Hi! / Eh, one kopi pls lah!
Kopi
KOH-pee
Traditional Singapore coffee with condensed milk
Kopi O
KOH-pee OH
Black coffee with sugar
Kopi C
KOH-pee SEE
Coffee with evaporated milk
Kopi O kosong
KOH-pee OH KOH-song
Black coffee, no sugar
Traditional Singapore coffee — Robusta beans roasted with butter and sugar, brewed through a sock filter, served with condensed milk
Same as kopi but black with sugar — order at any hawker centre
Iced kopi — essential in Singapore's heat
The go-to order in Singapore's specialty cafes — Australian influence runs deep
Available at Nylon, Tiong Hoe, and Common Man — world-class quality
Kopi at hawker centres costs S$1.20–S$2 — a completely different world from specialty cafe prices
Reserving a table with a packet of tissues is Singaporean culture — the 'chope' system
Hawker centre coffee stalls open at 6am — Singapore runs early
Specialty cafes in Tiong Bahru and Tanjong Pagar are English-friendly and excellent
Eating and drinking in MRT stations or trains is a S$500 fine — no takeaway coffee on trains
Air conditioning is everywhere — hot vs iced preference can go either way year-round
Not customary in Singapore. Service charge (10%) is usually added to bills automatically. Additional tips are not expected.
S$1.50 for kopi at hawker centres; S$6–S$9 for espresso drinks at specialty cafes
Did you know? Singapore's kopi tradition traces to Hainanese immigrants who learned coffee roasting from British colonial officers — today it's a UNESCO-nominated cultural heritage practice.