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Ya Kun cheese kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs and a cup of kopi kosong on a tray

Photo: Matumona612, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Food & Drink

Local Breakfast Guides

Kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and strong kopi: the classic Singapore breakfast and the kopitiams that still serve it best.

These guides explain the Singapore local breakfast: kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and strong kopi, served at old coffee shops called kopitiams. Each guide covers one part of the meal, from the two kinds of kaya jam to the words you need to order coffee.

New to it all? Start with What Is Kaya Toast? Singapore's Classic Breakfast Explained, then read the rest before an early start.

Plan it with EatStays: best kaya toast in Singapore and Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Far East Square).

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What is a Singapore local breakfast?

A Singapore local breakfast is quick, cheap and eaten close to home or work. The best-known version is the kopitiam set: kaya toast, two soft-boiled eggs and a cup of kopi or teh. But breakfast here also means prata, nasi lemak, rice cakes and noodles. This guide covers the classic set first, then other morning dishes worth waking up for.

The classic kopitiam set

A kopitiam is a traditional coffee shop. The word joins the Malay word kopi (coffee) and the Hokkien word tiam (shop). Read What Is a Kopitiam? Singapore Coffee Shops Explained to learn how they work.

Kaya toast

Thin, crisp toast is spread with kaya and a slab of cold butter. Kaya is a sweet jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar. It comes in two colours. Brown Hainanese kaya uses caramelised sugar. Green Nyonya kaya gets its colour from pandan, a fragrant leaf. See Hainanese vs Nyonya Kaya: Brown or Green Coconut Jam.

Soft-boiled eggs

The eggs are cooked only briefly, so the whites stay soft and the yolks stay runny. Add a few drops of dark soy sauce and some white pepper, then dip your toast. Soft Boiled Eggs with Soy Sauce: The Kopitiam Way shows you how.

Kopi and teh

Kopi is local coffee, and teh is local tea. The coffee beans are often roasted with sugar and margarine, which gives a dark, rich taste. Both drinks come sweet, with condensed milk, unless you say otherwise.

  • Kopi O: black coffee with sugar.
  • Kopi C: coffee with evaporated milk and sugar.
  • Kosong: add this word for no sugar.
  • Siew dai: add this for less sugar.
  • Peng: add this for iced.

The full list is in How to Order Kopi in Singapore Without Getting Lost.

Other local breakfast dishes

  • Roti prata: a flaky flatbread fried on a griddle, with curry for dipping. See Prata.
  • Nasi lemak: coconut rice with sambal (a chilli paste), fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg. It is often wrapped to take away. See Nasi Lemak.
  • Chwee kueh: small steamed rice cakes topped with salty preserved radish and chilli.
  • Thosai and idli: South Indian rice and lentil pancakes and steamed cakes, served with chutney and sambar, a lentil stew.
  • Porridge: soft rice porridge, plain or with fish, chicken or egg. See Porridge.
  • Fried bee hoon: thin rice noodles fried with simple toppings, sold from big trays at many stalls.
  • Carrot cake: fried radish cake, white or black with sweet soy. Read White vs Black Carrot Cake: Which Should You Order?
  • You tiao: long fried dough sticks, often eaten with porridge or dipped in kopi.

Where to have a local breakfast

Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Far East Square) is in the Marina Bay and CBD area. It is a short walk from Thian Hock Keng Temple. Killiney Kopitiam is in the Orchard and River Valley area, so it suits a morning before shopping on Orchard Road.

Hawker centres open early too. Tiong Bahru Market is a popular hawker centre for an early meal. Afterwards, walk round the Tiong Bahru Estate to see its old flats. For prata, try Springleaf Prata Place in Upper Thomson. For nasi lemak, Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak is in the Newton and Novena area.

Tips for an early start

  • Go early. Many coffee shops and breakfast stalls open soon after dawn. Some close by late morning or once they sell out.
  • Share a table. Coffee shops are busy and seats are shared. Ask if a seat is free before you sit down.
  • Order drinks separately. In a kopitiam, drinks often come from their own stall. You order and pay for them there.
  • Carry small change. A kaya toast set with a drink often costs around S$5 to S$8. Prices change, so check the board.
  • Cut the sugar. Local drinks are sweet by default. Say kosong or siew dai for less sugar.
  • Take kaya home. Jars of kaya make good gifts. Spreads count as liquids at airport security, so pack large jars in checked luggage.

FAQs about Singapore local breakfast

What do Singaporeans eat for breakfast?

Kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs and kopi is the classic. Prata, nasi lemak, chwee kueh, porridge and fried noodles are also common.

When do kopitiams open?

Many open early in the morning, well before most offices. Hours vary from shop to shop, so check the listing before you go.

Is kopi very strong?

It is usually strong and thick. Order kopi siew dai for less sugar, or kopi C for evaporated milk instead of condensed milk.

Can I get a local breakfast at my hotel?

Some hotel breakfast buffets include local dishes, such as kaya toast or nasi lemak. For the full experience, walk to the nearest kopitiam or hawker centre.