Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring stands as one of Singapore's most celebrated halal street food institutions, with roots tracing back to the 1930s and officially established in 1985. Founded by Mohamad Hashim who learned the traditional recipe from his grandmother, this fourth-generation family business is now managed by his daughter Aisha Hashim and her husband, preserving authentic preparation methods that have remained unchanged for decades. The brand has achieved remarkable international recognition, earning a Michelin Plate award in 2019 and being featured in Netflix's Street Food Asia series, cementing its status as an iconic Singapore culinary destination.
Specializing exclusively in putu piring, these bite-sized steamed rice cakes are made from rice flour encasing a filling of pure gula Melaka palm sugar from Malacca, topped with freshly grated coconut lightly seasoned with salt. The name itself reflects the dish's heritage - 'putu' being a Southern Indian term for steamed rice cake and 'piring' meaning plate in Malay. Each tart is carefully steamed without pressing the flour into the mould, creating an exceptionally soft and fluffy texture that melts in your mouth, while the generous use of top-grade Gula Melaka creates an intensely rich and aromatic filling that has captivated locals and tourists alike.
What began as a roadside stall has expanded to eight outlets across Singapore, with three locations in Geylang alone, yet the original Haig Road Market and Food Centre outlet remains the flagship destination. The sight of endless queues and the fragrant aroma of steamed rice flour, pandan leaves, and caramelized sugar have become synonymous with this halal-certified establishment. Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring represents more than just street food; it embodies the preservation of traditional Malay culinary heritage in modern Singapore, proving that authentic preparation methods and family recipes can achieve global recognition while maintaining their cultural integrity and halal authenticity.
First when I order , the staffs warned me - long wait , q very long (I don’t see people , but likely
When I first ordered, the staff warned me about a long wait and a long queue (though I didn't see many people, perhaps due to Grab or corporate orders). It felt like they were trying to convey a 'we don't need your business' attitude. Despite this, I proceeded to order. Up until payment, both staff members continued to give me an attitude, as if I owed them money.
I tried three flavors. The best was coconut, with a just-nice filling and good ratio. Gula Melaka was not to my liking; it was too sweet. The most disappointing was the peanut, which is usually my favorite, but not this time. The ratio of peanut paste filling to flour was about 1:5, with so little peanut paste it felt like they were trying to cut costs because it's expensive. I was mostly eating flour. I will definitely not return to this branch.
Ethan Tan
Now moved across to Mr Teh Terik eating house.
Overpriced- and more ridiculous- rigid policy on 4pc
Now moved across to Mr Teh Terik eating house.
Overpriced and, more ridiculously, a rigid policy on 4 pieces for ANY two flavors!
So, 3 peanut and 1 coconut should be alright? NO!
The lady taking our order said ONLY 2 peanut and 2 coconut!
COME ON! What’s the difference?????? Don’t be so rigid and inflexible.
We actually wanted 2 gula, 1 peanut, and 1 coconut - not even allowed. Tsk tsk tsk! Bad marketing and selling strategy.
And it’s $5 for 4 pieces.
And they’re so small.!
And the new peanut flavor, again a mislabel - it’s actually peanut butter - NOT NICE.
Better if it’s dry crushed peanuts and sugar.
And the gula Melaka, so much less gula inside now - look at the pics - it’s NOT enjoyable anymore.
Won’t be coming back.
The Sweet Spot Factory
Not worth the hype. It's costly, the putu pirings were small dry and hard. It's not freshly prepared
Not worth the hype. It's costly, and the putu pirings were small, dry, and hard. They weren't freshly prepared, as within 5 seconds of ordering and payment, they were ready for collection. The makciks there were also quite rude, commanding us where to pay and where to collect in an impolite tone. The putu pirings tasted very awful.
Chuan Kiat Chia
Alamak… why you deprive me of the fresh coconut shavings?
You have pampered me with fresh and heart
Alamak… why did you deprive me of the fresh coconut shavings? You have pampered me with fresh and heartwarming putu piring all these years, and I thought today would be the same. But I got a rude shock and horror when I finally could feast on my post-meal dessert after a terrible day at work. Seriously, as an ardent fan and supporter, I really cannot accept this. It’s just not the same dish without it.
Carolyn Tan
Was so excited to finally try the famous haig road putu piring after hearing it for sucha long time.
Was so excited to finally try the famous Haig Road Putu Piring after hearing about it for such a long time. Came on a Thursday evening around 5pm+ and there was no queue. Waited about 2 minutes for our order and we got the gula melaka and peanut flavours. Had to add 50 cents to mix flavours, which makes no sense, but oh well. The total for 4 pieces was $4. The putu piring was really soft and piping hot with generous filling, but I personally felt the filling was a bit too sweet. Probably won't come back purposely for it, but it was quite a nostalgic taste.
Positive Reviews
Darren Tan
Was around the area and tried this for the very first time. Took away 3 boxes of Gula Melaka filling
Was in the area and tried this for the very first time. I took away 3 boxes of Gula Melaka filling for $10.50 and asked for the coconut shavings to be put on the side, as I wasn't intending to consume it immediately.
The Putu Piring was made fresh on the spot. The exterior was fluffy and topped with nicely grated coconut shavings, along with the right amount of sweetness from the Gula Melaka in each piece. It was a delight in every bite.
I'm Chinese, and while Putu Piring is like a relative to our Tutu, I think I prefer Putu Piring!
Tan Liang Yong
Haig Road Putu Piring offers a traditional Malay snack, featuring soft steamed rice cakes filled wit
Haig Road Putu Piring offers a traditional Malay snack, featuring soft steamed rice cakes filled with fragrant Gula Melaka and topped with grated coconut. Handmade with care, each bite delivers a perfect balance of sweetness and heritage. It's a must-try local delight!
Melvin Ooi
Nice very local dessert place. Even when there is no queue you might need to wait around 10minutes t
A nice, very local dessert place. Even when there's no queue, you might still need to wait around 10 minutes for your dessert. It's worth a try, but for me, it was too dry and too sweet. You can also watch the whole story of the owners on a Netflix series :)
Sean Lee
Nice local pastry that has queue. Freshly made.
Getting expensive pricing for flour and coconut and
Nice local pastry with a queue. Freshly made.
Pricing is getting expensive due to flour, coconut, and gula Melaka costs.
Still draws a nice crowd as it's popular and freshly made.
Overall, worth a buy if you're in the vicinity.
Matthias Sim
This place is just amazing. I went way out of my way on our last day in Singapore. It did not disapp
This place is just amazing. I went way out of my way on our last day in Singapore, and it did not disappoint! It's hard to find Putu Piring here, so do yourself a favor and go here! Don't let the Putu tradition die!
