Travel Tip: Singapore Coffee – Can’t Tell “O” from “C”?

First, what Singaporeans call a “Kopitiam” is what we know as a “coffee shop.” “Kopi” comes from the Malay and Hokkien word for “coffee,” while “Tiam” is the Hokkien pronunciation for “shop.” As for the “kaya” in kaya toast, it is a jam made from coconut milk and eggs, spread on grilled toast or bread along with butter—usually on the sweeter side.

 

As for a complete Singapore-style breakfast, aside from kaya toast paired with a half-boiled egg best enjoyed with a spoon, you’ll definitely also need coffee. Early on, the Hainanese who came to Singapore by sea found most job opportunities already taken by earlier immigrants, so they took up jobs as cooks or housekeepers in foreign households. That’s how they learned to make pastries and coffee—and innovated by coming up with a roasting method that involves stir-frying coffee beans with butter and sugar over charcoal, resulting in a richly aromatic brew. The way coffee is brewed in Singapore is also different from the norm: condensed milk (traditional Singapore coffee is made with condensed milk, not creamer or coffee whitener) and sugar are added first, then hot coffee is poured in to mix thoroughly with the condensed milk. Because condensed milk is used, the flavor is especially fragrant and bold.

 

When ordering, you’re sure to hear locals saying “Kopi-O,” “Kopi-C,” and so on. We’ve already mentioned that “Kopi” means coffee, but if you just ask for coffee, you’ll get a cup with condensed milk. If you want coffee with just sugar, ask for “Kopi-O”—the O stands for the Hokkien word for “black.” If you want both sugar and condensed milk, ask for “Kopi-C,” where the C stands for the Hainanese word for “fresh.”

 

At this point, some readers might say, “I only drink black coffee—what should I do?” Don’t worry—just ask for “Kopi Kosong” if you want a coffee with nothing added. “Kosong” in Malay means “empty” or “nothing”!

 

Finally, in Malay, “Ais” means “ice,” so if you want an iced coffee, just say “Kopi Ais.” And for tea lovers, simply replace “Kopi” with “Teh” (Hokkien for “tea”) and you’ll be all set.

 

Singapore Coffee Terms