One of the most well-known breakfast items in Singapore is kaya toast. Don’t worry if you get up too late for breakfast though! It can also be eaten as a snack throughout the day and is served all day long at specific kaya toast shops.
What is Kaya?
Kaya is a coconut milk based jam that is made with sugar, coconut milk, pandan leaves for flavor, and egg yolks. The consistency is soft and spreadable–perfect to put on toast! Kaya toast is simply toasted bread with a spread of kaya and topped with a slice of butter. A slice of butter may sound strange but it is like a quarter inch of butter that is put into the still-warm bread to melt it down.
Kaya toast is usually served with some milk coffee or milk tea and a side of very soft-boiled eggs. The eggs can be seasoned with some soy sauce or you can use it as a kind of dipping sauce for your kaya toast. Kaya toast and the coffee and tea are typically very sweet. Singaporean palettes are used to much sweeter flavors so be cautious when ordering drinks! You may prefer to ask for your beverage without sugar so you can wash down the already sugary kaya toast.
How to Order Coffee (Kopi) or Tea (Teh)
If you want coffee or tea to go with your kaya toast but you don’t want milk or sugar, follow our guide below!
kopi-C kosong: Coffee with milk, no sugar
teh-o: Tea with sugar, no milk
teh-C peng kosong: Iced tea with milk, no sugar
kopi-o peng: Iced coffee with sugar, no milk
kopi-o kosong: hot coffee, black
Kaya Toast Chains in Singapore
If you’re unsure where to get kaya toast, you can always go to one of the below chains that can be found along streets with various businesses or inside malls.
Ya Kun Kaya Toast
The original kaya toast stall that started in Singapore still has locations all over the island. Stop by here for some authentic and close to the origins kaya toast.
Toast Box
Toast box also serves other simple dishes and is mainly known as a bread shop. However, you can also get kaya toast here as a snack or for breakfast.