Kopitiams across the region take centrestage at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s latest photo exhibition. Brewing Nostalgia: A Regional Retrospective of Kopitiams in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand brings together 24 black-and-white shots of old-school coffee shops, all captured by award-winning travel writer and photographer Lester V. Ledesma.
The project kicked off in early 2024 at a humble Singapore coffeeshop and soon sent Lester across the region, guided by tips from locals and taxi drivers. His journey led him to spots like Peking Room Coffeeshop in Tanglin Halt, Penang’s iconic Kek Seng, and Bangkok’s Suriya Coffee. The result? A warm, intimate look at everyday kopitiam life – from tiny details to familiar rituals – revealing how three countries share a culture that’s both comfortingly similar and intriguingly different.
This is SCCC’s first collaboration with the High Commission of Malaysia and the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore, marking 60 years of diplomatic ties. The exhibition is free and runs until April 30, 2026.
