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Nothing makes me contemplate my mortality more than muffins. Ok, let me explain. Bakeries in hawker centres aren’t terribly uncommon, but standing out from the crowd is a challenge not many can step up to. Enter Bakes N Bites in Old Airport Road Food Centre, a bakery that sets itself apart with its special chilled muffins.
This is another one of those stalls that went viral on social media a while ago. But this time, it feels a bit different, more authentic. 2026 will be this hawker’s 17th year in Old Airport Road Food Centre, and it’s quite a wonder how they’ve survived this long, given how hidden away their stall is.
Bakes N Bites is tucked into the easternmost corner of the hawker centre, a quiet little spot away from the bustling queues of Wang Wang Crispy Puff and Xiang Ji Lor Mee.
Manning Bakes N Bites is 73-year-old Christopher Lau and his wife, 70-year-old Christina Tan, who became hawkers after Uncle Lau was retrenched from his engineering job.
I had a brief chat with Auntie Tan, where we bonded over our poor command of Mandarin. Turns out, she struggled with Mandarin tests back in her schooling days, just like me. Later, I learnt that Auntie Tan still works a full-time administrative job, coming down to help her husband during the morning shift. What a superwoman!
What I tried at Bakes N Bites
The idea of chilled muffins may turn off some, often invoking stale and dry muffins that taste more like hard chalk. Bakes N Bites is here to convince you otherwise, with everything I’ve read about the hawker being how soft and moist their chilled muffins are.
First up, their Orange Muffin (S$3). I went for it first, as the Orange Muffin appeared the most basic, which makes it easier to judge the texture of the muffins. The puffy top of the muffin was moist and soft, even shimmering faintly under the hawker centre’s harsh white lights. There were zero signs of crumbling as well, with a fresh citrussy scent wafting into my nostrils.
I sank my fork into the muffin and gasped at how smoothly it cut a chunk off. Seriously, it was like there was a disconnect between the muffin’s appearance and texture. I expected some resistance, but my fork just slid through like butter.
Each bite freshened my mouth with a pleasant cooling air, each tiny crumb having a slightly moist texture, but never to the point of being watery. As for the orange flavour, it wasn’t too prominent; the muffin leaned a bit more on the plain side. Maybe try this particular flavour with a cup of coffee?
Next, I went for their tantalising Triple Chocolate Muffin (S$3.20). Apparently, this muffin in particular is popular with children, likely because it screams chocolate from the moment you set your eyes upon it. Each bite was rich and full of chocolatey goodness, its sweetness balanced by the mildly bitter cocoa flavour.
The petite chocolate chips were also half-melted, which gave them a milky flavour and smooth texture.
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Another favourite is the Banana Chocochip Muffin (S$3), and I think it’s gained another fan. I honestly adore how generous and well-integrated the banana slices were, with their flavour being very natural and fresh.
I didn’t really get why they had to add chocolate chips, as the bananas had enough kick for the muffin to stand on its own. Perhaps it’s to please kids or trick them into eating fruits.
Bakes N Bites also offers more traditional hot muffins, which I was able to try thanks to Auntie Tan’s generosity. She gave me a hot Blueberry Chocochip Muffin (S$3) fresh out of the oven, free of charge. The first thing I noticed was how solid the top layer was, almost like a crust. Its insides had a near-identical spongy texture to the cold muffins, except now it was warm and easily melted on the tip of my tongue.
I really can’t pick the better type of muffin. Both hot and cold variants have their own strengths, and I’ll likely order different muffins based on the time of day and weather. For instance, imagine nibbling on a hot muffin on a cold, rainy day.
To save you from my muffin-filled indecisiveness, feast your eyes upon their New York Cheesecake (S$5.70), a so-called ‘secret menu item’ at Bakes N Bites. According to Auntie Tan, this item would fly off the shelves every time it was displayed in front of the stall, so she hid it and only brought the cakes out for those in the know. Perhaps I’m risking my reputation by sharing this with you, but this cheesecake is too good to keep secret. Sorry, Auntie.
Each bite was filled with wholesome cheesiness, with a thick layer of cheese topping grainy crumbs. The addition of citrussy strips of lemon gave the cheesecake yet more layers of flavour. Pro tip: Let the cheesecake defrost for around half an hour before eating, as it’ll make it easier to sink your fork into the cake.
Another ‘secret menu’ item is this Chewy Brownie (S$4.80). It was less like a traditional brownie and more like a cake. The malty chocolate flavour truly made it worth every dollar, given how pricey this brownie was compared to other items.
Final thoughts
Remember when I said that muffins got me to contemplate my mortality? Yes, this entire review was set up for the payoff.
Bakes N Bites is an incredible bakery with standout treats, and may not be here in a few years. If you’ve read other articles about the stall, you’ll know that at the time of writing, Uncle Lau is recovering from pancreatic surgery. Furthermore, the couple also lamented that they don’t draw a salary from the stall due to their high operating costs. No wonder Auntie Tan still works her administrative job.
Please, visit Bakes N Bites while you still can, and show your love to Uncle Lau and Auntie Tan.
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