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

Singapore is known to be a paradise for foodies due to the plethora of cuisines available and we’re proud to call this place home. Traditional snacks tend to get overshadowed by more popular foods but there’s something about them being so simple that we love.

Old is gold; these snacks are comforting and really brings us back to our younger days. Here are 8 traditional snacks that we love and will definitely make you nostalgic.

#1 EGG TARTS

Buttery and crispy on the outside and smooth eggy custard on the inside, you can find this delectable snack at most old-school bakeries. Some prefer a flaky crust, some prefer a more solid crust and some prefer bite-sized ones, some prefer larger ones. But we can all agree that egg tarts are best eaten when popped in the oven and served warm.

#2 KAYA TOAST

A local breakfast favourite, something about traditional bread toasted to perfection with a layer of kaya and a thick slice of butter just makes it so satisfying. It’s phenomenal when dipped in half-boiled eggs. Sweet and salty, you really can’t go wrong with this combination. Name a more iconic duo, we’ll wait.

#3 MIN CHIANG KUEH

Hokkien for peanut pancakes, sink your teeth into these Chinese-style pancakes that are crispy yet fluffy and generously filled with crushed peanuts and sugar. Some stalls also do a thinner and crispier version that is equally as tasty. For the busy bees, min chiang kueh is a popular option for breakfast on the go.

#4 NONYA KUEH

These bite-sized Peranakan treats – affectionately known as nonya kueh – are a staple in Peranakan cuisine. Popular with all generations, most kuehs have a chewy texture and contain coconut, pandan or gula melaka. Our favourite kueh growing up has undoubtedly got to be kueh lapis. Probably the most colourful kueh, it was and still is a joy peeling and eating this layer by layer.

#5 POPIAH

“Thin pancake” in Teochew, popiah is enjoyed by many. Stewed vegetables, egg, prawns, peanuts are wrapped in paper-thin skin that slathered with some garlic paste and sweet sauce. What you get is a humble and not to mention affordable traditional snack that is filling enough to make a meal.

#6 PUTU PIRING

We can’t get enough of these handmade Malay snacks that were featured in the Singapore episode of Netflix’s Street Food. Essentially steamed rice flour cakes, these warm pillowy treats ooze with gula melaka and are topped with loads of shredded coconut. This is one traditional snack that is loved by both adults and children alike.

#7 TEOCHEW KUEH

Contrary to nonya kueh which tends to be sweet, Teochew kueh such as png kueh, soon kueh and chwee kueh is savoury and equally as yummy. Packed with a generous amount of various vegetables and encased in thin, chewy rice skin, there are still several stalls specializing in these traditional snacks.

#8 YOU TIAO

This classic breakfast staple is a good example of less is more. Simply stretched dough sticks that are deep fried till golden brown, it’s crispy on the outside but airy and chewy on the inside. There’s nothing better than you tiao fresh out of the fryer and a cup of kopi or soybean milk to start the day.

Carrot cakes and char kway teow are a dime a dozen in hawker centres. But, hidden from the spotlight are a few hawker foods that are slowly losing recognition among Singaporeans today.

Some of these hawker foods used to be thriving in our grandparents’ or parents’ generation but have gradually become endangered as more stalls give up passing on their legacies. But, we’re not going to just let them pass us by.

From rare Teochew kuehs to traditional Malay pancakes, we’ve dug up 8 vanishing hawker foods in Singapore you have to try before they’re gone forever and where to find them. Get a taste of your grandparents’ favourite dessert or your parent’s after-school snack!

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/chianghongkeat/

#1 BUBUR TERIGU

Resembling a paler-looking bubur hitam, the bubur terigu is a sweet wheat porridge. Boiled for at least an hour, the white wheat transforms into a sticky, gooey stew. It is usually sweetened with fragrant gula melaka and coconut milk to give it that extra oomph.

This traditional treat can be found stewing at a small handful of stalls such as Gong He Guan and Hua Jie Traditional Desserts.

Gong He Guan
28 Upper Cross St
Singapore 058337
Tel +65 6223 0562
Daily: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Hua Jie Traditional Desserts
17 Upper Boon Keng Rd, #01-70
Singapore 380017
Nearest Station: Boon Keng

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/pohcheukitchen/

#2 CHI KAK KUEH

Black sesame? Charcoal? Nope, it’s mugwort. Known as “chi kak kueh” or “shu ke kueh”, this Teochew snack features mugwort-infused skin stuffed with sweetened green bean paste. Similar to the more familiar ang ku kueh, it’s delightfully chewy on the outside.

Only a few stalls in Singapore make this rare type of kueh, such as Yan Seng Cooked Food and Poh Cheu Soon Kueh & Ang Ku Kueh.

Yan Seng Cooked Food
#01-313, Tekka Centre, 665 Buffalo Road
Singapore 210665
Tel +65 6314 0630
Daily: 6am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Little India

Poh Cheu Soon Kueh & Ang Ku Kueh
127 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-222
Singapore 150127
Tel +65 6276 2287
Mon – Sat: 8am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Queenstown

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/tonguedynasty/

#3 FUZHOU OYSTER CAKE

Resembling golden-brown UFOs, these Fuzhou oyster cakes are the perfect snack for when you’re craving a deep-fried indulgence. These flat discs are usually stuffed with oysters, minced pork, coriander and roasted peanuts. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these babies are super addictive.

You can find them at Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake and Fuzhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake.

Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake
1 Kadayanallur St, #01-05, Maxwell Food Centre
Singapore 069184
Mon – Sat: 9am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Fuzhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake
166 Jln Besar, #02-34
Singapore 208877
Tel +65 8112 5286
Daily: 10am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Lavender

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/lee.belinda.98/

#4 NOI JI SUAN

The lotus seed version of tau suan, this traditional dessert is basically a sweet lotus seed porridge. The lotus seeds are cooked till soft and crumbly, but with slightly more bite as compared to that of mung beans. Cooking this dish involves a pretty laborious process of removing the pith of each seed, which is probably why it’s getting harder to find.

Thankfully, House of Dessert in Tampines Round Market and Food Centre are still dedicating themselves to whipping up a solid bowl of noi ji suan.

House of Dessert
137A Tampines Street 11, Tampines Round Market and Food Centre, #01-02
Singapore 522137
Tues – Wed: 7am – 3pm
Fri – Sun: 7am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Tampines West

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/chianghongkeat/

#5 PIG TROTTER JELLY

Maybe the name of this dish alone is enough to make some of you gag. We’re not gonna lie, pig trotter jelly definitely has an acquired taste. For those of you who have never tried it, expect chilled gelatinous pork trotter stew cut into bite-sized strips. It is usually dipped in vinegary chili sauce to balance out the heavy, meaty flavour.

This Teochew delicacy can be found at Lao Liang Pig Trotter Jelly & Shark Meat in Jalan Berseh Food Centre.

Lao Liang Pig Trotter Jelly & Shark Meat
166 Jalan Besar, Jalan Berseh Food Centre, #02-37
Singapore 208877
Tues – Sun: 11am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Jalan Besar

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/theburpcouple/

#6 ROTI KIRAI

Roti kirai translates into “net bread”, which is pretty self-explanatory when you look at the snack. It is traditionally served on special occasions such as birthdays and weddings.

Shaped like a tightly-woven lattice, this Malay dessert is made from flour, eggs, water and turmeric powder. It pairs wonderfully with curry but is delicious on its own too.

Get a taste of this delicacy at Roti Kirai Delights or Alimah’s Kitchen!

Roti Kirai Delights
851 Jurong West Street 81, #06-291
Singapore 640851
Tel +65 8498 5459
Mon – Fri: 12pm – 8pm
Sat – Sun: 12pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Pioneer

Alimah’s Kitchen
Block 2A Commonwealth Drive, Tanglin Halt Food Centre, #01-23
Singapore 141003
Nearest Station: Queenstown

#7 SWEET AND SALTY GLUTINOUS RICE

Most of us are probably familiar with lor mai kai and lotus leaf glutinous rice. But how about sweet and savoury glutinous rice? This type of glutinous rice was a breakfast staple in Singapore during the 1950s and 1960s, but has gradually lost its prominence in the hawker scene.

Loaded with stewed peanuts and fried shallots, the dish is irresistibly fragrant. The rice itself is chewy and sticky, with a good bite to it.

Millennium Glutinous Rice at Chinatown Complex Food Centre is the only one hawker stall which is known to be churning out this dish in Singapore.

Millennium Glutinous Rice
335 Smith St, #02-092, Chinatown Complex Food Centre
Singapore 050335
Mon – Sat: 7am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/goawaylobster/

#8 TAU KWA PAU

Char siew paus and tau sar paus have got nothing on the tau kwa pau. This rare gem sees deep fried tau kwa stuffed to the brim with a variety of ingredients — chopped fish cake, fried yam bits, hard-boiled egg and cucumber. Finished off with some thick savoury gravy, it makes for a really hearty meal.

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau is the only stall left in Singapore that makes this delicious combo. Hurry down now to try this traditional delicacy before it goes extinct!

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau
271 Onan Rd, Dunman Food Centre, #01-05
Singapore 424768
Tel +65 9488 7736
Tues – Sun: 8am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Eunos