From heritage homegrown brands to contemporary coffee shops, the kaya toast remains a star among Singapore breakfast staples.
Each cuisine has its own national bread. There’s the croissant for France and the roti for India; then there’s the kaya toast for Singapore. Ubiquitous to local fare, the modest breakfast staple, in essence, is a toasted sandwich slathered with kaya — a rich jam made with coconut cream, eggs, sugar, and pandan leaves, and stuffed with a sliver of cold butter. The dish is traditionally paired with soft-boiled eggs, meant for dipping the toast in, and Nanyang-style roasted coffee and tea, to start the morning.
While some purists swear by thicker, more pillowy slices of bread for kaya toast, others have taken to heavily toasted variations that leave the bread with a biscuit-like crunch and mouthfeel. Below, we have gathered a list of establishments that do the dish right by its name in their own way.
Bao Er Café
Located at Balestier Plaza, this unassuming dining spot serves zi char fare; a communal Singaporean Chinese dining style with a cooked-to-order menu and is famed for two signature dishes. The first is their Hokkien Mee; a wok-fried noodle dish flavoured with seafood broth, and the other is their Kaya Toast. The latter comes served as crisp, thin slices of grilled bread, generously filled with house-made kaya and butter. Just like its fuss-free decor, with simple seating arrangements and bright lights, Bao Er Café is all about dining the honest-to-goodness way.
Where: Bao Er Café, Balestier Road, Balestier Plaza, Singapore
When: Monday to Sunday, from 8am to 8pm
Contact: @baoercafe
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is quite the Singapore legend, having served freshly baked goods in the East Coast since 1925. Amongst its most popular offerings are the Laksa Bun, Gula Melaka Coffee Chiffon Cake, and Sugee Cake. Since its relaunch in 2021, in partnership wth the hospitality conglomerate Ebb & Flow Group, the eatery has expanded its menu to include savoury mains. The unwavering staple through the years, and the reason for its cult status in the foodie scene, is its kaya toast. Here, individual buns are halved before they are topped with its accompaniments and served open-faced. Diners looking to have the full kaya toast experience can order soft-boiled eggs and drinks too from its all-day menu.
Where: Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, East Coast Road, Singapore
When: Monday to Sunday, from 8am to 4pm
Contact: www.chinmeechin.sg
Killiney Kopitiam
Founded in 1919 by Hainanese immigrants, Killiney Kopitiam is widely acknowledged as the introducer of charcoal-grilled kaya toast to Singapore. Formerly named Kheng Hoe Heng Coffeeshop, the eatery was rebranded in 1992 after its acquisition by a businessman and regular patron, Mr Woon Tek Seng. Today, there are 45 Killiney Kopitiam outlets islandwide, with outposts in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia, though its most loyal fans tend to flock to its flagship when the kaya toast cravings hit. Alongside its original menu featuring the breakfast dish, soft-boiled eggs, hot coffee and tea, are newfangled offerings such as matcha latte sachets, ice-creams, and canned beverages.
Where: Killiney Kopitiam, Killiney Road, Somerset, Singapore
When: Monday to Sunday, from 6am to 6pm
Contact: https://killiney-kopitiam.com
Mad Roasters
Mad Roasters came about as a means to support refugee communities beyond Singapore’s shores. The café commissions art for its products from those displaced by genocide, religious persecution, and social violence, through its contacts with organisations such as Habibi International and People Serving People Foundation. Serving 100% Arabica brews and other caffeinated drinks with homemade bakes prepared daily, Mad Roasters is steadily building its own following with its Kaya Toast — rustic triangle sandwiches paired with soft-boiled eggs.
Where: Mad Roasters, Maxwell Road, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore
When: Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 3pm
Contact: www.madroaster.biz
Peh Gao Coffeeshop
Peh Gao Coffeeshop holds two identities — it is a coffeeshop by day, and a beer taproom by night, where it goes by the name Orh Gao instead. Priding itself on grounding coffee beans to order and making its kaya from scratch daily, this coffeeshop recommends pairing the jam with toasts that have some heft. In their own words, there is “No sad, thin kaya business here.” Other offerings on its day menu include Asian staples that promise to be familiar enough on the palate to crave, and comforting enough for a second visit.
Where: Peh Gao Coffeeshop, Jalan Serene Road, Botanic Gardens, Singapore
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8am to 3:30pm
Contact: www.orhgao.sg
Toast Box Coffee House
Toss a rock in Singapore, and it will likely land somewhere near the premises of a Toast Box Coffee House — after all, the contemporary casual coffee chain by the BreadTalk Group has over 80 openings across the island. Their Kaya Toast is made-to-order over the counter, and makes for a convenient grab-and-go snack on daily commutes.
Where: Toast Box, Orchard Road, ION Orchard, Singapore
When: Monday to Sunday, from 7:30am to 9:30pm
Contact: www.toastbox.com.sg
Tong Ah Eating House
In its heyday back in the 1930s, Tong Ah Eating House was the place to be, to people-watch while having a morning pick-me-up and kaya toast. While there are only so many variations one can work with for a dish that comprises only three elements, this eatery stands out for offering diners the option to make their order super crispy. That involves grilling the bread three times, and scraping the blackened surface off between each interval. The result is a bread more akin to a biscuit that shatters in crumbs with each bite.
Where: Tong Ah Eating House, Keong Saik Road, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
When: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, from 7am to 10pm, Wednesday, from 7am to 2pm
Contact: www.facebook.com/tongaheatinghouse
Ya Kun Kaya Toast
Just like Toast Box Coffee House, Ya Kun Kaya Toast is quintessential in Singapore for diners looking for the signature local sandwich. The family-run business, originating from 1926, operates over 40 outlets in Singapore, with over thirty franchises overseas in countries such as Japan, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. Its founder, a Hainanese Chinese named Loi Ah Koon, handed the baton to his youngest son and CEO Adrin Loi following his passing in 1999, who carries on the legacy by serving kaya toast the same way his dad did all those years ago. Beyond its offerings, Ya Kun Kaya Toast makes dining experiences here special by holding on to its traditional Chinese family values, as reflected, in its award-winning customer service and nostalgic decor. Notably, the eatery has also kept to a limited menu offering its mainstay items through the years and is iconic for its kaya toast with crispy brown bread.
Where: Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Tras Street, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
When: Monday to Friday, from 7:30am to 6:30pm;, Saturday to Sunday from 7:30am to 7:30pm
Contact: @yakunkayatoastsg