjb, Victor Tan, Pika Chew Pika Chew, Rosyston Toh

Tua Thow Restaurant

Jalan Tun Abdul Razak (Susur 4), Taman Bakti, 80100 Johor Bahru

A good kway teow soup is one of the most deceptively simple things in Malaysian cooking — the broth needs to have been built over hours, the noodles need to be silky without being overcooked, and the toppings need to be balanced. Tua Thow has been doing all three correctly for long enough that it has become one of those places Johoreans bring visitors to specifically.

The pork broth is rich and clear, the kway teow silky, and the combination of sliced pork, liver, and meatballs covers the full traditional range. A taste that has warmed multiple generations of Johor families.

Kway Teow SoupPork BrothOld-School NoodleTaman Bakti JB

Common Questions

Planning Your Johor Food Hunt

When is the best time to visit these food spots?

Breakfast and lunch hours are best for most spots — many open early and sell out by mid-morning. The Larkin Putu Piring stall operates in the evening and is best as a supper stop. Weekdays are more relaxed; weekends attract larger crowds especially at Wah Cai and the Putu Piring stall.

How much does a Johor food hunt cost?

Johor's old-school food scene is excellent value — breakfast at a kopitiam runs RM5 to RM15, lunch RM10 to RM25, and snacks and desserts RM5 to RM20. A full day of serious eating across multiple stops typically costs RM30 to RM100 per person including transport.

How do I get between these food spots?

The eight spots are spread across Johor Bahru, Skudai, and Pandan — a private van is the most practical option for visiting multiple stops in one day without parking stress. Self-drive works if you know the area; Grab is suitable for individual stops within town.

Explore JB's Hidden Food Spots with a Private Van

From curry fish head to grilled ikan bakar, across Johor Bahru, Skudai, and Pandan — our private van (包Van) connects every stop on your food hunt smoothly.

Service area: Johor · Melaka · KL · KLIA · Genting +6010-983 7858 (WhatsApp / WeChat) admin@excellenttransport.com.my