Brewing new love for bak kut teh at Singapore HeritageFest 2025

Two of Singapore's enduring heritage brands are joining forces to elevate the profile of a local classic dish - bak kut teh, "meat bone tea" or pork rib soup.

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh and tea merchant Pek Sin Choon will showcase the culinary delight's origins and the harmonious pairing between the dish and tea at the Singapore HeritageFest (SHF) 2025.

Titled "A Tasting Journey through the History of Bak Kut Teh with Song Fa and Pek Sin Choon", the interactive sessions will run on May 7, 9, and 16 at Song Fa's outlet at Velocity@Novena Square from 3pm to 5.30pm.

Participants will explore the rich history and evolving tastes of bak kut teh, and discover how both brands have adapted to Singapore's dynamic food scene.

There will be guided tea pairings with Song Fa's signature dishes and hands-on tea brewing experiences. For a special fee of $20, attendees will enjoy a full meal, tea and exclusive giveaways.

Song Fa founder Yeo Eng Song, 77, started his business in 1969 as a humble pushcart hawker along the former Johor Road. He named it Song Fa after his own name and the Chinese word for "prosperity".

The chain of 14 Song Fa outlets is now managed by his three children, including Ms Diana Yeo, 47. While traditional bak kut teh is lean and tough, Song Fa's pork ribs are "fall off the bone" now to cater to evolving taste and attract younger customers, said Ms Yeo. Song Fa also worked with Pek Sin Choon owner Kenry Peh to curate the King's Garden tea in 2018 - an in-house special brew, which can be either hot or cold, to wow modern palettes. Bak kut teh and Nanyang tea are inseparable, said Ms Yeo. Taxi drivers and business merchants who used to have the dish as a breakfast staple would start the day and the meal with sips of tea. "That was how tea brought people together, but this tea-drinking culture has diminished over the years," she said. "Nowadays, the younger generation likes bubble tea, but Nanyang tea has many health benefits."

Pek Sin Choon, a 100-year-old business, has also been reinventing itself with fresh creations of Nanyang tea blends. The tea merchant in Chinatown supplies tea leaves to about 80 per cent of bak kut teh shops in Singapore.

Nanyang tea is a distinctive tea, blended and roasted to suit local tastes. It generally comprises oolongs from North and South Fujian in mainland China.

Mr Peh, 55, said he is thankful that brands like Song Fa are partnering him on his journey to promote Nanyang tea. "Bak kut teh is a unique local delicacy, and we hope it will be as popular as chicken rice and chilli crab," he said.

Associate Professor Michael Stanley-Baker of Nanyang Technological University has invited his history students to a special session of the bak kut teh workshops with Song Fa and Pek Sin Choon, which he sees as a transmission and preservation of culture.

The students will learn about the origins of bak kut teh and the accompanying tea and the significance of preserving this unique culinary tradition.

"Bak kut teh has transformed from working class migrant origins to the evolving cuisine it has developed into now. It has a rich cultural heritage," said Prof Stanley-Baker, who was born in the United Kingdom and has lived in East Asia for almost two decades.

Heritage enthusiast Victor Yue said: "Bak kut teh is literally 'meat bone' plus tea. The pairing between the dish and tea inspired the dish's name. Malaysia recognises it as a heritage dish, and I hope our younger generation will better appreciate its origin and evolution."

The 22nd edition of SHF presented by National Heritage Board showcases Singapore's intangible cultural heritage - the rich customs, traditions, practices and stories that connect Singaporeans across generations.

It will introduce more than 100 programmes in various locations islandwide, or online, from May 1 to 25. They include heritage and cultural trails, workshops, performances and exhibitions.

Besides featuring food heritage, there will be crafts such as flower tying and Indian woodblock printing, performing arts like Arab samrah dance and Malay drumming traditions, and social practices including wedding traditions.

Homeground Village, a signature SHF offering, will be set against the lush backdrop of the Silver Garden at Gardens by the Bay from April 25 to May 25.

Inspired by the former Singapore Handicraft Centre, this is a one-stop experience space featuring Singapore's heritage such as craft and performing arts through exhibitions, workshops and performances.

During the weekends, there will be a pop-up hawker experience in partnership with the National Environment Agency and a heritage retail market co-presented with the Singapore Tourism Board.

All programmes and activities at the Homeground Village are free, with no registration required.

For more information and to register for SHF's programmes, visit sgheritagefest.gov.sg