For those who live in Clementi, Balmoral Bakery is an old-school bakery that would be no stranger to you. With roots dating back to the mid-1960s, Balmoral Bakery is well-loved for their baked pastries and fluffy cakes.

If you’re not sure where Balmoral Bakery is, all you’ll need to do is use your sense of smell to guide you. We kid you not — that’s how amazing their bakes smell even from a distance away. Here’s what you can expect at this traditional bakery.

Balmoral Bakery is located at the edge of the rows of shops at Sunset Way Residence. However, what makes this humble bakery stand out is its brick walls and tiled flooring. Given that the logo of Balmoral Bakery bears resemblance to the Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the choice of red brick walls for the bakery’s was definitely an appropriate choice.

Although Balmoral Bakery doesn’t occupy a very large store space, customers would be impressed by the range of baked goods that they carry within the store. We were drawn in by the rows of freshly baked pastries which made a feast for the eyes.

The pastries at Balmoral Bakery are priced affordably and most are below S$2 each. Our picks were the Chicken Pie (S$1.80), Char Siew Soh (S$1.60) and the Beef Pie (S$2.50). Other options that you can choose include the Chicken Curry Puff (S$1.60), Beef Curry Puff (S$1.60) and Sausage Roll (S$1.60).

Our thoughts? We were big fans of the Chicken Pie and Beef Pie. Each pastry was filled with large chunks of meat, and the flavours were rich and slightly peppery. Best of all? The pastry crust was crispy and flaky even after keeping the pies in the fridge and reheating them the next day. That means you can order more pies and freeze them for future consumption.

As for the Char Siew Soh, whilst the pastry had a pleasing appearance, we weren’t impressed by its flavour. So if you’re visiting Balmoral Bakery for the first time, we’d recommend giving this a miss.

The Bacon & Onion Quiche (S$2.50) was a pretty decent option. The quiche was filled with a generous portion of bacon and white onions, and the saltiness of the bacon was a beautiful contrast to the sweetness of the white onions. The egg custard of the Bacon & Onion Quiche was also pretty tasty and the layer of melted cheese atop the pastry brought all the flavours together.

It would be a crime to leave a traditional bakery without ordering some of their traditional western cakes. We selected Coconut, Vanilla, Kaya Pandan, Chocolate and Coffee Chocolate, all of which were priced at S$1.80 per slice. The buttercream of each slice of cake was light and not overly sweet, and the texture of the cakes was soft and sufficiently fluffy.

Balmoral Bakery
105 Clementi Street 12,
#01-06, Singapore 120105
Tel: 6779 2064

In this day and age, you don’t often come across bakeries that are open 24 hours every day. Sing Hon Loong Bakery is a traditional bakery at Whampoa which sells old-school buns throughout the day. Yes, that’s right; all day, every day. 

With more than 50 years of history, this is one of the best bakeries to visit for a trip down memory lane or if you’re looking for a quick yet reliable fix for that random carb craving. Here’s what you can expect at Sing Hon Loong Bakery. 

For those who intend to pay Sing Hon Loong Bakery a visit, do keep in mind that this is a humble and unpretentious family business who is just focused on selling straightforward, simple bakes. Don’t expect a wide selection of different or fancy-flavoured breads here. This is where simplicity is at its best.

When you drop by, you need to pick up a few of Sing Hon Loong Bakery’s traditional loaves which would pair perfectly with a cup of Kopi or Teh. Out of the few that we picked, we would recommend the Red Bean Buns (a set for S$2.50) which were fragrant, soft, and contained a satisfying portion of red bean filling. 

But if you’re looking for a quick snack, Sing Hon Loong carries a decent spread of classic buns for your picking. Popular classic bun flavours include Coconut (S$2), Red Bean (S$1.20) and Curry (S$1.50). Although these classic buns were priced more affordably than buns you’d find in commercial bakeries, we were pleasantly surprised with the soft and fluffy texture of the bread, and the generous portion of filling within each classic bun. 

Sing Hon Loong Bakery
4 Whampoa Drive
Singapore 327715
Tel: 6256 0878

For those who grew up in the West side of Singapore, Ng Kim Lee Confectionery would be a name familiar to you. A family-run bakery situated along Chun Tin Road, Ng Kim Lee Confectionery is known for selling Teochew-style pastries and traditional Western cakes at affordable prices.

Here’s why you should pay a visit to this bakery the next time you are in the Upper Bukit Timah area.

Step back into time once you reach the doorstep of Ng Kim Lee Confectionery. From traditional patterned tiled floors to the blue Bostwick collapsible gates (aka shophouse grilles), these are just some reasons why this humble bakery has stayed popular with many Singaporeans for more than 60 years.

Pastries always taste best freshly baked, and this is exactly what you’d get at Ng Kim Lee Confectionery. One of their top-selling bakes is the mini butter muffins.

At just S$0.70 per piece, you’d be able to sample many of their flavours without feeling the pinch. As we arrived rather late in the day, we only managed to pick up a couple of their Strawberry Muffins and Jam Muffins. These mini butter muffins had a balanced taste and was not overly buttery.

Other popular pastries that we sampled were the Honey Chicken Siew Pao (S$1.60 per piece) and Portuguese Egg Tart (S$1.50 per piece). The crust of the Honey Chicken Siew Pao was crispy and when cut, revealed tasty chicken chunks enveloped by a buttery flaky crust. The filling of the Portuguese Egg Tart had a slight milky flavour and its pastry was not overcooked.

If you fancy something sweeter, Ng Kim Lee Confectionery offers a decent spread of traditional Western cakes for your picking. We were told that the Durian Mousse Cake (S$3) and the Yam Mousse Cake (S$3) were their most popular flavours. Though you’d expect these ingredients to have strong flavours, both cakes were soft, slightly sweet, and light in flavour.

You can also pick up childhood snacks (such as Iced Gems, Pig Ears at S$3 per packet), Tau Sar Piah (S$4.50 per packet) and Walnut Biscuits (S$3 per packet) here. A tip: As their freshly baked pastries sell out quickly, we recommend visiting the bakery earlier in the day. Elsewise, drop by to enquire about their daily baking schedule so that you can pick up your favourite bakes fresh out of the oven.

Ng Kim Lee Confectionery
4 Chun Tin Road
Singapore 599591

A stalwart bastion of traditional nonya kuehs, Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry has been enamouring senses since its inception in the 1970s, enrapturing with its beautiful array of traditional kuehs and baked goods.

It has been reported by Eatbook that the famous old-school bakery may be closing its current space in Tiong Bahru due to an impending sale of their shophouse unit. However, it remains unclear whether Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry is closing for good or simply moving to a new shop.

Photo by Nicholas Poey

When we contacted the Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry about their closure, the staff was hesitant and reluctant to confirm that they are closing for good and she brushed us off by asking us to “visit them soon to buy their kuehs”.

For those of you who haven’t been to Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry, it is an old-school confectionery in Tiong Bahru that sees long queues daily, this family-owned business is untouched by time and specialises in nonya kueh.

Go for the classics here for a taste of nostalgia—their kueh kosui and ongol-ongol are results of a precarious culinary balancing act, and their bestsellling putu ayu have both a coconut and gula melaka crown for added flavour and texture contrast.

If you’re early and lucky, you have to try their signature Putu Ayu. These cute little pandan cakes are topped with desiccated coconut and gula melaka; so soft and subtly sweet with a lovely fragrance, you can’t stop at just one!

Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry
Block 55 Tiong Bahru Road #01-39
Singapore 160055
Tel: +65 6324 1686

Read our guide on 20 Nonya Kueh places in Singapore to satisfy your kueh cravings.

If you happen to be an avid fan of nostalgia, then Biscuit King is a place you most definitely have to check out. Situated along Upper Thomson Road, Biscuit King is just a few shops down from the famous Casuarina Curry Restaurant.

Stepping into this old-school biscuit shop will transport you back to your beloved childhood days—that is if you happen to be born before the late 90s.

From iconic past-times such as ‘pick-up sticks’ and ‘snakes and ladders’ that we used to indulge in back in primary school, to childhood snack time favourites such as iced gems to pineapple jam biscuits, Biscuit King is a place worth checking out even if you have never heard of these traditional snacks and games.

Be spoiled for choices at Biscuit King, there is a huge variety of old-school snacks for you to choose from.

Other than traditional snacks, you can also find classic games and toys such as pick-up sticks, marbles and even old maid and donkey cards.

Biscuit King
130 Casuarina Rd
Tel: +65 6458 0925

We all have a soft spot for nostalgic places that remind us of the good times and bring us back to rekindle the fondest memories of the past.

Especially the old-school ones, just family-run traditional eateries in Singapore that serve up hearty and honest food. These are the OG spots where our parents and even grandparents used to eat at years ago.

Here are 10 old-school eateries in Singapore that you should visit before they close down for good.

ANANDA BHAVAN RESTAURANT

Established in 1924, Ananda Bhavan Restaurant is the oldest Indian vegetarian restaurant in Singapore. The very first restaurant that opened was located along Selegie Road, at the rim of Little India and is a popular spot among locals.

Ananda Bhavan has many traditional snacks and tiffin dishes on its menu with their thosai, thali sets and bhatura being crowd favourites.

58 Serangoon Road
Singapore 217964
Tel: +65 6396 5464

CHIN CHIN EATING HOUSE

Chin Chin Eating House has been around for decades and it is known for their chicken rice and Hainanese dishes. You must order the signature Hainanese pork chops!

19 Purvis Street
Singapore 188598
Tel: +65 66337 4640

COLBAR

Offering a full-on menu of both Asian and Western fare, Colbar is one of the few gems in Singapore that we can safely say, has truly stood the test of time. Opened in 1953, the establishment formerly served as a canteen for the British army. It, therefore, gave rise to its name, Colbar, otherwise referred to as ‘Colonial Bar’.

Granted, Colbar’s food isn’t exactly cheap. But few places in Singapore can match the dining experience here.

Colbar
9A Whitchurch Road
Singapore 138839
Tel: +65 6779 4859

HEAP SENG LEONG

Heap Seng Leong is one of the surviving coffee shops in Singapore that still sells this old-school drink. Entering their humble space is often described as walking into a museum showcase of a 1950s kopitiam.

The old furnishing and dim lighting inside felt like a serene contrast to the modern coffeeshop right beside Heap Seng Leong. Time stood still as we started our day there and nourished ourselves while the uncle who wears the same pajamas each day went about pouring coffee for other customers. Having a slow breakfast there made for a peaceful morning.

10 North Bridge Rd, #01-5109
Singapore 190010
Tel: +65 6292 2368

GUAN HOE SOON

Guan Hoe Soon is a hidden gem in Joo Chiat that has dedicated itself to Peranakan cuisine ever since 1953. The restaurant might be a little bit of a hassle to get to unless you drive, but the food speaks of something worth the effort of getting to.

Here is where you can get proper Peranakan food as good as the ones your Nonya grandparents used to whip up (if you ever had any). Expect the classics such as their Ayam Buah Keluak, Assam Fish and Babi Panggang.

40 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427764
Tel: +65 6344 2761

LOVE CONFECTIONERY

When it comes to traditional confectioneries done right, nothing beats a good-old vintage bakery or confectionery. One such confectionery that still stands and is still a perennial favourite among many Singaporeans, is Love Confectionery.

At this neighbourhood bakery located in Alexandra Village, you won’t find dainty designs or out-of-this-world flavour pairings. Instead, what you can be sure of, are rich, sweet and intensely flavoured cakes that will no doubt have you yearning for the gym after—from their oh-so-decadent buttercream cake and their ever-popular, pandan chiffon cake.

122 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-60
Singapore 150122
Tel: +65 6278 2385

RED STAR RESTAURANT

Perhaps one of the few remaining authentic, old-school dim sum restaurants in Singapore—that comes with middle-aged ladies pushing food carts around with a myriad of edible dim sum treats—is Red Star Restaurant.

Red Star is nowhere near any most of the great dim sum restaurants in Singapore, in fact, quality has dropped a lot over the years. But it will always hold a special place in our hearts as we have grown up dining here.

54 Chin Swee Road #07-23
Singapore 160054
Tel: +65 6532 5266

SINGAPORE ZAM ZAM

Serving up delicious murtabak since 1908, Singapore Zam Zam is a humble restaurant located along North Bridge Road that is no stranger to locals—especially the meat lovers. Our personal favourites include the mutton murtabak that sees generous amounts of minced mutton, egg and onions as well as the chicken murtabak that uses shreds of chicken instead.

697-699 North Bridge Road
Singapore 198675
Tel: +65 6298 6320

TONG AH EATING HOUSE

Previously located in an iconic red and white building, Tong Ah Eating House is a traditional coffee shop that has been around since 1939 and has gained recognition for both its charcoal-toasted and steamed kaya toast.

While there is no lack of kaya toast places in Singapore, Tong Ah Eating House is one of those eateries that keeps customers going back for more. Everything is kept simple—from the modest wall decorations to their humble kaya toast and traditional coffee.

35 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089142
Tel: +65 6223 5083

YY KAFEI DIAN

Located in an old shophouse at the junction of Beach Road and Purvis Street, YY Kafei Dian is known for its traditional Hainanese fare and their famous old-school kaya toast, kopi.

On the menu, you can find Hainanese fare including chicken rice, Hainanese-style pork chops, Hainan Braised Pork Belly and a range of zi char dishes.

There is always a long queue during lunch hours, so make sure that you get there early.

37 Beach Rd, #01-01, Singapore 189678
Tel: +65 6336 8813

Singapore has gone through plenty of changes over the years and we have evolved from a humble little fishing village to a bustling economic hub. As we continue to progress and grow, it is inevitable that we leave behind certain parts of our culture and roots.

One area that has certainly gone through plenty of changes is our food scene. Over the years, with new food fads popping up all over the place, old school snacks and eats have been pushed aside and forgotten, especially by the new generation of youths. We bet that if you approach any teenager now and ask them if they want to follow you to get some bo bo cha cha, they would respond with a blank stare and a confused “huh?”.

For those of you who are sick of the salted egg and mala trends and believe that old is gold, here is our guide to 10 old-school places in Singapore that sell nostalgic foods from your childhood. For the people who don’t know anything about traditional Singapore food, educate yourselves by reading this list.

75 AH BALLING PEANUT SOUP 

Tang Yuan—also known as Glutinous Rice Dumplings—is a Chinese dessert traditionally eaten during the Winter Solstice. It is made from glutinous rice flour shaped into balls that encase different types of fillings such as peanut and sesame paste, which are then served in a sweetened soup.

75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup is one of our favourite places that serves up comforting bowls of this classic dessert. They originally started out as a simple pushcart stall along Jalan Sultan but ever since they’ve gained popularity, they now have multiple outlets islandwide.

Blk 85 Bedok North Street 4, #01-25
85 Fengshan Centre
Singapore 460085
Sun to Thu: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Bedok

**Multiple outlets islandwide

BISCUIT KING 

If you happen to be an avid fan of nostalgia and all things authentically Singaporean, then Biscuit King is a place you definitely have to check out. Stepping into this humble snack shop will transport you back to the heydays where these treats used to be more readily available.

From iconic games such as Old Maid and Happy Family to childhood snack time favourites such as iced gems, this is a place worth checking out no matter which generation you belong to. They also make an effort to retain their goodies in their original packaging so it looks and feels like the real deal.

130 Casuarina Road
Singapore 579518
Tel: +65 6458 0925
Tue to Sun: 11am – 10pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Yio Chu Kang

CHA DIAN 

Tucked away at Amoy Street Food Centre is Cha Dian, a humble stall that anyone with a sheer love for traditional hand-made Teochew kueh should patronise. They specialise in a whole range of savoury, vegetable-stuffed kueh that come either steamed or fried.

If you’re spoilt for choice, we recommend that you try their classic Peng Kueh as well as the fried Pumpkin Cake. You can also ask the stall owner for an extra dollop of dark sweet sauce and chilli to enhance the experience!

7 Maxwell Road, #02-135
Singapore 069111
Tel: +65 9799 2003
Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 2.30pm
(Closed on Weekends)
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Photo Credit: Fatt Soon Kueh 

FATT SOON KUEH 

Fatt Soon Kueh specialises in all sorts of traditional Teochew kueh and is easily one of our favourite Teochew Kueh spots to patronise in Singapore. Their savoury snacks are all wrapped and steamed in-house to ensure utmost freshness.

Their best-sellers include their Soon Kueh and Png Kueh. Topped with a sweet black sauce and a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, this is a solid snack to have in between meals. We recommend paying the stall a visit during off-peak hours to avoid having a long wait.

208B New Upper Changi Road, 01-18
Singapore 460208
Mon to Sat: 9am – 7.30pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Bedok

GRANNY’S PANCAKE 

Love peanut pancakes? So do we. There is something oh-so-nostalgic about chomping down on these peanut-laden goodies and we absolutely love that satisfying crunch from the granules of sugar and nuts.

Stalls that specialise in peanut cakes are a dime in a dozen nowadays and it’s the folks like the ones who run Granny’s Pancake that make us all the more thankful that this childhood favourite hasn’t completely disappeared from the face of the earth. Serving up the classic peanut cake as well as others with different fillings, this humble stall is definitely a must-visit!

20 Ghim Moh Road
#01-52, Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre
Singapore 270020
Daily: 5am – 2pm
Nearest Station: Buona Vista

**Multiple outlets islandwide

JIE BAKERY 

When we crave for bread, several big names will immediately spring to mind. There are the more commercialised brands such as BreadTalk and Four Leaves, convenience stores, franchise bakeries or even petrol kiosks.

However, when it comes to freshly baked bread, nothing beats a traditional bakery. Trumping regular store-bought loaves any day, Jie Bakery is one of the few surviving traditional bakeries in Singapore that pushes out authentic, nostalgic bakes. Baked without preservatives using a recipe that has been perfected for the past 30 years, their bread is wholesome, fluffier than most and excellent with kaya slapped on.

123 Upper Paya Lebar Road
Singapore 534837
Tel: +65 9818 8386
Mon to Sat: 7am – 11pm
Sun: 10am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

LEK LIM NONYA CAKE CONFECTIONERY 

Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery is a Halal-certified bakery that has been around since the 1960s and they specialise in producing traditional nonya snacks. All these snacks are laboriously made by hand daily, which is what makes them so authentic. Their kuehs also have no preservatives in them to ensure that the quality and taste remains consistent and on point.

Some of the snacks that you can expect to indulge in are Ang Ku Kueh, Soon Kueh, Peng Kueh and Gu Chai Kueh. Beside kueh, they also have snacks like Curry Puffs, Sardine Puffs, Spring Rolls and Yam Cake.

84 Bedok North Street 4, #01-21
Singapore 460084
Tel: +65 6449 0815
Mon to Sat: 6am — 6pm
Sun: 6am – 2pm
Nearest Station: Bedok Reservoir

LIT LIT XIN 

Located just beside Northpoint City is Nice Snack Corner, a coffee shop that is home to a plethora of cheap and good eats. One of the stalls here that is worth mentioning is Lit Lit Xin, which specialises in Popiah and old school desserts such as Ice Kachang, Red Bean Soup and Bo Bo Cha Cha.

Our favourite is the classic Ice Kachang and we like how they allow diners to customise them however they please. This icy treat is perfect for combatting Singapore’s sweltering hot weather!

NO NAME CHENG TNG 

The solution to Singapore’s merciless weather is a refreshing bowl of cheng tng, which is essentially a clear, cooling soup that was drunk by coolies in the heydays. Each bowl of cheng tng is typically filled with gingko nuts, dried longan, red dates, candied winter melons and white fungus.

No Name Cheng Tng serves up some of the best Cheng Tng around and their thirst-quenching bowls of goodness are a lifesaver when the weather gets too unbearable. We also like how the Cheng Tng here has a much sweeter flavour as compared to most places.

69 #01-490 Bedok South Avenue
Block 69
Singapore 460069
Tue to Sun: 12.30pm – 8.15pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Tanah Merah

PING KEE POPIAH 

Ping Kee Popiah is one of the biggest mainstays at Sembawang Hills Food Centre and they have been consistently pushing out homely popiahs and kueh pie tees. Helmed by an amiable couple, they’ve been serving the same great popiahs for many years.

The ingredients used to make their popiahs are extremely fresh. Filled with crunchy bean sprouts, eggs, grounded peanut and plenty of braised turnip, it made for a myriad of textures playing on the tongue and created a familiar and satisfying mouthful. Despite such a generous serving of filling, the skin was surprisingly sturdy and held all the sauces and ingredients well without turning soggy or tearing apart.

590 Upper Thomson Road
#01-32 Sembawang Hill Food Centre
Singapore 574419
Tue to Sat: 11.15am – 8pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

It is such a shame that traditional bakeries are vanishing as Singapore’s economy progresses. The food industry is competitive and many older confectioneries have long given way to other profitable businesses. That comes as no surprise as Singaporeans are only willing to pay S$1 for a local treat, but have no qualms splurging S$10 on a premium cake.

Fortunately, several age-old establishments’ utmost dedication in serving handcrafted heritage delicacies have withstood the test of time and transient fads. The only worry is whether there would be young Singaporean artisans to take over this tough trade.

From halal-certified Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery to award-winning Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring, here is our guide to 11 Traditional Bakeries In Singapore To Check Out.

Photo Credit: cheehuey

BALMORAL BAKERY

One of the oldest bakeries in Singapore, Balmoral Bakery has been dishing out its baked goods to its loyal customers since 1965. With baked goods piped with buttercream sold in paper boxes featuring a vintage red print, Balmoral Bakery is a throwback to the good ol’ days.

105 Clementi Street 12
Singapore 120105
Tel: +65 6779 2064

JIE TRADITIONAL BREAD BAKERY

Feeling nostalgic for old-school roti loaves that are freshly sliced right in front of your eyes? Then head down to Jie Traditional Bread Bakery, one of the older bakeries in Singapore that remains unfazed by Singapore’s rapid development.

The rustic bakery still exudes quaint old-world charm and is a must-visit for those who wish to teleport back to the old days. If you’ve ever wondered where those rainbow-coloured bread—the ones commonly found at push kart ice cream stands—come from, here’s your answer.

123 Upper Paya Lebar Road
Singapore 534837
Tel: +65 6289 7461
Mon to Sat: 7am – 11.30pm
Sun: 10am – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

JI XIANG CONFECTIONERY

Ji Xiang Confectionery has been handcrafting traditional Ang Ku Kueh since 1988 and the family-run business is fortunately unthreatened by the rising number of cafes in its vicinity. These handmade Chinese pastries are usually filled with sweet mung bean or peanut but you can also find other flavours such as Coconut, Corn, Salted Bean and Yam over at Ji Xiang.

1 Everton Park
Singapore 081001
Tel: +65 6223 1631
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 5pm
Sat: 8am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Outram Park / Tanjong Pagar

LEK LIM NONYA CAKE CONFECTIONERY

Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery is a Halal-certified bakery that takes pride in serving a plethora of traditional Peranakan delights. It started in 1968 when they first started selling tasty homemade kuehs and the rest is history.

Savour their signature Ang Ku Kueh (S$0.55 per piece), Kueh Lapis Nonya (S$0.65 per piece) and Kueh Kao Swee (S$0.65).

#01-21, Block 84
Bedok North Street 4
Singapore 460084
Tel: +65 6449 0815
Mon to Sat: 6.30am – 6pm
Sun: 6.30am – 2pm
Nearest Station: Bedok / Tanah Merah

LOVE CONFECTIONERY

Love Confectionery is located beside Alexander Village Food Centre and has been a perennial favourite amongst residents since their childhood days for its buttercream cakes and homemade spreads. Their pandan cake remains a hot seller and is one that definitely warrants a try.

Block 122 #01-60
Bukit Merah Lane 1
Singapore 150122
Tel: +65 6278 2385
Daily: 12pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Queenstown / Redhill

LEUNG SANG HONG KONG PASTRIES

Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries is Heaven on Earth. Upon stepping in, you would be greeted by the aroma of fresh bakes and everything wonderful. This old-school looking confectionery may look next to nothing, but they have one of the best egg tarts in Singapore

We first had the egg tarts from Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries back in 2007, and we have been fans of it ever since. The confectionery used to be on Sago Street – inconspicuous and hard to locate. But the ones in the know make it there anyway. Today, they sit on Jalan Membina, opposite Tiong Bahru Bakery.

Other pastries that are baked in-house and sold at Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries include Roasted Chicken Pastry, Polo Buns, Lotus Seed Century Egg Pastry and Mushroom Chicken Pie.

Photo Credit: Ben Lim

NG KIM LEE CONFECTIONERY

Old is indeed gold. Ng Kim Lee Confectionery is one long-standing traditional bakery that has won itself a legion of loyal patrons over the past 60 years. The vast selection of cakes and pastries sold here will have you spoilt rotten for choice.

The best part? Prices remain extremely affordable in this old Chinese bakery.

4 Chun Tin Road
Singapore 599591
Tel: +65 6466 3515
Mon to Sat: 9.30am – 9.30pm
Sun: 9am – 1pm
Nearest Station: Beauty World

Photo Credit: The Pine Garden

THE PINE GARDEN

Located in the Ang Mo Kio heartlands, The Pine Garden is famous for their airy light buttercream sponge cakes. The household establishment is very popular amongst Singaporeans—especially those residing in the North. Despite being a traditional bakery, The Pine Garden also tries to be innovative by launching new items such as alcoholic cakes.

529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10
#01-236/9
Singapore 560529
Daily: 9.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

SING HON LOONG BAKERY

Sing Hon Loong Bakery’s secluded location triggered our curiosity—how does the age-old bakery survive with such little traffic? As it turns out, the traditional store is a supplier of chain store of popular Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Besides their signature bread loaves, Sin Hon Loong also sells cheese and sugar buns.

4 Whampoa Drive
Singapore 327715
Tel: +65 6256 0878
Daily: 24-hours
Nearest Station: Novena / Boon Keng

TRADITIONAL HAIG ROAD PUTU PIRING

Award-winning Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring is renowned for their putu pirings and has been unanimously coined by foodies as Singapore’s best. The queue is notoriously long, but endure the wait and you are treated to piping hot Malay rice cakes stuffed with palm sugar. These sweet delights are steamed fresh upon order and topped off with salted grated coconut.

Haig Road Market & Food Centre
Stall #01-08, 14 Haig Road
Singapore 430014
Tel: +65 9688 3067
Daily: 11am to 10pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

Photo Credit: Tong Heng

TONG HENG

Chinese bakery Tong Heng has been around since Singapore’s colonial days and is most well known for their mouthwatering diamond-shaped egg tarts. Besides the must-order egg tarts, visitors can indulge in other Cantonese confectionery such as Char Siew Crispy Cakes and Curry Puffs.

Having undergone a massive revamp, their stall now exudes a rather modern, almost cafe-like appeal that’s great for simply lounging about over a hot coffee and a couple of freshly baked egg tarts.

285 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058833
Tel: +65 6223 3649
Daily: 9am to 10pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Kaya toast and eggs is the nation’ favourite breakfast combination. Together with an aromatic cup of local-style coffee or tea – or what we affectionately call kopi or teh – it is the simplest form of comfort food and one that we will never get sick of.

Whenever we dine at YaKun or Toast Box, we’d wish for an operator to reinvent the environment of a toast-and-eggs joint with a modern and cafe-like take. So when we heard about La’ Coffee - located next to Old Hen Coffee Bar in the Rangoon Road neighbourhood - we headed down on its first week of operation to check them out.

La’ Coffee is not your usual kaya toast places like Yakun and Toastbox; it is quite essentially a modern café that focuses on old school snacks such as traditional bread like Kaya Toast (S$3.50), Butter Sugar Toast (S$3.50); traditional coffee and tea (S$3.50 – S$4) – Teh, Teh O, Kopi C, Kopi O – as well as Asian snacks like Yam Cake (S$4) and Chee Cheong Fun (S$4). You can opt for the Combo Set (S$8.50) which comes with toast, half boiled eggs and coffee/tea.

Actually, La’ Coffee is a really good concept, but it could have been more well-executed if more thoughts were put into the designing of the place, as well as the little details like its music and choice of furniture.

Nonetheless, it is one new kid to check out. Prices are naturally higher than your usual kaya toast places, but what you get in return is a different café experience – think of having traditional coffee in a clean and comfortable modern spot.

La’ Coffee
88 Rangoon Road #01-02
Tel: +65 6341 7525
Mon to Thu: 8am – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 8am – 1am
Sun: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

The world is ever changing, and we are always on the lookout for food trends and new fads. Sometimes, we ditch things that are no longer attractive, or has no more popularity to boast. But there are many things that stay close to our hearts, for we grew up with them and memories of us as kids enjoying these snacks are always the fondest.

We took a long walk down memory lane, and dug out many treasures that we used to save our pocket money for when we were kids. Here is a list of 19 old school Singapore snacks every kid from the ’80s and ’90s loved. Which is your favourite?

1. BEE BEE

What do you do when you have leftover from your pocket money? You buy a packet of this orange snack – it was only S$0.20!

2. BOBDOG CIGARETTE CANDY

We were always taught about the hazards of smoking, but it was acceptable to look cool with these cigarette candies. The boys would take the cola, and strawberry’s for the girls.

3. CREAM CRACKERS

With milo please. My favorite breakfast! Break them into pieces and soak them in a cup of warm milo. Ahhh… Simply pleasures in life!

4. FAKE M&M

For the lack of a better name. But who cares when we could have more fun piercing those foil and getting the colourful chocolates out?

5. GEM BISCUIT

Simple happiness that Mama would frown upon, and we were only allowed to eat the biscuit and not the icing. And when Mama wasn’t looking, my sisters and I would fight over the pink ones.

6. HACKS 

Hard candies in an assortment of flavours. Whether you like the blackcurrant or the honey lemon, these candies are ever popular even with our parents!

7. HAW CANDY

Or better known as xian zha. How very comforting!

8. HELLO PANDA

Grew up eating hello panda, and still eating hello panda even in my 20s. And I know I am not the only one.

9. ICE POP

What are class parties and chalets without these colourful ice pops? Whoever slurps the loudest wins!

10. MAMEE MONSTER

The most affectionate monster that no kids would run away from. Mamee, oh Mamee! You made us love crushing uncooked noodles.

11. OVALTINE CANDIES

I LOVE THESE! And a portion of my pocket money would go to the snacks shop’s Aunty – just for these malt candies.

12. PEZ REFILLABLE CANDY

Who else loved these collectible? And I always secretly wished they’d run out of refills so that I could get a whole new one.

13. POPPING CANDY

Or magic candy, we’d more affectionately call it. One packet is never enough to get all that poppin’ fun!

14. PUSH POP

One of the coolest sweets, ever! The grape ones used to be so popular, or get the blueberry one so that you can have a cool blue tongue after eating.

15. PINK DOLPHIN

Back in school, if you were seen with a bottle of pink dolphin, you would be deemed as cool. I can actually remember which classmates of mine would reuse their bottles for plain water – just because the iconic bottle would made them look like hipsters.

16. SUPER RING

Another orange snack that everyone loves. Just remember to wash your hands after eating, else the orange powder would stain badly!

17. TWISTIES

Curry, tomato, BBQ… Whichever flavour you like, one packet is not enough.

18. WHEEL CRACKERS

Who else used to pass this around class and snack sneakily when the teacher wasn’t looking?

19. WHITE RABBIT CANDY

No one cares about the melanin in milk and all that china saga, because nothing is gonna change our love for these candy. Yes, eat them with the wrapper!