By Charlene Wong Sy

Image idea:

1. A row of different types of pastries displayed inside a bakery

As adults who have little to no time to prepare breakfast, living in Johor Bahru made us realise having a local bakery is a huge luxury. From bagels to croissants, these bakeries offer tons of delicious pastries for quick and easy bites to help us start our day.

Not one to have a single favourite spot, we’ve decided to find the best places to get the freshest baked goods in JB. After multiple trials and errors, we’re happy with what we’ve ended up with, and we’re here to share them with you! Read on below to know our picks and why we love them!

1. Ta Bakery

Products: Buns, cakes, tarts, white toast, custard rolls, Danish bread

Location: 3, Jalan Austin Heights 8/3

Contact: +60 11-3155 4519

Business hours:

• Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
• Friday and Saturday: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Website

Menu

Ta Bakery immediately caught our attention with its striking interior, as it features a cute pink motif. This cuteness is translated over their cakes as well, as they’re decorated quaintly with cream, fresh fruits and mini figures.

Cakes aside, their selection of pastries is fairly varied, featuring buns, custard rolls, croissants, and more. They also offer both wholegrain and plain white bread, which is great for taking home for a couple of days to make your own sandwiches.

Aside from their regular menu, they also offer seasonal products to keep their selection fresh. For instance, when strawberries are in bloom, they offer a strawberry cake that features these fresh fruits as toppings and fillings.

We’re just a bit iffy to have received reports of poor attitude from the staff. While we haven’t experienced this ourselves, we still felt like we should note it here since several of our interviewees voiced their dismay over her “unwelcoming” behaviour.

Worth the calories!

“Highly recommended bakery! We just bought their Earl Grey grape tart, strawberry tart, yam cake and chocolate cake, all are high quality and delicious! Totally worth the calories!”

静沁（Aevi), Google Review

Customer service was great

“The mango-pomelo cake was so light and fresh. Wasn’t too sweet, moist and very fluffy. 

Got a few buns too, tuna egg wrap was very thick and tasty, and the Swiss roll was tasty, and generous with cream (if you’re a matcha fan, you can try their Swiss roll – very matcha!) 

Will definitely try their other cakes next time!”

Rbct T, Google Review

2. THE LAPISERIE

Products: Lapis and cookies

Location: 106-108 Jalan Wong Ah Fook JB City Square

Contact: +60 11-1678 8025

Business hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Website

Menu

The Lapiserie is the premier place in JB to get the traditional multi-layered cake, lapis. For starters, they offer them in various flavours like prune, pandan, classic and their bestseller among locals, hazelnut Nutella.

We’ve also asked their loyal customers what they love about these cakes, and the common consensus is the moist texture of each layer. They’ve also highlighted the subtle hint of butter with every bite of the cake, regardless of which flavour they get.

This store is also among the most accessible bakeries in Johor Bahru, as it’s located in the city square and it’s open seven days a week.

The only downside here is its limited selection of pastries, as it mostly focuses on lapis cakes and cookies. Still, we appreciate the different variations that they offer for these two baked goods.

Skilfully made

“Staff is very friendly and helpful. Patient and generous in letting me try many of his products. Good quality ingredients, skilfully made, delicious cake lapis, cookies, and pineapple tarts. I highly recommend it.”

Nglaising, Google Review

Will purchase from them again

“Discovered them at a pop-up stall along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and decided to try it out after sampling their offerings. I usually buy lapis from L Bakery. The boss had my orders delivered to the hotel the next day.

The kueh lapis are flavorful, buttery layers with just the right amount of sweetness. The generous addition of prunes was a nice touch. I don’t feel jelak from it after a couple of slices which is great. 

Overall, I really enjoyed them. Luckily also purchased their mini all-in-one lapis to try their other flavour of hazelnut Nutella, parmesan cheese and the classic.

Also bought their pineapple balls. The filling was thick and satisfying, and the pastry wasn’t too flaky. Sweetness is just nice too.

Will purchase from them again on my next trip to JB.”

Rbct T, Google Review

3. M Patisserie

Products: Finger sandwiches, tarts, scones, cakes, cheesecakes, brownies

Location: No. 03-09, Block G Komersil

Contact: +60 18-793 2875

Business hours: Friday to Sunday: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Website

Menu

M Patisserie isn’t your typical bakery, as it’s more of a high tea spot. We still thought that it was worthy of being on this list though, as it’s one of the fanciest places in Johor Bahru that offers a myriad of pastries.

Each high tea set comes with classics like scones, cakes, brownies and sandwiches but according to their customers, the cheesecake is their best offering. They’ve highlighted it as being super silky and having just the right amount of sweetness and tartness.

Its main downside is its expensive price range, which is understandable when you consider the fanciness of the place as well as the quality of its pastries. Still, we think that it’s not for your everyday bakery needs.

Moreover, since this is more of a dine-in restaurant, you can’t order their goods online or get them to go.

Definitely worth the price!

“The high tea set & cakes are delicious and definitely worth the price! The tiered stand was beautifully presented, with a mix of delicate savoury & sweet pastries and cakes.

Chef Koh and the staff were attentive, ensuring our tea cups were always full.

Had such a pleasure of celebrating my birthday at M Patisserie & Monaco Dining!”

Jacelyn Fong, Google Review

Delightful high tea experience

“I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a delightful hi-tea experience at M Patisserie, and it was nothing short of amazing. The selection of savoury bites and desserts was thoughtfully curated, offering a perfect balance of flavours and textures.

The savoury items were a highlight—each bite was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. From delicate sandwiches to perfectly seasoned pastries, every option was crafted with attention to detail. 

The desserts were equally impressive, featuring an assortment of sweet treats that were both indulgent and elegantly designed.

The ambience of M Patisserie added to the overall charm, creating a cozy yet sophisticated setting perfect for a leisurely afternoon. The service was attentive and ensured a seamless experience.”

Khuneswari Gopal Pillay, Google Review

4. Seven Oaks Bakery Cafe

Products: Tacros, croissants, kaya toast, cruffins

Location: 134, Jalan Serampang, Taman Pelangi

Contact: +60 7-338 3377

Business hours: Daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Website

Menu

Seven Oaks Bakery Cafe doubles as one of the best brunch spots in JB, offering several staples like chicken and waffles, nasi lemak and more. However, the main highlight of their menu is their freshly baked pastries, some of which we haven’t even heard of before.

For instance, they offer something called “tacros”, which is a hybrid pastry that combines tacos and croissants. Instead of being filled with chocolate or butter, these croissants are stuffed with either minced beef, chicken or satay lamb.

When we spoke with their regulars, we noticed that many were fans of Seven Oaks’ cruffins (croissants + muffins). They noted how this pastry is always perfectly flakey and features just the right amount of drizzle, whether it be matcha or chocolate—so enticing! 

The downside? The slightly pricier offerings and we noticed that the main dishes weren’t as stellar as the baked goods.

Service was prompt and the staff were friendly

“Came here at 9 AM when it just opened. Clean and well-decorated place. Ordered the Queen’s Benedict, Daddy’s breakfast and bread toast that comes with 2 soft-boiled eggs. Good tasting food. They had a variety of pastries over the counter too.

Service was prompt and staff were friendly.  Price was on a slightly higher side and the portion was rather decent.”

Qamarul Fadhli, Google Review

I’ll definitely be back for more pastries and hot drinks

“This wasn’t my first time visiting Seven Oaks, as I’ve been here a few times before. On most visits, we typically enjoy their pastries and hot drinks, which are always delightful. 

However, this time we decided to try their main dishes and see how they compared to their exceptional pastries.

We ordered the Salted Egg Soft Shell Crab Pasta, Smoked Duck Carbonara, Truffle Parmesan Fries and Grilled Chicken Chop. While the presentation of the food was appealing, the overall taste was okay. 

It didn’t leave a lasting impression like their pastries usually do. Speaking of pastries, we didn’t leave without taking away a Salted Egg Croissant and a Salted Caramel Croissant.

The atmosphere at Seven Oaks is always nice and it’s one of the reasons I enjoy dining here. It’s cozy and inviting, making it a great spot to relax or catch up with friends. 

Additionally, the convenience of having a toilet inside the premises is a thoughtful touch for customers, especially for longer visits.

While the main dishes didn’t wow us this time, the overall experience was still okay, thanks to the ambience and their consistently great pastries. I would definitely recommend Seven Oaks if you’re in the mood for high-quality pastries and a warm atmosphere. 

If you’re considering trying the main dishes, they’re decent but don’t quite match the standard of their baked goods. I’ll definitely be back for more pastries and hot drinks, which remain the highlight of this charming spot.”

Raihah Roslan, Google Review

5. Lavender Bakery

Products: Tiramisu, cakes, Danish pastries, cookies, cake lapis, chicken floss cake

Location: 64, 66 & 68, Jalan Serampang

Contact: +60 7-335 9966

Business hours: Daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Website

Menu

Lavender Bakery is one of the most famous pastry chains in the country, including three branches in Johor Bahru alone. However, we decided to include this specific branch because of its accessible location in Taman Pelangi.

Accessibility aside, Lavender Bakery stands out for its widely varied menu, all of which can be browsed on its online store. They offer everything from sweet treats like tiramisu and cookies to savoury pastries like chicken floss cake.

Previous customers have also highlighted the neatness of the bakery, noting how easy it is to choose from their selection thanks to the arrangement of glass cabinets.

Moreover, they’ve also praised the place because of its coffee selection. Most of them suggested pairing their lapis cake with a simple latte.

The common downside we’ve heard from our interviews with their regulars mostly surrounds customer service. Some were dismayed about long waiting times while others didn’t feel the friendly welcome that Malaysians are known for.

The egg mushroom tart croissant was really good

“Nice place for a quick breakfast if you dont have time. The egg mushroom tart croissant was really good. Chicken pie and Latte was ok. Fancy birthday cakes. Would come back again to try other stuff”

A T, Google Review

Above expectations

“Came to their flagship store in Pelangi for a late lunch. The restaurant is on the upper floor. Lovely ambience with high ceiling and soothing music. The staff were polite and friendly, the food above expectations. 

Hubby had the truffle beef burger while I chose the juicy prawn burger. We also had sides of truffle mushroom soup and lemongrass chicken wings. The latter was really yummy. Happy customer.”

Lostgal Pebbie, Google Review