Ask any Singaporean who is a frequent traveler across the causeway from Singapore to Johor, and you would be promised of endless recommendation of amazing locations for delicious delicacies at very pocket-friendly prices (1:3.2 exchange rate!). Many would also rave about the characteristic charm that Johor also brings about that remind many of olden days Singapore.

Today, we have compiled a list of 18 local produce that you must definitely get when you are in Johor, whether they are for your own snacking or as gifts to friends!

1. Banana Cake at Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory

Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory is one name that many Singaporeans know about, with throngs of Singaporean crossing the causeway just so that they can get a taste of the delicious pastries made. One of their best seller is the Banana Cake. Spongy, aromatic and moist on the insides, it is no surprise why the Banana Cakes at Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory is a sellout and top choice among patrons.

Sticking to age-old traditions by using wood-fired oven to bake their pastries, aromatic flavors and tastes that have been passed down generations after generations can be enjoyed here at Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory.

Address: 13, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-223 1703
Opening Hours:
Daily: 7:30am – 5:30pm
Sunday: 8:30am – 12:00pm

2. Muar Otak-Otak at Otak-Otak Cheng Boi (麻坡阿梅乌达)

Many Singaporeans who brave the jams (Want to find out how to beat the jam?) and heat to dine at Muar Glutton Street would have been introduced to otak-otak from Cheng Boi. Locals in Johor also swears by otak-otak from Cheng Boi as the most delicious, authentic otak-otak in the whole of Johor.

Other than offering freshly grilled otak-otak, Cheng Boi offers packets of raw otak-otak that can be stored in refrigerator for months. Their otak-otak comes with wide variety of flavours and all are reasonably priced.

Address : 28-4, Jalan Bantayan, 84000 Muar, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact:  +6019-626  3030
Opening Hours:
Daily: 8:00am – 4:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am – 12:00pm

3. 434 Coffee at Sai Kee Kopi Serbok Sdn Bhd (434 咖啡馆)

The people behind Sai Kee are dedicated to serve only the best and most authentically brewed local coffee in the whole of Johor for every single customer. Each cup of aromatic coffee that Sai Kee serves is sweet, clean and reminiscent of the coffee’s flavors. With options such as espresso or the more local-styled Kopi-O, it is no wonder 434 Coffee at Sai Kee is such a hit with both locals and Singaporeans crossing the border from Singapore to Malaysia.

Sai Kee also have coffee products such as instant coffee mixes under the 434 brand, allowing you to bring home good, authentic and aromatic coffee that you can enjoy back in Singapore!

Address: 111, Jalan Bakariah, 84000 Muar, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +606-951 3828
Opening Hours: Daily: 8:00am – 5:30pm

4. Mooncakes At Yuen Fatt Biscuit Sdn Bhd (源发饼家)

Have you ever wondered why there are some mooncakes that are not round in shape? Malaysia, or more correctly Kluang, produces mooncake that are steeped in history and traditions, with elongated looking Shanghai Mooncakes that does not only look different, but also taste divinely. Yuen Fatt Biscuit Sdn Bhd is famous for their Shanghai Mooncake that attracts throngs of people with long queues forming especially during the mid-autumn festival.

Flavors available are pandan, black sesame paste and lotus paste. All these mooncakes have aromatic fragrance and they are not overly sweet. The best part of these mooncake made by Yuen Fatt Biscuit Sdn Bhd? The layers of pastry melts in your mouth!

Address: No.39, Jalan Haji Manap Nordin, Kluang Baru, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-773 7107 / +6012-715 8287
Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday:  9:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am – 1:00pm

5. Kluang Coffee at Kluang Coffee Powder Factory Sdn Bhd (居銮电视机咖啡厂)

With over 40 years of history since this factory started opening its doors, Kluang Coffee Powder Factory promises you not only a walk down memory lane in terms of the décor, but an amazing experience for your taste buds with their coffee. Combining three different types of coffee beans (Liberica, Arabiaca and Robusta), the coffee at Kluang Coffee Powder Factory promises a distinct smell and taste like no other. You can also take your kids here for an educational experience of how coffee beans are grounded, roasted and prepared before taking the look of how they look like in supermarkets!

Address: 76, Jalan Besar, 86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-773 1943
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday to Sunday: 9:00am – 4:00pm

6. Tau Sar Piah at Tong Huat Confectionery (东发饼家)

Tau Sar Piah (豆沙饼)is a type of Mung Bean Paste Biscuit that is steeped in traditions and invokes fond memories among many Malaysians and Singaporeans. With choices such as Salty or Sweet Mung Bean Paste Tau Sar Piah, you can be guaranteed of fresh and flaky pastry skin that envelopes Mung Bean Paste that are made fresh daily at the Tong Huat Confectionery.

Address: No. 28 & 30, Jalan Cantik, Johor, 86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-771 4616
Opening Hours:
Daily: 9:00am – 6:30pm

7. Homemade Snacks at Layang Food Sdn Bhd (拉央 (薯片) 食品)

With healthier food options being one of the top priority many of us are looking at these days, Layang Food Sdn Bhd is a place you must never miss. Ever wondered if healthy eating and snacking can be achieved together? Look no further than Layang Food Sdn Bhd as the snacks are prepared in healthy cooking methods with less MSG, making your snacking habits healthier. Be sure to get their Tapioca Chips that are made with fresh Tapioca that are grown in their own farm!

Address: 161, Jalan Teck Wah Heng, 81850 Layang-Layang, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-752 7458
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 6:30pm

8. Ogura Cake at Family Pastry Shop Sdn Bhd (芳邻蛋糕店)

The original Ogura Cake from Family Pastry Shop is a must-try if you are in Batu Pahat! At just RM8.00, you can get a big slice of original Ogura Cake. The cakes sold at Family Pastry Shop are pre-packed, making it ideal for tourists to take away as gifts for loved ones. The light pillowy cake has the perfect amount of cream that ensures sweetness does not take over the cake, promising bites after bites of goodness.

Address: 102, Jalan Rotan Batu, Taman Sri Jaya, 83000 Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-433 2873
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 10:00pm

9. Nyonya Cakes & Kuih at Sin Sin Foodstuff (新新包粿食品)

Specialised in making traditional pastries, kuih and other native food products, Sin Sin stands out from other pastry shops or confectionery with their highlight and crowd favorite, Nyonya Cakes. They offer many flavors such as pandan, red beans, green beans and lotus. All kuihs are packed individually and are priced ranging from RM1.10 to RM1.30. They are offer low-sugar options for their kuihs to provide a healthier option! The pastries and kuihs are made fresh daily at Sin Sin Foodstuff, with limited quantities made to ensure the best produce daily. Be sure to be there early to avoid any disappointment as these pastries and kuihs sellout on a daily basis!

Address: 36-4, Jalan Jenang, 83000 Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-431 6599
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 7:00pm

10. La Piah at Perusahaan Makanan Hock Bee (福美饼家)

Hock Kee is a small and homely bakery in Segamat. All food products here are lovingly made in the bakery to ensure freshness and tastiness are guaranteed daily.

The crowd favorite at Perusahaan Makanan Hock Bee is the La Piah, which is a traditional biscuit filled with slow-cooked mung bean fillings and wrapped perfectly with flaky pastry skin. The La Piah here at Perusahaan Makanan Hock Bee are also extremely pocket-friendly, costing only RM0.70 each!

Address: 10, Jalan Bukit Jaya, Bukit Siput, 85000 Segamat, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-943 1015
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm

11. Ma Ti Su at YOYO Native Food Products Sdn Bhd (YOYO 出产店)

YOYO promises amazingly good pastries that are baked fresh daily, with a café that you can enjoy good, fresh pastry. Besides selling a wide array of tasty local products, the highlight of YOYO Native Food Products Sdn Bhd is the Horse Hoof Biscuits, or so-called Beh The Soh and Ma Ti Su.

YOYO Native Food Products Sdn Bhd is popular with tour guides who bring overseas tourists here for souvenir shopping as their produce are packed in nice packaging that makes them a perfect gift for friends and family at home.

Address: 19 & 21 Jalan Cahaya Baru, 83700 Yong Peng , Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-467 9678
Opening Hours:
Weekdays: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Weekends: 8:30am – 7:00pm

12. Foochow Biscuit at Eng Hin Kedai Membuat Kuih-Muih(永兴福州饼面厂)

Yong Peng is a place that is famous for providing a one-stop rest point for many coaches and cars that are travelling long distance from Singapore to places such as Genting Highland, Cameron Highland or even Hat Yai in Thailand. A hidden treasure within Yong Peng is Eng Hin, one of the two noodles factories that attracts many tourists from all over the world. They are one of the best in making noodles, beehoon, and their most sought-after produce, the Foochow Biscuit. Foochow Biscuits, also known as Kompia (光饼), a popular traditional snackmade of flour, lard and sugar, that is enjoyed with tea. The Foochow Biscuits are made fresh daily at Eng Hin. While Eng Hin Kedai Membuat Kuih-Muih offers the traditional types of Foochow Biscuit, where there are no fillings, there are also other variety with different types of fillings such as sesame and peanut on offer.

Address: 14, Jalan Besar, Taman Sembrong, 83700 Yong Peng, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-467 1261 / +6017-772 0971
Opening Hours: 7:00am – 8:00pm

13. Pastries at Hua Bee Bakery (和美饼家)

Hua Bee Bakery (also called Kedai Biskut Hua Bee) is a family run business that is steeped in traditions. Even the biscuit making process, one that involves every family member is one that is traditionally practiced in the olden days. They are good at making traditional Chinese cakes and biscuits and can get extremely busy during Chinese New Year period. A large variety of traditional pastries is offered at Hua Bee Bakery. Many returning customers like the pastries here due to the crispy crust and the generous amount of fillings. Many Singaporeans have even travelled across the causeway from Singapore to JB and pop by Hua Bee Bakery to order traditional wedding biscuits for their relatives and colleagues.

Address: 10, Jalan Solok, 84900 Tangkak, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +606-978 1303
Opening Hours: 8:00am –  6:30pm
Closed on: Monday

14. Pineapple Product at Nictar Pineapple House (旺梨屋)

Specialised in making pastries that incorporates the natural goodness of pineapples, Nictar Pineapple House produces amazingly good pastries that are made fresh daily with pineapple grown in their own plantation in Pontian. Be ready to expect produce such as fresh pineapple juice, pineapple tart, pineapple jam, raw honey and honey apple cider. Being an all-natural producer, no preservatives are added to their pineapple juice. So, you can enjoy the richness of 100% pure pineapple juice here.

Address: 762, Jalan Taib, Pontian, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +6012-707 2589 / +6012-700 2235
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 6:30pm

15. Pandan Red Bean Cake at Kedai Biskut Pandan (班兰豆沙饼)

This unpretentious bakery is well-known for their famous pandan red bean cake that is the best in town. With more than 20 years of history in the business, freshly baked pastries such as the Pandan Red Bean Cake are stilled produced using traditional and labor-intensive methods to ensure every single piece of pastry that exits the oven is done perfectly and fit for kings and queens. The pastries shells exudes a nice gold color that wraps amazingly made fillings that are smooth with slightly sweet taste. With the thickness of the pastries made to perfection, one can be guaranteed of not-too-heavy tastes that leaves you asking for more!

Address: 21, Jalan Ekoperniagaan1/2, Taman Ekoperniangaan, 81100 Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Contact: +6012-651 5989
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Closed on: Tuesday

16. Mr Sotong (鱿鱼先生)

Mr Sotong is a shop that promises to bring many of you back in time. With the wide array of local food products that many of us may have fond memories of when we were younger, Mr Sotong does not only sell local produce, they sell memories. Their most noteworthy local product – “Sotong”, is a crowd favorite with not only the locals but also overseas tourists. Many tourists like to bring them back to their hometown as gift to their friends and colleagues.

Address: 15, Jalan Sutera 1, Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Contact: +6016-717 6218
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 10:00pm

17. Big Bun at Kedai Kopi Tang Chuan (东泉包店)

Tang Chuan has many loyal customers for their Big Bun (pau) , or steamed buns, over the past 50 years. With more than 50 years under their belt, Tang Chuan has seen many customers from their adolescence to adulthood, with many of them bringing their children back for the wonderful Big Bun. The white and pillow-like big bun has generous amount marinated pork fillings. It tastes even better if you down it together with chilli sauce. Besides big bun, different kinds of mouth-watering yet reasonably priced dim sum can also be enjoyed at Tang Chuan.

Address: 763, Jalan Batu Pahat, Ayer Hitam, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +6012-726 9989
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 6:00pm

18. Mini Bean Paste Bun & Tau Sar Piah at Ming Ang Confectionery Sdn Bhd (明安特产专卖店)

Offering pastries such as mini bean paste buns and mini Tau Sar Piah, Ming Ang Confectionery ensures you have more capacity in your stomach after enjoying these mini versions of bean paste bun and Tau Sar Piah to enjoy other types of delicious traditional pastries such as Heong Piah, Chicken Floss Puff, Portuguese Egg Tart. Ming Ang Confectionery is also strategically located right smack in the center of JB, just walking distance from KSL City mall, making it a popular destination for many Singaporean who cross the causeway from Singapore to JB for a short trip.

Entering from back door, you can see the baking process in action. The ovens are constantly operating to bake fresh pastries as they will be sold out in the blink of an eye. As the pastries are beautifully packaged, you can buy it as gift to your loved ones too.

Address: 7, Jalan Indah 15/3, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.
Contact: +607-234 9388
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 9:00pm

The post Top 18 Local Produce You Must Not Miss in Johor first appeared on SGMYTravel.