14 home-based food businesses that opened physical stores in Singapore

In the past, home-based businesses may have seemed insignificant to businesses with physical stores, but today, these humble businesses have blossomed into a force to be reckoned with in Singapore’s F&B stage. 

The massive success of some home-based businesses have even led to them opening their own brick-and-mortar stores, becoming full-fledged businesses.

Here are 14 home-based food businesses in Singapore that opened physical stores.

1. MADU The Bakery

Established in 2021, MADU The Bakery was a home-business that specialised in loaded garlic cheese buns, including unique flavours like mentaiko and mushroom. The demand for the buns was so high that the business was able to open a physical cafe along Race Course Road less than a year later.

When you visit MADU The Bakery, you absolutely must try their signature buns: the Classic Garlic Bun (S$5.50), Umami Mushroom Bun (S$6) and Mentaiko Bun (S$6.50).

Consisting of fluffy brioche bread stuffed generously with ingredients, each bun was an absolute flavour bomb, combining sweet, salty and savoury elements together. 

One of their more unique creations is the Cereal Prawn Croissant (S$11.90), a made-to-order croissant filled with large pieces of cereal prawn. The price may be steep, but it is definitely worth it— the prawns are huge and incredibly fresh, and as someone who typically dislikes seafood, I thoroughly enjoyed the prawns and would definitely get this again!

With their hefty, high-quality bakes and inviting atmosphere, MADU The Bakery is absolutely worth the trip down.

421 Race Course Road, Singapore 218668
+65 8720 3598
Tue to Sun: 10am – 8pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram | Website

2. Spuds & Soda 

Spuds & Soda started out as a home-based business in 2021, bringing the delightful Japanese treat, warabimochi, to Singapore’s shores. 

With exciting and unique rotating flavours including Ribena, Lemon Barley, Milo and Teh-O, the humble business quickly grew and gained a massive amount of success, eventually expanding to creating dango too, and collaborating with other home-based businesses. 

Just a year later in 2022, Spuds & Soda opened its physical store along Jalan Jurong Kechil in Beauty World, making its springy warabimochi and chewy dango conveniently accessible for walk-ins and self-collection. 

Their Nihon Classics Warabimochi Mix, consisting of 16 pieces of Black Sesame, Matcha, Houjicha and Kinako Kokuto, is affordably priced at just S$11.60. With their incredible texture and sublime taste, Spuds & Soda is a must-try place when you’re in Beauty World. 

68 Jalan Jurong Kechil, #01-04/05, Singapore 596180
Wed to Sun: 12pm – 7pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
Facebook | Instagram | Website

3. Burgers by Danny OneStar 

Helmed by Muhamad Iqbal Bin Abdul Razak, a Facebook livestreamer who goes by the online name Danny OneStar, Burgers by Danny OneStar started out when Iqbal decided to sell burgers online. 

His signature Berserak Burger (S$9.50) went viral, such that he was able to sell 4,000 burgers in the span of two to three months. Soon, he opened the business’ first physical outlet in a Geylang coffeeshop.

At Burgers by Danny OneStar, you can look forward to an assortment of delightfully thick burgers with handmade patties, such as the Cheesy Lava Burger (S$12.50) and Buffalo Chicken Burger (S$8.50). They also have old-school Western fare like their Cheezy Fish & Chips (S$9), which I absolutely fell in love with for its crispy exterior and incredibly soft interior. 

60 Changi Road, Singapore 419712
+65 8713 6907
Tue to Sun: 2pm – 10pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook

4. Dochi Dochi

Run by Stephanie and her Indonesian partner Ivan, Dochi Dochi sells unique bite-sized mochi doughnuts. 

Unlike other businesses in this listicle, Dochi Dochi moved from a home-based business to a physical outlet because Stephanie’s grandmother had dementia and would sometimes eat the customers’ orders. Moving the business out of their shared home made it much more practical for Stephanie to run her business.

All of Dochi Dochi’s mochi doughnuts are made fresh in their Joo Chiat store daily. The doughnuts are first fried, then either filled or topped with an assortment of exciting ingredients.

With a goal of creating a snack that would appeal to all ages, Dochi Dochi comes in a variety of flavours catered towards both the young and old. 

For the ultimate sampler, try the Assorted Sweet Box (S$12), which comes with Oreo Bomb, Biscoff-Crunch, Nutty-Tella, Kaya-lah, and Maple Osmanthus. Savoury lovers can delight themselves in the Savoury 2 Mixed Flavours (S$14), containing Parmesan Garlic Butter and Kani-Mayo. 

Of course, truffle lovers can’t miss their Truffle Mushroom (S$15), an incredibly umami combination of truffle, mushrooms and parmesan.

95 Joo Chiat Road, #01-02, Singapore 427389
+65 9012 8089
Tue to Thu: 11am – 9pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 9pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram 

5. NBCB 

Ah yes, the eatery with a name that would make most Singaporeans do a double take.

NBCB, which stands for Nothing But Cheese Burger, was founded by Tommy Wong after he started experimenting with making burgers during the pandemic lockdown. The burgers that he made and sold from home were so popular that they often sold out.

Tommy soon set out to open an official dining space in the heart of the city, for fellow CB lovers to enjoy his juicy creations conveniently. 

Their signature NBCB (S$15.50) comes with a single beef patty, cheddar cheese, brioche buns, lettuce, tomato and their secret sauce. If you’re feeling extra peckish, why not get the DCB (S$20.70), which comes with double beef patties, for the ultimate indulgence? 

You could also opt for some delightful CCB (S$11.60), which comes with crispy chicken instead of beef. These burgers are truly vulgarly good.

181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central, #04-23, Singapore 238896
+65 8872 0160
Daily: 11am – 3pm & 5pm – 9pm
Facebook | Instagram | Website

6. Mother-In-Law Egg Tarts 

Mother-In-Law Egg Tarts is a business that flips the mother-and-daughter-in-law rivalry stereotype on its head.

Evangeline and her mother-in-law, Joyce, started the business after Joyce sent Evangeline a box of her egg tarts, which were so good that Evangeline was inspired to try selling the tarts through a home-based business.

The first Mother-In-Law Egg Tarts physical outlet opened in Havelock II. In 2022, the business branched out to opening their second outlet in the bustling Jurong Point, bringing their popular tarts to more people.

Unlike other egg tarts, Mother-In-Law Egg Tarts’ products come in all sorts of unique flavours that you can’t find anywhere else in Singapore.

Choose from fun egg tart flavours like Earl Grey Black Tea (S$3.30), Crunchy Apple Cinnamon (S$3.30), Crispy Layers Coffee (S$3.30), Yam & Purple Potato (S$3.40) and Savoury Chicken Ham & Mushroom (S$3.50). 

They even have a pure chocolate tart, the Valrhona Dark Chocolate Raspberry (S$3.80)!

1 Jurong West Central 2, Jurong Point, #03-41, Singapore 648886
+65 8383 8460
Daily: 10.30am – 10pm
Facebook | Instagram | Website

7. Ah Miao’s Kitchen

Colyn, who comes from Sungai Petani, Penang, started her home-based business selling S$1 mini nasi lemak after her husband’s sudden passing in 2020. 

When she shared about her business on Facebook, orders immediately started flooding in, and soon, she opened Ah Miao’s Kitchen’s physical outlet in Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre.

At Ah Miao’s Kitchen, look forward to enjoying dishes like their Mini Nasi Lemak (S$1.50), containing coconut rice, half an egg, a slice of cucumber, roasted peanuts and ikan bilis sambal, and Chicken Wing Kandar (S$4), containing the ingredients of the Mini Nasi Lemak with additions like a crispy chicken wing, cucumber, pineapple and carrot.

110 Pasir Ris Central, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, #01-19, Singapore 519641
+65 8223 3552
Tue to Sun: 8.30am – 3pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram 

8. Dr. Kitchen

Started in July 2020, the Muslim-owned business Dr. Kitchen was set up by Mr Hafid and Dr. Nadia. 

Their home-based business initially sold cream puffs and durian puffs, but soon added their famous So Black Brownies (SBB) to the menu. With the high demand for their bakes, the duo opened Dr. Kitchen’s physical takeaway shop along Siglap Drive.

Dr. Kitchen’s So Black Brownies (SBB) are made using 70 per cent dark chocolate, giving them an incredibly rich and chocolatey flavour. With 12 different SBB flavours, including Speculoos (S$6), Crunchy Peanut Butter (S$6), Oreo (S$6), Ovalmatine (S$6), Espresso (S$7) and Sea Salt Caramel (S$7), you’ll be spoilt for choice.

My personal favourite was the Crunchy Peanut Butter SBB, which managed to balance the sweetness of the brownie  with the saltier elements of the peanut butter.

20 Siglap Drive, Bowmont Centre, #01-01, Singapore 456912
Wed to Sun: 10am – 5pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
Instagram | Website

9. Sixth Floor Oyster Cake 

Like all the other entries on this list, Sixth Floor Oyster Cake had humble beginnings as a home-based business in 2020 before it upgraded to a takeaway kiosk in Northshore Plaza. In the first few weeks of its physical store’s opening, Sixth Floor Oyster Cake was greeted with hour-long queues for its delectable and crispy oyster cakes. 

Their Original Oyster Cake (S$3) is filled with oysters, shrimp, minced meat and chives. You can even get the oyster cakes in different variations, including Without Oysters (S$3), Kimchi (S$3), Scallop (S$3.80) and Meat Only (S$3.50). 

407 Northshore Drive, Northshore Plaza I, #02-41, Singapore 820407
+65 8811 0241
Daily: 10am – 9pm
Instagram | Website

10. Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery 

Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery was first conceived in August 2020 by Genevieve Lee, the runner-up of Masterchef Singapore 2018. Specialising in sourdough bombolonis filled with unique flavour combinations, Genevieve initially started out baking at home and selling her bombolonis online. 

The sourdough bombolinis quickly exploded in popularity, and in less than a year, Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery opened its first physical outlet at Park Mall in Dhoby Ghaut. The store was met with snaking queues during the early days of its opening, and would often sell out hours before its official closing time. 

Grab famous Sourbombe Bombolonis in flavours like Lavender Lime Mascarpone (S$4.80), Hojicha Caramel Crunch (S$4.80) and Basque Burnt Cheesecake (S$5.60). They’ve even expanded to include viennoiseries, like their Prawn Toast Mentaiko Baked Croissant (S$8) and Confit Leeks and Salmon Tart (S$8).

9 Penang Road, Park Mall, #02-03, Singapore 238459
+65 9847 0203
Tue to Sun: 10am – 4pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram | Website

11. The Flour Department

Julie started The Flour Department after being rejected from a local university. The set-back led to her exploring baking and experimenting with different bakes. Afterwards, she moved to France and graduated from a French culinary school specialising in French pastries. 

In 2015, Julie started her home-based bakery and in 2022, The Flour Department opened its physical store in Chinatown, selling unique Asian-European fusion bakes. 

The Flour Department’s menu constantly rotates with new bakes being introduced, roughly priced between S$5 and S$10. Their past bakes include their Blackforest Birthday Cake Tart, Chilli Crab Mac & Cheese Fried Mantou, Cheese Fries Choux Puff, Muah Chee Paris-Brest and Black Sesame Crumblelicious Bars.

531 Upper Cross Street, #02-57A, Singapore 050531
+65 8168 0485
Tue to Sat: 12pm – 7pm
Closed on Mon & Sun
Facebook | Instagram | Website

12. CAI Eats 

CAI Eats was started by the Chua siblings, Irwin, Amanda and Charmaine, who learnt cooking from both their maternal and paternal grandmothers. They have a belief in the importance of keeping their Hokkien and Hainanese-Peranakan heritages alive, and achieve this through their traditional ngoh hiang.

The CAI Eats home-based business garnered attention from local celebrities like actress Michelle Chong and chef Willin Low, and the success of the business encouraged them to open a physical store.

The must-buy products at CAI Eats are without a doubt their famed ngoh hiang, available in variations like Mala Pork & Prawn Ngoh Hiang (S$26 for 20 pieces), Truffle Pork & Prawn Ngoh Hiang (S$30 for 20 pieces), and even a vegan Original Impossible Ngoh Hiang (S$35 for 20 pieces).

They also have other products like Glutinous Rice (S$25), Hainanese Chilli (S$8) and Sambal Char Kway Teow (S$8).

9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
+65 8118 1682
Tue to Fri: 11am – 6pm
Sat: 11am – 4pm
Closed on Sun & Mon
Facebook | Instagram | Website

13. Whisking Bakes

When Chanel lost her job as an air stewardess following the pandemic in 2020, she bounced back and started her home-based business, Whisking Bakes, in May 2020, selling the world’s first orh nee tart balls. 

Made with natural ingredients and no preservatives, it’s no wonder that Chanel’s tasty melt-in-the-mouth morsels became so popular that she was able to open a physical outlet in Tai Seng in late 2021. In July 2022, the business’ physical outlet will move to Lavender.

If you ever drop by Whisking Bakes, you must try their signature Orh Nee Tarts (S$16.50 for 11 pieces, S$35.50 for 25 pieces). Why not give their selection of exciting Burnt Cheesecake flavours a go too? For S$25, get their mini Burnt Cheesecake in Hazelnut Nutella, Matcha, Lotus Biscoff and Black Sesame. Their Taro and Baileys flavours, on the other hand, are a little pricier at S$27.50.

465 Crawford Lane, #01-08, Singapore 190465
+65 8850 5918
Tue to Thu & Sun: 10am – 4pm
Fri & Sat: 10am – 9.30pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram | Website

Other articles you might like: 

13 best afternoon high teas in Singapore to make you feel like a tai tai

12 places to get orh nee desserts S$5 and under in Singapore

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