Morning rituals: 10 traditional breakfasts across Southeast Asia

Tatler Asia

06-07-2025

2. Kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs (Singapore)
Singaporean breakfast culture straddles colonial legacy and local ingenuity. Kaya toast, or grilled bread slathered with coconut jam and a generous slab of butter, comes with wobbly soft-boiled eggs, soy sauce and white pepper. Pair it with strong, sweet kopi (local coffee with condensed milk) for a breakfast that's equal parts nostalgic and satisfying. Other Singaporean breakfasts: Chwee kueh (steamed rice cakes with preserved radish)
Fried bee hoon (stir-fried vermicelli)
Economic rice (a buffet of pre-cooked dishes with rice, even in the morning) 3. Mohinga (Myanmar)
Considered Myanmar's unofficial national dish, mohinga is a comforting fish broth thickened with rice flour and loaded with rice noodles, banana stem, boiled eggs and crunchy fritters. Traditionally eaten for breakfast, it's served steaming hot from roadside vendors in big metal pots. It's soulful, filling and packed with umami. Other Myanmar breakfasts: Nan Gyi Thoke (thick rice noodle salad with chicken curry)
Pe Byouk (boiled peas with naan-style bread)
Htamin Jaw (fried rice with garlic oil, peas, and crispy shallots) 4. Putu mayam or string hoppers (Malaysia / Sri Lanka influence)
A product of Tamil migration to Malaysia and Singapore, putu mayam (or idiyappam) consists of lacy steamed rice flour noodles, served cold with grated coconut and palm sugar. It is light, subtly sweet and a staple in many South Indian-influenced communities across Southeast Asia. 5. Lontong sayur (Indonesia / Malaysia)
Compressed rice cakes (lontong) swim in a light coconut curry with vegetables like young jackfruit, tofu and tempeh. Often topped with hard-boiled eggs and spicy sambal, lontong sayur is a hearty, complex breakfast that can double as brunch. You'll find it in wet markets and roadside warungs, especially in Java and Sumatra. 6. Khao tom (Thailand / Laos)
Thailand's answer to breakfast soup, khao tom (not to be confused with a similarly named dessert) is a fragrant rice porridge laced with garlic, ginger and sometimes minced pork, shrimp or fish. Served with chilli, vinegar and soy sauce on the side, it's gentle but tasty—ideal for sleepy mornings or recovering stomachs. Other Thai breakfasts: Jok (Thai rice porridge thicker than khao tom, with pork and century egg)
Patongo (Thai-style Chinese crullers often dipped in condensed milk)
Moo ping with khao niew (grilled pork skewers with sticky rice) 7. Pho (Vietnam)
Above Pho (Photo: Jang's / Pexels)
In northern Vietnam, pho isn't lunch—it's breakfast. Hanoi mornings start with steaming bowls of delicate beef or chicken broth, slippery rice noodles, thinly sliced meat and a small bouquet of fresh herbs. Street-side pho stalls open at dawn and often close by mid-morning. The ritual? Slurp, sip and start the day right. Pho has gained so much popularity that it's become a late-night favourite, too. Other Vietnamese breakfasts: Banh mi op la (Vietnamese baguette with sunny-side-up eggs)
Xoi (sticky rice with toppings like mung beans or shredded chicken)
Hu tieu (clear pork broth with rice noodles and seafood)
See more: Late-night snacking: 9 midnight treats across Asia 8. Bubur ayam (Indonesia)
Jakarta's breakfast classic is a comforting bowl of chicken rice porridge topped with shredded chicken, crispy shallots, soy sauce and crackers (kerupuk). Vendors often add scallions, fried garlic and drizzles of yellow turmeric broth for extra warmth and colour. It's Indonesia's answer to savoury comfort food with texture to spare. Other Indonesian breakfasts: Lontong sayur (rice cakes in coconut curry)
Nasi uduk (aromatic coconut rice with side dishes)
Gado-gado (vegetable salad with peanut sauce, sometimes eaten for breakfast) 9. Champorado with tuyo (Philippines)
This Filipino breakfast is a study in contrasts. Sweet chocolate rice porridge (champorado), made with sticky rice and native cacao, is served with salty dried fish (tuyo) on the side. The result? A perfectly calibrated play between sweet, salty, creamy and umami that has fuelled generations of early risers. It sounds strange to outsiders, but it all comes together with a spoonful. Or a bowl. Other Filipino breakfasts: Silog meals (garlic fried rice + fried egg + protein like tapa, longganisa or tocino)
Pandesal (soft bread rolls) with butter, cheese or sardines
Arroz caldo (chicken rice porridge with ginger and scallions)
See more: 11 Filipino breakfast foods you need to try 10. Khao niew (Laos)
In Laos, breakfast is slow, tactile and rooted in tradition. The day often begins with khao niew (sticky rice), which is steamed in bamboo baskets and eaten by hand. Rolled into small balls, it's dipped into fiery jeow bong (chilli paste), paired with laap (herb-laden minced meat salad) or served with leftover grilled fish.
Beyond the table, sticky rice plays a spiritual role in daily life. In cities like Luang Prabang, locals offer handfuls of khao niew to monks during the Tak Bat almsgiving ritual, a centuries-old Buddhist practice. Other Lao breakfasts: Khao piak sen (thick rice noodle soup)
Baguette sandwiches (a French colonial legacy)
Khao tom (simple rice porridge, though less common than sticky rice)