Did you know that egg tarts originated from the Chinese? To be precise, the Cantonese created this after getting inspired from the English’s custard tart when they first settled in Asia. However, custard was incredibly inaccessible and expensive to obtain in the early days so the Cantonese altered it to a cheaper alternative that we all grow to love today. Here are six places you should go to for the best egg tarts!
Tai Cheong Bakery
You cannot Google egg tart and not see Tai Cheong Bakery in your suggested searches. Most noted for their fresh, melt-in-your-mouth egg tarts, people would queue for hours just to grab boxes of egg tarts back home. I remember my first egg tart from Tai Cheong Bakery and instantly regret not purchasing a box of four. Each egg tart costs only $2 and there’s several variations of them but my favourite, like most others, we still prefer their buttery and crumbly original egg tarts.
Address: Multiple outlets
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 8pm
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Honolulu Cafe
Despite its name, the cafe itself has no resemblance of the city in Hawaii. The cafe itself has a very Chinese interior with decorations and utilities that enhances this experience. When they first opened in Singapore, the queues never stopped snaking but now that the hype is finally down, more people have finally gotten to grab a bite of their famous egg tarts. At $1.70 each, these egg tarts have a very flaky exterior and an incredibly soft centre — the juxtaposition of these two textures really takes it up a notch!
Address: Multiple outlets
Opening hours: 11am to 9pm
8tarts n Pastries
Their shelves are constantly loaded with various pastries of both savoury and sweet which is perfect for those on-the-go. However, their egg tart is what we will be focusing on amongst their many popular sellers. Their egg tarts aren’t uniformed, giving it a very homemade vibe to it and some of them have caramelized/burnt tops that give the egg tart an incredibly chewy and bitter feel — cutting the sweetness away. In all, this $1.50 egg tarts is the closest thing that would remind you of home.
Address: Multiple outlets
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm
Balmoral Bakery
Before I head to school, I’d always make a pitstop to Balmoral just to grab a bite of their tarts and puffs that would make the perfect breakfast every morning. Entering the humble bakery itself will overwhelm you — the shop smells like rich melted butter and the bakers are always rushing in and out to refill the baked goods. The egg tarts in particular are the ones that often need the most refills. The gooey soft centre has a very sweet and creamy taste that makes the egg tart feel rich. Only at $1.40 each, the egg tart at Balmoral is definitely a steal!
Address: Sunset Way, 105 Clementi Street 12, #01-06, Singapore, 120105
Opening hours: Daily from 9am to 7:30pm
Contact: 6779 2064
Madeleine's Original Egg Tart
Strictly just egg tarts! Madeline’s focuses on Portugese egg tarts. Unlike the ones we’ve mentioned above, the difference is that the Portugese egg tart has a more flaky-like texture due to the pastry they used to hold the eggy centre. The egg tarts come in two different sizes and are respectively priced at $1.80 and $1 each for the regular and mini. Personally, I recommend the minis because their bite-sized tarts make it incredibly convenient for me to savour the egg tarts in a single bite!
Address: 198 Tanjong Katong Road, NA, Singapore, 436997
Opening hours: Daily from 8am to 6:30pm
Contact: 6247 9363
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Tong Heng Delicacies
At $2 each, customers can get a taste of the diamond-shaped egg tart (which is different from the regular circle). The egg tart is heavy but tastes incredibly light in the mouth. The wobbly and soft centre and buttery tart has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. The best part? The eggy centre melts in your mouth! The shop also offers other desserts and tourists often patronise the place for their aesthetic-looking mooncakes. However, ultimately, the egg tart is to die for but check out their menu here for other goodies that may interest you!
Address: 285 South Bridge Road Singapore 058833
Opening hours: Daily from 9am to 6pm
Contact: 6223 3649
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Ng Kim Lee Confectionery
Located near Beauty World, you'll instantly notice their traditional-looking signboard and shopfront. Furnished with heavily-pattern floor tiles and antique cabinets, it's evident that this shop has been here for a long time. With a history dating back almost 60 years, it's no surprise that the pastries sold here are amazing. Their signature egg tarts are one of their most popular treats — all the goodies here are freshly made everyday. Sink your teeth into the egg tart's smooth and rich filling, which is perfectly sweet.
Address: 4 Chun Tin Road Bukit Timah, Singapore
Opening Hours: Monday–Sunday, 9.30AM–9.30PM
Joy Luck Teahouse
When it first opened at Ion Orchard, Joy Luck Teahouse caused quite the stir. Their second outlet at Bugis Junction similarly gained lots of traction from the public! Joy Luck Teahouse is best known for their Hong Kong egg tarts which offer a multi-layered puff pastry crust, each made by hand. It tastes almost like a croissant, only crispier. They also have the buttered cookie crust version which is fragrant and crumbly — my ideal type of crust! Every egg tart is oven-fresh and still warm upon purchase. Satisfy your egg tart cravings here today, but do head down at non-peak hours to avoid the crowds.
Address: 2 outlets, including one at 2 Orchard Turn, #B4-61, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9AM–10PM
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Written by Tan Xiao Shyan and Nadya Asman
