Walking into a Singaporean kopitiam (coffee shop) or hawker center can be an overwhelming experience for the uninitiated. The air is thick with humidity, the clatter of plates, and shouted orders in a rapid-fire mix of Hokkien, Malay, and English.
While you might be used to ordering a “skinny latte” or a “flat white” at a cafe, the local coffee ecosystem operates on an entirely different language. It is fast, loud, and unapologetically efficient.
If you want to know how to order coffee and tea like a local in Singapore, you need to understand the syntax. It’s not just about pointing at a menu; it’s about constructing your drink using a specific formula of keywords.
Mastering this skill won’t just save you money—a local kopi costs around $1.50 compared to a $6 cafe latte—it will earn you a nod of respect from the drink stall “Uncle” or “Auntie.”
Local coffee in Singapore is distinct from the Western-style espresso beverages you find at Starbucks. It has a unique flavor profile that is robust, aromatic, and often quite sweet.
Most Western cafes use Arabica beans, which are known for their acidity and complex floral notes. Singaporean kopi, however, uses Robusta beans.
To combat the natural bitterness of Robusta, these beans are roasted in a wok with margarine (or butter), sugar, and sometimes corn kernels. This caramelizes the beans, resulting in a dark, glossy roast with intense chocolate and nutty notes.
You won’t find high-pressure espresso machines in a traditional drink stall. Instead, the coffee powder is placed in a long cotton filter that resembles a sock.
Hot water is poured through the “sock” into a large metal pot. The resulting brew is incredibly strong and thick, serving as the potent base for all local coffee drinks.
One of the biggest draws of local coffee is the price. You can get a high-caffeine fix for under $2.00 at almost any hawker center.
Even with the rise of inflation, kopi and teh remain the fuel of the nation, accessible to everyone from taxi drivers to CEOs.
To order like a pro, you need to think of your drink as a modular system. You don’t memorize 50 different names; you simply combine the terms you need.
The formula is: Base + Milk Modifier + Sugar Modifier + Temperature/Strength.
Here is a breakdown of the essential terms you need to know:
| Category | Term | Meaning |
| Base | Kopi | Coffee |
| Teh | Tea | |
| Milk | (Default) | Condensed Milk (Sweet & Creamy) |
| C | Evaporated Milk (Creamy but unsweetened) | |
| O | No Milk (Black) | |
| Sugar | (Default) | Standard Sugar |
| Siew Dai | Less Sugar (Recommended) | |
| Kosong | No Sugar | |
| Gah Dai | More Sugar / More Milk | |
| Temp | (Default) | Hot |
| Peng | Iced | |
| Pua Sio | Warm (Half hot water, half room temp) | |
| Strength | Gau | Strong / Thick |
| Po | Weak / Thin | |
| Action | Da Bao | Takeaway / To Go |
Using this table, if you want an Iced Coffee with Evaporated Milk and Less Sugar, you simply combine them: Kopi + C + Siew Dai + Peng.
Now that you understand the grammar, let’s look at the specific drinks. These are the most common orders you will hear in the queue.
If you prefer tea, the syntax remains exactly the same. You just swap “Kopi” for “Teh”. The tea used is typically a strong Ceylon red tea dust, brewed in the same “sock” style.
Teh Tarik is Singapore’s unofficial national drink. “Tarik” means “to pull” in Malay.
The drink stall operator pours the tea and milk mixture back and forth between two metal mugs from a height. This cools the tea to drinking temperature and creates a thick, frothy foam on top. It is sweeter and creamier than standard Teh.
Singapore’s drink culture extends beyond just coffee and tea. There are plenty of options for kids or those avoiding caffeine.
Milo is a chocolate malt drink that is practically a religion in Southeast Asia.
Ready to try how to order coffee and tea like a local in Singapore? Here is a typical interaction you might have with the drink stall Uncle.
Scenario: You want a takeaway Iced Coffee with Evaporated Milk and Less Sugar.
Pro Tip: If you order a cold drink “Da Bao,” it might come in a plastic bag with a string tied on one side (“ikat tepi”). This is the classic Singaporean way to carry your drink!
Even though evaporated milk (used in Kopi C) is often cheaper or similar in price to condensed milk in supermarkets, hawker stalls traditionally charge $0.10 to $0.20 more for it.
The logic is that Kopi C requires adding sugar separately (since evaporated milk is unsweetened), whereas standard Kopi uses condensed milk which provides both creaminess and sweetness in one scoop.
Yes, it is generally stronger and more caffeinated than Western drip coffee. The Robusta beans have a higher caffeine content than Arabica beans.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, you might want to ask for “Po” (thin/weak) or avoid ordering it late in the day.
Generally, no. Traditional kopitiams brew large batches of coffee concentrate in the morning. They do not typically stock decaffeinated beans.
If you need a caffeine-free option, stick to Barley, Chrysanthemum Tea, or Lime Juice.
Learning the local lingo is the fastest way to immerse yourself in Singaporean culture. It transforms a simple transaction into a meaningful interaction.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The stall owners are used to tourists pointing and guessing, but they will light up if you try to use the proper terms.
So next time you are thirsty, skip the generic cafe chain. Head to the nearest hawker center, brave the heat, and confidently order a Teh Tarik or a Kopi O Kosong. You have earned it!
