Singapore’s heritage food scene has gained a new addition with the opening of Tiap Tiap’s first permanent storefront at 374 East Coast Road. The move marks six years since founder Sophia Yeow started the business from her home kitchen, selling pandan chiffon cakes and traditional kueh to friends and family.
Located in the heart of Joo Chiat, the new space reflects the brand’s roots in Peranakan-inspired food and hospitality. Founded by mother-daughter duo Sophia Yeow and Nicole Lian, Tiap Tiap has grown from a home-based operation during the pandemic into a business with a central kitchen, retail offerings and a loyal customer base built largely through word-of-mouth recommendations.
Designed as an extension of the family’s home, the store incorporates personal touches including Sophia’s collection of vintage English fine bone china and a heritage-themed mural inspired by the surrounding neighbourhood. Customers can enjoy cakes and beverages on-site or browse the range of sweet and savoury products available for takeaway.
The opening represents the next chapter in a journey that began in 2020 when Sophia started selling three signature items: pandan chiffon cake, radish kueh and yam kueh. Demand gradually expanded beyond friends and family, prompting the establishment of a central kitchen in Bedok and, eventually, plans for a retail presence.
Nicole joined the business full-time in 2024 after leaving a career in systems engineering and product design. Together, the pair spent the next two years developing operational systems and growing the team before committing to a physical shopfront.
At the new store, Tiap Tiap’s best-known products remain central to the offering. The signature pandan chiffon cake is made using hand-pressed pandan juice and Japanese cake flour, accompanied by a separately bottled gula melaka drizzle. Other cakes available include the Ondeh Ondeh Cake, Banoffee Pie and Chocolate Cream Cake, which takes inspiration from traditional chocolate roll cakes.
Alongside its dessert selection, Tiap Tiap offers a range of frozen savoury items designed for home preparation. Drawing on Sophia’s Peranakan heritage and family recipes, the range includes paper-wrapped chicken, Teochew ngoh hiang, Nyonya curry midwings and seafood yuteow.
The store also carries pantry and snack items such as fish keropok made with mackerel, hand-stirred Nyonya kaya and a chilled DIY muah chee kit. More recently, the brand introduced a lower-sugar pandan chiffon cake made with monk fruit as a sugar substitute, following several months of recipe development.
For Sophia, the decision to open in Joo Chiat was a natural one. Having grown up in the East Coast area, she sees the neighbourhood’s strong connection to heritage and food culture as closely aligned with the brand’s identity.
As Tiap Tiap settles into its new home, the opening adds another chapter to the evolving food landscape of Joo Chiat, where longstanding traditions continue to coexist alongside a new generation of home-grown businesses.
Tiap Tiap
324 East Coast Road
Singapore 428983
