The humble kopitiam has long been central to Singaporean life and multicultural cooperation. The name itself comes from a combination of different languages - 'kopi' means coffee in Malay, while 'tiam' translates to shop in the Hokkien dialect. 

Around the 19th century, Singapore opened its doors to immigrants who would develop Singapore into a fast-growing modern nation.  Kopitiam cafes played a pivotal role in building a unified Singapore and brought people of different races and religions together through a universal love of food & drink. To Singaporeans Kopitiams are synonymous with cosmopolitanism, diversity and community. In Singapore’s fast-paced modern lifestyle, the one thing that brings all Singaporeans back to their roots is the age-old tradition of Kopitiam, or coffee shop culture.

In a typical Kopitiam, the drinks stall is usually run by the owner who sells Kopi, Chai, soft drinks, and other beverages as well as some simple food offerings: egg dishes, toasts, kaya or curry puffs. The other stalls are leased by the owner to independent stallholders who prepare a variety of food dishes. These stalls serve delicious handcrafted dishes that have been passed down through generations of family recipes. Dishes that have roots from all over Asia are usually available at each Kopitiam to encourage people from different backgrounds with different dietary preferences to all dine together.