Old-School Confectionery Shops for Your Chinese New Year Goodie Fix

It’s almost that time of the year again to stock up our shelves with some Chinese New Year goodies! 

With a wide array of savoury bites and baked goods to choose from, feasting on CNY snacks is indeed one of the best things about the festive season. Not only are these delectable treats extra tasty, but they also hold a wealth of symbolic meaning, such as prosperity and good health, to usher in the new year on an auspicious note. 

This Chinese New Year, take a trip down memory lane by indulging in the authentic flavours of yesteryears that are perfect for gifting and sharing. From salty-sweet bak-kwa to the extraordinarily addictive pineapple tarts, we promise these classic treats are absolutely worth the calories. 

With team teapasar’s ultimate shopping guide for your nostalgic CNY goodie fix, delight your guests (and your taste buds!) with the best traditional snacks from old-time confectionary shops to usher in the new year. Even your grandma would approve of this list.

1. Pine Garden’s Cake

With its Hokkien pronunciation being “Ong Lai”, which directly translates to “prosperity is arriving”, pineapple tarts are a highly popular snack during Chinese New Year due to its symbol for wealth. 

Revel in the flavours of the good ol’ days by savouring the handmade classic pineapple tarts of Pine Garden’s Cake, which are exclusively available during the Chinese New Year season. 

Located in the heartland of Ang Mo Kio, Pine Garden’s Cake is known for making one of the best traditional pineapple tarts in Singapore. 

Started in 1984, the shop was founded by four relatives who decided to embark on a bakery business to make a living, but it became a huge success because of its delectable treats. 

Handmade with a family secret recipe that creates the perfect jam-to-tart ratio, their pineapple tarts remain a crowd favourite till today. 

Pine Garden‘s Cake

Address: Block 529, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-2369

Operation hours: Opens daily, 8.30am – 9.30pm

Contact: +65 6457 6159

2. Tai Chong Kok

Chinese New Year celebration is not complete without sinking your teeth into the Nian Gao, a sweet sticky glutinous rice cake. 

With “Nian Gao” directly translated to mean “year high” in Chinese, ring in the year of progress and advancement with the authentic flavours of Nian Gao from Tai Chong Kok. 

Tai Chong Kok boasts a long history of more than 80 years, and has four retail outlets today. 

Known for its traditional Nian Gao, this timeless treat is painstakingly made in the arduous, old-school way with no preservatives included. This classic speciality wrapped in banana leaf promises a fragrant taste of tradition that overflows with nostalgia. 

Be sure to grab this must-have delicacy at one of its outlets soon.

Tai Chong Kok

Address: 34 Sago St, Singapore 059026, located in Chinatown Complex

Operation hours: Opens daily, 9.30am – 8.00pm

Contact: +65 6227 5701

3. Kim Peng Hiang

The king of all CNY goodies – bak-kwa, or pork jerky. As it used to be a luxury food only enjoyed by the rich, this savoury sweetmeat now symbolises the welcoming of prosperity for the new year. 

Started in the 1930s, Kim Peng Hiang is the famed local bak-kwa brand known for its unique pineapple bak-kwa combination and not to forget, its snaking queues. 

Contrary to the commonly mass-produced and uniformly cut bak-kwa slices, Kim Peng Hiang’s sweetmeat chunks are irregularly cut, and may appear to be grilled to varying degrees. 

But do not be deceived by its appearance; its pieces of pork are well-loved for its bold savoury umami flavour, meaty juiciness and a rich smokiness that suffuses with every bite.  

Pro tip: According to the owner, the best time to avoid the crowd is to go on weekend evenings. Otherwise, be prepared to brave the infamously long queues! 

Kim Peng Hiang Food Industry Pte Ltd

Address: 465 Changi Rd, Singapore 419886, near Kembangan MRT station

Operation hours: Opens daily, 9.00am – 7.00pm

Contact: +65 6742 6853

4. Poon Confectionery 

Poon Confectionary is one of the oldest traditional bakers for homemade Chinese New Year goodies and tidbits in the world. Established in 1971, their first bakery was set up in Pahang, Malaysia, before expanding to Singapore in 2018. 

As they believe that goodies taste best when made by hand, Poon Confectionary has been abiding by their family tradition of kneading each cookie by hand with only light machinery used. 

Made with only the choicest ingredients, serve your CNY platter a little magic of tradition with their award-winning pastries such as their Premium Hae Bee Hiam Prawn Rolls and Homemade Pineapple Tarts. 

With Poon Confectionery, you can effortlessly impress your friends and in-laws with their wide array of aromatic and comforting treats handmade with love this lunar new year! 

For last minute shoppers who find it a hassle to travel to their physical shop, Poon Confectionary now has an online store (CNYDelivery.com) where you can enjoy speedy delivery of their delicacies right to your doorstep. 

Poon Confectionary

Address: 5 Guillemard Road, Geylang Lorong 8, Wing Fong Building, 399685

Website: CNYDelivery.com 

Contact: [email protected]

(Live Chat available on their website from 10am – 10pm daily)

5. Jia Confectionery

Looking for a one-stop shop for ALL your CNY goodies? Then Jia Confectionery is the place for you.

Located just a stone’s throw away from Aljunied MRT station, all their treats are handmade with care by a couple known as Mr and Mrs Ee. Jia Confectionery also sells mooncakes during the Mid Autumn Festival. 

From love letters to kueh bahulus, Jia Confectionery carries a slew of delicious bites that are not only made from quality ingredients, but are fresh from the oven daily. 

Feast on their wide range of delightfully festive goodies, and save yourself the trouble by picking them all up at the same place! 

Jia Confectionery

Address: 49 Sims Place, #01-46, Singapore 380049

(located within Sims Vista Market & Food Centre)

Operation hours: Opens daily, 6.00am – 4.00pm

Contact: +65 81987393

Even as the festive season may look different this year, our tummies still need a little treat! With team teapasar’s curated list of old-school places to get your CNY goodie fix, pamper yourselves and bask in the indulgent flavours of the good ol’ days with your loved ones this lunar new year.