12 Best Places to Eat in Johor Bahru

There are three main ways to get around Johor for your foot trail!

1. By foot💃
From the Causeway, you can access several popular dining areas on foot, including the restaurants in City Square Mall, the stretch along Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan Trus. To get to the cafes and dessert places at Jalan Dhoby and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, you will need to walk about 10 minutes and pass by the 'Little India' of Johor.

2. By bus 🚃
You can take buses at the interchange on the ground floor. Take the escalator right after you exit from the railway station. There are several buses that lead you to major landmarks including KSL, Pelangi Mall, Holiday Plaza and more. From there, you can walk to most of the restaurants located near these places.

3. By taxi 🚕
This is the most straightforward method. Many people may still have reservations on how safe taxis are in Johor. I have not met any problems with taxis yet. However, some cab drivers may try to take the further route to maximize the meter fare or suggest a lump sum for a short distance (most likely during peak periods). As a gauge, a smooth ride from City Square to KSL should be around RM7 by meter, and you should not accept more than RM15 for a 'lump sum' fare.

"Best Moroccan Restaurant"
2. La Casa Blanca
La Casa Blanca has undoubtedly the best-known Moroccan food in Johor. With classic Moroccan prints lining the walls and the fragrant wafts of tagine in the air, this restaurant has an endearing, homely atmosphere that make guests feel welcomed. Of course, when at Casa Blanca, you have to try their famous tagines stews. It comes in fish, seafood, lebanese green bean stew, beef, lamb, egg or cheese versions served in the earthern pots. We tried the beef tagine which was well-executed, infused in flavourful spices, cumin, prunes, dates, almonds, tomatoes, onions, and more other ingredients to make the delicious stew. It took some time before they managed to serve it, but it certainly didn't disappoint. Pair it with the moroccan tea.

La Casa Blanca
12, Jalan Kolam Air 1
Nong Chik Height
80100 Johor Bahru Malaysia

Opening hours
Daily: 1200 - 0000

When it comes to Italian restaraurants in Johor, two names come to mind: Rosmarino and Gianni. The latter has a menu with relatively expensive prices by most Johor restaurant standards while Rosmarino strikes a perfect balance between prices, taste, atmosphere and service. Their aglio olio and lobster pasta are not to be missed.

Rosmarino Italian Restaurant
Jalan Kuning 2
80400 Johor Bahru Malaysia

"Best Coconut Dessert Parlour"
7. Sangkaya
Sangkaya is right up my alley, with coconut ice-cream being central to this dessert parlour. We ordered two coconut waters, and a signature matcha ice-cream. Sprinkle the toppings yourself, they instructed. Is that a secret hint of 'put as much as you want'? I guess so... We got to choose from 7 options: coconut flakes, roasted peanuts, cereal, cornflakes, sweet corn, kidney beans, chocolate sauce. It was splendid. The artisanal ice-cream is the premium sort, even though it comes at such a lovely, reasonable price-tag, and I got 3 toppings while at it.

Sangkaya
14 Jalan Dhoby, Bandar
80000 Johor Bahru Malaysia

Opening hours
Daily: 1100 - 2300

"Best Chill Cafe"
10. Bev C'afe
Bev C has a charming vibe to it, first with its enigmatic visual illusory signboard and then the little hideout upstairs. It does feel like I could spend the whole day there, with a book and just overlooking Jalan Tan Hiok Nee to people-watch. Some of the best cakes around Bev C include their famous Chocolate Mint Pie, the all-new Gula Malacca Banana Pie, and the interesting Spicy Sunfruit Pie. Their handcrafted beverages include espresso ice-cubes with caramel and milk.

Bev C'afe
54 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee Bandar
80000 Johor Bahru Malaysia