Literally translating to “sugar water”, Tong Sui, in my humble opinion, is part and parcel of Malaysian cuisine. From creamy peanut soup to bubur cha cha, these sweet concoctions make for such a heartwarming dessert.
While your favourite tong sui spot might be run by an uncle in a truck or an auntie at a hawker stall, there are also a lot of aesthetic cafes to sit down and chill at with a nice bowl of tong sui these days.
So, here are six tong sui dessert cafes in the Klang Valley that you should check out the next time you’re craving some of that “sugar water”.
1. Sik Thong Ba
Founded in 2018, Karen Lew wanted Sik Thong Ba to offer classic and authentic desserts.
Speaking to Vulcan Post, she shared that the idea is to be a consistent and reliable source of delicious and healthy desserts for the whole family—from grandparents to grandchildren. All products are homemade without colouring or preservatives.
To stay competitive, Sik Thong Ba also incorporates modern twists in their menu, catering to the younger generation’s preferences. For example, there are staples like the Classic Soya Ice, but there’s also flavours like mango and matcha. The Affogato Soy Pudding is rather unique, too.
Sik Thong Ba has also grown to offer hot foods from croffles to poke bowls.
With four locations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor currently, Karen aims to bring Sik Thong Ba to other states as well.
Locations:
- 37G, Jalan Dataran Cheras 2, Dataran Perniagaan Cheras, 43200 Balakong, Selangor
- 06G, Jalan Desa Aman 1, Taman Desa Aman, 56100 Kuala Lumpur
- 66, SS21/39 Damasara Utama Petaling Jaya, 47400, Selangor
- Shop 2, Pusat Perniagaan Palet, 2, Jalan 3/23a, Setapak, 53300 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 12PM to 11:30PM every day
Price: Their tong sui starts at RM6.90
Must try items: The taroball shaved ice and signature longan tofu
2. YDT Dessert (苦中一点甜)
With their name translating to “a little sweetness in the bitter”, YDT Dessert is a relatively new business that started in October 2023.
The tong sui menu has all the classics—red bean soup, peanut paste, bubur cha cha, and more.
Something cool about this spot is that it’s pet friendly—no size limits, as long as they’re well-mannered. Providing free water for pets, they also have pet snacks and food for sale.
We were told that YDT Dessert was founded by a young man who also runs an existing F&B business as its second-generation leader.
Aside from providing authentic Chinese tong sui, YDT Dessert also endeavours to offer a cosy place for people to chill and enjoy the desserts. The goal is to brighten up their day after a long day of work.
“City life is full of hustling and YDT Dessert is here to supply a bunch of happiness to our customers,” they told Vulcan Post.
For their desserts, the team claims to prepare them in the most authentic way possible, following traditional recipes without any new innovations. That’s because they believe old-school flavours offer the best “taste of memories”.
“We may see there are tons of dessert shops out there, serving creative dishes with awesome presentation. However, in YDT, we emphasise on the authentic taste and also the joys of having a bowl of tong sui that reminds us of our grandparents’ wonderful cooking,” they said.
The founder aims to open more outlets in the Klang Valley region, mostly focusing on residential areas so that YDT Dessert can grow into “the most accessible neighbourhood dessert shop in Klang Valley”.
Location: 10, Jalan Tengah, Bandar Baru Petaling Jaya, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday, 12PM to 12AM; Friday and Saturday 12PM to 1AM. Closed on Tuesdays.
Price: The tong sui starts at RM6.80
Must try items: Mango Pomelo Sago and Bubur Cha Cha
3. Tang Fei Dessert (糖妃糖水)
Reaching out to Tang Fei Dessert, we learnt it was founded by a passionate lady with a deep love for making Chinese desserts, though she prefers to remain behind the scenes.
Founded in early 2023, the inspiration behind the business comes from the founder’s deep interest in creating authentic Chinese desserts, aiming to share traditional flavours with a modern twist.
It’s quite the popular dessert shop, with over 3,200 Google reviews on its first location, while its second location, which opened in May, already has accumulated nearly 600 reviews.
One of the highlights here is the Tang Fei Signature Box priced at RM29.90, which is perfect for first-timers.
“The Tang Fei Signature Box is a highlight, designed for first-timers to explore a curated selection of our bestsellers,” the team shared with Vulcan Post. “This comprehensive approach, combining traditional and innovative elements with a focus on variety, makes Tang Fei Dessert unique in the market.”
The team also believes that Tang Fei Dessert sets itself apart from other tong sui businesses through its diverse menu that spans from hot to cold desserts, including signature snow ice creations. Plus, their offerings are complemented by a selection of snacks, designed to pair well with the desserts.
Tang Fei Dessert recently opened its second outlet in Seapark, PJ, and is currently exploring locations for a third outlet, with hopes to open next year.
The business is also working towards acquiring its halal certification to better serve Muslim customers and broaden their market appeal.
Locations:
- Kuchai Lama, 27-G, Jalan Kuchai Maju, Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, 58200 Kuala Lumpur
- 8, Jalan 21/11b, Sea Park, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: 12PM to 1AM. Closed on Wednesday.
Price: Their tong sui starts at RM7.90
Must try items: Tang Fei Signature Box, Peach Gum with Pear, Bubble Milk Tea Snow Ice, Bubur Cha Cha
4. Guochao Desserts
Behind Guochao Desserts is someone named Oscar, who created the brand alongside his business partners in 2021.
The shop is located inside a modified container, while the interior is decorated with traditional Chinese elements.
“The inspiration to start my dessert business came from a combination of personal passion and trying to bring different things to the customers,” he explained.
With the goal to offer unique recipes and creative ideas, Guochao Desserts likes to give a modern twist to traditional tongsui recipes or combine unique flavours that cannot be easily found elsewhere.
Aside from shaved ice and tong sui, they offer waffles with a variety of spreads as well as coffees. A few interesting things we spotted included their Ikan Bilis Donut and Banana Coffee.
Oscar has ambitions to open more outlets, but understands the importance of having the right timing as well as right opportunities.
“But we promise to bring more unique flavours to our customers,” he said determinedly. “Customer satisfaction is our greatest motivation to persevere.”
Location: No. 2091, Jalan SK13/12, Kampung Baru Seri Kembangan, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday, 1PM to 10:30PM; Friday and Saturday, 1PM to 12AM. Closed on Tuesdays.
Price: The tong sui, marketed as hot beverages, starts at RM5.90
Must try item: Signature chendol ice with taro balls
5. Tong Yik Dessert
Founded by a young couple Marco and Angel (27 and 25 respectively this year), Tong Yik Dessert is a spot in Taman Bukit Cheras that opened up around mid-2023.
Marco and Angel came from different backgrounds, with Marco coming from the tinted glass industry while Angel was formerly in the online trading field. However, both were interested F&B and actually started a noodle stall in a kopitiam in early 2023.
Growing from that experience, the two opened up Tong Yik Dessert last year, serving their home recipes to the public.
They serve a variety of desserts, including a range of Hong Kong-styled tong sui as well as more local options like bubur cha cha. For something to munch on, there are both snacks and full meals available.
Location: LG-05, Residensi Majestic Maxim, 45, Jalan 9, Taman Bukit Cheras, WP, 56000 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 3:30PM to 1AM every day
Price: Tong Sui prices start at RM7.90
Must try items: Mango Bath with QQ Balls, Bursting Strawberry Mango Explosion, Pandan Vermicelli with Taro Balls & Red Beans, and Sago Delights with Durian
6. Hiao Po Tong Shui
Located in Sri Petaling, Hiao Po Tong Shui is a cute shop known for its quirky designs as well as its nostalgic and traditional Chinese desserts.
The spot offers up all the comforting and classic offerings from glutinous rice balls in ginger soup to the beloved red bean soup. They also offer herbal jelly if you’re looking to cool down. Its offerings are said to be on the healthier side, so if you love options that are less sweet, this is the one for you.
For bites, the spot also offers up local favourites like chai kuih, teo chew crystal dumplings, and kuih kosoi pandan.
One thing about this spot is that it opens till late every day. If you’re craving something past midnight, Hiao Po Tong Shui might be the place to be.
Location: 22-G, Jalan Radin Anum 2, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 3PM to 2AM; Saturday to Sunday, 12PM to 2AM
Price: Tong sui prices start at RM6
Must try items: Red bean soup
Keeping the tong sui culture alive
You might’ve noticed that a lot of the places I mentioned offer a myriad of things beyond tong sui. Shaved ice is one of the most popular inclusions, as well as popular café snacks like waffles.
While the inclusion of these trendy offerings does help a business cater to more people, I hope youngsters will also give tong sui a chance at these spots.
- Read other articles we’ve written about F&B businesses here.
Featured Image Credit: Sik Thong Ba / Tong Yik Dessert / Tang Fei Dessert