A one-day JB food trip from Singapore: old town by day, Taman Century by night
A tested one-day JB eating route for Singaporeans: Causeway timing, old-town heritage lunch, KSL afternoon, Century Street Food Court dinner, what to bring home.
Quick answer
- Cross before 8 am or after 10 am on weekdays; Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings are the jams
- Old town (Jalan Wong Ah Fook grid) is a 10β15 min walk from CIQ β no Grab needed
- Old town to KSL / Taman Century: 10β15 min Grab, typically under RM20
- Century Street Food Court runs 4 pmβ2 am; last Grab back to CIQ is never a problem
- Bring: ringgit cash, Touch 'n Go if you have it, passport, a cool bag for banana cake and apam balik
This is the route we give Singaporean friends who say "one day, eat everything, no car." It puts the sell-out places in the morning, the mall in the heat of the afternoon, and finishes at the food court where we work.
8:30 β Cross
Weekday: be through CIQ before 8 or after 10. Weekend: Saturday morning outbound and Sunday evening inbound are the worst; go Saturday afternoon and come back late, or do Sunday early. Walk out of JB Sentral / City Square and you are already in the old town.
9:15 β Breakfast on Jalan Trus
Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs at Kin Hua, or the same plus a Hainanese chicken chop at Hua Mui next door if you are ambitious. Full old-town order in our old town food walk.
10:30 β Hiap Joo, then the lanes
Banana cake from Hiap Joo Bakery on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee before it sells out (closed Sundays). Coffee on the same street if you want one. Ten minutes of the heritage shophouses is enough.
11:15 β Kam Long curry fish head
Jalan Wong Ah Fook. Get in line before the noon rush; a pot for two with rice is around RM30. This is the meal most people come to JB for, and it is done by 4:30 pm.
13:30 β Grab to KSL City Mall
Ten to fifteen minutes, rarely more than RM20. On a budget, bus J100 from the stop near CIQ runs to KSL / Plaza Pelangi for RM1.50 in about 15 minutes. The mall covers the hot hours: shopping, massage, a nap in the cinema. Monday? The pasar malam sets up outside from 4 pm.
18:30 β Walk to Century Street Food Court
Five minutes along Jalan Dato Sulaiman. Eighty-plus stalls, open till 2 am. Do a lap first. Satay, a wok dish, a noodle soup, a drink from the drinks stall. Then come to Apam Balik Jalil β the griddle stall β for the crispy peanut pancake that we have been folding here for over fifteen years. Kacang if it is your first; Nutella-keju or Oreo-keju if you want to argue about tradition. Pisang goreng and keropok lekor from the fryer beside it.
Guide to the food court here; the stall page here.
21:00 β Back
Grab from the food court to CIQ, 15 minutes. Sunday night queues at the Causeway are real β leave by 8:30 pm or resign yourself to a long one.
Pack list
- Passport, and a photocopy.
- RM200 in cash, some of it small notes for hawkers.
- Touch 'n Go card or the app if you have one (Singapore PayNow does not work on DuitNow QR).
- A cool bag: banana cake, keropok lekor, apam balik.
- Comfortable shoes β the old-town leg is two kilometres of walking.
FAQ
How much should I budget for a day of eating in JB?
RM100β150 per person covers breakfast, a Kam Long lunch, coffee, a full food-court dinner and snacks to take home, plus two Grab rides. Most Singaporeans spend less.
Can I do this without a car?
Yes. Walk from CIQ to the old town, Grab to KSL, walk from KSL to Century Street Food Court, Grab back to CIQ. Four legs, two of them on foot.
What is worth bringing back across the Causeway?
Hiap Joo banana cake (keeps two days), keropok lekor raw or fried (ask for uncooked if you have a freezer), and apam balik if you eat it within the hour β ask for it uncut.