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Nanyang Coffee—The Originator of Chinese Coffee! Chinese People Have a Unique Emotional Connection to Coffee.

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, When it comes to Chinese coffee, the older generation will always think of Nanyang Coffee. Last night, the writer made a cup of coffee for his grandfather, who sipped it while sharing many stories about Nanyang Coffee. "The coffee we used to drink was truly aromatic and bold—though its texture was coarse, Nanyang Coffee represents the flavor created through the wisdom of generations of Chinese people."

Nanyang Coffee: A Legacy of Chinese Heritage in Southeast Asia

When it comes to Chinese-style coffee, the older generation often thinks of Nanyang coffee. Last night, a writer made a cup of coffee for his grandfather at home, who while drinking, shared many stories about Nanyang coffee. "The coffee we used to drink was truly aromatic and bold, though coarse in texture. Nanyang coffee represents the wisdom and creativity of several generations of Chinese people, and it's a flavor I always remember fondly."

The grandfather's mother came from Singapore and lived there until she married and returned to her hometown in the Nanfan Shun region (Guangzhou and Foshan areas in Guangdong Province), bringing back the method of making Nanyang coffee. The great-grandmother (grandfather's mother) once said this was the taste of home and also represented the hardships of Chinese people crossing to Nanyang, hoping every generation would remember this flavor.

The Origins and Spread of Nanyang Coffee

"Nanyang coffee" literally refers to coffee beverages from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. Because the methods from roasting to brewing are very different from the freshly ground/specialty coffee we encounter today, "Nanyang coffee" can also refer to the coffee-making methods originating from the Singapore-Malaysia region, which were also brought back to Hainan and Hong Kong-Macau regions.

During the Ming Dynasty, the population expanded rapidly, and many people from the southeastern coast continuously sought new farmland and living spaces by heading south and west. They took boats to the coasts of the Indochina Peninsula, the Philippine Islands, the Indonesian Islands, and other places to do business, work, and even marry and settle with locals, collectively known as "crossing to Nanyang."

Therefore, Nanyang, as a new territory for Han immigrants, began to have a clear scope and concept. As large numbers of Chinese immigrants continuously moved to Nanyang, Chinese footprints spread almost everywhere, becoming an important component of the ethnic composition of today's Southeast Asian countries. Chinese dietary habits were also brought to Nanyang.

Nanyang coffee, strictly speaking, was first invented by Hainanese people. As early as the 1850s, Singapore's coffee shop owners were predominantly Hainanese.

As early as 1819, Stamford Raffles, an employee of the British East India Company, landed in Singapore and established a free trade port. Since then, merchants from various countries frequented the area, the population grew, and Singapore gradually became a base for Asia-Europe business, requiring a large workforce.

Hainanese Innovation in Coffee Making

During the early immigration era, Hainanese people accumulated experience in Western food culture, including cooking, coffee, and Western tea preparation while working as foreign laborers, laying the foundation for their later involvement in coffee and catering. As the role of domestic helpers was gradually taken over by Cantonese "Ma Jie" (female domestic helpers), Hainanese people gradually became "unemployed" and started opening coffee shops. To cater to Chinese tastes, they modified both coffee and Western food with Chinese characteristics.

Early Chinese immigrants in Singapore generally came for livelihood purposes, drawn by spontaneous connections based on kinship and regional ties. They often banded together locally to seek survival and development, forming occupational groups based on geographical and blood relationships. By the 1850s, it was quite common for a Hainanese family to own more than one coffee shop.

The reason why coffee made by Hainanese became popular in Singapore was mainly due to their coffee bean roasting technique, which could very effectively reduce the undesirable flavors of low-quality coffee.

The concept of "specialty coffee" only gained widespread attention after 2000. Before this, coffee bean quality varied considerably, and most were Robusta/Liberica varieties grown in low-altitude regions. Therefore, making coffee directly after roasting would be difficult to swallow.

To reduce the unpleasant taste of coffee, Hainanese people incorporated Chinese cooking techniques, adding seasonings during the coffee bean roasting process. They would roast the coffee beans to about 70-80% doneness, then add butter, sugar, salt, and other seasonings to make the coffee beans sticky and give them a caramelized aroma. Due to the addition of sugar and oil, the beans needed to be ground into particles immediately after coming out of the roaster, otherwise they would be harder to handle once cooled.

The Evolution and Variations of Nanyang Coffee

Speaking of which, have you heard of "white coffee"? The Hainanese method of roasting coffee was brought to Malaysia by other Chinese people and underwent new modifications. "White coffee" actually refers to removing sugar from this sugar-roasted coffee bean method and roasting it "lighter," resulting in a less intense flavor than sugar-roasted coffee beans. It's not called white coffee because non-dairy creamer is added to black coffee.

Returning to our topic. Although sugar was added during the roasting process, the resulting coffee wasn't actually sweet, as the sugar would also caramelize during the roasting time. Robusta varieties naturally have high caffeine content, and to prevent insect damage, coffee itself contains large amounts of chlorogenic acid. Combined with extremely dark roasting, the coffee is already very bitter.

To maximize the richness of the coffee, it is also brewed to be very concentrated... If you drink a cup directly, not only will the caffeine provide a stimulating effect, but the extreme bitterness will also make you feel "refreshed and invigorated." The writer's grandfather said: "When I first drank Nanyang coffee, it was like drinking strong liquor."

Such bitter coffee would definitely be undrinkable in one go. Therefore, local Chinese people developed a "systematic" variety of ways to drink coffee. Local Chinese call coffee "kopi," but Kopi is not equal to black coffee; instead, it's diluted with water and sweetened with sugar and condensed milk by default.

So: Kopi = black coffee + water + sugar + condensed milk | Kopi C = black coffee + water + sugar + evaporated milk | Kopi O = black coffee + water + sugar | Kopi C Kosong = black coffee + water + evaporated milk | Kopi O Kosong = black coffee + water | Kopi Gau = stronger Kopi | Kopi Poh = weaker Kopi | Kopi Peng = iced Kopi | Kopi Siew Dai = less sweet Kopi | Kopi Ga Dai = sweeter Kopi... All these coffee terms come from Minnan dialect pronunciations.

Cultural Significance and Legacy

"Food can not only satisfy individual needs and preferences, but also carry the meaning of expressing identity and symbolizing power relationships." Under the premise of coffee cultural identity, Nanyang coffee shops expanded strongly, and Nanyang coffee, which was closer to Chinese taste preferences, quickly became a cohesive force for Singaporean immigrants. Soon, this coffee-making method spread to other Southeast Asian regions and was brought back to Hainan and Hong Kong-Macau regions.

After reaching other regions, local Chinese people modified the coffee bean roasting method and coffee brewing techniques according to different climates and preferences more suitable for local Chinese tastes. As mentioned above, some Chinese people in Malaysia would not add sugar when roasting coffee.

Some Chinese people in Thailand would add spices and grains when roasting coffee, and this coffee is called oliang. According to the grandfather, when it reached Hong Kong, people would add white liquor when roasting coffee beans to remove the astringent taste and enhance the aroma. If white liquor was added, sugar and oil would not be added.

Regardless of the Nanyang coffee preparation method, it represents generations of inheritance. Anthropologist Kwang-chih Chang said: "One of the best ways to reach the core of a culture is through the stomach." (Or perhaps through the memory of taste buds/flavors). Food, from the perspectives of time and space, constructs the lifestyle of a place and city. In the hearts of many Chinese people who grew up in Southeast Asia from generation to generation, traditional Kopi Tiam (coffee shops) and rich Kopi always hold a special place.

Today, although specialty coffee culture continues to accelerate its popularization, the status of Nanyang coffee remains an important part of popular culture and serves as an emotional bond in Chinese society. A cup of Kopi can energize everyone to start a new day and also makes people feel the hardships of generations of Chinese people.

When the pandemic subsides, everyone should go to Southeast Asia to experience the charm of Nanyang coffee!