Peruvian coffee, Italian gelato and Mexican tortillas: A globe-trotting day of eating on JB’s heritage streets
Ang Yeesiang’s new café, Sweet Blossom Coffee -- Heritage Street at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. — Pictures by CK Lim
By Kenny Mah
First Published: Thursday, 22 Oct 2026 8:56 AM MYT
JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 22 — The row of red lanterns dangling on a wire. The white-washed walls of 19th century pre-war Chinese shophouses. The tall wooden window shutters.
And within one of these shophouses, some of the best coffee you’d taste in Johor Bahru.
A small flat white and a filter coffee at Sweet Blossom.
This is Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, one of the city’s heritage enclaves. I confess I haven’t been back in a decade or so, but I remember dropping by whenever I was in the area, especially for Hiap Joo Bakery’s signature banana cake, baked using a wood fire oven.
Much has changed since then. Hiap Joo still draws a queue of customers eager for their banana cake, but now they can enjoy it with an espresso or a freshly brewed pour over coffee too.
Barista and bags of coffee beans at Sweet Blossom.
Just a minute’s walk from the stalwart bakery is Sweet Blossom Coffee - Heritage Street. This is the second outlet by owner Ang Yeesiang; he opened his first café 11 years ago in Taman Pelangi.
While that original shop now functions as the Sweet Blossom HQ and roastery, with clientele made up of regulars, the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee branch attracts more tourists and passers-by looking for a caffeine fix.
Ang remembers I prefer a small flat white; for my friend, a local, he suggests a filter coffee made with Peruvian beans.
Don’t miss the gelato at Ancora Gelato & Bakery.
Hailing from Doña Fica by Nixer Ordoñez Gómez, the extended fermentation washed coffee has jammy plum and rich raspberry notes and a scent reminiscent of lemongrass.
Ask the barista for recommendations if you’d like to purchase a bag of coffee beans to bring home. They also offer soft serve ice cream and affogato for those who crave something cool.
Next we are off to Jalan Dhoby, which runs parallel to Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. Together they form the bulk of what is known as Johor Bahru’s heritage hub, now reinvigorated with a fresh coat of paint and tourist-oriented shops.
Cups of Ancora’s gelato.
The latter runs the gamut from independent cafés, art galleries, retro thrift shops and, given our climate, more ice cream purveyors than one might expect given the neighbourhood’s size.
My friend has his favourite; he says we can’t visit the hub and miss the gelato at Ancora Gelato & Bakery.
The shop itself is clean and minimalist; expect pristine white walls and gleaming metal tubs of ice cream. Arranged neatly along the front counter, each tub offers a different flavour of gelato or sorbet.
There are classics such as strawberry and dark chocolate; nutty hits like pistachio, black sesame and hazelnut chocolate; as well as fruity sorbets, from mango passion fruit to lemon lemongrass.
There is even a tea-centric series of gelato, from the more common Earl Grey and Thai milk tea to more delicate concoctions such as osmanthus oolong, pu’er milk tea and jasmine with green grape.
Flowers in the Window, an all-day brunch and fusion café.
Share your personal preferences with the friendly staff and they will be more happy to suggest flavours, offering sample spoons to try and explaining the flavour profiles of each.
Taste the Mediterranean with a cup of their olive oil and lemon basil ice creams; Japanese accents are represented by matcha and hojicha.
Some of the more interesting flavours include tofu (reminds me of a light, extra creamy tau foo fa), Japanese cucumber (which, believe it or not, isn’t a sorbet but a gelato — and somehow works, each scoop refreshing and revelatory).
After this little pick-me-up, it’s time for something savoury and substantial. We cross the street to Flowers in the Window, an all-day brunch and fusion café.
The décor caters to visitors seeking a certain aesthetic: both verdant (creeping vines along the walls, cacti and hanging ferns) and vintage (repurposed old shop signboards, random collectibles and old records).
Which often means the menu is simply an afterthought; a few pretty plates to photograph to upload on the socials later. Fortunately that isn’t the case at Flowers in the Window, where carefully curated offerings tempt us mercilessly.
In the end, we decide on their Mexican Breakfast and Lotus Chips Salmon Bowl; our selection criteria revolving around the amount of protein and fibre, which I reckon is as good an ordering strategy as any.
Mexican Breakfast at Flowers in the Window
The Mexican Breakfast employs a tortilla as the canvas, then arranges spicy chicken chorizo (almost stew like), cool Cheddar, creamy avocado and a sunny-side-up egg in a colourful layer. Nachos and salsa on the side add a welcome crunch and a bright, tangy kick.
Avocado makes another appearance in the Lotus Chips Salmon Bowl; it is de rigueur for brunch staples, no? Here it is accompanied by chunks of salmon, pan-seared until its exterior develops a lovely crust, while the flakes of flesh remain tender and moist.
Then there is the supporting cast – a smooth pea mash, sweet roasted pumpkin, a soft-boiled egg – and the crowning glory of fried lotus chips, light and crisp. A nutty peanut dressing ties the ingredients together.
Lotus Chips Salmon Bowl at Flowers in the Window.
Now this is what I call a meal: crunchy and creamy, smokey and savoury. All the flavours and textures you could want, and maybe a little more?
Which is perhaps the biggest surprise of my return to Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and Jalan Dhoby after so many years away.
These heritage streets have changed, sure. A bit gentrified, there’s no denying that. But also how you can now have a globe-trotting adventure here, all within a few minutes walk. Bon appétit!
Sweet Blossom Coffee—Heritage Street
Open daily (except Wed closed) 8am–4pm
Phone: 016-770 5139
Web: https://www.sweetblossomcoffee.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sweetblossomcoffee/
Ancora Gelato & Bakery
Open Sun-Thu 10am–10pm; Fri 10am–11:30pm
Phone: 011-5118 8354
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ancoragb/
Flowers in the Window
Open daily 9 am–4 pm
Phone: 07-222 7489
IG: https://www.instagram.com/flowersinthewindowstore/
For more food fables and café chronicles, visit Life for Beginners.
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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