20 Old-School Breakfast Spots For Charcoal-Grilled Kaya Toast, Putu Mayam And More

Breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day, and Singapore provides a plethora of options for us to choose from. However, before aesthetic cafes and grab-and-go sandwiches became our go-to breakfast options, Singaporeans’ typical breakfasts included charcoal-grilled kaya toast, butter coffee, chwee kueh and more.

So, if you are on a hunt for a good ol’ kaya toast to reminisce about the past, here are the best old-school breakfast spots in Singapore you should try!

• 1. Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery

For freshly baked buns available from 6am, head to Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery. You’ll find all kinds of old-school breads here, from the classic Coconut ($1.30) and Cream Puff ($1.10) to Chicken Sausage ($1.30) and Curry Bun ($1.40).

The bakery is open till 2pm, but we hear that their buns usually sell out before the closing hour so we recommend making your way down slightly eralier to secure the goods. Read our Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery review. Address: 49A Serangoon Garden Way, #01-45/46, Serangoon Garden Market, Singapore 555945

Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6am to 2pm Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 2. 1030 Breakfast Shop

1030 Breakfast Shop at Chinatown Complex offers something a little different from the usual mix of kaya toast and kopi. You can enjoy a traditional Taiwanese breakfast here, starting light with the Pork Floss Cheese Toast ($5) or their Signature Toast ($6.50), the latter featuring melted cheese, peanut butter, condensed milk, pork chop, and luncheon meat.

For something more filling, go straight for the Braised Pork Rice, which only costs $2. Read our 1030 Breakfast Shop feature.

Address: 335 Smith Street, #02 215, Chinatown Complex, Singapore 050335 Opening hours: Wed-Sun 7:30am to 2pm

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1030 Breakfast Shop is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 3. Heap Seng Leong

Blast to the past by dining in at Heap Seng Leong. Open since 1974, this coffee shop has captured and preserved the essence of what dining in the 90s was like—rustic kopitiam tables and chairs, old-school cabinets, and iconic tibit containers.

Instead of the thin, crispy kaya toast that we are familiar with, Heap Seng Leong’s Kaya Toast ($1.60) comes in the form of thick, fluffy white bread, toasted on a charcoal grill before it’s slathered with a generous amount of kaya. For a full breakfast, consider upgrading your a la carte toast to a set, which comes with the usual soft-boil eggs and coffee on the side.

While you’re there, don’t forget to try their famous Kopi Gau ($1.20), said to be akin to bulletproof coffee—silky and rich in flavour. Read our Heap Seng Leong feature.

Address: 10 North Bridge Road, #01-5109, Singapore 190010 Opening hours: Daily 5am to 3pm

Tel: 6292 2368

Website

Heap Seng Leong is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 4. Tong Ah Eating House

Another eatery to check out for traditional kaya toast is Tong Ah Eating House. They are known for their Crispy Thin Kaya Toast ($3.40), which is said to be so crispy that it shatters when you bite into it.

To obtain this level of brittleness, the bread is toasted three times, till an evenly golden-brown exterior is obtained. Alternatively, you can consider going for the Traditional Kaya Toast or Steamed Bread with Kaya.

Both are priced at $2.60 for an a la carte meal, and $6.50 for a set that includes soft-boiled eggs and coffee or tea of your choice. Read our Tong Ah Eating House feature. Address: 35 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089142

Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 7am to 10pm, Wed 7am to 2pm Tel: 6223 5083

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Tong Ah Eating House is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 5. Say Seng Famous Tau Kwa Pau

Say Seng Famous Tau Kwa Pau, located in Dunman Food Centre, has been serving Tau Kwa Pau (price TBD) since 1959. If you didn’t know, Tau Kwa Pau is a traditional Teochew-Nonya delicacy that consists of fried beancurd, stuffed with fishcakes, cucumbers, braised egg and yam, doused in a house-made braised sauce.

Although Tau Kwa Pau is usually served as a side dish, you can easily have it as a snack, or as a small, and light breakfast to start your day. Read our Say Seng Famous Tau Kwa Pau review. Address: 271 Onan Road, #01-05, Dunman Food Centre, Singapore 424768

Opening hours: Wed-Fri 7am to 4pm, Sat-Sun 7am to 3:30pm Tel: 9488 7736

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Say Seng Famous Tau Kwa Pau is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 6. Chin Mee Chin Confectionery

If you are looking for something truly nostalgic and old school, visit Chin Mee Chin Confectionery. Here, you’ll be able to find the iconic Singaporean breakfast done traditionally—charcoal-grilled Kaya Toast ($2.80), Soft-boiled Eggs ($2.20), and coffee, however you like it. You can also have it as a set that is priced at ($6.20).

They have also brought back their classic baked goods—Plain Cupcake with Almond Topping ($2.30) and Chocolate Cupcake ($2.50), and expanded their baked options to artisanal items such as Cream Horn ($2.80) and Gula Melaka Coffee Chiffon Cake ($2.90). Read our Chin Mee Chin Confectionery feature.

Address: 204 East Coast Road, Singapore 428903 Opening hours: Daily 8am to 4pm

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Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 7. YY Kafei Dian

YY Kafei Dian is another breakfast spot for you to explore. They specialise in Hainanese-style dishes, such as Lemon Chicken Rice ($5.80), Pork Chop Rice ($5.80), and Kaya Toast Bun ($1.70).

Similar to Heap Seng Leong, their buns are extremely thick and fluffy, with a beautifully charred exterior. For a full traditional breakfast experience, opt for the kaya toast set, which comes with two soft-boiled eggs and a cup of aromatic coffee.

Read our YY Kafei Dian feature. Address: 37 Beach Road, #01-01, Singapore 189678 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am to 7pm, Sat-Sun 8am to 7pm

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YY Kafei Dian is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 8. The Beef House

For a traditional Hakka-style breakfast, visit The Beef House. The items here are not your usual toast and kopi, but something more comforting and filling.

Their menu includes items such as the Beef Ball Soup ($5) or the Slice Beef Kway Teow Dry Set (from $5). For easy access, The Beef House is located at a coffeeshop near Farrer Park MRT Station! Check out our The Beef House review.

Address: 217 Syed Alwi Road, Gar Lok Eating House, Singapore 207776 Opening hours: TBD

Tel: 9665 4919 The Beef House is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 9. Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh

You might easily find Teochew Kueh peppered around Singapore, however, having them handmade is hard to come by. Enters Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh. As the name suggests, this hawker stall makes their kueh from scratch, which may be hard to come by these days.

At Lai Heng, you can opt for your kueh to be either steamed or fried. Go for the crowd favourite, Soon Kueh ($1.30), which is said to have a lovely QQ skin when steamed, and a crispy, charred exterior when fried.

Otherwise, check out the Png Kueh ($1.60), Chives Kueh ($1.30), and Cabbage Kueh ($1.30). Read our Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh feature. Address: 347 Jurong East Avenue 1, #01-218, Yuhua Place, Singapore 600347

Opening Hours: Tue-Fri 6:30am to 3pm, Sat-Sun 6:30am to 4pm Tel: 9455 6341

Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 10. Molly’s Nyonya Kueh

If you’d like some old-school nyonya kueh for breakfast, then Molly’s Nyonya Kueh is a great option. It has a wide selection of kueh, bao, and rice dumplings, with prices that are kept affordable.

An underrated item is their golf ball-sized Ondeh Ondeh (price TBD), packed with shredded coconut that’s cooked in fragrant and sweet gula melaka. Check out the best ondeh ondeh in Singapore.

Address: 104 Hougang Avenue 1, #01-1121, Singapore 530104 Opening hours: Sun 6am to 5pm, Mon & Sat 6am to 6:30pm, Tue-Fri 6am to 7:30pm

Tel: 6286 4234

Website

Molly’s Nonya Kuehs is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 11. Kuehs and Snacks

You might or might not have heard of Chi Kak Kueh, AKA Black Herbal Kueh, or Shu Ke Kueh. This features a mugwort-infused kueh, with an unusual black-coloured skin, encasing a green bean or black sesame filling.

This is one of the rarest items in Singapore, and fortunately, you can find it at Kuehs And Snacks. They are known for their Ang Ku Kueh ($1.30), where you can choose from eight different flavours for the former.

Some popular flavours include green bean, peanut, sesame, yam, and even durian.

Alexandra Village outlet

Address: Block 125, Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-164, Alexandra Village C3, Singapore 150125 Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8:30am to 7pm

Empress Road Food Centre outlet

Address: 7 Empress Road, #01-84, Empress Road Food Centre, Singapore 260007 Opening hours: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 9:30am to 1:30pm

Website

Kuehs And Snacks is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 12. Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake

Situated at Berseh Food Centre in Jalan Besar, Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake is one of the last few stalls in Singapore that specialises in traditional oyster cakes. Originating from Fuzhou, this disappearing snack is shaped like a UFO, encasing a medley of ingredients: oysters, peanuts, prawns and parsley.

This dough is then deep-fried till it reaches a deep golden colour. The menu at Fu Zhou Poh Hwa is simple.

You can either get a normal-sized oyster cake ($2.80) or an upsize version ($3.30), which is said to have more filling and an extra prawn. If you’d like to get your hands on one, we recommend heading down early as they tend to attract a queue, and sell out before closure.

Address: 166 Jalan Besar, #02-34, Berseh Food Centre, Singapore 208877 Opening hours: Wed-Mon 10:30am to 6pm Tel: 8112 5286

Website

Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 13. Heaven’s

If you are looking for putu mayam, head down to Heaven’s. Located at Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre, this hawker stall specialises in South-Indian cuisine.

They’re known for their thosai, appam, and putu mayam. Priced at $3 for two pieces, the Puttu Mayam is served with the usual suspects: a web-like rice vermicelli disc, with grated coconut, and bright orange brown sugar on the side. While you are there, try The Masala ($3) and The Princess ($4), which are some of the most popular choices.

Address: 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-26, Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre, Singapore 270020 Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6am to 1pm

Website

Heaven’s is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 14. Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh

Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh is another breakfast spot you can consider while you’re at Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre. This stall has been using the same ol’ recipe that they did 60-and-more years ago, yet many of its long-time patrons just keep coming back for more. Priced at $2.40 for four pieces, the chwee kueh here stands out from the crowd with its smooth and soft texture, topped with its robust, savoury chye poh.

Address: 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-54, Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre Singapore 270020 Opening hours: Daily 6:30am to 5pm

Tel: 9176 6850

Website

Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 15. Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies

Located at Shunfu Market, Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies serves a range of Hakka-style breakfasts to kick-start your day. If it is your first time, go for the popular choice—Taro Skin Turnip Dumping ($1.70), and Yam Porridge (from $3).

The former has been highly praised for its thin and chewy skin, making customers come back for more. Alternatively, you can check out other traditional items, such as the Yam Cake (from $4), Abacus Yam Ball (from $5) and more.

Address: 320 Shunfu Road, #02-26, Shunfu Market, Singapore 570320 Opening hours: Wed-Fri 6:30am to 1pm, Sat-Sun 6:30am to 2:30pm

Tel: 9799 0397

Website

Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 16. Keng Wah Sung

With over 70 years of history, Keng Wah Sung is one of the longest-standing coffeeshops in Singapore serving kaya toast. There’s the Kaya Toast Set (price TBD) if you’d like something more filling, or simply get the toast alone. Address: 783 Geylang Road, Singapore 389672

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 5:30am to 11pm Keng Wah Sung is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 17. Hassan Stall

If you’re looking for old-school Mee Rebus (price TBD) or Mee Siam (price TBD) for breakfast, then you can’t go wrong with Hassan Stall. Having started as a stall in a kampung house in 1959, Hassan Stall is now located in Changi Village Hawker Centre, where it serves up homely dishes to this day.

Aside from the two aforementioned dishes, the stall also offers solid plates of Laksa (price TBD), Lontong (price TBD), and more. Address: 2 Changi Village Road, #01-29, Changi Village Hawker Centre, Singapore 500002

Opening hours: Daily 24 hours Hassan Stall is a Muslim-owned eatery.

• 18. Sin Ming Roti Prata

There are plenty of roti prata places in Singapore to have breakfast at, but few have the legendary status that Sin Ming Roti Prata has. The stall is known for its crispy yet chewy prata made with handmade dough that leaves a fragrant, buttery taste in your mouth.

Options include the ever-popular Coin Prata and Chicken Floss Prata, but if simplicity is what you want, go for the Kosong Prata. Check with the staff for the prices!

Address: 24 Sin Ming Road, #01-51, Gim Huat Coffeeshop, Singapore 570024 Opening hours: Daily 6:30am to 6pm

Website

Sin Ming Roti Prata is a Muslim-owned eatery.

• 19. Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak makes nasi lemak a little differently from the rest; they use long-grain basmati rice instead of jasmine rice. As a result, their version is light and fluffy, which goes well with the sweet sambal.

Prices here begin from $4 for a Regular Meal that comes with basic ingredients such as ikan bilis, egg, coconut rice, cucumber slices, and sambal. If you’re feeling especially hungry, go for their Royal Rumble ($7), which packs a fried chicken wing, ikan kuning, otak-otak, and begedil—a hearty start to your mornings.

Address: 2 Adam Road, #01-02, Adam Food Centre, Singapore 289876 Opening hours: Sat-Thurs 7am to 3pm

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak is a Muslim-owned eatery.

• 20. 327 Fried Beehoon

Nestled within a conclave of HDB estates in Hougang, 327 Fried Bee Hoon is a great spot for classic economic bee hoon that offers a variety of delicious ingredients. Fried to an inviting coffee brown, the Fried Chicken Thigh is well-seasoned and succulent, with a serving of fried bee hoon. The eatery also serves a good Nasi Lemak that’s known for its smooth and aromatic coconut rice.

Check with the staff for the prices! Address: Blk 327 Hougang Avenue 5, #01-156, Kimly Coffeeshop, Singapore 530327

Opening hours: Mon-Tue, Thurs-Fri 4am to 11am, Sat-Sun 3:30am to 11am Tel: 9371 7862

Website

327 Fried Bee Hoon is not a halal-certified eatery.

Where to get old-school breakfast in Singapore

Head down to any of these eateries to either satisfy your cravings or to relive your childhood.

If you are on the lookout for more traditional items, read our guide to the best traditional bakeries in Singapore. We also compiled a guide to ice cream uncles in Singapore for nostalgic $1.50 treats.

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