The craziest reinvented traditional dessert I’ve had is probably the Mr Bean cocktail from local bar Jekyll & Hyde. While I was impressed by how the cocktail made with Lao Ban beancurd, vodka, kaya, and Frangelico tasted, it’s not something I’d crave all the time, unlike a good old bowl of red bean soup or cheng tng. For these old-school treats, here are the stalls where you can get the best traditional desserts in Singapore.
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Easties are lucky to have Within The Walls Dessert Bar, a retro cafe decked in 80s Hong Kong pop culture decor. Their menu is pretty expansive, so if you don’t know what to get, we recommend getting the Steady Bom Pi Pi Strawberry ($14.80) for starters, a refreshing snow ice dessert topped with fresh strawberries and a dollop of yoghurt, which was the key ingredient in this. Another one worth trying is the Mango Sago with Taro Balls ($7.90), where the chewy taro balls give some textural variety to the otherwise creamy and velvety dessert.
Read our Within The Walls Dessert Bar review.
Address: 378 East Coast Road, Singapore 428985
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11am to 11pm, Fri-Sun 11am to 2am
Tel: 9272 7997
Website
Within The Walls Dessert Bar is not a halal-certified eatery.
TikTok-viral Yuen Yeung formed snaking queues in the first few months of their opening, mainly because of their modern interpretations of traditional desserts. Take the Pistachio Paste ($8.60+) for example; this was a hot pick among diners as it’s a three-in-one of nutty, creamy, and sweet, made even better thanks to the salted pistachio bits. Another dessert in a similar shade of green—but one that tastes very different—is the Matcha Mochi Peaks ($6.40+), starring a creamy white paste topped with matcha ice cream and lots of chewy brown sugar pearls.
Read our Yuen Yeung review.
Address: 43 Neil Road, Singapore 088825
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am to 10:30pm
Website
Yuen Yeung is not a halal-certified eatery.
For old-school handmade tang yuan packed to the brim, check out 75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup at Golden Mile Food Centre. Since they started their business in 1947, they have been famous for their glutinous rice balls in Peanut Soup ($2.10). While peanut soup is their signature, other soup options include Longan Red Date, Ginger, and Almond Milk, all priced at $2.10.
Each bowl typically comes with four pieces of glutinous rice balls for $2.80. It’s priced at $3.20 for five Ah Balling and $3.50 for six Ah Balling. They’re filled with peanut, sesame, and red bean. The more adventurous folks can try their yam and matcha ones!
Read our 75 Ah Balling review.
Website | Full list of outlets
75 Ah Balling is not a halal-certified eatery.
The next time you’re in Chinatown, pop your head into 115 Tang Shui’s stall and you will see a big stone grinder sitting at the side. In an effort to keep all preparation methods traditional, the stall uses this 42-year-old machine to make their desserts. Serving mainly Cantonese desserts, you can find traditional bowls such as Sesame Paste ($2.30), Almond Paste ($2.30), and Pumpkin Corn ($2.30) here. One of their best-selling items, Bobo Chacha ($2.30), follows a traditional recipe passed down in the family.
Read our 115 Tang Shui review.
Address: Blk 335 Smith Street, #02-206, Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: Thurs-Sun 7:30am to 4:30pm
Website
115 Tang Shui is not a halal-certified eatery.
Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert Shop allows you to have traditional Chinese desserts in a comfortable, modern setting. If you’ve missed Hong Kong’s famous milk puddings, get them here. Their Signature Ginger Milk Pudding ($5.30+) is a silky, creamy concoction, while the Shun De Double Layer Milk Pudding ($4.40+) will whisk you right back to Australia Dairy Company. You can also get peach gum desserts, Sago with Mango ($5.20+), and savoury bites here too.
Read our Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert Shop review.
East Coast outlet
Address: 66 East Coast Rd, #01-03, The Flow@East Coast, Singapore 428778
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am to 10:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 11pm
Chinatown outlet
Address: 291 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058836
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am to 10:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 11pm
Website
Jin Yu Man Tang is not a halal-certified eatery.
Thong Sum Hot & Cold Desserts is a stall started by a young hawkerpreneur, serving traditional Chinese desserts. He still employs traditional methods of cooking, where clay pots and charcoal stoves are used. Get your hands on their signature Red Bean Soup ($2.20), Sweet Barley with Gingko Nuts ($2.40), and Sweet Corn Terigu ($2.40) to see why regulars love his desserts so much.
Read our Thong Sum Hot & Cold Desserts review.
Address: 505 Beach Road, #01-83, Golden Mile Food Centre, Singapore 199583
Opening hours: Sat-Wed 10:30am to 8pm
Tel: 9172 0567
Website
Thong Sum Hot & Cold Desserts is not a halal-certified eatery.
Tian Yi Desserts is an old-school dessert stall near Lavender selling all the classic sweet soups. Their desserts tend towards the thicker, Cantonese-style variety, rather than the more commonly found sort where the beans and soup are distinct. For a more colourful treat, try the Bo Bo Cha Cha ($2.50), a winning combination of rich and coconutty. Alternatively, there are healthier options such as Longan Sweet Potatoes Soup ($2.50) and Green Bean Soup ($2.50).
Read our Tian Yi Desserts review.
Address: 10 North Bridge Road, #01-112, Singapore 190010
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 9:10am to 3pm
Website
Tian Yi Desserts is not a halal-certified eatery.
Ye Lai Xiang has been around for almost eight decades now, selling just one dish: cheng tng. If you’re wondering how their cheng tng differs, and whether it’s worth a trip to the depths of Bedok, know that there’s none of that overly cloying sweetness you usually get—instead, the broth is fragrant and laced with a mellow pandan syrup. Each portion also gets you a whopping 11 ingredients, from QQ sago balls to sweet dried lychee. A bowl is priced at $3.50 and available hot or cold.
Read our Ye Lai Xiang review.
Address: 1 Bedok Road, Stall 31, Bedok Food Centre, Singapore 469572
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 9:30am to 7pm
Tel: 9012 4277
Website
Ye Lai Xiang Cheng Tng is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
This Tampines dessert stall has gained a ton of traction online because of its signature Cold Watermelon Ball ($2), served ice-cold with rounds of fresh watermelon balls, sweet corn, milk, and watermelon juice. If you prefer sweet treats that are more traditional, the stall also sells a nutty Sesame Paste ($1.80) and Red Bean Soup ($1.80).
Read our House of Dessert review.
Address: 137 Tampines Street 11, #01-02, Round Market & Food Centre, Singapore 521137
Opening hours: Tue-Wed 7am to 1pm, Fri-Sun 7am to 1pm
House of Dessert is not a halal-certified eatery.
If you’re looking for a spot to have traditional desserts in the CBD, then swing by Darkness Desserts. The Black Sesame Paste with Coconut Ice Cream ($5.80+) is a crowd favourite, featuring an aromatic, thick goma soup laced with a scoop of creamy, refreshing coconut ice cream. For something cold, order the towering Mango Ice ($15.80+), served with mango shaved ice, popping boba, and a variety of other toppings.
Read our Darkness Dessert review.
Address: 36 Temple Street, Singapore 058581
Opening hours: Daily 12:30pm to 11pm
Tel: 8842 1263
Website
Darkness Dessert is not a halal-certified eatery.
Located in Bugis is Chow Zan Dessert, which serves traditional and contemporary desserts. Try their unconventional D24 Durian and Red Bean White Cendol ($10.50), which you can otherwise get in Red Bean with Corn, Attapseed White Cendol ($6.90) if durian isn’t your jam. There’s, of course, the regular mango series in nine variations, ranging from the classic Mango Sago ($6.90) to the more indulgent Black Glutinous Rice with Mango and Coconut Ice Cream ($13.90).
Read our Chow Zan Dessert review.
Address: 801 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198769
Opening hours: Daily 12:30pm to 11pm
Tel: 6297 7718
Website
Chow Zan is not a halal-certified eatery.
Established in 1950, Mei Heong Yuen is a household name that we’re sure traditional dessert lovers would have tried, or at least heard of. Known for their nut pastes and Egg Pudding with Ginger ($4). Come for the Peanut Paste, Almond Paste, and Sesame Paste at $4 each, or go for something modern such as the Milk Tea Snow Ice ($8). This icy treat comes with pearls!
Read our Mei Heong Yuen review.
Website | Full list of outlets
Mei Heong Yuen is not a halal-certified eatery.
Pay a visit to Fortune Centre for Yat Ka Yan, where everything is said to be made in-house. Avoid peak hours here so you have a better chance of trying their famous Chendol ($4), which is said to rival the famous Jonker Street equivalent in Malacca. Otherwise, try the Avocado Sago ($8), our personal favourite: a pile of shaved ice covered in creamy, house-made avocado sauce, paired with all kinds of toppings, and finished with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Read our Ya Kat Yan feature.
Fortune Centre outlet
Address: 190 Middle Road, #02-08, Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 12:30pm to 10pm
Bugis outlet
Address: 9 Tan Quee Lan Street, #01-03, Singapore 188098
Opening hours: Sun-Mon, Wed-Thurs 12pm to 11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 12am
Tel: 8798 9292
Website
Yat Ka Yan is not a halal-certified eatery.
Four Seasons Cendol is best known for selling some of the best chendol in Singapore. The Toa Payoh stall serves their take on the cold, sweet treat with a generous amount of coconut milk and gula melaka, as well as toppings, ranging from pandan jelly to red beans. They also have the popular Ice Blended Cendol ($2.60), served in a cup for easy enjoyment while on the go.
Read our Four Seasons Chendol review.
Address: 210 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, #01-56, Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market & Hawker Centre, Singapore 310210
Opening hours: TBD
Website
Four Seasons Cendol is not a halal-certified eatery.
OG traditional dessert lovers will surely know of Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts, a quaint hawker stall that sells a variety of old-school tong shui. Something unique here is the Avocado and Sea Coconut ($2.50), a refreshing treat perfect for the sultry weather in Singapore. If you prefer sweet-tangy desserts, we recommend the Soursop Ice ($2.50) or Attap Seed Tadpole ($2.50) instead.
Read our Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts review.
Address: Blk 38A Margaret Drive, #02-24, Margaret Hawker Centre, Singapore 142038
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 6am to 8pm
Soon Heng Hot & Cold Desserts is not a halal-certified eatery.
After a savoury meal, it’s always nice to end with a sweet treat. When you’re tired of ice cream and waffles, fall back on an old-school Chinese dessert that’ll hit the spot, and is nourishing too. If you’re looking for our favourites, here’s our curated list of the best desserts in Singapore. We also have a guide to the best late-night dessert places in Singapore!
This post was originally published on 17 January 2018.