Ollella Singapore: The Halal Place for Kueh Lapis, Traditional Indonesian Kueh, and 60-Year-Old Family Recipes Now Finally Certified
Some of the best food comes with a backstory that spans generations, recipes that were never written down because the people who made them knew every step by feel, by smell, and by the memory of watching someone they loved do the same thing at the same kitchen bench decades before. Ollella was built around exactly that kind of recipe, artisanal Indonesian kueh and cakes crafted from a grandmother's methods that are now more than 60 years old, brought to Singapore by sisters Ollyvia and Marcella Putri and, after eight years of operating, now officially halal certified. With outlets at Far East Square, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Tampines Hub, and a self-pickup central kitchen in Bedok, along with next-day islandwide delivery, Ollella has become one of the most distinctive halal places in Singapore for anyone who loves traditional kueh done properly. For anyone searching Ollella near me, the brand's outlets and delivery service make those layers of Kueh Lapis or rolls of Kueh Dadar accessible across the island.
Named After Sisters, Built on a Grandmother's Recipes
The name Ollella is a combination of the two sisters' names, Ollyvia and Marcella, and the brand's story is inseparable from theirs. Marcella bakes the Kueh Lapis the way her grandmother used to, carrying forward a recipe that has been in the family for over six decades. While she respects the tradition faithfully, she also adds her own careful twists, creating signature variations like Salted Egg and Nutella flavoured Kueh Lapis that sit alongside the more traditional spiced version and seasonal flavours like prune and cempedak.
This balance, staying true to the original while finding room for thoughtful modern interpretations, has defined Ollella's identity since its founding and is the quality most consistently praised by long-time customers who describe it as their favourite Indonesian or Peranakan style food in Singapore.
Eight Years in the Making, Now Halal Certified
Ollella has been in the Singapore food scene for around eight years, operating first without formal halal certification before eventually going through the rigorous process required to achieve MUIS recognition. The brand's announcement of its halal certification, described simply as "WE ARE NOW HALAL CERTIFIED" on its website, was met with significant enthusiasm from Singapore's Muslim community, for whom Ollella's traditional Indonesian kueh had previously been unavailable despite the obvious appeal.
The food influencer community responded warmly to the news, with coverage across TikTok, Instagram, and food directories quickly spreading awareness that one of Singapore's most respected artisanal kueh makers was now accessible to all. As with any halal certified establishment, the certificate is displayed in store and subject to yearly renewal, so diners are encouraged to check on site for the most current status before purchasing.
Kueh Lapis: The Labour of Love That Made Ollella Famous
If there is one product most associated with Ollella, it is the Kueh Lapis, or layered cake, and specifically the intricacy and patience required to make it properly. Kueh Lapis is a traditional Indonesian spiced layered cake that requires each thin layer to be individually poured and baked before the next can be added, a process that makes a single cake enormously time-consuming compared to most other baked goods. The result is a cake with a characteristic striped cross-section, typically alternating between a darker and lighter layer, and a dense, chewy, richly spiced interior.
Ollella's signature Spiced Kueh Lapis has been featured in Singapore media including 8Days, and the care that goes into each cake reflects the grandmother's method that Marcella has preserved. Seasonal and creative flavours include Nutella, which layers a rich chocolate hazelnut character through the classic spiced base, Salted Egg for a briny, savoury twist, Prune for fruity depth, and Cempedak for a distinct tropical character that changes across the year depending on availability.
Kueh Dadar, Kueh Salat, and the Full Traditional Range
Beyond Kueh Lapis, Ollella's
kueh range spans many of the most beloved traditional Indonesian and Peranakan treats. Kueh Dadar, the pandan-coconut crepe rolls that deliver a fragrant, slightly sweet mouthful in every bite, are among the brand's bestsellers and the item most likely to prompt nostalgia among customers who grew up eating them at home or at festive gatherings.
Kueh Salat brings together a fragrant pandan and coconut custard layer on top of glutinous rice, with the blue colour from butterfly pea flower giving the rice base a distinctive visual character. Kueh Bika Ambon, a classic Indonesian honeycomb cake known for its chewy, slightly elastic texture and eggy sweetness, gives the menu an item that is genuinely harder to find well-made elsewhere in Singapore. Kueh Bingka Ubi, made with grated cassava, and Kueh Lapis Sagu, a different style of layered kueh made with sago and coconut milk, round out a traditional selection that rewards customers who take the time to explore beyond the signature Kueh Lapis.
The Viral Ondeh Cake and Modern Choux
Alongside the traditional kueh, Ollella has developed contemporary creations that have generated their own following on social media. The viral Ondeh Cake takes the beloved flavour combination of the traditional Ondeh Ondeh, pandan, coconut, and gula melaka, and turns it into a cake format that has attracted attention on Instagram and TikTok for its visual appeal and the familiarity of the flavours. Modern choux pastries, prepared with the same precision and quality ingredient standards that define the rest of the menu, give the brand a more contemporary pastry dimension that appeals to younger customers who may have discovered Ollella through social media before exploring the traditional kueh range.
Lemper Ayam, Nasi Lemak, Lontong Sayur, and Savoury Dishes
Ollella's menu extends beyond sweet kueh into a range of savoury Indonesian dishes that have built their own devoted following. Lemper Ayam, the glutinous rice rolls wrapped in banana leaf with a spiced chicken filling inside, are a snack that customers describe as essential alongside the sweet kueh for a complete Indonesian kueh experience. Lemper Ebi offers the same format with a dried prawn filling, giving a different, slightly briny flavour character.
On the heartier side, Nasi Lemak and Lontong Sayur, a vegetable soup with rice cakes, give Ollella a range that goes beyond pure kueh and dessert, making it a fuller Indonesian food destination rather than purely a sweet treat shop. Customers who have tried both the sweet and savoury sides of the menu often describe the combination, kueh boxes paired with Lontong Sayur or Chicken Berempah, as a genuinely satisfying meal spread.
Kueh Party Platters and Raya Gifting
Ollella has built a strong reputation in the gifting and celebration space, particularly around Ramadan and Hari Raya, when kueh platters are a traditional part of festive gifting and entertaining. The brand's Kueh Party Platters combine its bestsellers into a single presentable spread, with the Kueh Lapis as the centrepiece alongside a selection of other traditional kueh varieties. These platters have been described as perfect as edible Raya or iftar table centrepieces, giving hosts a beautiful and delicious display that their guests can pick from throughout the evening.
Baby full-month orders also feature prominently in Ollella's service offering, with the brand providing traditional Indonesian kueh for the manyue celebration that marks a newborn's first month, a tradition that carries specific kueh varieties associated with the occasion.
Swishrolls: Ollella's Sister Brand
Ollella's Instagram bio includes a mention of its sister brand Swishrolls, which focuses on a different style of pastry, reflecting how the founders have been building out a family of related artisanal food concepts alongside the core Ollella brand. This sister brand adds another dimension to the founders' broader role in Singapore's artisanal food scene.
Where to Find Ollella Near Me
Ollella operates across four locations in Singapore. For anyone searching Ollella near me, locations include the Far East Square café at 135 Amoy Street, #01-04, open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 3pm, Mount Alvernia Hospital at 820 Thomson Road, #01-25, open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm and Saturday 9am to 3.30pm, Tampines Hub, and the Bedok Central Kitchen at 1550 Bedok Food City for preorder self-pickup only, open daily from 9am to 3pm. Next-day islandwide delivery is available through the website, with orders placed by 3pm for next-day fulfilment.
For a halal food experience in Singapore that brings together six decades of Indonesian family kueh heritage preserved in the hands of two sisters who learned from their grandmother, a signature Kueh Lapis that comes in traditional and inventive flavours including Salted Egg and Nutella, the full range of traditional Indonesian kueh from Kueh Dadar to Kueh Salat and Kueh Bika Ambon, and a modern viral Ondeh Cake and choux pastry range that shows how tradition and contemporary taste can coexist beautifully, Ollella has become one of the most genuine and most celebrated halal places in Singapore for artisanal kueh. Whether you are after a box of traditional kueh for a celebration, building a Raya gifting order, or simply want to try the Kueh Lapis that earned Ollella its media features, Ollella delivers a taste of Indonesian culinary heritage that is rarer and more carefully made than almost anything else in Singapore's halal bakery scene.