AsiaMalaysia

5 Instagrammable and Affordable Cafes in Johor Bahru

Photo credit: Chaiwalla & Co.

Bored of cafe hopping in Singapore? Sick of the ever rising prices here? Take advantage of the low ringgit exchange rates and hop over to our neighbouring country Malaysia to continue venturing for new Instagrammable cafes! Cafes are starting to bloom right now in Johor Bahru and many Singaporean Instagrammers have already started hunting down cafes in that area. Here are some cafes in Johor Bahru serving food that taste just as good as they look!

1. The Replacement – Lodge & Kitchen

#thereplacementcafe • • • • • • #thereplacementcafe

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This cafe is just a short 10-minute walk from Johor-Singapore causeway. Its all white interiors, potted plants and minimalistic furnishings exude a kinfolk vibe for your Instagram feed! This cafe is open everyday, including Mondays when most cafes are closed. With abundance of natural lighting shining into the store, you will be able to witness many Instagrammers whipping our their DSLRs to shoot their food. Bonus: The Replacement – Lodge & Kitchen blasts their aircon, providing respite from the heat and they have free wifi too, for you to upload your photos on Instagram immediately!

A photo posted by SYLVIA (@hughug_carebear) on Jun 11, 2016 at 10:48am PDT

The Replacement – Lodge & Kitchen has an all day brunch menu that ranges from RM$16.90 to RM$26.90 (~SGD $6 to $9). This is one of the rising cafes in Johor Bahru and we urge you to give it a visit before cafe hoppers start flooding this place!

Address: 33,34 Jalan Dhouby, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm

2. Sangkaya – Malaysian Coconut ice cream creamery

Sangkaya has 36 outlets across Malaysia and they finally opened an outlet in Johor Bahru, just a walk away from the checkpoint as well. Their tagline, “Nuts about Coconuts” literally implies to their entire menu consisting of mainly coconuts. The prices are as follow,

  • Ice cream in a husk – RM$9.90 (~SGD $3.30), in a cup – RM$6.90 (~SGD $2.30), in a cone – RM$2.90 (~SGD $1)
  • Chendol – RM$9.90 (~SGD $3.30)
  • Coconut Shake – RM$8.90 (~SGD $2.95)
  • Coconut water – RM$4.90 (~SGD $1.70)

 

A photo posted by Jasmine Goy (@jasminegoy) on May 21, 2016 at 11:05pm PDT

Their ice cream, prepared using coconut water, is available in the following flavours: Coconut, Thai Milk Tea, Teh Tarik and Matcha. You can choose three out of the six different toppings available: coconut flakes, roasted peanuts, cereal, corn flakes, sweet corn and kidney beans. Additional toppings cost RM$0.50 (~SGD $0.20) each.

This is the best place to have some refreshing desserts and chilling with your friends away from the heat. P.S. We recommend getting ice cream in a husk for a more Insta-worthy shot!

Address: 14 Jalan Dhouby Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru
Opening Hours: Daily, 11am-11pm

3. Bev C

A photo posted by Agnes Tan (@agnes674) on Jun 13, 2016 at 7:00am PDT

Another cafe that many hipsters have been flocking to recently, Bev C’s first floor showcases a Malaysian Fashion Label, The Girl Next Door. But if you are just here for the food, go ahead and head on upstairs.

A photo posted by @_caramelatte on Jun 13, 2016 at 5:27am PDT

 

As much as the food is great here, people are mostly here for their espresso cubes. Unleash your creativity with those espresso cubes and create “pour shots” like the above! Overall, Bev C is another pleasant place to hang out with your friends while enjoying some lovely cafe food.

Address: 54 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Bahru 80000, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Tues to Fri 1pm-11pm, Sat & Sun 12pm-11pm

4. Koone

A photo posted by Koone (@koonesoftserve) on Jun 10, 2016 at 10:57pm PDT

 

Koone is a soft serve cafe, but it’s not just any soft serve cafe you see on the streets! People flock to this place because of the “smoke” that come out from their soft serve. Besides, the minimalistic interior of the shop makes it a cozy space for you to relax after a long day of cafe hopping. There’s plenty of natural lighting shining in the store, which also means good photos will be coming your way soon enough!

A photo posted by @gii.gy on Jun 5, 2016 at 4:14am PDT

Just a heads up before you purchase your soft serve: the cup that holds your soft serve is not as big as you think. Dry ice is placed in the pink cup as seen, and a smaller cup (about the size of a small llaollao cup) is then placed over it. Your soft serve is in the smaller cup and not the bigger one so don’t be fooled! However, the soft serve is still a delight, even for those without sweet tooth.

Address: Jalan Dhouby, 80000 Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Mon to Thurs 1pm-10pm, Fri to Sun 1pm-12am

5. Chaiwalla & Co.

Photo Credit: Chaiwalla & Co.

This is one of Malaysia’s first cafes with a container concept. Chaiwalla & Co. is fully refurnished with a modern vintage look. Its unique backdrop makes a perfect OOTD opportunity

Another factor that makes this cafe distinctive is that you can customise your own drink! To do so, you have to first select your own base (tea, milk tea, coffee, fresh milk or smoothie), add your favourite flavour (caramel, winter melon, strawberry, vanilla and many more), choose your toppings (ice cream, nata de coco, pearls etc.), lastly, choose your sweetness level! They also have a range of pies for you to choose from!

Address: Lot 2180, Tan Hiok Nee Street, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor Malaysia
Opening Hours: Sun to Thurs 12pm-12am, Fri & Sat 12pm-1am

With all these cafes just across the straits, it’s time you grab a couple of friends with DSLR and go for a cafe hopping road trip! You might even want to stop over at Legoland for some fun or Hello Kitty Town for a phototaking sessions with your girlfriends! Whoever said you needed to travel far for a holiday!

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