Roti, eggs and kopi: New exhibition celebrates Nanyang breakfast

SINGAPORE – Nanyang coffee, colloquially known as “kopi”, has historical ties to the opium dens of Singapore in the 1930s.

Its unique flavour came about after butter and sugar were added to the Robusta beans when they were about 80 per cent roasted. This was reportedly to satisfy opium smokers, who suffered from dry mouth and a dulled sense of taste.

This and other interesting facts about Singapore’s iconic Nanyang breakfast can be found in a new exhibition, The Nanyang Breakfast Club: Let’s Lim Kopi (drink coffee), Jiak Roti (eat bread).

It was launched by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) at the SingPost Centre in Eunos on April 3.

The travelling exhibition pays homage to the Nanyang breakfast, which has three elements: charcoal-grilled toast with a spread of kaya and a sliver of butter, two soft-boiled eggs drizzled with soya sauce and sprinkled with white pepper, and a cup of aromatic kopi.

The word “Nanyang” refers to “South Sea”, or the South-east Asian region.

The Nanyang breakfast has its roots in the early 19th century, when Chinese immigrants, particularly the Hainanese, arrived in the area and worked as cooks and domestic helpers for British and European families.

Over time, the traditional culinary staple in Singapore has been shaped by the diverse influences of Chinese, Malay, Peranakan and Western cultures.

For example, the debate surrounding the origin of kaya, or coconut jam, shows its multicultural influences.

Some say it is based on the Portuguese pudding sericaia, made with eggs, flour, sugar and cinnamon, while others think it is inspired by the Malay serikaya, which refers to a wider variety of coconut cream desserts made with eggs.

There are also those who believe that it was created by the Peranakan Chinese as a combination of their Malay heritage and interactions with the British, who paired jam with toast.

Yet others claim that it is an adaptation by the Hainanese, inspired by the fruit-based jams of the British and the culinary methods of the Peranakan Chinese they worked for.

SCCC assistant curator Justin Lee, 26, said that aside from scouring newspaper articles from the early 19th century and limited academic sources, he spoke with traditional coffee roasteries such as Kim Guan Guan Coffee Roaster to gather facts for the exhibition.

Mr Alvin Tan, chief executive officer of SCCC, said: “With this travelling exhibition, SCCC hopes to provide the historical, cultural and social contexts behind one of Singapore’s favourite breakfast staples, showcase how this traditional breakfast has evolved with the times, and highlight how local Chinese culture can be found in everyday life here in Singapore.”

The exhibition also shows how Singapore’s culinary tradition has gone global, with some local coffee chains opening outlets in countries like Australia, France and Japan.

The Nanyang breakfast also inspired the kaya toast stout, Pocky biscuits infused with kaya toast and kopi-o flavours, the Kopi King card game and a Lego set.

The exhibition, which will be at SingPost Centre till May 2, will travel to shopping malls, schools and libraries, before stopping at SCCC from Sept 6 to Nov 30 in Shenton Way.

It is part of

SCCC’s SG60 programme offerings,

and is supported by the National Heritage Board and Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations.

SCCC’s new series of travelling exhibitions showcases local Chinese culture, with the next focus in 2026 to be on karung gunis (rag-and-bone men).

Scotsman Scott Harrison, who was at the exhibition, has been enjoying the Nanyang breakfast daily for 16 years. He even travels with his coffee beans and kaya to prepare his own Nanyang breakfast whenever he is abroad.

It was love at first “taste” for the 49-year-old corporate consultant when he wandered into a bustling Killiney Kopitiam in Siglap and ordered his first Nanyang breakfast, he said.

About two months ago, Mr Harrison started a TikTok account,

@scott_in_sg

, celebrating the Nanyang breakfast.

It has since gone viral with many recommending places he should patronise for his daily fix.

“I have visited about 100 coffee shops so far, and I want to help promote these local small businesses through my videos,” he said.

“I am not a food critic or influencer; just someone who really loves the Nanyang breakfast.”