Singapore’s bustling culinary scene is often celebrated for its vibrant hawker centers and the best fine dining establishments, but tucked away in its charming neighborhoods are traditional old-school bakeries that offer a delightful glimpse into the city’s rich heritage.

These surviving old-school bakeries, some of which have been around for decades, continue to serve up time-honored treats such as buttercream cakes, pandan chiffon cakes, kuehs and egg tarts.

Here are 12 traditional bakeries in Singapore you must visit for old-school bakes.

BALMORAL BAKERY

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.

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. 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).

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

DONA MANIS CAKE SHOP

Dona Manis Cake Shop is a small and humble 28-year-old bakery nestled within the basement of Katong Shopping Centre. Co-founded by friends back in 1992, Dona Manis Cake Shop has received much love for their banana pie over the years and there is no indication that this is going to change any time soon.

Dona Manis Cake Shop’s Banana Pie will only set you back S$3.30 per slice and S$33 for a whole pie (10 slices). So are we fans of the Banana Pie? You bet we are. Their Banana Pie was filled with a generous helping of bananas, and the filling was moist even after the Banana Pie spent a day in the fridge. The moist filling was complemented by the crunch of the toasted almonds atop the pie. Whilst you can pick up the Banana Pie in stores, do consider ordering the Banana Pie in advance to avoid disappointment.

865 Mountbatten Road,
Katong Shopping Centre, #B1-93,
Singapore, 437844
Tel: 6440 7688

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

JIE 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

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

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

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.

18 Jln Membina, #01-06
Singapore 164018
Tel: +65 6271 6056

NG KIM LEE CONFECTIONERY

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.

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.

4 Chun Tin Road
Singapore 599591

SERANGOON GARDEN BAKERY & CONFECTIONERY

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery is an institution which has been dishing out Singapore-style old-school breads—or better recognised as buns—for decades.

The Butter Bun is probably the most famous one, while the Cheese Bun comes close in terms of popularity. The Hamburger is essentially chicken luncheon meat enveloped in soft bun, and the Kaya Peanut is our all-time favourite.

While everyone has their favourites (and there are only a handful of surviving traditional bakeries in Singapore), we grew up with Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery at Serangoon Garden Market and it is our go-to place whenever we want to satisfy our craving for old-school buns.

49A Serangoon Garden Way
#01-45 Garden Market
Singapore 555945

SEMBAWANG CONFECTIONERY

Sembawang Confectionery is a humble old-school bakery tucked away at the ground floor of a HDB estate at Beach Road, not Sembawang. This bakery has been rolling out freshly baked bread and cakes since the 1960s. Best of all, their goods are free from preservatives.

Sembawang Confectionery carries a wide array of baked goods for your picking. From individually wrapped buns, loaves of bread, kueh, pastries and nostalgic Western cakes, there is something for everyone here.

6 Beach Rd, #01-4869,
Singapore 190006
Tel: +65 6295 3965

SING HON LOONG BAKERY

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.

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.

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.

4 Whampoa Drive
Singapore 327715
Tel: 6256 0878

THIAM YIAN CONFECTIONERY

Located in the Kovan heartlands, Thiam Yian Confectionery is a humble old-school bakery that serves cream cakes, Chinese pastries, and handmade kuehs since the 1980s.

It is located along the same stretch as Heng Long Teochew Porridge and Selegie Soyabean. You can head over to Heng Long for a simple and hearty Teochew porridge meal before grabbing some desserts from Selegie Soyabean and pastries from Tjiam Yian Confectionery.

1004 Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534742
Tel: +65 6458 1478

Sembawang Confectionery is a humble old-school bakery tucked away at the ground floor of a HDB estate at Beach Road, not Sembawang. This bakery has been rolling out freshly baked bread and cakes since the 1960s. Best of all, their goods are free from preservatives.

During the short time we spent at Sembawang Confectionery, the bakery was visited by plenty of regulars which only goes to show how well-loved their bakes are. So take this as your sign to drop by Sembawang Confectionery if you haven’t visited them before.

Sembawang Confectionery carries a wide array of baked goods for your picking. From individually wrapped buns, loaves of bread, kueh, pastries and nostalgic Western cakes, there is something for everyone here.

To top it off, customers can take their time to select their favourites because Sembawang Confectionery is known for their friendly staff who are patient and customer-centric.

When we asked their staff to recommend us some items, she shared that the Cream Horn (S$2) was one of their top-sellers and we witnessed this in person too. Just as we ordered the Cream Horn, someone dropped by to pick up an order and there just wasn’t enough left on the shelf to pack for them. Say what?

Whilst we found the pastry of the Cream Horn decently flaky, the cream filling leaned towards being more of a butter-based cream rather than fresh cream. So if you’re intending to purchase some Cream Horns for yourself, do note that the Cream Horn is best enjoyed fresh instead of being kept in the fridge for later occasion.

Another interesting find at Sembawang Confectionery is the Pineapple Leaf Pie (S$1.50), a twist on the well-loved pineapple tart. Put simply, the Pineapple Leaf Pie shares the same concept as the Bunny Shaped Pineapple Tarts that you’d see during Chinese New Year i.e., a crumbly buttery shell filled with pineapple paste.

Whilst the taste of the Pineapple Leaf Pie was decent for the price, we’d have liked the pastry to be slightly saltier for a deeper flavour.

The best part about all these traditional bakeries is their range of nostalgic old-school Western Heritage Cakes (S$1.80 per slice), especially the “Traffic Light” cake. Sembawang Confectionery’s Heritage Cakes come in chocolate and vanilla flavours, and each slice of cake is carefully decorated with different designs.

Taste-wise, the Heritage Cakes were moist and the buttercream was fresh and light. But if we were asked about what would make the cakes better, we would have liked the cakes to have a slightly fluffier texture. 

Some other treats that you can pick up at Sembawang Confectionery include the Egg Tarts (S$1.50) and Custard Cream Puff (S$1.50). Although they weren’t outstanding, they would make a lovely and affordable afternoon snack for the family.

Sembawang Confectionery
6 Beach Rd, #01-4869,
Singapore 190006
Tel: +65 6295 3965

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery is an institution which has been dishing out Singapore-style old-school breads—or better recognised as buns—for decades.

While everyone has their favourites (and there are only a handful of surviving traditional bakeries in Singapore), we grew up with Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery at Serangoon Garden Market and it is our go-to place whenever we want to satisfy our craving for old-school buns.

“Zai Lai, Zai Lai!”

The daily fresh bakes from Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery are a true testament to the standards of old-school local-style breads.

The stall occupies two units in the buzzing Serangoon Garden Food Centre & Market, and since young, we’ve watched the two uncles picking breads from the shelves and calculating the total sum in godlike speed.

Queues are often seen especially in the morning when trays after trays of freshly baked buns are put up, and during lunch hour. Very often, they sell out by 2pm.

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery has quite the selection of old-school buns. Pillowy soft with a brown skin and white interior, tears apart easily, and exudes a distinct fragrance that we grew up knowing.

The Butter Bun is probably the most famous one, while the Cheese Bun comes close in terms of popularity. The Hamburger is essentially chicken luncheon meat enveloped in soft bun, and the Kaya Peanut is our all-time favourite.

The aroma of the bakes often fill the market, and despite inflation and rising food costs, their prices remain low and the uncles are ever humble of their successes.

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery
49A Serangoon Garden Way
#01-45 Garden Market
Singapore 555945

Read our guide on the traditional bakeries in Singapore you should support.

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.

Chin Mee Chin—the famous old-school confectionery—is reopening at its original location at 204 East Coast Road. While it was earlier reported that Chin Mee Chin would be returning in March this year, there was a delay and it would be reopening in 15 Sep 2021 instead.

Specialising in local kopi, traditional kaya toasts and soft boiled eggs, this is the ultimate go-to destination for an authentic retro Singapore experience. The legendary coffee shop is also known for its baked goods such as Swiss rolls, cream horns, luncheon meat buns and sugee cakes.

Established in 1925, the legendary coffee shop has been closed for two years and according to an article by The Straits Times, it is making a comeback in partnership with the Ebb & Flow Group, which is behind food and beverage concepts such as The Dragon Chamber, Tigerlily Patisserie, and Sommer Dining.

Madam Sharon Tan, the granddaughter of the confectionery’s late founder, and her mother, Madam Leoang Kwang Ling (Chin Mee Chin’s main managing partner) remain shareholders in the business and will be working closely with the new partners to pass on their heritage recipes.

The seating capacity of the new Chin Mee Chin will be doubled to 50 seats, including a new alfresco area.

Stepping into Chin Mee Chin brings this nostalgic feeling—from the green floor tiles and marble round tables to the way the aunties shout across the room with your orders—almost as if time stood still in the good old days.

We cannot wait for Chin Mee Chin to reopen!

Chin Mee Chin
204 East Coast Road
Singapore 428903

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