Singapore Kopitiam Culture

Kopitiam, literally means coffee shop (coffee in Malay and shop in Hokkien), is commonly found all over Singapore and Malaysia.  It serves as a place for common folks to eat and drink, or just gather around to chit chat or gossip about the latest news.

One of the oldest kopitiam in Singapore, Tong Ah Eating House is located at Keong Saik Road, a street in Chinatown that was named after Chinese businessman Tan Keong Saik in 1926 but is more well-known as a place where prositutes and gangsters roamed the 1960s.

Selling old styled local breakfast (half boiled eggs, kaya toast with kopi or teh), the kopitiam, established in 1939, also serves zi char nowadays during lunch and dinner times.

The oldest Hainanese coffeeshop in Singapore belongs to Killiney kopitiam at Killiney Road. It started off as Kheng Hoe Heng Coffeeshop in 1919 by a Hainanese Foo-surnamed family. However, it was bought over in 1992, modernised over the years and developed into a franchise in local and oversea markets.

Common Terms used for Beverages & Food found in a Kopitiam

(Tea)
Teh – Tea with Condensed Milk and Sugar
Teh Peng – Teh with Ice
Teh Siew Dai – Teh with less Sugar
Teh Gar Dai – Teh with more Sugar
Teh Kosong – Teh without Sugar
Teh Or – Tea with Sugar, without Milk
Teh Or Peng – Teh Or with Ice
Teh Or Siew Dai – Teh Or with less Sugar
Teh Or Kosong – Tea without Milk and Sugar
Teh Si – Tea with Carnation Milk and Sugar
Teh Si Peng – Teh Si with Ice
Teh Si Kosong – Tea with Milk, Without Sugar
Diao Her (Fishing in Hokkien) – Tea with Teabag
Jio Kia (Mirror in Hokkien) – 1/3 Tea, 2/3 Hot Water
Teh Tarik (Pulled Tea in Malay) – Foamy Tea with Milk (usually found at Muslim stalls)
Teh Halia – Tea with Milk and Ginger Water (usually found at Muslim stalls)
Teh Masala – Teh Tarik with added Spices such as Cinnamon, Cardamon, Fennel and Ginger (usually found at Muslim stalls)

(Coffee)
Kopi – Coffee with Condensed Milk
Kopi Gao – Thick Kopi
Kopi Di Lo – Extra Thick Kopi
Kopi Po – Thin Kopi
Kopi Peng – Kopi with Ice
Kopi Or – Black Coffee without Milk
Kopi Or Siew Dai – Kopi Or with less Sugar
Kopi Or Gar Dai – Kopi Or with more Sugar
Kopi Or Kosong – Kopi Or without Sugar
Kopi Si – Coffee with Evaporated Milk
Kopi si Siew Dai – Kopi Si with less Sugar
Kopi Si Gar Dai – Kopi Si with more Sugar
Kopi Si Gar Dai – Kopi Si with more Sugar
Kopi Sua – Extra Order of Kopi
Kopi Tarik (Pulled Coffee in Malay) – Foamy Coffee with Milk (not common in Singapore)
Check out the Coffee Lingo by Nanyang Old Coffee

(Others)
Tak Giu (Kick Ball in Hokkien) – Milo
Tak Giu Peng – Milo with Ice
Dinosaur – Milo Ice with extra Milo powder on top
Godzilla – Milo Dinosaur with even more Milo powder on top
Lao Hor (Tiger in Hokkien) – Tiger Beer
Clementi (Kim Boon Tai in Hokkien) – Lemon Tea (Home-made or Can)
Lai Kor (Underwear in Hokkien) – Coke Light
Xiao Bai Tu (Rabbit in Mandarin) – Carrot Juice
Siao – Home-made Barley Drink
Yuan Yang (Mandarin Ducks in Mandarin) – Teh plus Kopi (Common in Hong Kong but not very popular in Singapore)
Michael Jackson – Soya Bean with Glass Jelly (not common in a typical local kopitiam)

(Food)
Zar Tan (Bomb in Hokkien) – Half Boiled Eggs

If you have more to add to the list, please email me at yesterdayom@gmail.com. Thanks!

Local coffee chain Nanyang Old Coffee plans to publish a book on the history of Singapore coffee. (I have no association whatsoever with Nanyang Old Coffee)

Published: 17 February 2011

Updated: 05 September 2011