Dona Manis Cake Shop Review: Does Katong’s Famous Banana Pie Still Hold Up Today?

Dona Manis Cake Shop has famous banana pie at Katong Shopping Centre

No trip to Katong Shopping Centre is complete without a visit to Dona Manis Cake Shop. The old-school heritage bakery has become synonymous with Singapore’s first air-conditioned shopping mall, with fans travelling from all over the island just to get a taste of its famous banana pies. 

Located on the same floor as the iconic Katong Mei Wei Chicken Rice, I never fail to grab a slice of banana pie after polishing off a plate of chicken rice. The bakery immediately catches your eye with its bold red signboard, but look a little closer, and you’ll notice another shop right beside it—Auntie Peng Banana Pie. Given their similar storefronts and signature bakes, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re the same business.

Despite the similarities, the two are separate businesses, though they have inevitably been the subject of comparisons over the years. For the uninitiated, Dona Manis was founded first in 1992 by Mr Tan Tieow Teong and Madam Soh Toh Lang, better known as Auntie Peng. 

After Mr Tan’s passing in October 2023, Madam Soh and her family left Dona Manis in March 2024 and went on to open Auntie Peng Banana Pie next door. They have since clarified on record that the decision to take the adjacent unit was not made out of malice, but because it presented an opportunity to secure a vacant unit while continuing to serve an existing customer base.

Since then, both bakeries have maintained that they use the original banana pie recipe. Madam Soh’s family has said she was the creator of the recipe, while Esther Tan, daughter of the late Mr Tan, has shared that her father passed the original recipe down to her and that she has since further refined it.

With both sides standing by their respective recipes, we decided to start where it all began—Dona Manis—to revisit the banana pie that made it a household name.

Food at Dona Manis

Even before taking our first bite, Dona Manis’ Banana Pie ($4) won us over with its fragrant banana aroma and vibrant yellow filling. It was topped with generous chunks of almonds and toasted coconut flakes, whose larger pieces added a satisfying crunch and welcome contrast in texture.

Beneath the crisp, buttery pastry lay the pie’s real highlight— the generous banana filling. Dona Manis used riper banana chunks than Auntie Peng, evident from their deeper brown colour. This translated into a sweeter, more caramelised flavour, while the almost jam-like and moist bananas blended beautifully with the pastry for an especially indulgent bite.

That richness did come with one trade-off. Dona Manis’ pie had a noticeably thinner bottom crust than Auntie Peng’s, and the moisture from the soft bananas seeped into the pastry. As a result, the base became slightly soggy, and it took away some of the crisp, sturdy texture we were hoping for. 

Dona Manis — Eatbook review

Fortunately, you can work around this by enjoying the pie as soon as possible after purchase. While that may be slightly inconvenient for some, we believe the exceptional flavour makes the experience worthwhile. Auntie Peng’s may appeal to those who prefer a less sweet option, but the richer flavour and natural sweetness of Dona Manis’ riper bananas give it the edge. It’s certainly a treat that’s worth the trip down to Katong. 

For a popular halal hotpot buffet at KINEX Mall, read our JING review, or check out our Hello Arigato review for our take on the popular brunch cafe at Everton Park. 

Address: 865 Mountbatten Road, #B1-93, Katong Shopping Centre, Singapore 437844
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 5pm
Tel: 6440 7688
Website
Dona Manis Cake Shop is not halal-certified but uses no pork or lard.

Photos taken by Nathania Tay.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.