Cafes in JB are a dime a dozen these days. From garden-themed brunch cafes to lesser-known dessert spots in Mount Austin, we really are spoilt for choice with food options across the border. One that stands out from the crowd is 阿婆家小店 Ah Po Jia Eco Botanic, a retro-inspired cafe where you can bring Mum and Grandma to relive the good ol’ days.
Tucked in the quiet Eco Botanic neighbourhood, which is a 25-minute drive from the customs, this by-reservation-only cafe will transport you back in time with its setup and decor.
On one side of the cafe, old-school knick-knacks fill up the space—think jars of iced gem biscuits, haw flakes, and random toys most Millenials would remember.
Nostalgic memorabilia and black-and-white photographs adorn the walls of the cafe space, too. When probed on their origin, the owner answers that they’re purchased from various sources.
The food menu for the day depends on the ingredients the cafe has and the number of reservations they get. On our visit, there was the Mei Cai Pork Rice (RM16.90/~S$5.50): a home-style dish with preserved veggies and stewed pork served on the side.
Break the yolk and mix all the components together for that perfectly creamy and savoury bite.
If you’re coming in a group, order the Fruit Rojak (RM14.90/~S$4.80) to share. This sweet and refreshing dish comes with guava chunks, youtiao, and crunchy water chestnut, hand-tossed in a sticky-sweet medley of dark sauce and chunky roasted peanuts.
For drinks, you won’t go wrong with the refreshingly tangy Green Lime Juice (RM10.90/~S$3.50), or the signature Sour Plum Drink (RM12.90/~S$4.20).
Make sure you reserve a table before heading down with your parents or grandparents!
For more interesting eats across the causeway, check out our guide to JB hawker food, which includes legit chicken chop by old-school coffeeshop Restoran Hua Mui. Alternatively, beat the heat and dine in air-conditioned comfort at Keijometo, a TikTok-famous concrete cafe that’s also in JB.
Address: 67A, Jalan Eco Botanic 3/5, Taman Eco Botanic, 79100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: by appointment only
Tel: +60 16-712 6883
Website
阿婆家小店 Ah Po Jia Eco Botanic is not a halal-certified eatery.
Photos taken by Tan Zi Hui.
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