If you’re stepping into a kopitiam (local-style food court) in Singapore for the first time, you’ll quickly realise ordering coffee requires its own language. From Kopi to Kopi C Kosong, there are specific local terms for ordering the milk, sugar, and even consistency of your drink. 

Whether you want to enjoy the perfect local brew or you’re planning an event that requires a coffee menu, learning this lingo can be a useful guide for customising the drink and ensuring quality.

How to Order Kopi in Singapore: Essential Modifiers

To start your coffee order and get the perfect local brew, you need to learn how to combine specific terms. For instance, the term “Kopi” serves as the base, and the suffixes define the drink’s key ingredients, including milk, sugar, and temperature.

In Singapore, the basic types of Kopi drinks you may encounter include: 

• Kopi: This is the default, and it’s black coffee served with condensed milk, making it thick, sweet, and creamy.
• Kopi O: This is black coffee served with only sugar, no milk added.
• Kopi Peng: This modifier introduces the “peng” suffix, meaning ice. This simply means iced coffee and you can apply it to any of the base types (e.g. Kopi O Peng, Kopi Peng).

What is Kopi C?

Kopi C is a Singaporean and Malaysian coffee drink that is notably different from a standard cup of Kopi. It’s made with coffee, sugar, and evaporated milk, rather than the heavily sweetened condensed milk used in the default Kopi brew. 

This preparation creates a lighter, silkier, and less sweet coffee that still maintains a desired creamy texture, offering a more balanced taste. Historically, the ‘C’ is said to refer to the Carnation brand of evaporated milk, which was commonly used in the drink.

The key ingredients that give Kopi C its unique profile are:

• Coffee: The base is a concentrated local coffee brew.
• Evaporated Milk (Unsweetened): This provides a characteristic, silky, creamy texture without the heaviness and intense sugar of condensed milk.
• Sugar: A sweetener is added to enhance the flavour, but the amount can be easily customised.

Kopi C Kosong Explained

Kopi C Kosong is a variation of local coffee made with evaporated milk, but without sugar. As such, it’s an ideal choice for those who still want the smooth, silky texture of evaporated milk but with a more health-conscious, zero-sugar flavour.

Here’s a breakdown of the terms:

• Kopi C: As covered earlier, a Kopi variant that usually has black coffee, sugar, and evaporated milk.
• Kosong: This means “zero” or “without” in Malay, signifying no sugar is added to the drink.

Customisation is Key: Controlling the Sweetness 

Once you’ve chosen your base (Kopi, Kopi O, or Kopi C), you can precisely adjust the sweetness and strength.

Some terms to remember when customising the sweetness include:

• Kosong: As previously explained, this means no sugar. For example, if you order Kopi O (black coffee and sugar) Kosong, it means you’re ordering just black coffee with no sugar. 
• Siew Dai: This means less sugar, and it’s the common modification for those who want sweetness without overload.
• Gah Dai: This means “sweeter” and means extra condensed milk is for drinkers who prefer a much higher sugar content.

You can also use other modifiers to control the intensity and body of your drink. For example, use Gau for a brew that is extra strong and Po for coffee that is extra weak or watery. And if you want your iced coffee to retain its flavour, ask for Di Lo, which means extra thick or dense.

From Kopi to Speciality Espresso

While Kopi is deeply rooted in tradition, the Singapore market is increasingly exploring other coffee types, leading to high demand for speciality espresso drinks. 

This is where Nineteen95 can bridge the gap. 

When you book our coffee cart for an event, you can receive the same level of customisation. Plus, you can expect superior-quality coffee beans, fresh barista milk (never UHT), and the speed of a professional espresso machine. 

Both Kopi and espresso drinks are designed to create memorable experiences, but Nineteen95 brings the “Café Quality Anywhere” ethos to corporate and private functions with efficiency. 

And for convenient grab-and-go options, we also offer bottled cold brew drinks.

From Kopi Lingo to Speciality Coffee Catering

From the silky texture of Kopi C to the classic taste of Kopi O Kosong, knowing these local coffee terms can be useful not only for your morning fix but also for ensuring a premium experience when you’re organising an event in Singapore.

When catering for hundreds of discerning guests, you still need this level of focus when customising coffee drinks. At the same time, you need a service that can deliver cafe-quality espresso drinks with speed. When you choose Nineteen95’s high-volume mobile coffee cart, you can access precisely that experience.

If you’re organising an event and you need a coffee cart, contact Nineteen95 today for a tailored quote.