TL;DR
- Heap Seng Leong Coffeeshop is struggling during the circuit breaker period.
- They’re still open for take-away, ‘dabao’ from them to show support.
- Good options to take away include their traditional butter coffee ‘kopi gu you’Â and kaya toast.
The kopitiam experience is a quintessential part of being Singaporean, and no kopitiam quite does it like Heap Seng Leong. Open since 1974, this coffeeshop is about as old-school as you can get – the tiled white walls, antique-looking metal fans and marbled tabletops are right out of a black-and-white photograph and are more authentic than any retro Instagram wall displays your newest mall has to offer you.
Drinks – like your kopi o or Heap Seng Leong’s traditional kopi gu you, which is rarely sold in Singapore anymore – are prepared on a shiny metal counter, and served piping hot to uncles sitting with their newspapers open and their legs propped up.
Or at least this was the scene before the coffeeshop was forced to close due to the circuit breaker.
Life During Circuit Breaker
Because of the circuit breaker, you can’t dine in at coffeeshops and food centres. Heap Seng Leong, which relies on walk-in customers, is just one of many local businesses which are suffering losses due to this.
But you know what? There’s something you can do to help out – dabao from them! They’re still open for business, just not the dining-in kind.
According to Ivan Kuek (@phonenomenon) on Instagram, whose post on Heap Seng Leong went viral last week, they’re open from 5AM-5PM right now, and they’re still open even if you see that the shutters are half-down!
What to Take Away from Heap Leong Seng
Heap Seng Leong isn’t on delivery platforms like Foodpanda and Deliveroo, so the only way to obtain breakfast from them is to go down to the shop yourself. It’s definitely worth the travel, though!
Patrons of Heap Seng Leong heap praise on the shop’s kopi gu you (or coffee with butter). The butter adds a creaminess to the coffee, giving it a richness you’ll love. Like we’ve previously mentioned, kopi gu you is a traditional drink you can’t find in many kopitiams nowadays – so why not try Heap Seng Leong’s?
They also do a crunchy, fragrant kaya toast. And of course, what’s a traditional kopitiam breakfast without soft-boiled eggs with soy sauce and a dash of pepper?
Look at how good that looks! Don’t you want to give it a try? Watch our video and go support the father-son duo!
Help Out Local Businesses Today
This circuit breaker is a terrible, trying time for all of us, but it’s worse for our local businesses and kopitiams. That means it’s more important than ever to support our aunties and uncles and other small enterprises right now!
Heap Seng Leong is just one coffeeshop trying to stay afloat during the pandemic. Won’t you help us keep this traditional kopitiam from becoming a relic of the past?
Address:Â Blk 10 North Bridge Road, #01-5109
Opening Hours: Usually 4AM-8PM, but 5AM-5PM right now
Tel:Â 6292 2368 (call to place your order and pick up outside the shop!)
Link(s): Instagram
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