Let’s face it, traditional bakeries are becoming few and far between. Like our hawker experts, masters of past generations have spent more of their lives handcrafting delicious eats, but they are having a tough job finding successors. It’s time to check out these 23 traditional bakeries in Singapore and have a taste of their signature items before it’s too late.
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Dona Manis Cake Shop is a humble store that’s been crafting beloved bakes from the basement of Katong Shopping Centre for over 20 years. Run by a married couple, the Original Banana Pie ($5.50 for one slice) here is considered a not-so-secret gem of the East. The warm, buttery pie is filled with chunks of banana and sprinkled with nuts for a crunchy texture. Their pies and pastries are handmade and baked daily, so you know you’re getting them fresh.
Read our Dona Manis Cake Shop review.
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 a halal-certified eatery.
Just a short walk from Golden Mile Food Centre is Sze Thye Cake Shop. The shop’s owner, Koh Sun Liang, has been making traditional Chinese sweets for over 57 years. He and his father picked up their skills from the shop’s original owners, and years later, his father took over. The business was then passed down to Mr Koh in 1999. The Peanut Candy ($1.50 for two small packs) here is a must-try. FYI, Mr Koh makes everything from scratch!
Address: 2 Beach Road, #01-4795, Singapore 190002
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 7pm
Tel: 9658 1286
Sze Thye Cake Shop is not a halal-certified eatery.
Many would speak fondly about childhood memories of eating Lana Cakes’ bakes, and if you don’t, it’s time to remedy that. Chef Violet Kwan has been making her beloved Chocolate Fudge Cakes (from $64) for over 40 years at a small bakery in Bukit Timah. Each cake features two layers of moist chocolate sponge coated with rich, velvety chocolate fudge.
Address: 36 Greenwood Avenue, Singapore 289239
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 10am to 5pm
Tel: 6466 5315
Website
Lana Cakes is not a halal-certified eatery.
Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery started in 1967 after Mr Leck and his wife learned how to make kueh from a Peranakan teacher. They opened their shop in 1987, when ang ku kueh started to make appearances at first-month celebrations for babies. The shop, which is within walking distance of Bedok 85 Fengshan Food Centre, is now run by third-generation owner Gavan Sing, who is the founder’s grandson. Besides their must-try Chufa Ang Ku Kueh (from $1.05+), another popular item is the Chufa Kueh Lapis (from $1.20+), which has 10 layers instead of the usual nine.
Address: 84 Bedok North Street 4, #01-21, Singapore 460084
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 5am to 5pm, Sun 5am to 2pm
Tel: 6449 0815
Website
Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionery is a halal-certified eatery.
Similar to tutu kueh, putu piring is a steamed treat made with rice flour. Unlike tutu kueh, however, it is usually filled with palm sugar instead of peanuts or coconut. Each Putu Piring ($5 for four pieces) from Haig Road Putu Piring comes with a gula melaka core, topped with freshly grated coconut shavings and pandan leaves. Eat it while it’s hot to get a taste of the warm, gooey palm sugar! Otherwise, try their other interesting flavours such as Chocolate ($5 for four pieces), Durian ($7 for four pieces), and Peanut ($5 for four pieces).
Website | Full list of outlets
Haig Road Putu Piring is a Muslim-owned eatery.
One of the better-known traditional bakeries is Balmoral Bakery. They opened in 1965 and moved to their current location in Clementi in 1984! A variety of classic English treats are available here, including their much–raved–about Beef Pies ($2.50) and Cream Horn ($1.70); the latter being an old-school nostalgic treat your parents probably grew up eating.
Address: 105 Clementi Street 12, #01-06, Sunset Way Residence, Singapore 120105
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 7pm
Tel: 6779 2064
Website
Balmoral Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Like many on this list, Tong Heng continues to make their pastries by hand despite the invention of machines that do the same. Owner Ana Fong is the fourth generation to run the business founded by her great-grandfather. Started in Chinatown in the 1920s, the pastry shop is famous for its diamond-shaped Egg Tart ($2.40), which comes with a flaky, buttery crust and smooth egg filling.
Chinatown outlet
Address: 285 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058833
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 7pm
Tel: 6223 0398
Jurong Point outlet
Address: 1 Jurong West Central 2, #B1-10, Jurong Point, Singapore 648886
Opening hours: Daily 9:30am to 9pm
Tel: 6794 6292
Website
Tong Heng is not a halal-certified eatery.
Located in Beauty World, Ng Kim Lee Confectionery is a treasure trove of cakes, puffs, and their signature Mini Muffins ($0.70 each). These muffins come in classic flavours: Chocolate, Blueberry, Lemon and more. Their Kaya Cake ($1.20 per slice) is fluffy and fragrant, with a dense kaya jelly base that’s worth a try too. Prices are cheap, so you can snack all you want on their array of baked goods!
Read our Ng Kim Lee Confectionery feature.
Address: 4 Chun Tin Road, Singapore 599591
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11am to 9pm
Tel: 6466 3515
Ng Kim Lee Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Yes, plain old bread is on this list because not many places can do it as well as Sing Hon Loong Bakery does. This 50-year-old frills-free bakery near Whampoa Market specialises in loaves of white bread with no fancy-schmancy toppings or fillings. You can get a variety of pillowy bread loaves here for under $5, or their flavoured buns stuffed with coconut ($2.50), red bean ($2.50) and more.
Read our Sing Hon Loong Bakery feature.
Address: 4 Whampoa Drive, Singapore 327715
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 5am to 11pm
Tel: 6256 0878
Website
Sing Hon Loong Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Fronted by a neon sign, Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah in Balestier has been pushing out Teochew-style tau sar piah since the ’60s. The brand became popular for their extra buttery pastries, which are thinner than the tau sar piah we’re used to from mass-market brands. Available simply in two flavours, Sweet and Salty, each piah is priced at $1.30 and baked fresh daily.
Read our Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah feature.
Address: 639 Balestier Road, Singapore 329922
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7:30am to 4pm
Tel: 6253 4584
Website
Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah is not a halal-certified eatery.
In the heart of Tai Seng stands Jie Traditional Bread Bakery, one of the longest-standing traditional bakeries in Singapore that specialises in bread. They have been running for over 30 years, making fresh bread daily by hand, and without preservatives. Some of their popular items include their Rainbow Bread ($2.40), the kind you get from ice cream uncles, and their Pandan Bread ($2.20), so flavourful that you can eat it on its own.
Address: 123 Upper Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 534837
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 9:30pm, Sat 7am to 9pm, Sun 10am to 9:30pm
Tel: 9818 8386
Website
Jie Traditional Bread Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery.
The kind of cream cakes that used to be so commonplace at void deck bakeries is now hard to come by unless you go to Love Confectionery, which sits just across Alexandra Village Food Centre. The stall feels like a blast from the past—display cases are lined with sprinkle-topped cream cakes, hae bee buns, and old-school biscuits. Fans praise the fluffiness of their Peanut Powder Cake ($1.50), while others rave about the bakery’s $0.80 buns that come in various flavours such as Curry, Red Bean, Custard, and Ham.
Address: 122 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-60, Block 122, Singapore 150122
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9am to 4pm
Website
Love Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Ji Xiang Confectionery began as an OG home-based business, thanks to owners Mr and Mrs Toh selling peanut and sweet bean paste ang ku kueh throughout their neighbourhood in 1985. The business eventually became so successful that they moved to a flagship bakery at Everton Park in 1988, and Ji Xiang Confectionery has been making ang ku kueh the traditional way out of that outfit ever since. All the ang ku kueh here are still made by hand, and now come in a myriad of flavours: Peanut ($1.30), Sweet Bean ($1.30), Salted Bean, Corn ($1.30), Yam ($1.40), Cempedak ($2) and more.
Address: 1 Everton Park, #01-33, Everton Park, Singapore 081001
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8am to 5pm
Tel: 6223 1631
Website
Ji Xiang Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.
You don’t have to travel to Hong Kong to get your authentic polo buns and flaky egg tarts with Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries. Apart from their flagship branch in Bugis, they’ve got locations in Tiong Bahru, Chinatown, and Tanjong Pagar too! Their Hong Kong Egg Tart (Pastry Skin) is generously filled with wobbly egg custard and priced at just $2.40. For those who prefer cookie crust tarts, Leung Sang also caters to you with their Western Egg Tart (Cookie Skin) ($2.20). For heartier bites, the stall sells Wife Pastry ($2.40) and a range of buttery meat pies too!
Website | Full list of outlets
Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastry is not a halal-certified eatery.
Located along Beach Road, June Bakery is quite a hole-in-the-wall amongst the traditional bakeries on this list, but it remains extremely popular amongst fans for their ultra-affordable Cheese Tart and Orh Nee Tart. Prices are $1.50 for their tarts, though they tend to sell out by midday, so head down fast. Other goodies include their Peanut Mochi ($1.50), a QQ sweet potato mochi generously filled with yam and dusted in ground peanuts.
Read our June Bakery review.
Address: 7500A Beach Road, #B1-321, The Plaza, Singapore 199591
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 2:30pm
Tel: 9731 3002
June Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
Fans of custard buns will fancy Lau Chong Kee Mini, a traditional bakery with an outlet at People’s Park Food Centre, and another in Bedok under the Lau Chong Kee Bedok Confectionery name. Their Custard Bun ($1.60) boasts a beautiful brown shade on the outside, packed with yellow custard within. An equally delicious contender is the Custard Pie ($1.60), a crispier alternative to the bun. Their custard bakes are perfect for those who are big on sweet things! Else, opt for the Red Bean Sponge Cake ($1.80) or Grandma Sponge ($1.70) for something lighter on the palate.
Read our Lau Chong Kee Mini review.
Address: 32 New Market Road, #01-1030, People’s Park Food Centre, Singapore 050032
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12:30pm to 8pm
Lau Chong Kee Mini is not a halal-certified eatery.
Tucked away at Old Airport Road Food Centre is Jia Mei Bakery, a hawker stall that sells mostly handmade baked goods. We recommend the Sugar Doughnut ($1.20) for a chewy and sufficiently sweet treat with a pinch of nostalgia. They also offer tarts, including the Egg Tart ($1.30) and Coconut Tart ($1.30). If you prefer crispy shells to softer ones, you’ll surely dig them! Do note that they bake in small batches here, with buns only available from noon.
Read our Jia Mei Bakery feature.
Address: 51 Old Airport Road, #01-43, Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Opening hours: Sun, Tue-Fri 9am to 6pm
Jia Mei Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery at Serangoon Garden Market takes pride in making their bread from scratch, which is no walk in the park if you’ve ever attempted it. Business starts at 6am, making it a great pitstop if you’re looking for a simple breakfast. There’s an extensive range of buns here, including Kaya ($1.30), Peanut ($1.30), and Curry ($1.40). There are also Butter Cake ($1.30) and Banana Cake ($1.30) for those who want a sweeter treat.
Read our Serangoon Gardens Bakery & Confectionery review.
Address: 49A Serangoon Garden Way, #01-45/46, Serangoon Garden Market, Singapore 555945
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 6am to 2pm
Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.
A stone’s throw away from Tai Seng MRT Station is Big Bakery, a priceless product of Mr Tan Li Hin and his wife, Candy. They specialise in handmade old-school apple pies, which cost $2.80 a slice. Alternatively, get their Blueberry Crumble for the same price!
Read our Big Bakery feature.
Address: 99 Upper Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 534825
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 5:30am to 6pm, Sat 10am to 3pm
Tel: 6383 2510
Website
Big Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Located at Sims Vista Market & Food Centre, Hung Huat Cakes and Pastries is one of the few traditional bakeries to visit for CNY goodies and pretty orh nee mooncakes. Before their current business, they started as a min jiang kueh shop in 1978. Their repertoire at the moment includes the popular Hokkaido Milk Mochi x Signature Teochew Orh Nee ($7), a gorgeous layered pastry topped with chewy mochi in a lavender shade, brimming with orh nee. Another must-have is their Ondeh Ondeh ($3 for four), delicately made with all-natural ingredients, available in Pandan and Purple Sweet Potato flavours.
Read our Hung Huat Cakes and Pastries feature.
Address: 49 Sims Place, #01-48, Sims Vista Market & Food Centre, Singapore 380049
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7:30am to 2:30pm
Tel: 9651 4902
Website
Hung Huat Cakes and Pastries is not a halal-certified eatery.
After the closure of its beloved OG outlet in Clementi, The Emerald Bakery made a comeback late last year in Bukit Panjang, much to the delight of its fans. The brand has brought back its same well-loved offerings, including the Pandan Chiffon (Big) ($8), Mini Apple Crumble ($6.50 for six pieces), and Banana Cake ($8 for one block). Their Apple Crumble, a crowd favourite, is said to have a buttery base filled with a copious amount of fresh apples, raisins, and walnuts.
Read our The Emerald Bakery feature.
Address: 643 Senja Close, #01-09, Singapore 670643
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7:30am to 8:30pm
Tel: 9185 7818
Website
The Emerald Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Situated in Toa Payoh, Omzyn Cake Confectionery offers a variety of freshly made bread daily. Some of their regulars’ favourites include the Coconut Bun ($1), White Lotus Bun ($1), and Chicken Floss ($1 for two pieces). The store’s owner has kept his prices consistently low throughout the years to cater to the ageing population in the area.
Read our Omzyn Cake Confectionery feature.
Address: 20 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh, #01-746, Block 20, Singapore 310020
Opening hours: Tue, Thurs, Sat-Sun 4am to 8am
Omzyn Cake Confectionery is not a halal-certified eatery.
Chang Ji Bing Jia is another old-school bakery in Clementi. Although they’ve come up with a newer innovation—Mochi Tau Sar Piah (TBD)—they still offer traditional goodies, including their Salty Bean Paste Bread ($3). Aside from these, they also have a variety of other bakes such as their delightfully soft sponge cakes: Carrot Cake ($6), Honey Castella Cake ($5), Walnut Cake ($4.30) and more!
Read our Chang Ji Bing Jia feature.
Address: 727 Clementi West Street 2, #01-240, Block 727, Singapore 120727
Opening hours: Daily 7:30am to 9:30pm
Chang Ji Bing Jia is not a halal-certified eatery.
When you’re bored of cafe-hopping, opt for these traditional bakeries that have been plying their trade for years. After all, their decades of experience have allowed them to optimise their recipes, so you can be sure you’re getting the good stuff.
For more traditional finds, read our ranked list of the best old-school waffles in Singapore. Otherwise, check out these old-school breakfast spots in Singapore, offering char-grilled kaya toast, butter coffee and more!