Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
A wise man once said, “A sweet treat a day keeps the doctor away.” Said wise man is me, of course.
While all desserts have their charm, Chinese desserts hold a special kind of magic. There’s something comforting about slurping up a warm bowl of cheng tng after dinner, or cooling down with grass jelly on a sweltering afternoon. It’s never just about the sweetness — they carry memories, traditions, and a familiar taste of home.
From old-school classics like red bean soup and gui ling gao to modern twists like matcha-taro milk pudding and durian chendol, here are 10 Chinese dessert spots that’ll hit the sweet spot every time.
1. Yat Ka Yan Dessert
If you love Chinese desserts, Yat Ka Yan, which translates to “one family” in Cantonese, should already be on your radar. Hailed by many as one of Singapore’s best traditional dessert spots, this family-run dessert cafe with 2 outlets islandwide serves up tong shui with heart, heritage, and a whole lotta finesse.
Fan favourites include their Chendol (S$4), a bowl of shaved ice drenched in fragrant gula melaka, coconut milk, pandan jelly, and red beans, that also comes with a variety of toppings like Durian (S$7.50), Yam (S$6.50) and Avocado (S$8.50).
Another must-try is their Walnut Black Sesame (S$4.50). This silky, velvety blend coats your palate beautifully, delivering a punchy roasted nuttiness without tipping into jelak territory. Their Yam Paste (S$5.80), or orh nee, is silky-smooth and especially fragrant when paired with coconut milk.
Indecisive diners can go for the Mini Soup Set of 3 (S$6.80) — a rotating selection of warm pastes like black sesame and almond cream. Every bowl at Yat Ka Yan is made in-house with the freshest ingredients and no shortcuts, so rest assured that old-school comfort will be delivered each time.
For a list of locations and opening hours, click here.
+65 8798 9292
Facebook | Instagram
Order Delivery: foodpanda
2. Chow Zan Dessert 超赞甜品
True to its name, Chow Zan Dessert (literally “superb dessert”) has made a name for itself by striking a perfect balance between tradition and trend.
While they offer a full menu of tang shui favourites, 2 stars truly shine, namely the refreshing Mango Sago Mango Pop and Coconut Ice-cream (S$8.90) and the nourishing Peach Gum Eight Treasure Soup (S$8.90).
The Mango Sago here is the kind of fruity indulgence you’d want to hoard on a hot day — think creamy mango purée, soft sago pearls, chewy mango popping boba, and a refreshing icy centre that hits the spot. It’s sweet, textured, and deliciously satisfying for a midday cool-down.
On the flip side, their Peach Gum Eight Treasure Soup leans nourishing: a wholesome, collagen-packed blend of white fungus, barley, lotus seeds and other goodies. You can have it hot or cold, but either way, you’ll be greeted with a generous heap of bouncy peach gum crowning the bowl.
P.S. Chow Zan’s OG outlet at North Bridge Road will be ceasing operations from 8 Aug 2025 onwards, relocating to Tan Quee Lan Street just a stone’s throw away.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
Facebook | Instagram | Website
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
3. Gong He Guan
Gong He Guan, an understated cafe with outlets in Chinatown and Geylang, channels the charm of a retro Hong Kong dessert shop with its wooden stools, pared-back decor, and a menu brimming with a long list of familiar favourites.
One of the star desserts is the Mango Gui Ling Gao (S$6.80), which offers a modern spin on this traditional herbal treat. Their gui ling gao is slow-brewed with 23 herbs for over 35 hours! The result? A slightly bitter, jelly-like texture beautifully balanced out by the sweet-sour mango and creamy sauce.
Their Beancurd, Ginkgo Nut & Barley (S$5) is another dreamy, warm number made with fragrant soy milk, silky-soft beancurd skin, barley pearls and ginkgo nuts. The textures alone make this bowl worth it — pillowy tofu sheets that melt in your mouth, chewy barley, and ginkgo nuts with a mild bitter bite. A personal fav of mine!
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
Facebook
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
4. Mei Heong Yuen Dessert
If we’re talking old-school, Mei Heong Yuen is the place to be. Cemented as one of Singapore’s OG Chinese dessert spots, they’ve been dishing out quality nostalgic desserts since the 1950s.
The Milk Pudding (S$4.70) and Peanut Paste (S$3.50) here are standouts: both unbelievably smooth with a subtle sweetness, ensuring your post-meal treat doesn’t get jelak.
Their legendary Snow Ice series, served in towering scoops of ultra-fine shaved ice, comes infused with flavours like Mango, Green Tea, Sesame, and Durian (S$8). Unlike granular ice kachang, Mei Heong Yuen’s snow ice melts like silk and coats your tongue like creamy cloud.
Don’t skip the Mango Pomelo Sago (S$8) for a bright, cooling refresher, or snack on soft Cantonese cakes like the Yam Cake (S$3.90), Pumpkin Cake (S$3.90) and even Durian Mochi (S$6) if you’re peckish.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
Facebook | Instagram | Website
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
5. SweetDots.. 甜心点点
Tucked inside 100 AM in Tanjong Pagar is SweetDots, a cosy dessert cafe born out of a 4‑generation family legacy in tang shui. This new kid on the block specialises in modern takes on traditional Chinese desserts, using recipes handed down with care.
This vibrant green bowl of Signature Pistachio Paste (S$6.90) is served piping hot with a limited number of portions made daily. It strikes a delicate balance between thick enough to coat your spoon, and smooth with a subtle sandy crunch from crushed pistachios on top. Sweet earthiness tempers the sugar, giving it a pleasant depth.
Red Bean Taro Balls Beancurd (S$5.20) is a hot-pick amongst Gen-Zs, featuring silky tau huay swimming below a bed of sweet red bean, dotted with mini taro balls and chewy boba pearls. The overall sweetness here is gentle and light; a bowl that refreshes rather than overloads.
While SweetDots is best known for its dessert, they also offer a range of savoury fare like Ah Ma’s 40 Years Homemade Glutinous Rice (S$5.80) and QQ Hakka Taro Abacus (SuanPanZi) with Minced Pork (S$5.90), carrying on Lee Mama’s homely, nostalgic flavours since her retirement.
100 Tras Street, 100 AM, #03-16, Singapore 079027
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Instagram
Order Delivery: foodpanda
10 hawker bakeries with affordable bakes like mochi pies, financiers & lemon meringue tarts
6. Yuen Yeung
If you’ve scrolled through #foodtok or IG within the past 6 months, chances are you’ve stumbled upon Yuen Yeung — no, not the drink, but it does blend all the right elements. This aesthetic gem has gone viral thanks to its playful, modern spin on traditional Chinese sweets, plus its camera-ready whimsical plating and decor.
I’m confident a good fraction of customers come specifically for Yuen Yeung’s Pistachio Paste (S$8.60). Velvety, nutty and unapologetically rich, this dreamy green bowl feels like a warm embrace with every spoonful. It’s sweetened just enough that the pistachio flavour gets to shine without being cloying.
For something heartier, the Classic-Grand Slam Brown Sugar Milk Snow (S$6.90) offers a generous medley of yam cubes, chewy taro balls, red beans and more, all atop a mountain of soft milk ice and finished with a drizzle of brown sugar syrup. It’s a satisfying blend of textures and flavour that’s both refreshing and indulgent.
You’ll often find long queues winding outside the store, especially on weekday evenings and weekends. My advice? Head down earlier in the day to avoid the wait!
43 Neil Road, Singapore 088825
+65 9030 4996
Tue to Sun: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Closed on Mon
Instagram
7. No Name Dessert
Easties, this one’s for you. Nestled under a quiet HDB block in Siglap is No Name Dessert, a true hidden gem doling out nostalgic sweets at prices you almost never see anymore. The most expensive item, Durian Chendol, is just S$3.50!
Originally known as No Name Cheng Tng, it’s no surprise that the Cheng Tng (S$2) remains this stall’s pride and joy. Inside, you’ll find the classic ingredients including bouncy sago, chewy snow fungus, and sweet longan. The broth is housemade: lightly herbal, and not too sweet.
If you’re craving a treat to combat the weather, go for the Chendol with Corn (S$3). It’s a humble but satisfying mix of pandan jelly, red bean, corn, coconut milk and gula melaka, served with both shaved ice and ice cubes to keep things frosty.
69 Bedok South Avenue 3, #01-490, Singapore 460069
+65 9181 1909
Tue to Sun: 1pm – 7pm
Closed on Mon
8. Ah Chew Desserts
Hop over to Liang Seah Street or Cineleisure Orchard and you’ll find Ah Chew Desserts, a lively spot known for long queues, nostalgic decor, and over 50 traditional desserts to pick from (50, you read that right).
The Mango Sago with Pomelo (S$5.70) is one of their bestselling cold bowls, and not without good reason. Think juicy mango chunks, chewy sago pearls, zesty pomelo bits and a creamy base that ties everything together. Feeling fancy? Top it off with a scoop of Ice Cream (+S$1.50) for a truly indulgent finish.
If you’re after something warm, the Fresh Milk Steamed Egg with Red Bean (S$4.80) is a silky-smooth custard that balances creamy richness with the gentle bite of red bean. This bowl is comfort food in its purest form; the kind that feels like a warm hug from your childhood.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
Facebook | Website
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
9. Whampoa Soya Bean
With over 10 outlets across hawker centres islandwide, Whampoa Soya Bean draws consistent long queues and is widely regarded as one of the best places for tau huay (soya beancurd) in Singapore.
The Beancurd (S$1.80) here is silky smooth and melts like a dream. Served hot or cold and sweetened to your liking, it’s the antidote to a hot day or your best post-lunch pick-me-up. For only a little more, you can upgrade it with toppings like Red Bean (S$2.50), Ginko (S$2.50), or my personal favourite Yam Ball (S$3), all generous in portion and well done.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
Facebook | Instagram
Order Delivery: Deliveroo
10. Meeting You
Meeting You is a humble yet modern dessert joint in CBD that’s earned a cult following, thanks in no small part to its standout Double-Skin Milk Pudding, or 双皮奶 (shuang pi nai). Only 50 bowls are made fresh daily, a deliberate choice by the owners who prioritise quality and freshness over quantity.
The Thick Matcha Taro Pudding Double-Skin Milk Tofu (Cold)(S$6.80) is a clear favourite, and for good reason. Nestled in a gorgeous porcelain bowl, the milk pudding is delicately set and boasts a rich, creamy flavour that still stays light on the palate. It’s silky, just the right level of jiggle, and most importantly: Not! Too! Sweet!
On top, a generous scoop of earthy matcha and creamy taro paste adds both depth and contrast. The matcha leans bitter (in the best way), balancing the natural sweetness of the taro and creating layers of flavour with each spoonful.
Other shuang pi nai flavours here include Golden Osmanthus Lotus Seed (S$5.50) and Yangzhi Ganlu (S$6.50) (Mango Pomelo Sago). Otherwise, the original Fresh Milk Double Skin Milk Pudding starts from just S$4.50.
1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #01-44b, Singapore 082001
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 10pm
Sat: 12pm – 11pm
Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Instagram
Order Delivery: foodpanda
