Thiam Yian Confectionery on Upper Serangoon Road is a traditional confectionery shop that has been in the business since 1988, specialising in handmade traditional pastries and cakes that are now rarely available in Singapore. Many of its handmade goods were once staples at special occasions, and the shop is most famously known for the gifts used in the Chinese Wedding Guo Da Li betrothal ceremony. The story begins with founder Mr Tan Tiek Chow, affectionately known as Ah Chow, who discovered his love for bakes as early as 16 years old. Born in Malaysia, Mr Tan made his way to Singapore and picked up his baking skills from his Shi Fus (masters). Through dedication and hard work, his bakes gained the recognition and praise of his customers, and in 1988 he opened the very first Thiam Yian Confectionery store together with a few relatives. After a remarkable 30-year journey at Ang Mo Kio, the store was forced to close in 2018 for personal reasons — a moment that could have meant the end of Thiam Yian. Instead, second-generation Mr Kae Tan stepped in, unwilling to let these valuable traditional skills and crafts go down the drain, and relocated the shop to 1004 Upper Serangoon Road under the family motto 'Preserving Tradition For Generations'. Today the shop prepares ceremonial gift sets for Chinese Wedding Guo Da Li and for baby's full month celebrations — red eggs, ang ku kueh and ang yee, and gift sets of mini butter cream cakes, mini swiss rolls, glutinous rice and round 100% butter cakes, all made to order at least three days in advance. Alongside these, the daily counter offers nostalgic traditional bakes such as cupcakes, pandan chiffon, steam cake, butter cake, kaya cake, ji dan gao, and freshly baked pastries like tau sar bing and ma ti su bing. The shop opens Tuesday to Sunday, 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., and is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Tucked along Upper Serangoon Road in Hougang, Thiam Yian Confectionery is one of the few places in Singapore still making traditional bakes entirely by hand. The shop has been in the confectionery business since 1988, and its shelves are filled with the kinds of cakes and pastries that were once common at every celebration — the ones that have quietly disappeared from most bakeries.
The family's tagline is 'Preserving Tradition For Generations', and it is more than a slogan. It describes a deliberate second-generation decision to keep a fading craft alive.
The story begins with founder Mr Tan Tiek Chow, affectionately known as Ah Chow, who discovered his love for bakes as early as 16 years old. Born in Malaysia, Mr Tan made his way to Singapore and picked up his baking skills from his Shi Fus — his masters. Through dedication and hard work, his bakes gained recognition and praise from customers, and in 1988, together with a few relatives, he opened the very first Thiam Yian Confectionery store.
For 30 years, Ang Mo Kio was home. When the shop was forced to close in 2018 for personal reasons, it could have been the end of the story. Instead, second-generation Mr Kae Tan stepped in. Unwilling to let these valuable traditional skills and craft go down the drain, he took over the business and relocated it to 1004 Upper Serangoon Road, where Thiam Yian now serves loyal customers and new neighbours alike.
Thiam Yian is best known for handmade goods traditionally used at special occasions — most famously the Chinese Wedding Guo Da Li. Guo Da Li is the Chinese betrothal ceremony, a significant occasion where the families of the groom and bride meet formally. It symbolises the groom's sincerity towards marrying the bride and his assurance that she will be well taken care of after marriage. The shop prepares Guo Da Li gift sets for this day; orders must be made a minimum of three days in advance.
The other big occasion is a baby's full month celebration, a custom with ancient Chinese roots marking a baby's first month of life. Thiam Yian prepares the classic full-month spread: red eggs, ang ku kueh and ang yee, and gift sets featuring mini butter cream cakes, mini swiss rolls, glutinous rice, and round 100% butter cakes. Like the Guo Da Li sets, these are made to order with at least three days' notice.
Beyond the ceremonial sets, the daily lineup is a nostalgic tour of old-school baking. There are traditional cupcakes — plain or topped with rice toppings — soft round pandan chiffon, steam cake, rich 100% butter cake, baked kaya cake, and ji dan gao, the classic baked egg sponge.
The freshly baked pastry selection includes tau sar bing and ma ti su bing, along with mixed sets pairing tau sar bing with dou and ma tiao. Everything is handmade, in styles that are now rarely available elsewhere.
The shop at 1004 Upper Serangoon Road opens Tuesday to Sunday, 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., and closes on Mondays and public holidays. Delivery is available: orders of $200 and above enjoy free delivery, while orders below $200 carry a fee of $20 per trip. The standard delivery window is 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and other timing requests carry a $10 surcharge per order. For enquiries or advance orders, call +65 6458 1478 or email [email protected].
Whether you are preparing for a Guo Da Li, planning a full month party, or simply craving a proper old-school butter cake, Thiam Yian offers a rare taste of Singapore's traditional confectionery heritage — kept alive, one handmade bake at a time.