It’s Only A Real Traditional Breakfast In Singapore When One Of These Dishes And Drinks Are Present!
Just as the sun rises over the concrete jungle of Singapore, so do the hustle and bustle of hawker centres and kopitiams, known as Singapore's traditional coffee shops, grow.
Breakfast in Singapore is not just another important meal of the day, but a cultural experience, culinary journey, and for some, a morning ritual to partake in before the start of a long day in the infamous Singaporean corporate grind.
While the popularity of fusion and western brunch places are at an all time high, many still feel the call for an old school Singapore style traditional breakfast every now and then. And having said that, only certain dishes fall into the realm of Singapore's traditional breakfast items.
These include a light breakfast of only soft-boiled eggs, a heavier one with kaya French toast which is well-loved by the younger ones for its nice toffee like sweetness, or even the classic "kopi only" for the ones amongst us who struggle to rise early and are totally zombified before their daily dose of caffeine.
But aside from these renowned traditional breakfast essentials, there are countless timeless dishes that have stood the test of time to form the mainstays of a quintessential traditional Singaporean breakfast.
So without further ado, let's explore the dishes and drinks that make breakfast in Singapore a real tried and true traditional breakfast affair for the ultimate Singaporean breakfast experience.
13 Dishes & Drinks For A True Traditional Singaporean Breakfast
1. Traditional Kaya Toast
The classic and well-loved traditional kaya toast takes the crown as Singapore’s ultimate traditional breakfast.
While you have the iconic PBJ and good ol’ toasted bread and butter or jam, Singapore’s traditional kaya toasts takes it up a notch by spreading kaya, a local custard jam made from coconut milk, eggs yolks, sugar, and sometimes pandan, on toasted fluffy white bread with thick slabs of cold butter, usually salted.
This gets you bites of crispy toast on the outside while the inside is soft and rich with the kaya’s sweet, creamy flavour, while the butter adds the most delicious salty balance.
Kaya toast is typically enjoyed with soft-boiled eggs and a cup of kopi or teh as a “traditional kaya toast set”, Locals typically recommend indulging in this devastatingly delicious combination at Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Toast Box as one of the more consistent kaya toast spots, while traditionalists can’t recommend the old school Tong Ah Eating House and Ah Seng Hai Nam Coffee stall enough.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the traditional way to make kaya bread toast is to grill the bread it over a charcoal grill or charcoal stove?
2. Soft-Boiled Eggs
Soft-boiled eggs, sometimes known as half-boiled eggs, are so simple that one might wonder how it’s an essential part of the traditional Singaporean breakfast. Part of the reason involves the influence of British breakfast habits during the colonial era, where it was then adapted to local preferences (eggs and soldiers, anyone?) by Hainanese immigrants.
This simple dish is regularly served in kopitiams alongside the traditional kaya toast, which typically serves as its dedicated accompaniment. Well, it is often said that a good kaya toast, if not, the best kaya toast, must always have two soft-boiled eggs on the side where it is ready for the kaya toast to be dipped into the creamy egg yolk! And not forgetting how the condiments of ground white pepper and soy sauce must always be within arm’s reach.
One of the most nostalgic places to have this balanced and satisfying breakfast is Chin Mee Chin Confectionery for its consistent authentic representation of Singapore’s local breakfast scene.
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery Opening Hours: 8am - 4pm on Sundays to Thursdays, 8am - 4pm and 6pm - 11pm on Fridays to Saturdays, closed on Mondays
Chin Mee Chin Confectionery Address: 204 East Coast Road, Singapore 428903
3. Nasi Lemak
Those after a hearty and filling breakfast need not look beyond the humble nasi lemak. This traditional Malay staple has its origins from Singapore’s Malay community as the farmer’s breakfast, providing them with a hearty start to the day.
Nasi lemak is a beloved dish made up of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk (and sometimes pandan leaves), served with a side of sambal, deep fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, sliced cucumber, and a hard-boiled egg or fried egg. Some locals even opt to have it with a side of fried chicken, luncheon meat, rendang, or fishcake for a more complete meal.
That said, nasi lemak is hearty enough to enjoy as it is for breakfast. You may also want to get a cup of kopi, teh, or Milo to balance out the richness and spiciness of this fragrant dish. Some of Singapore’s best nasi lemak can be found in Uptown Nasi Lemak and The Coconut Club - but note that the best is also pricier than the nasi lemak you’ll find in hawker centres!
4. Hainanese Chicken Rice
Some have it for breakfast, some have it for lunch, but Hainanese chicken rice is definitely a hearty breakfast dish that you can find in most, if not all hawker centres for a traditional Singaporean breakfast!
Think tender poached chicken served with fragrant rice that’s cooked in the chicken broth with the addition of garlic and ginger for greater aromatics, and some cucumber slices. Then you have the addition of tangy chilli sauce on the side, dark soy sauce, and ginger paste for an even mightier burst of flavours.
5. French Toast
Often found in kopitiams alongside the traditional kaya butter toast is the yummy French toast. Unlike the Western versions, Singapore’s French toast comes in either a sweet or savoury form such as French toast with kaya or French toast with ham and cheese. Some sweet-toothed locals even opt to have an condensed milk drizzled on it alongside honey and a slab of butter!
French toast is typically soft inside with a lightly crisp, golden-brown exterior thanks to its egg-soaked body. It’s best enjoyed with a hot cup of kopi or teh, especially when it comes with kaya. But if you decide to opt for the savoury version of the French toast, then I recommend having it with Milo or teh ping for a yummy balance.
Fun Fact: Did you know that French Toast did not originate from France? It actually received its name from Americans because French immigrants in America popularised it, and this humble dish was invented long before France even existed!
6. Kopi
I say kopi, but there are countless variations to Singapore’s most popular traditional beverage. You’ve got kopi gu you (butter coffee!), kopi peng, kopi-C, cham, kopi tarik, and heaps more. “Kopi” is the Malay word for coffee, and the Singaporean version of kopi is made the local Hainanese way where Robusta coffee beans are roasted with sugar and margarine.
This leads to an incredibly fragrant blend which is then brewed with condensed milk or evaporated milk to give it a strong and sweet flavour that complements its natural bold flavours. Kopi goes well with almost every breakfast dish you can find in Singapore. But the best pairing for this aromatic cup is still with the traditional kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs combo, or the classic French toast.
7. Fried Bee Hoon
Fried bee hoon is a common breakfast dish in Singapore that locals typically grab just before heading off to work. It’s a simple, versatile, and economical dish that consists of rice vermicelli (bee hoon) stir-fried with soy sauce, garlic, vegetables, and eggs.
Diners then get the choice of picking from an array of dishes to go with their fried bee hoon, be it luncheon meat, fried eggs, chicken, bean sprouts, tofu skin (fu chuk), sausages, and more. Some even opt to have their fried bee hoon spicy which then makes it akin to dry mee siam!
8. Roti Prata
Loved by locals and anyone who’s ever visited Singapore and tried it, roti prata needs little introduction. This simple Indian flatbread made from a dough of flour, water, ghee, and salt is crispy outside with a soft and chewy inside that goes delightfully with various sides, be it dhal curry, chicken curry, fish curry, or even plain sugar on top!
Locals simply can’t get enough of the plain roti prata, or its many variations for breakfast. Some popular breakfast versions of this aside from the original include prata bom with its sweet filling, egg prata where it’s cooked with egg, and the mainstream paper-thin but oh-so-crispy prata tissue. Enjoy prata with a cup of hot teh tarik for a true traditional Singaporean breakfast set!
9. Chai Tow Kway (Fried Carrot Cake)
This traditional Teochew dish is a local favourite for breakfast because of its flavourful and hearty nature. Contrary to its name, chai tow kway uses no carrots, only radish. Its name comes from how radish is commonly called white carrot in Chinese. So what is regarded as carrot cake is in fact a steamed cake made out of rice flour, shredded radish, and water.
Chai tow kway is then made by cutting up the carrot cake into smaller cubes, then stir-frying it in a hot wok with eggs, garlic, bean sprouts, preserved radish, and soy sauce. Some opt to have it with a spicy kick by adding chilli paste into it - I’d recommend trying this one out for a real flavourful breakfast that will definitely wake you up for the day ahead!
10. Chwee Kueh
You’ll likely have seen these little white bowl-shaped cakes in hawker centres around Singapore, but did you know that these are one of Singapore’s delicious traditional breakfast treats?
Chwee kueh literally translates to “water cake” in Teochew because it refers to one of the main ingredients used in its preparation, where rice flour and water are steamed in little metal bowls that give chwee kueh its signature form.
This soft and slightly white cake is then topped with shredded preserved radish and fried garlic for a savoury and slightly sweet balance of flavours. It also comes with chilli paste on the side for an extra spicy kick which most delight in.
11. Mee Siam
Mee siam is an old school traditional Singaporean Malay breakfast that locals love thanks to its savoury and tangy flavours. Think rice vermicelli stir-fried in a broth of stock and tamarind paste, dried shrimp, garlic, and shallots, which is then topped with a squeeze of lime for a real zesty kick on top of its already flavourful savoury and tangy profile.
This flavourful dish is commonly enjoyed by locals in local hawker centres, with one of the more popular ones being the mee siam from the Hassan Stall at the Changi Village Hawker Centre, or Lao Chao Zhou at Ghim Moh Road.
12. Congee
The comforting and easy-to-digest congee is a traditional household breakfast in Singapore that comes in various flavours depending on the household that makes it. But at its heart, it’s a creamy and smooth rice porridge that boasts a mild flavour, making it a prime base for various toppings such as century egg, salted egg, fish, pork, chicken, and preserved vegetables.
Locals also love topping plain congee with a drizzle of sesame oil, soy sauce, and ground white pepper, which is a reminiscence of the traditional Cantonese-style congee. Not forgetting that congee is also best paired with you tiao, which are deep-fried Chinese dough strips!
13. Chee Cheong Fun
You’ve probably heard of kway teow noodles, but have you ever heard of its broader counterpart - the chee cheong fun? This particular dish consists of steamed rice noodle rolls that are served with various sides such as char siu (barbecued pork), shrimp, or you tiao, all in a shallow pool of soy sauce and hoisin sauce with light sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
It’s not only a popular traditional breakfast dish that you can find in various hawker centres in Singapore, but it’s also an essential dim sum dish that can be found in almost every dim sum restaurant in Singapore! (Not surprising because dim sum is also an integral part of the Singaporean brunch, only not quite traditional.)
What is a typical breakfast in Singapore?
With heaps of traditional local breakfast choices, you may probably be wondering what counts as a typical breakfast in Singapore. Or if there's even such a thing as typical when it comes to breakfast here.
Well don't get too confused, because one of the most common, or as you would say it, typical local breakfast favourite, would be the classic butter kaya toast set which consists of toasted bread with butter and a generous amount of kaya spread, paired with a side of soft-boiled eggs and a traditional cup of kopi from the local coffee shop or nearest food centre.
That said, another popular typical breakfast option is the hearty nasi lemak for those seeking a more filling meal to start their day. The combination of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk with a side of sambal and eggs, with the option of a protein on the side is sure to fuel some throughout the day. That is, unless you start getting the post-rice yawns...
