Close
Currency
Language
Close
Menu
Search
Account
Cart
Close

Time for Kopitiam

Time for Kopitiam

Pay attention to the F&B outlets that are popping up everywhere and you’ll no doubt notice that there’s been an uptick in kopitiam-styled cafes. Whether you’re in Petaling Street, Cheras or Kepong, you’re more than likely to encounter at least one.

Sure, it could be a matter of demographics, with roti bakar and kopi kao being a Hainanese breakfast staple. But, really, the appreciation for such affordable, local breakfast fare is not exclusive to the Chinese community. When you take a look at the bustling kopitiams in Klang, Penang and Johor, to name a few, such traditional eateries have always been a Malaysian thing. 

So, really, what does this signal to you as an aspiring F&B businessowner?

On the other end of the spectrum, we have a never-ending stream of new café openings. These cafes have more Western leanings. When you flip the menu, you will probably expect ingredients not likely to be found at the local morning market, French terms that you wouldn’t attempt to pronounce and coffee with complicated foam permutations. Suffice to say, it’s an upmarket experience that’s far removed from what the older generation would expect from their kopitiam.

Call it a backlash to the third wave where the café culture has gained somewhat of an elitist reputation. Nowadays, we are seeing more and more cafes becoming increasingly indistinguishable from one another, and to put it plainly, boring. With society always on the lookout for the next new, interesting, exciting thing, they are looking for something out of their time.

Take, for instance, the increasing number of cafes embracing the vintage design aesthetic. Or the readiness of the F&B scene in embracing more locally-inspired palates and reinterpretation of the old and familiar.

Because of this, establishments with old world charm are becoming the next big thing. Whether you decide to go the hipster or mainstream kopitiam route, both are equally appealing to the Malaysian customer.