Jonker Street Dessert Cafe in Melaka
This unique cafe which is also called Jonker Dessert 88 Cafe doubles as a museum, and serving one of Melaka’s best local Baba-Nyonya dessert and food.
And almost everyone who passes Jonker Walk would have stepped into the Jonker Dessert Cafe which is located right in the middle of the famous main street.
Jonker Street Dessert Cafe in Melaka |
A local favourite, this quaint little cafe serves local Melaka desserts, noodles and also rice which is part of the Baba-Nyonya cuisine or Peranakan Cuisine.
If you should also know, the heritage city of Melaka was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009.
The trick here is when you enter the Jonker Cafe, you need to place your order with the stalls located just outside the 200 year old pre-war building entrance.
There are 2 stalls opposite each other where one serves desserts and the other serves out noodles and rice dishes.
The famous dishes here would be the home made Peranakan Nyonya Asam Laksa, Baba Curry Laksa, Baba Nasi Lemak and the desserts which are the Baba Ice Kachang, Baba Cendol (Chendol) and Durian Cendol with Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar).
On weekends or long holidays, the place can get a little chaotic so you have to be a little patient. I got in on a Sunday afternoon and the line to order had already reached on to the street. But it can move quite fast so you will not have to wait ages.
The next tip here is to have someone go in and get a table while you place the orders out front. Trust me, you do not want to walk in holding a tray of food with no place to sit.
So, once you get your food, head on inside this living museum cafe. The seating stretches all the way into the back portion of the shop. You can also ask to share a table if you are a couple.
Inside the museum cafe, you will notice that there are a lot of antique pieces displayed throughout the cafe.
Aged wooden display cabinets hold priceless antiques and memorabilia which is in the front portion of the cafe.
Various items are being sold such as Pineapple Tarts and cookies and some other local cookies. I once bought a special edition postcard set of old Malacca from inside here.
So for those interested in some of the pieces, you can actually inquire about some of the items for sale there.
While the back portion of the old shop house is a general seating area, it is divided by a wooden bar window and doorway.
The washrooms are all the way to the back. Looking around, you will also notice old Chinese and Baba-Nyonya paintings and some antiques mounted on the walls with various vintage items such as irons, cash registers, telephones and many other interesting items carefully placed around the area.
The food and desserts served at the Jonker Cafe are an absolutely must try for anyone visiting Melaka. Here you will get a taste of the famous Melaka Peranakan Baba and Nyonya cuisine.
I must say that in the last 2 years, I have visited this place 4 times at Jonker Walk. Every time I make a trip to Melaka, I must make it a point to stop here for the addictive food and desserts sold here.
One of my favourite combinations would be the Nyonya Nasi Lemak with the Baba Ice Kacang and my Iced Teh Tarik (Iced Tea with Milk).
The food never goes wrong on my every visit, just that the crowd is getting bigger every time I go there.
I will not be going into details about the food and desserts here as they speak for themselves. After my multiple visits and it still taste good, I can assure you they have a pretty good standard here.
My personal conclusion to Jonker Street 88 Cafe:
- Must visit for the local food, desserts and ambiance
- Does get super crowded on weekends
- Overall charm spoilt by the cheap utensils used
- One of the overtourism places in Melaka
- Turnaround time is pretty quick as people eat and leave fast
- Value for money
Price Range: RM 2.50 to RM6.00 for food
Address for Jonker Dessert 88 Cafe;
Jonker Dessert 88 (Museum Cafe)
88, Jonker Walk
Jalan Hang Jebat 75200
Melaka.
Opening Hours:
Daily – 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Saturdays and Sundays – 10.00 am to 10.00 pm
Contact:
019-3975665 (Jason)
019-2517667 (Jenny)
019-6695959 (Johnson)
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Please note that some of the pictures here were taken from my iPhone 1, which was back in 2009, so do excuse the quality of the photos.
Eating at the Jonker Street Dessert Cafe in Melaka is one of the main highlights for me whenever I visit this old historical city. But remember, this was in 2009, and now, this place is part of the overtourism in Malaysia.
I would recommend you visit this place from Tuesdays till Fridays, as the Jonker Street Dessert Cafe can get really crowded on weekends and long holidays.
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