Tong Heng Review: 91-Year-Old Bakery In Chinatown With Orh Nee Egg Tart And More

Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries has egg tarts in Chinatown

If you love old-school bakeries as much as I do, you might know Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries.

Just down the road from Maxwell Food Centre, Tong Heng is one of Singapore’s oldest surviving Chinese bakeries and is now run by its fourth-generation owners. Officially, the bakery has been around for 91 years since its first brick-and-mortar shop opened in 1935, though its roots go back even further to the 1920s, when Tong Heng started out as a humble street stall.

Food at Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries

The most famous item on the menu at Tong Heng is their Egg Tart ($2.40), which some say is the best of its kind in Singapore. It’s most recognisable by its signature diamond shape, after having gone through several other iterations over the years.

Interestingly, all of Tong Heng’s traditional baked goods are entirely dairy-free. Each egg tart is hand-moulded using an oil-based dough layered with lard, giving it a fragrant aroma and flaky crust.

The original egg tart had a soft and delicate shell that gave way to a smooth custardy centre. Made with just three ingredients—eggs, water, and sugar—the filling had a simple yet nostalgic flavour that was comforting in its own way.

First launched in 2024, the Charcoal Egg Tart with Sea Salt Kaya ($3.20) is one of the newer additions to the menu.

Though a tad pricey at $3.20 a pop, I thought this creation was worth the splurge. It features the same flaky shell, infused with charcoal powder for a striking appearance, and filled with decadent salted kaya that pairs nicely with the sweet tart.

Another unique riff on the traditional egg tart is the Golden Yam Egg Tart ($3.20), which features orh nee in the centre, topped with taro-infused egg custard. We enjoyed this interesting rendition too, though we felt the kaya version was the more memorable of the two.

Also popular are their old-school pastries, including the Green Bean Pastry ($2.20), AKA tau sar piah, and Lotus Pastry ($2.20).

We got the Green Bean Pastry with Yolk ($2.90) to try.

The combination of the salted egg yolk and sweet-savoury mung bean paste was delicious, though I felt that $2.90 was a little steep for what it was.

If you prefer something savoury, we recommend the BBQ Pork Crisp ($2.60) instead.

The puff was flaky and layered, but what stole the show was the pork filling—smoky and tender, without being overly sweet or jelak.

Ambience at Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries

Tong Heng’s flagship store in Chinatown has a mini cafe-like setup. While the bakes remain largely old-school with a few innovative twists, the space itself feels bright and modern, with a sleek island counter displaying the freshly made pastries on offer.

There aren’t many tables, as the space operates more like a takeaway kiosk, but the air-conditioned setting makes dining in comfortable—perfect for tourists and locals looking for a respite from the heat.

Tong Heng is an eight-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station, or just a two-minute walk from Maxwell MRT Station.

Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries — Eatbook review

Tong Heng scores for its lineup of fresh egg tarts in unique flavours, alongside old-school pastries such as tau sar piah. It’s a great spot to visit if you’re in Chinatown and looking for traditional bakes that have stood the test of time.

For more old-school treats, read our Chin Mee Chin NEX review. Otherwise, check out our list of traditional bakeries in Singapore!

Address: 285 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058833
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 7pm
Tel: 6223 3649
Website
Tong Heng Traditional Chinese Pastries is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by John Lery Villaneuva.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.