Kulai District is located to the north of Johor Bahru, in Johor State of Malaysia, serving as a charming, laid-back alternative to bustling Johor Bahru. Known for its blend of rural, old-town charm, and modern conveniences, the district is about 45 to 60 minutes by public buses from Johor Bahru city centre and a popular day-trip spot for Singapore visitors.
With a significant Hakka Chinese population, Kulai is famous for authentic Hakka cuisine, including Hakka Lei Cha (擂茶 / Thunder Tea Rice), yong tau foo (酿豆腐) and choy ban (菜板), alongside traditional coffee shops serving tons of old-taste local eats, especially in Kulai Old Street and Kelapa Sawit.
Food Places
Below is a list of food places, cafes and confectioneries that I/we have visited in Kulai.
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Kulai Eat: Hakka Sawit (好客坊) Hakka Delights @ Kelapa Sawit
Hakka Sawit, a famous eatery along Kelapa Sawit Wall Art Street, is highly regarded for its authentic, traditional Hakka delights and aromatic Nanyang coffee.
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Kulai Buy: Lian Pang Cake & Confectionery (联邦蛋糕西点) Old-School Bakes
Lian Pang Cake & Confectionery, a traditional bakery, is famous for its old-school peanut / chocolate rice sponge cakes and wedding cakes. Get a yuan yang!
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Kulai Eat: Heng Heng Hainanese Chicken Rice (兴兴烧腊海南鸡饭) Roasted Delights @ Kulai Old Street
Heng Heng Hainanese Chicken Rice is a local-favourite for its Hainanese chicken, roast-and-fry roasted chicken, crispy roasted pork and honey barbecue pork.
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Kulai Eat: Mok Gao / Mok Jiu Restaurant (莫搞牛肉面) Beef, Pork & Seafood Noodles
Mok Gao / Mok Jiu Restaurant is famous in Kulai for its beef / pork / seafood noodles and is hailed as having the “best beef noodles in Johor”.
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Kulai Eat: Yong Juan Hin Coffee Shop (永泉兴传统海南咖啡店) @ Kulai Old Street
Yong Juan Hin Coffee Shop, a traditional Hainanese coffee shop, is famous for charcoal-grilled kaya toasts, charcoal-roasted coffee and soft-boiled egg.
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Kulai Cafe: Three And A Half (三层半) Kopi & Sandwiches @ Kulai Old Street
Three And A Half is a kid-friendly cafe that offers a relaxed spot for breakfast or coffee / tea with its hot-pressed / grilled sandwiches and kopi / teh.
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Kulai Eat: Jie Di (Siblings) Char Kway Teow (古来老街姐弟炒粿条) @ Kulai Old Street
Jie Di Char Kway Teow’s old-taste char kway teow, passed down to 4th generation, is dished out by a sister-brother pair. A savoury dish with self-catch cockles.
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Johor Bahru Buy: Moonlight Cake House
Moonlight Cake House is a bakery chain in Malaysia, known for offering a wide variety of innovative, visually appealing artisanal cakes, pastries, breads, etc.
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Kulai & Johor Bahru Buy: Verbena Pastry & Bakery
Verbena is a confectionery chain known for its wide range of affordable, visually-appealing Japanese-French inspired pastries, cakes, breads with low sweetness.
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Kulai Eat: Big Tree Lei Cha (大树下擂茶) Thunder Tea Rice
The well-known eatery does not have a name but locals address it as “大树下擂茶” (or Lei Cha under a big tree). Go for its Hakka lei cha rice and fried yong tau foo.
Locations
Use the map to find the locations of the food places mentioned above.
How to Get There:
Take BAS.MY J30 from JB Sentral or City Bus 2 from Larkin Sentral to Kulai. Read: JB Bus / Train: To Kulai District in Johor (柔佛.古来).
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