KopiKhoo: Meet the affectionate grandma behind the hole-in-the-wall coffee spot at Joo Chiat

A coffee spot that has recently taken TikTok by storm in Singapore is KopiKhoo, a simple takeaway concept where affordable coffee is served by 72-year-old Paulin Khoo and operates from a literal hole in the wall in Joo Chiat.

Situated just across from Haig Girls’ School, it sits in the middle of an alley that cuts across Tembeling Road and Joo Chiat Road.

Characterised by a beautiful, Peranakan-style wooden window, KopiKhoo is carved out from the back of Paulin’s home, which she shares with her husband, her son and daughter-in-law, their five children, her daughter-in-law’s family and a helper.

More affectionately known as Auntie Khoo, Paulin’s warm smile and bright service is what keeps us spellbound. 

If Inside Out’s Joy had a grandmotherly version, I’d imagine it would be personified as a small, white-haired Paulin Khoo with twinkling eyes and easy smiles.

A grandmother of five, Paulin is a former preschool teacher and has since retired. She now spends her days happily serving her community and beyond through KopiKhoo. 

When we were there, there was also a basket under the window with little plastic baggies of coffee grounds that you can help yourself to. (“For fertiliser,” Paulin says.)

“I never knew I would love making these coffees and would put love into it,” she muses.

The setup at KopiKhoo

Paulin may lament her age and how complex routines are hard to muster, but we find that she has a great memory and has nailed her routine down to a tee. 

If you’ll indulge her in providing your names (even if you come in a group), Paulin finds that it’s easier for her to remember you if you ever pop by again. 

It’s the first thing she asks at the start of every order — that and where you’re from. (She likes to keep track of who she serves — how sweet is that?)

These details are penned down on a notepad that hangs right next to the open window.

It’s also a bonus if you manage to catch her during off-peak periods. That’s when she can afford the time to chat as she meticulously weighs the grounds for a cup of delicious KopiKhoo brew. 

While we were there, Paulin brought smiles to every customer by complimenting their names or joking with them.

With sure and steady hands, Paulin mills about her kitchen, measuring out precise amounts of each ingredient, frothing up milk for a hot latte (S$3.50), or preparing ice for her next order. 

Everything is easily within reach, with the kitchen table having been converted to an assembly station. We can see stacks of cups propped on one end of the table, with an ice maker on an island counter not far away. 

“The recipes are easy,” says Paulin. “Everything is measured out so I won’t forget.”

It seems that the processes are well thought out and easy to navigate, courtesy of Paulin’s son, Nicholas Khoo, 48. KopiKhoo was his idea, so that she could keep herself engaged from the comforts of her own home. 

And though Paulin is the face of KopiKhoo, this little coffee kiosk is truly a family project for the Khoos — everyone pitched in on the name and Paulin’s eldest granddaughter, 19,  even designed its logo!

Occasionally, you might also find the whole Khoo family pitching in to help Grandma Khoo with coffee-making. Some prepare the ice, others the milk or the packing — it’s a chaotic and excitable KopiKhoo factory line!

Practice makes perfect

Despite Paulin’s comfort with the coffee machine and her current routines, running KopiKhoo didn’t come without its own challenges, when it first began a soft launch two months ago. 

“In the beginning, when I started, I was very nervous,” she recalls. 

She would tell customers to avoid staring at her while she worked, since that only made her anxious.

As a non-coffee drinker herself, Paulin also struggled with her coffee-making at the start. (She has gastric issues and doesn’t drink much caffeine.) 

But, she now finds herself taking small sips here and there, just so that she can be assured her coffee tastes good, too! 

“I’m still practising my very best to make a nice cup of coffee,” Paulin adds, shyly.

Of course, we had to ask which brew was her favourite. It’s the iced caramel latte (S$4.50), she says, because it’s easy to make and tasty.

These days, Paulin still feels stressed when there are long queues, but for a different reason.

“You feel like you want to make a coffee for them quickly, so that they don’t have to wait so long,” she says. “Sometimes, the sun is so hot, and then — poor things — they have to wait for me.”

This is especially so on Sundays, when the family closes the store for a few hours to attend church. She often hurries home to serve those waiting for KopiKhoo to reopen at 2pm.

What keeps her going?

While KopiKhoo’s menu is kept intentionally simple, it can still be tiring to run the kiosk from 10am to 4pm — except Sundays — daily. But it is its appreciative and kind customers that keep Paulin going. 

“Even though I’m tired sometimes, I still do my very best to serve,” says Paulin. 

She is especially touched by how gracious and patient her customers have been.

Most of KopiKhoo’s customers are from the neighbourhood — folks on their way in and out of their homes, students after school and the like. But Paulin has found that some of her customers have travelled far and wide just to visit.

“It’s so amazing that people will travel all the way to a little cafe in my home, in search of coffee,” she says.

While we were there, KopiKhoo saw a range of customers — from young to old, and from all over Singapore: Mountbatten, Holland Village, Pasir Ris, and Bukit Batok, just to name a few. 

Paulin sees her little coffee kiosk as a way to connect with different people and spread warmth, love and blessings.

In one of her most memorable encounters, a boy who was visiting from Indonesia had made the trip to see her on his last day in Singapore. He was so excited to meet the lovable Auntie Khoo. 

During the short visit, they connected over their shared faith and Paulin gave him a rosary as a parting gift. “He was so, so happy,” she recalls, smiling.

In another incident, a lady had come knocking on KopiKhoo’s window just as Paulin was about to close for the day. She’d already turned the espresso machine off and was going to turn the customer away. 

But when she found out that the customer had travelled quite the distance for a KopiKhoo cuppa, Paulin restarted the machine immediately. 

As they were waiting for the machine to warm up, though, more thirsty clients arrived looking for their KopiKhoo fix. 

Paulin found herself with more customers than she bargained for, but took it all in her stride. 

“I blessed her,” Paulin jokes, laughing. “She blessed me with many more behind her, you know?”

We’re sure to see more of TikTok’s favourite grandma of the moment, what with KopiKhoo’s long line of endearing fans and its delicious, yet affordable coffee.

If you’re in the area, give Auntie Khoo a visit and you’ll find your day has been made. 

And after two months of trialling processes, KopiKhoo launched officially yesterday (September 25), which is also Auntie Khoo’s birthday.

In light of its official launch, the coffee kiosk will be serving single-origin coffee and selling some special snacks until Sunday (Sep 29).

For more caffeinated treats, read about Big Short Coffee at Joo Chiat or check out Coffeehouse by Kobashi. Alternatively, check out the newest openings in Singapore here. 

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to try the coffee at KopiKhoo in Singapore.