How to order Singapore traditional coffee like a pro

Hey, Coffee lovers!!!

If you are in Singapore now, just put aside Cappuccino, Mocha, or any other coffee you have drunk before, and try traditional coffee. It is easy to find out in the nearest food courts where your neighborhood. 

There are many options, which are different tastes, to choose from that are related to your styles.  Then, they have their own name but not in English. They always used to give the names of foods and drinks in the interesting language mixed with Malay and Chinese. Coffee is known as Kopi; its origin is in the Chinese language but Malaysians also use it the same. Sometimes you can see Kopitiam, yes, that is a coffee shop as same as the food court. 

Traditional Breakfast Set

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Ok, then, let’s see how the Kopi names and their respective tastes.

1. Kopi O

Making with two ingredients, coffee powder and sugar, as same as black coffee. The taste is bitter added a bit sweet, and fresh. 

2. Kopi O Kosong

Kosong means nothing inside. Of course, there is nothing except coffee powder. The taste is totally bitter and the best to choose for the person who likes Espresso. 

3. Kopi O Siew Dei

Siew Dei means less sugar, so it mixes coffee and sugar but is less sweet than Kopi O.

4. Kopi O Ga Dei

Ga Dei means more sugar: It will be sweeter than Kopi O in the opposite way of Kopi O Siew Dei. 

5. Kopi C

If you see “C”, must know adding some milk into coffee. Therefore, this style of coffee has three ingredients, coffee, sugar and milk, the taste is more Asian, and normally nutty with a bit sweet.

6. Kopi C Siew Dei

As mentioned above, it is less sugar but added milk. The taste becomes less sweet and just nutty naturally.

7. Kopi C Ga Dei

Same as above, more sugar and still added milk as usual. The taste will be the opposite of Siew Dei.

8. Kopi Gao

It is a bit different from Kopi C because it uses condensed milk instead of fresh milk. And never put Sugar but the taste is sweeter and heavier. 

9. Kopi Di Lo

Fewer people choose this kind of coffee because it is super thick. More coffee and less condensed milk; It is only suitable for the one who likes bitter and is a healthy person. 

10. Kopi Poh

It is not too thick, and light to drink even though made with condensed milk.

11. Kopi Peng

Peng means cold in Chinese, so yes, it is iced coffee. If you like to choose a cold drink, sometimes you should consider ordering Kopi Peng. 

12. Yuenyeung

Sound is similar to Yin-Yang, a famous Chinese philosophical concept, but it is not, actually. It is one of the specials that can be found only in Singapore because the style is quite different from other Southeast Asian countries. How do they make it? Very interesting! It is made with coffee and tea mixed together and the taste becomes so deeply connected with sweet, nutty and bitter in proportion. Maybe it is the best option to find out new tastes and more traditions in Singapore. 

Different types of Singapore Coffee

Ah, of course, you still have another option. If you don’t want a hot drink at that moment, you can order like this. “Yuenyeung Peng”. You can receive a cold one with the same taste as above.

I hope you enjoy choosing your style.

Be local, explore the new, and expand your world.

Please make sure that our environment is not destroyed by our actions.

-May Thoon Khit-