Dona Manis Cake Shop is a heritage bakery from Katong, Singapore, founded in the 1990s by Mrs Esther Kim Sim, a pioneer of professional baking education in Singapore. The bakery is best known as the home of the Singapore Banana Pie, a distinctly Singaporean creation that has been handcrafted the same way, from the same family recipe, for over 30 years.
Every pastry at Dona Manis is handcrafted in small batches, with the bakery describing its approach as one recipe, no shortcuts, repeated the same way every morning. Beyond its signature banana pie, the bakery makes chocolate tarts, a banana cake loaf, a caramelized pineapple cake, and other handmade heritage bakes, alongside seasonal limited editions.
Dona Manis now operates three locations across Singapore — its original Katong Shopping Centre store, the 95 East Coast Road heritage bakehouse in a 100-year-old shophouse, and a store at Takashimaya, Orchard — and has been featured in CNA, The Straits Times, Time Out Singapore, 8 Days, Money FM 89.3, Makansutra, Lemon8, Eatbook and Sethlui.com. The bakery holds a 4.5-star rating on Google.
Dona Manis Cake Shop traces its roots back to the 1990s in Katong, founded by Mrs Esther Kim Sim, described as a pioneer of professional baking education in Singapore. More than 30 years later, the bakery is still rooted in Katong, still baking from the same family recipe, and still best known for one thing above all: the Singapore Banana Pie.
The Singapore Banana Pie is Dona Manis' signature bake — a dense, golden-baked banana custard filling set in a hand-crimped shortcrust pastry, finished with a toasted nut crust for warmth and texture. The bakery describes it as a distinctly Singaporean interpretation of banana in traditional sweets, a pastry that's been enjoyed across generations. It's baked the same way it has been since the 1990s, with no shortcuts in the process — the banana filling is prepared from ripe, carefully selected fruit, following the same standards every morning.
While the banana pie is the headline act, Dona Manis' bakes extend further. Chocolate Tarts offer a buttery, open-faced take on a rich chocolate filling, positioned as festive gifting and everyday indulgence alike. A Banana Cake Loaf brings the same core ingredient into a moist, tender loaf format, often paired with the bakery's signature caramelized pineapple cake for office sharing or corporate gifting. Customer reviews also single out the bakery's Apple Crumble, with multiple reviewers noting its contrast in textures and describing it as a treat that doesn't get enough attention alongside the banana pie.
For special occasions, Dona Manis has also released limited editions such as The Raja, a Father's Day version of the banana pie made with Pisang Raja banana, Président Professionnel butter, golden filo pastry and edible gold leaf — described by the bakery as the most refined banana pie it has made, available for a limited run from 7 to 30 July 2026.
Dona Manis now operates from three locations. The original Katong Heritage Store sits inside Katong Shopping Centre, open daily from 10am to 5pm, and is where the bakery's story began in the 1990s. The East Coast Heritage Bakehouse at 95 East Coast Road continues the legacy from a 100-year-old shophouse, where every pie is still handcrafted daily; it's open Monday to Thursday from 10am to 7pm, and Friday to Sunday from 10am to 8pm. The newest location, Dona Manis Takashimaya, is found in the basement food hall of Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road, bringing the Katong heritage to a more central shopping district; it's open daily from 10am to 9pm.
Dona Manis has picked up coverage from CNA, The Straits Times, Time Out Singapore, 8 Days, Money FM 89.3, Makansutra, Lemon8, Eatbook and Sethlui.com, and carries a 4.5-star rating on Google. Reviewers describe the banana pie's light, buttery crust and flavourful, chunky banana filling with coconut and almond notes, while others mention returning customers — including a family who moved back to Japan and still remember the bakery's chocolate tarts fondly years later.
Beyond visiting one of its three physical stores, Dona Manis bakes can be ordered through the bakery's own website, or via Grab, Ushop and TikTok Shop for delivery across Singapore. The bakery also offers an event space for rental and takes part in pop-up events, extending its reach beyond its regular storefronts. For those who want to plan ahead, pre-ordering is available for weekly bakes, and customers can join a mailing list for seasonal updates and early access to limited runs like The Raja.