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

Whether you call it Mid-Autumn Festival, Mooncake Festival, Harvest Moon Festival or Lantern Festival, it is still the time of the year where we gather around with family to give our thanks and blessings for the year and to just be together.

If the impending family dinner hasn’t been stressing you out over what to prepare, then perhaps the incessant mooncake advertisements might. After all, there’s more to Mid-Autumn festival than just mooncakes and salted egg yolks.

Here’s a list of 10 food items you should have on the table this Mid-Autumn Festival that not only will impress your parents and in-laws, but also taste and look good too.

DUCK

Rather than Chicken, Duck is the go-to fowl for this time of the year. Not only are ducks fattest at this time of the year, their natural game-meat flavour is the richest too, making it the peak season to enjoy duck meat. It is also believed that eating duck in Autumn helped to expel pathogenic heat to restore the balance of yin and yang in the body, hence enhancing one’s health.

While every province has their own style of preparing duck, here in Singapore, the fuss is taken out of our hands as whole roasted ducks are readily available from our favourite duck rice and roast stalls. Due to the popularity, it’s always recommended that you place a reservation in advance, or make your way over early before they’re all sold out.

HAIRY CRAB

Though it’s not so popular here in Singapore, hairy crabs are a particular favourite amongst those in southern China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. What makes hairy crabs more popular than the regular ones served in Chilli Crab? Think your favourite crabs, smaller in size with intensified crab flavours, oozing rich yellow cream and orange eggs.

As the crabs are in season only during this time of the year with every small shelled critter is richest in protein and amino acids, it makes them a rare delicacy. They’re also relatively easy to prepare – with just a nice clean scrub using a toothbrush, they’re ready to eat after just 10 minutes of steaming.

LOTUS ROOTS

While lotus roots are now available all year round, they are traditionally harvested around Mid-Autumn festival. These fleshy roots are filled with minerals and vitamins that help stimulate a healthy appetite as the weather turns cold.

Due to the inexpensive price, lotus roots can be readily made into any sort of dish of choice, with a more classic choice being to serve it with glutinous rice and honey. With our local preference, however, lotus roots served in mala stir-fry doesn’t seem like a bad option either.

MOONCAKES

It’s never quite Mid-Autumn festival without mooncakes, is it? From the traditional-style filled with lotus seed paste or sweet bean paste with a salted egg yolk in the middle to the more modern snow skin variations stuffed with ice cream or even durian in the middle, there’s no shortage of mooncakes to choose from.

Still, there’s more to mooncakes than just a yearly fad. It can be considered the hallmark tradition of the festival, as sharing and eating mooncakes signifies completeness and unity. If there are kids in the family, or you’re looking for something fun to do, gather around some family members to make your own mooncakes to make the gathering more special.

OSMANTHUS

With the flowers in full bloom, you’re likely to smell their heady scent wherever you go. Just like Sakura blossoms, they’re used in a variety of dishes, from jams to tea, cakes to wine.

Osmanthus wine, in particular, are more associated with Mid-Autumn than other osmanthus dishes as it signifies family reunion and a happy life, and is most commonly served for a reunion toast.

PEARS

In Mandarin, the word for pear is homophonous with the word “leave”, hence most people tend to avoid gifting pears or eating them during joyous occasions. However, during Mid-Autumn, it’s encouraged to consume more pears as a display of your desire for unification and to stay together with your loved ones.

While Chinese pears are already sweet and enjoyable as they are, pear soups with pork ribs and snow fungus make for a gut-warming comforting drink to have with your main dishes.

PUMPKINS

The origins for why exactly pumpkins became popular to have during Mid-Autumn isn’t exactly clear. Some believed it was due to poorer people being unable to afford mooncakes, substituted it with pumpkins instead. Others believed that the pumpkin’s golden and round appearance brought good health to those who ate it.

Either way, Mid-Autumn falls during the mature period for pumpkins, and like any seasonal fruit, they are freshest and the best tasting during this time. Be it in stews, braised dishes or in desserts, they make for the perfect addition to the dinner table.

RIVER SNAIL

Not to be put off by this seemingly grotesque looking gremlin, river snails are an indispensable part of Mid-Autumn in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Due to the warm wet climate and abundance of food in the form of rice paddies, river snails are plentiful in southern China.

While they’re eaten due to their abundance, they also bring about health benefits such as brightening the eyes. As long as they’re cooked properly with plenty of medicinal herbs, there’s no worry about any unpleasant odour.

TARO

Back then Taro was believed to bring good luck and fortune during the year while expelling bad luck due to its name sounding like the words “luck is inside”. Regardless of beliefs, taros ripen during the period of Mid-Autumn festival to create a soft fluffy texture filled with a full-bodied earthy taste.

While they’re normally boiled or steamed, they can be added to meat dishes too. As a dessert, they can be cut into small pieces and fried before being drizzled in syrup, perfect for any sweet tooths in the family.

WATERMELON

If preparation for dinner seems to be far too tedious to warrant extra efforts in making desserts, watermelons make for a good centrepiece. It’s essential for Mid-Autumn due to the seeds, which symbolize fertility and the round shape representing a family’s reunion.

If you’re itching to try your hand as watermelon carving, a lotus flower shape is popular as it blesses the family as a symbol of good fortune for the year. All while being a refreshing snack to quench the remaining summer heat.

Tiong Bahru is one of the best areas for hungry souls with the many hidden gems and cafes that offer scrumptious food at almost every turn. Newly opened in early 2019, Cafe Pandan is yet another addition to the bustling area.

Serving a plethora of traditional Singaporean breakfast dishes and even having their own DIY-Nasi Lemak station, Cafe Pandan is a must-visit for those in the area craving for a good ol’ school meal.

We had a taste of their Plain Cheong Fun (S$3.50) which came in a generous portion despite the affordable price tag. The silky rolls of cheong fun were coated in a sesame soy sauce and accompanied with a dollop of their house-made chilli.

Their chilli was what truly made the dish so delicious, giving it that small kick of spice with a hint of sweetness. Mix this in with the soy sauce to create a thicker sauce that can coat each piece of cheong fun!

For a good breakfast, sometimes, simplicity is the way to go. It certainly was the case with Cafe Pandan’s Thick Toast Set (S$5). Fluffy thick toast is slathered with a generous helping of the slightly savoury peanut butter and accompanied with 2 soft-boiled eggs and a choice of hot Teh or Kopi.

The toast was delicious and we liked how liberal they were with the peanut butter. The bread was soft but we felt that it was a bit dry. However, it wasn’t a big issue once you chase it down with a sip of their hot tea.

The tea was flavourful and milky, but we did feel it was slightly on the sweet side.

Cafe Pandan sits near to Wangz Hotel, so keep your eyes peeled for this entrance when you go exploring the enclaves of Tiong Bahru.

Cafe Pandan
241 Outram Road
Singapore 169044
Tel: +65 6224 2723
Tue to Sun: 8am – 8pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Outram Park/Tiong Bahru