With the recent trend of hipster cafes creating a false sense of nostalgia, here’s a list of restaurants that have been around for decades and have an old-school charm that none of the new cafes can match.
Tong Ah’s Crispy Thin Kaya Toast ($2.20) is famous for being so crispy that it shatters when you bite into it. The bread is roasted three times to achieve this amount of brittleness, until a uniformly golden-brown exterior is achieved. Alternatively, Traditional Kaya Toast or Steamed Bread with Kaya are both great options. Both meals cost $1.80 a la carte and $4.80 for a set that includes soft-boiled eggs and your choice of coffee or tea.
Address: 35 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089142
Opening Hours: Mon, Tue, Thur – Sun (7am to 10pm) | Wed (7am – 2pm)
If you want to try putu mayam, go visit Heaven’s Indian Curry. This hawker stall specializes in South Indian cuisine and is located in Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre. Their thosai, appam, and, most notably, putu mayam are well-known. The Puttu Mayam is $1 a piece and comes with the usual suspects: a web-like rice vermicelli disc, grated coconut, and a side of brilliant orange-brown sugar. Try the Masala Tosai ($2.50) and Princess Appam ($3), which are both really popular.
Address: 20 Ghim Moh Rd, #01-26, Singapore 270020
Opening Hours: Tues – Sun (6am to 1pm) | Closed on Mondays
Another place to try for old school nostalgic taste is YY Kafei Dian. Chicken Rice ($4), Hainanese Pork Chop ($9/$12/$15), and, of course, Kaya Toast ($1.20) are some of the delicacies they specialize in. Their buns are incredibly thick and fluffy, with a beautifully burnt outside. Choose the kaya toast set ($3.70), which includes two soft-boiled eggs and a cup of aromatic coffee for a full traditional breakfast experience.
Address: 37 Beach Rd, #01-01, Singapore 189678
Opening Hours: Tues – Fri (7.30am to 7pm) | Sat – Sun (8am to 7pm)
Since 1959, Say Seng Famous Tau Kwa Pau in Dunman Food Centre has been selling Tau Kwa Pau ($1.50). Tau Kwa Pau is a traditional Teochew-Nonya dish made of fried beancurd loaded with fishcakes, cucumbers, braised egg, and yam and served with a housemade braised sauce. Although Tau Kwa Pau is typically served as a side dish, it can also be eaten as a snack or a light breakfast to start the day.
Address: 271 Onan Rd, Singapore 424768
Opening Hours: Tues – Sat (7am to 4pm) | Sun (7am to 3pm)
Because Maxwell Food Centre is famed for having the iconic Tian Tian Chicken Rice shop, certain hidden gems like Hum Jin Pang are frequently ignored. If you work near the food centre, stop by Hum Jin Pang for a quick and inexpensive breakfast. Fried fritters packed with red bean contents or seasoned with five spices are airy and chewy. Even for a hawker stall, a bag of six fritters for $1 is exceptionally good value!
Address: 1 Kadayanallur St, #01-28, Singapore 069184
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri (3pm to 8pm) | Sat (4pm to 8pm) | Sun (3.30pm to 8pm)
Head down to these restaurants to satiate your hunger or reminisce your childhood. It’s even better if you’ve never heard of any of these breakfast foods before. Try them out to learn about and experience what cafés and breakfast were like in the past, and hurry because these hidden jewels are quickly disappearing.
This article was brought to you by Raj who is currently fleeing the battle~
