2025 must try food top 10 johor l best food johor bahru 2025

The Ultimate Johor Food Guide: 10 Must-Try Food & Top Restaurants

Johor is not just one of Malaysia’s most vibrant states—it’s also a paradise for food lovers. Blending rich traditions with modern influences, this destination attracts countless visitors, and no trip here is complete without indulging in its amazing culinary scene!

From hidden street food gems to highly acclaimed restaurants, Johor offers an incredible variety of flavors to satisfy every food enthusiast. In this guide, we’ll take you on a journey through the best Johor dishes and where to find them, so you can experience the true essence of Johor’s food culture.

We’ve categorized these delights into three main sections: rice-based dishes, noodle specialties, and must-try local delicacies.

Ready to explore? Let’s dive into 10 Must-Try Johor food & Top Dining Spots!

1. 2025 Top 10 best food in johor bahru: Chicken Rice

Chicken rice is one of the most iconic dishes in Malaysia and Singapore, and it comes in many variations. The chicken can be poached, roasted, braised, or fried with special spices. The fragrant rice is cooked in chicken broth and butter, enhancing its rich aroma and taste.

In Johor, you’ll find a variety of chicken rice options at both restaurants and hawker stalls. Every vendor strives to perfect the art of slicing the chicken, balancing flavors, and serving it with the right chili sauce.

Many stalls chop the chicken right in front of you, allowing you to choose your preferred cuts. Plus, chicken rice is an affordable and satisfying meal, with an average price of around RM5 per plate.

Recommended Chicken Rice Spots in Johor:
📍 Johor Bahru: Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice (亚李菜园鸡饭)
📍 Johor Bahru: Yuan Ji Chicken Rice in Kedai Kopi Yee Chia Ler (源记鸡饭)
📍 Skudai: Nasi Ayam Seng Kee (成记鸡饭)
📍 Senai: New Swee Kee (瑞记海南鸡饭)
📍 Muar: Jie Chun Chicken Rice Ball (家春鸡饭粒)
📍 Kluang: Central Cafe (中央鸡饭)

If you plan to travel from Singapore to Johor Bahru, be sure to try these must-eat delicacies. They will be the highlights of your journey. Whether you savor traditional dishes or venture to taste new flavors, you’ll fall in love with this food paradise. Come with an appetite and explore this amazing culinary city, where your taste buds will indulge in a feast!

When you savor these delicious dishes, don’t forget our excellent service. Additionally, if you require convenient transportation for your trip from Singapore to Johor Bahru, TOPTAXI SERVICE is always here to provide comfortable travel options, ensuring a delightful journey.

2. 2025 Top 10 best food in johor bahru: Nasi Briyani

Nasi Briyani is a well-loved rice dish among Malays and Indians, cooked with an aromatic blend of spices and served with flavorful curry, eggs, and vegetables. There’s also a vegetarian version that includes natto, cooked or raw vegetables, and eggs. However, the meat-based version is the most popular, with options like curry chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, or even lamb.

This dish is widely available across Johor, with each restaurant adding its unique touch. The best way to enjoy it is with tender curry chicken or beef, complemented by the rich aroma of the spices.

A standard plate of Nasi Briyani costs around RM6, with additional toppings costing RM3-4 extra.

Recommended Nasi Briyani Spots in Johor:
📍 Johor Bahru: Dean Briyani Hyderabad
📍 Johor Bahru: Roslin Beriani House
📍 Batu Pahat: Restoran BP Bariani Power
📍 Batu Pahat: Nasi Baryani Mohd Shah

3. Top 10 best food in johor bahru: Steamboat

Steamboat is more than just a meal—it’s an interactive dining experience where family and friends gather around a steaming pot, cooking fresh ingredients together.

With a wide variety of vegetables, meats, seafood, eggs, and mushrooms, every steamboat meal is a unique experience. The key to an unforgettable hotpot lies in the richness of the soup base and the freshness of the ingredients.

Recommended Steamboat Restaurants in Johor:
📍 Johor Bahru: Jiuding Xiang Hotpot
📍 Skudai: Da Men Hotpot
📍 Johor Bahru: Taika Huat Braised Duck Steamboat
📍 Johor Bahru: Good Family Steamboat

Know another great steamboat spot? Leave a comment below, and our food-loving team might just pay them a visit to see if they deserve a spot on our top dining list!

4.Top 10 best food in johor bahru: Dim Sum

Dim Sum is a well-loved Cantonese delicacy, served in small, bite-sized portions and traditionally presented in wooden baskets. From Har Gow (prawn dumplings) and Guo Tie (fried pork dumplings) to Shao Mai and Cha Siu Bao (pork buns), every bite offers an explosion of flavors.

Dim Sum is best enjoyed with a pot of Chinese tea, making it the perfect treat for breakfast or a leisurely afternoon tea session.

Recommended Dim Sum Restaurants in Johor:
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Gim Cheng
📍 Johor Bahru: Kedai Makanan Hao Yu
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Gui Yuan
📍 Johor Bahru: Hock Chiang Hin
📍 Air Hitam: Tang Chuan Kopitiam

Know any other must-try Dim Sum places in Johor? Drop a comment below, and our food-loving team might just visit to feature them in our top list!

5.Top 10 best food in johor bahru: Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak, Malaysia’s national dish, is a beloved favorite across Asia. The fragrant rice is cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves, creating an irresistible aroma. With such a strong cultural significance, this dish is a must-try when visiting Johor.

Johor’s version stays true to its traditional roots, emphasizing the distinct pandan fragrance. It’s usually served with fish cakes, anchovies, eggs, and buah keluak chicken. If you prefer fish or beef, there are also delicious variations to try.

A mini portion of Nasi Lemak is often wrapped in banana leaves and newspaper—small, portable, and so tasty that one is never enough!

Recommended Nasi Lemak Spots in Johor:
📍 Kulai: Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut
📍 Johor Bahru: Malam Indah Selalu (Senibong Nasi Lemak)
📍 Batu Pahat: Warung Zai (Kak Zai) Nasi Lemak
📍 Kulai: Yellow Corner Nasi Lemak

Know any other amazing Nasi Lemak spots in Johor? Leave a comment below, and our food-loving team might just pay them a visit!

6. Must-Try Johor Food: Roast Duck

Roast Duck is a famous dish known for its perfectly crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. The key to an exceptional roast duck lies in its preparation, with a blend of herbal spices sprinkled on the skin and various spices stuffed inside the duck.

The marination process is crucial and can take up to several days to ensure the duck is perfectly seasoned before it’s ready to be roasted in the oven, releasing a mouth-watering aroma.

A whole roast duck usually costs around RM60.

Recommended Roast Duck Restaurants in Johor:

📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Huang Ji (Huang Ji Roasted Meats)
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Ya Wang (Duck King Herbal Roasted Meats)
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Lapan Dua Dua 822 (Super Duck King)
📍 Kulai: Sin Keong Kee Restoran (Sin Keong Kee Roasted Meat)

If you know any other great places for roast duck in Johor, leave a comment below! Our food team might pay them a visit and add them to our list of must-try restaurants.

7.Top 10 best food in johor bahru: Char Kway Teow

Char Kway Teow is one of the top three most popular noodle dishes in Malaysia, especially among Chinese cuisine lovers. The dish is made by stir-frying flat rice noodles with shrimp, eggs, Chinese lap cheong sausage, bloody cockles, bean sprouts, and chives, perfectly seasoned to create a flavor explosion that will leave you speechless.

In Johor, many stalls offer their own versions of Char Kway Teow, with options ranging from sweet to salty and spicy. The key to making delicious Char Kway Teow is in the wok—stir-frying over high heat with oil and garlic, creating a sizzling experience and a delightful aroma. Watching the chef cook with big orange flames surrounding the wok is an exciting treat!

Recommended Char Kway Teow Restaurants in Johor:

📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Ah Huat
📍 Johor Bahru: Penang Fried Kway Teow @ Kim Ling Coffee Shop
📍 Johor Bahru: Ah Huo Char Kway Teow @ Hong Kong Boy Kopitiam
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Leong Seng Huat
📍 Johor Bahru: Ipoh Char Kway Teow Stall @ Restoran Sing Li Kopitiam

Know any other great Char Kway Teow spots in Johor? Leave a comment below, and our food team may check them out and add them to our list!

8. Must-Try Johor Food: Wanton Mee

Wanton Mee is a beloved dish in both Singapore and Malaysia, with each region offering its own twist. The Singapore version tends to be sweeter, often with ketchup, while the Malaysian version is saltier, usually topped with barbecue meat. Typically, you get two bowls: one with broth and the other with noodles, with some diners enjoying dipping their noodles into the broth.

To experience the best Wanton Mee, it’s highly recommended to visit stalls that specialize in this dish. The magic lies in the handmade wantons and the perfectly stir-fried noodles, paired with a special sauce that gives the dish its distinct flavor.

Recommended Wanton Mee Restaurants in Johor:
📍 Johor Bahru: Yap Wanton Mee @ Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Center
📍 Johor Bahru: Ho Seng Kee Wanton Noodles
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Yit Foh
📍 Pontian: Kedai Mee Ah Chuan

If you know any other great Wanton Mee spots, let us know in the comments! We might just add them to our list for a future food adventure.

9. Must-Try Johor Food: Seafood

In Johor’s rich culinary scene, seafood is a delightful alternative to pork, beef, and chicken. Packed with omega acids and proteins, fish and seafood make for a healthy and flavorful addition to your diet. With the abundance of marine life around Johor, you’ll find countless exotic seafood dishes that are truly a treat for the tastebuds.

Some of the most popular seafood dishes you must try include chili crab, black pepper crab, oatmeal prawns, steamed fish, and fried oysters. The following restaurants in Johor serve some of the best seafood in the area:

Recommended Seafood Restaurants in Johor:
📍 Pontian: Zu Qiu Seafood Corner
📍 Pengerang: Straits View Seafood Restaurant
📍 Johor Bahru: Kong Kong Tai Son Seafood Resort
📍 Johor Bahru: Anjung Senibong Malay Sea Food
📍 Johor Bahru: Tian Lai Seafood Garden
📍 Johor Bahru: Restoran Todak
📍 Johor Bahru: Star Chef Restaurant

If you know of any other great seafood spots, feel free to let us know in the comments! We might add them to our list and share them with fellow food lovers.

10. Must-Try Johor Food: Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is a beloved dish in Malaysia and Singapore, especially in Johor. The soup base is made from boiling pork ribs in a flavorful broth and seasoned with a blend of spices and herbs. Common additions to the soup include tofu puffs, mushrooms, and offal. It’s often paired with a pot of oolong tea to cut through the richness of the broth and enhance the freshness of the dish.

There are three main types of Bak Kut Teh: the light and spicy version, the dark and saltier soy-sauce-based version, and the herbal version with a strong herbal taste. In Johor, the darker and saltier variety is the most popular. It is commonly served for breakfast or lunch at many hawker stalls and restaurants.

Recommended Bak Kut Teh Restaurants in Johor:
📍 Johor Bahru: Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock
📍 Johor Bahru: Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh
📍 Skudai: Pah Li Ban Bak Kuh Teh
📍 Tangkak: Fa Lai Bak Kut Teh
📍 Kulai: Restoran Sze Hwa

If you have other favorite Bak Kut Teh spots, feel free to share them with us! We’ll add them to our recommendations.

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