Palo Alto Singaporean coffee shop Killiney Kopitiam opened last September, and now owners Vince and Amanda Steckler are expanding their operation throughout the Bay Area, with new locations on deck in Cupertino, Santa Clara, Pleasanton, and Walnut Creek.
Born and raised in Singapore, Amanda Steckler grew up going to Killiney Kopitiam, one of Singapore’s oldest cafes, dating back more than 100 years. After moving to Palo Alto with her family, Steckler decided to partner with Killiney International to open the coffee shop’s first US outpost in Palo Alto.
The kopitiam (which means coffee shop in Malay) is named for the street in Singapore where it originated — Killiney Road — and specializes in a dark, sweet coffee grind that Steckler imports from Singapore. The coffee is typically served with condensed milk, evaporated milk, or black, and is brewed using a traditional Singaporean pour-over method.
Aside from coffee, Killiney Kopitiam serves up traditional Singaporean fare, including roti prata (crispy flatbread with yellow curry), kaya toast, and laksa (spicy coconut soup with rice noodles, fish cakes, shrimp, and egg).
As for the new locations, the spot in Cupertino, at 19110 Stevens Creek Boulevard, is expected to open in the next two months. The Walnut Creek location, at 1520 Main Street, the Pleasanton location, at 3000 West Jack London Boulevard, and the Santa Clara location, at Westfield Valley Fair, are expected to open by the end of 2021.
All we have to say is, if you’ve never had coffee with condensed milk, you don’t know what you’re missing. Head to Killiney Kopitiam for some authentic Singaporean brew and one of those spicy, delicious noodle bowls.
