What to Eat at Bao Er Cafe Singapore: Menu & Prices
Hidden inside Balestier Plaza, what to eat at Bao Er Cafe Singapore has become a delicious open secret: kaya toast that rivals the big chains and a hokkien mee that regulars call the best in the area. The queue outside tells you everything before you taste a bite.
Breakfast loyalists usually pledge allegiance to either Ya Kun or Fun Toast for their kaya fix. Bao Er is the insurgent third option — homemade kaya, thinner toast, lower prices — and converts are made daily. It keeps the kopitiam soul both chains were built on.
This guide covers the menu with prices: the famous kaya sets, hokkien mee, local mains and drinks.
Bao Er Cafe Menu: Kaya Toast & Breakfast Sets
Breakfast is the main event — thin, crisp toast loaded with homemade kaya and thick slabs of butter, the way it should be done. Timing matters here. Weekday mornings before 9am are the sweet spot — the queue moves fast and the toast comes out at its crispiest. Weekends draw the full Balestier crowd, so have one person chope a table while another orders. The hokkien mee tends to sell through by early afternoon, so lunch-goers should not dawdle.
Kaya Toast & Breakfast Sets
The S$5 set is the order: four slices of kaya toast, a thick cut of butter, two soft-boiled eggs and a drink. The kaya is made in-house with generous coconut milk.
| Item | Price (S$) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kaya Butter Toast Set | 5.00 | 4 slices, butter, 2 eggs, drink |
| Kaya Toast (ala carte) | 1.90 | Homemade kaya |
| Butter Toast | 1.50 | Approx. |
| Soft-Boiled Eggs (2) | 1.70 | Approx. |
| Kopi / Teh (hot) | 1.60 | Approx. |
| Iced Kopi C Kosong | 2.80 | As served with set |
| Iced Teh C Kosong | 2.80 |
Hokkien Mee & Local Mains
The hokkien mee is the lunch legend — wok hei, generous prawns, and a dabao version devotees claim hits even harder. Cash and digital payments are both accepted, and the outdoor seating spillover makes it a surprisingly pleasant morning hangout once you have secured a table.
Mains
Beyond the hokkien mee, the menu runs through kopitiam comfort: fried rice, prawn noodles and even aglio olio for the western-leaning.
| Dish | Price (S$) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkien Mee | 7.00 | Signature, wok hei |
| Fried Rice varieties | 6.50 | Approx. |
| Prawn Noodle Soup | 6.50 | Approx. |
| Prawn Paste Chicken | 7.50 | Approx. crispy |
| Aglio Olio Pasta | 7.90 | Approx. |
Bao Er Cafe Prices: What to Expect
Under S$10 per person for a full breakfast or lunch — this is old-school value in a city that keeps forgetting what that means. Prices are approximate and may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bao Er Cafe Singapore
Conclusion
Bao Er Cafe is Balestier’s quiet overachiever — a kopitiam-style spot doing kaya toast better than chains twice its fame and hokkien mee worth crossing town for. Go early, join the queue, order the S$5 kaya set and the hokkien mee, and thank the regulars later. This is the Singapore breakfast done right.
