The famous Blue Bottle Coffee is slated to open in Singapore in early 2025. This upscale American coffee roaster chain began in Oakland, California back in 2002. At its heart is a vow made by its founder to “only sell coffee less than 48 hours out of the roaster to [his] guests, so they may enjoy coffee at peak flavour.”

There is a dizzying array of coffees out there and if you are weary of the commercial coffee enterprise and stale, overly roasted beans, Blue Bottle Coffee is committed to serving cuppas with the absolute best flavour. In fact, they taste each coffee to determine the precise days on which it will achieve peak flavour.

After debuting in Singapore in August 2024 with a retail store and an exhibition at LUMINE SINGAPORE’s global flagship in Raffles City, this new opening marks the first full Blue Bottle experience in the city.

Their menu is simple with a small selection of coffees such as Espresso, Macchiato, Cappucino, Caffé Latte, Caffeé Mocha, as well as Single Origin choices, Brewed Coffees, and Cold Brewed Iced Coffees.

If you cannot be sure of what to settle on, Blue Bottle Coffee has a “find your coffee match” to help.

Blue Bottle Coffee evaluates deliciousness with blind taste tests at different days after their coffees are out of the roaster. Each time they change a component of one of Blue Bottle Coffee blends, they start over. Every time a new single origin is introduced, they go through the process anew.

With outlets across America and parts of Japan as well as in Seoul, we await for the day of Blue Bottle Coffee’s opening here in Singapore with much anticipation.

Blue Bottle Coffee Singapore
252 N Bridge Rd, #01-01 Raffles City
Singapore 179103

Objectively, when one thinks of the food enclave at Katong, Katong Shopping Centre wouldn’t come to mind. And if you’re a fan of bananas, you’ve been missing out. 

Dona Manis Cake Shop is a small and humble 28-year-old bakery nestled within the basement of Katong Shopping Centre. Co-founded by friends back in 1992, Dona Manis Cake Shop has received much love for their banana pie over the years and there is no indication that this is going to change any time soon.

Dona Manis Cake Shop’s Banana Pie will only set you back S$3.30 per slice and S$33 for a whole pie (10 slices). Whilst bananas feature as the central ingredient of their pies, Dona Manis Cake Shop also incorporates coconut into their recipe, which is why the Banana Pie must be refrigerated 1 day after purchase, and consumed within 3 days after purchase.

So are we fans of the Banana Pie? You bet we are. Their Banana Pie was filled with a generous helping of bananas, and the filling was moist even after the Banana Pie spent a day in the fridge. The moist filling was complemented by the crunch of the toasted almonds atop the pie. Whilst you can pick up the Banana Pie in stores, do consider ordering the Banana Pie in advance to avoid disappointment.

If you’re looking for something else to take home, we’d recommend you giving their Marble Cake (S$8) a try. Don’t let its unassuming appearance deceive you — the cake was ridiculously soft and had a slightly powdery “melt-in-the-mouth” texture. This would pair well with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Dona Manis Cake Shop
865 Mountbatten Road,
Katong Shopping Centre, #B1-93,
Singapore, 437844
Tel: 6440 7688

For those who are working in the Bukit Merah and Alexandra neighbourhoods, you’d definitely know how difficult it is to find a spot to dine at (and one which serves up good food) during the lunch hour. With the eatery’s roots dating back to 2006, Joe’s Thai Kitchen at Alexandra Village has received much praise for their authentic Thai dishes over the years.

Drop by Joe’s Thai Kitchen for authentic and legit Thai food with no additional GST charges.

Joe’s Thai Kitchen is a casual Thai eatery at Alexandra Village headed by a Thai Chef and his Singaporean wife.

Joe’s Thai Kitchen keeps things simple and easy so you won’t find any sort of extravagant decor in this eatery. Their walls are kept largely bare, and their tablecloths are reminiscent of the old-school tablecloths that we grew up with. Given this, you know that this eatery focuses their attention on what’s important — the food.

When we visited, we had to order one of our favourite Thai dishes — the Rice with Basil Leaf Minced Pork & Egg (S$8.90). Although the minced pork was on the salty side, this was balanced by the sweetness of the basil leaves. However, if you’re someone who isn’t fond of spicy food, we’d recommend you to proceed with caution as the Rice with Basil Leaf Minced Pork & Egg was spicier than we expected.

How can you dine at a Thai restaurant without ordering some green curry? As compared to the other green curries in Singapore which feature quite a fair bit of coconut milk to suit the Singaporean palate, Joe’s Thai Kitchen kept their version of the green curry closer to what you’d find in Thailand. Their Green Curry Chicken (S$8.80) featured significantly lesser coconut milk which allowed the spices of the green curry to shine. This is authentic Thai food at its best.

You can’t go wrong with ordering Tom Yum soup, and Joe’s Thai Kitchen’s rendition of this dish met our expectations The Tom Yum Nam Kone (Original Orange Soup Base) with Seafood (S$8.50).

Whilst Joe’s Thai Kitchen served a decent portion of soup, we would have liked for the soup to have come with slightly more ingredients. As compared to some other local Thai restaurants, the flavours of fish sauce featured more prominently in the broth so don’t be surprised when you have your first taste of the soup.

Joe’s Thai Kitchen
Blk 125 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-182,
Singapore 150125
Tel: +65 6270 8484

Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake is a classic Japanese bakery located within Alexandra Village which specialises in baking fluffy and creamy Japanese cheesecakes. Helmed by Donald and Joanne, a couple who left their full-time jobs in search of a livelihood that would better support their passion for volunteer work, Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake’s cheesecakes are free of additives and preservatives.

If you’re considering dropping by to purchase their cheesecakes, you are encouraged to place a pre-order with this bakery as Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake operates on a bake-to-order system. With this, you know that you’re only going to get the freshest and fluffiest cheesecake.

As Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake is situated within the enclave of eateries at Alexandra Village, we would advise you to avoid the lunch hour if you intend to drive down to the bakery. Parking is extremely limited during the lunch hour, so you’d be better off making arrangements to collect your order outside the lunch hour.

Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake bakes their cheesecakes with the “water bath” method. Donald and Joanne steam the cheesecakes for about an hour, which allows the cheesecakes to rise and develop that perfect fluffy texture we all love Japanese cheesecakes for.

Whilst Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake has a decent selection of cheesecake flavours, customers should note that not all flavours are available every day. We decided to order the Original Cheesecake (S$10) and the Cranberry Cheesecake (S$12). Considering their price tags, the cheesecakes did not disappoint.

Although the cheesecakes are made with less sugar and cream, this didn’t have any implications on its texture. The cheesecakes were creamy and adequately sweet. We also liked the idea of being able to indulge in more slices without worrying about the calories.

Other flavours you can look forward to at Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake include the Raisin Cheesecake (S$11), Rainbow Cheesecake (S$14) and Black Cookie Cheesecake (S$11). 

Apart from their selection of baked cheesecakes, you can also pick up some Butter Cookies (Less Sweet) (S$12 per bottle) from Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake. We are pleased to report that these cookies are so addictive. On top of tasting like homemade cookies, the cookies are not overly buttery and has just the right amount of sugar.

Kiroi Freshly Baked Cheese Cake
123 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-118,
Singapore 150123
Tel: +65 9845 9845

If you’re still contemplating whether to pay a visit to the iconic Bukit Timah Railway Station, a meal at 1932 Story Cafe should be good enough reason to start planning your visit. 

For the uninitiated, 1932 Story Cafe is a 1930s-themed cafe which has found its home in what used to be the Railway Staff Quarters at the Bukit Timah Railway Station. Apart from dishing up some pretty decent cafe fare, diners would also get to enjoy the nostalgic decorations and train memorabilia around the cafe. Best of all, 1932 Story Cafe does not charge GST.

Being the only dining option at the Bukit Timah Railway Station, 1932 Story Cafe can experience reasonably heavy foot traffic during weekends especially when the weather is good. Thankfully for us, we visited 1932 Story Cafe on a drizzly Saturday morning so the cafe was only about 50% occupied.

1932 Story Cafe offers diners the option to dine indoors or outdoors. Those who dine outdoors will get to enjoy the greenery (and a healthy does of Vitamin D), and those who dine indoors will get to enjoy the cafe’s tasteful nostalgic decor.

When you first step into 1932 Story Cafe, you will feel as if you’ve stepped into someone’s personal museum. The selection and placement of all decoration pieces felt intentional, and we especially loved the feature of the old-school ticket station in the center of the cafe — such a statement piece.

To pass the time when waiting for your meal, you can wander to the rear of 1932 Story Cafe to have a tour of their heritage gallery. Here, you’d find plenty of train memorabilia including an old railway telephone and tickets from the former KTM railway.

Apart from the usual coffee and tea offerings, 1932 Story Cafe carries a range of specialty drinks for the adventurous such as the Charred Smoke Latte (S$6) and Rose Latte (S$6). But for those visiting with young children, you can order as per what we did — a Piccolo (S$4.50) for dad, Matcha Latte (S$5.50) for mom and a Babycino (S$2.50) for the toddler.

What is brunch without some poached eggs? We ordered 1932 Story Cafe’s rendition of the eggs benedict — the Eggs Benedict & Honey Chicken Ham with Sourdough Bread (S$15.90).

On balance, we thought that 1932 Story Cafe did a pretty good job with the dish. The sourdough bread was lightly toasted and the poached eggs had an adequately runny yolk. That said, we thought that the Hollandaise sauce was slightly underwhelming and would have preferred for the sauce to have a slightly stronger egg flavour. 

If you’re keen to sample their local delights, we would definitely recommend ordering the Sesame Ball with Ground Peanut Filling (S$3.90 for 3 pieces). The sesame balls were freshly fried and the peanut filling was rather tasty.

Waffles are one of the best things to enjoy at a cafe. At 1932 Story Cafe, you can enjoy the Belgian Waffle (S$6) which comprises 2 pieces of waffles drizzled with honey and icing sugar. Whilst there wasn’t anything outstanding about the waffles, the waffles were crispy, light and fluffy.

1932 Story Cafe
1005 Bukit Timah Road,
Singapore 596121
Tel: +65 8766 4223

For those who live in Clementi, Balmoral Bakery is an old-school bakery that would be no stranger to you. With roots dating back to the mid-1960s, Balmoral Bakery is well-loved for their baked pastries and fluffy cakes.

If you’re not sure where Balmoral Bakery is, all you’ll need to do is use your sense of smell to guide you. We kid you not — that’s how amazing their bakes smell even from a distance away. Here’s what you can expect at this traditional bakery.

Balmoral Bakery is located at the edge of the rows of shops at Sunset Way Residence. However, what makes this humble bakery stand out is its brick walls and tiled flooring. Given that the logo of Balmoral Bakery bears resemblance to the Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the choice of red brick walls for the bakery’s was definitely an appropriate choice.

Although Balmoral Bakery doesn’t occupy a very large store space, customers would be impressed by the range of baked goods that they carry within the store. We were drawn in by the rows of freshly baked pastries which made a feast for the eyes.

The pastries at Balmoral Bakery are priced affordably and most are below S$2 each. Our picks were the Chicken Pie (S$1.80), Char Siew Soh (S$1.60) and the Beef Pie (S$2.50). Other options that you can choose include the Chicken Curry Puff (S$1.60), Beef Curry Puff (S$1.60) and Sausage Roll (S$1.60).

Our thoughts? We were big fans of the Chicken Pie and Beef Pie. Each pastry was filled with large chunks of meat, and the flavours were rich and slightly peppery. Best of all? The pastry crust was crispy and flaky even after keeping the pies in the fridge and reheating them the next day. That means you can order more pies and freeze them for future consumption.

As for the Char Siew Soh, whilst the pastry had a pleasing appearance, we weren’t impressed by its flavour. So if you’re visiting Balmoral Bakery for the first time, we’d recommend giving this a miss.

The Bacon & Onion Quiche (S$2.50) was a pretty decent option. The quiche was filled with a generous portion of bacon and white onions, and the saltiness of the bacon was a beautiful contrast to the sweetness of the white onions. The egg custard of the Bacon & Onion Quiche was also pretty tasty and the layer of melted cheese atop the pastry brought all the flavours together.

It would be a crime to leave a traditional bakery without ordering some of their traditional western cakes. We selected Coconut, Vanilla, Kaya Pandan, Chocolate and Coffee Chocolate, all of which were priced at S$1.80 per slice. The buttercream of each slice of cake was light and not overly sweet, and the texture of the cakes was soft and sufficiently fluffy.

Balmoral Bakery
105 Clementi Street 12,
#01-06, Singapore 120105
Tel: 6779 2064

In this day and age, you don’t often come across bakeries that are open 24 hours every day. Sing Hon Loong Bakery is a traditional bakery at Whampoa which sells old-school buns throughout the day. Yes, that’s right; all day, every day. 

With more than 50 years of history, this is one of the best bakeries to visit for a trip down memory lane or if you’re looking for a quick yet reliable fix for that random carb craving. Here’s what you can expect at Sing Hon Loong Bakery. 

For those who intend to pay Sing Hon Loong Bakery a visit, do keep in mind that this is a humble and unpretentious family business who is just focused on selling straightforward, simple bakes. Don’t expect a wide selection of different or fancy-flavoured breads here. This is where simplicity is at its best.

When you drop by, you need to pick up a few of Sing Hon Loong Bakery’s traditional loaves which would pair perfectly with a cup of Kopi or Teh. Out of the few that we picked, we would recommend the Red Bean Buns (a set for S$2.50) which were fragrant, soft, and contained a satisfying portion of red bean filling. 

But if you’re looking for a quick snack, Sing Hon Loong carries a decent spread of classic buns for your picking. Popular classic bun flavours include Coconut (S$2), Red Bean (S$1.20) and Curry (S$1.50). Although these classic buns were priced more affordably than buns you’d find in commercial bakeries, we were pleasantly surprised with the soft and fluffy texture of the bread, and the generous portion of filling within each classic bun. 

Sing Hon Loong Bakery
4 Whampoa Drive
Singapore 327715
Tel: 6256 0878

Built in the early 1900s to transport goods and people through the mountainous terrain, Puffing Billy Railway is Australia’s oldest steam railway and it chugs through the stunning Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, Australia.

Puffing Billy Railway has since become a beloved tourist attraction in Victoria, offering you a chance to step back in time as you sit on the sill of the open-side carriage and have your legs dangling in the air; it is a one-in-your-lifetime experience.

You’ll never run out of kids-friendly activities in Australia and Puffing Billy Railway is one of the day trips near Melbourne that you should go for.

Tip: book your tickets in advance, and read all the tips in this guide before taking Puffing Billy Railway near Melbourne.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE

Puffing Billy is a popular attraction, so it’s best to book your tickets in advance to ensure you get a spot on the train. You can book online or in person at the station.

REACH EARLY

Reach 45-60 minutes before your scheduled departure time so that you can settle down and get a good seat in your assigned carriage.

THE BEST VIEWS ON PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY

For the best views, sit on the right side of the train from Belgrave station to Lakeside station. And vice versa when you are on the way back from Lakeside station.

The famous Trestle Bridge is just less than a minute away once the train leaves Belgrave station. Get your cameras ready to capture the iconic shot (from the right side of the train) as it crosses Trestle Bridge.

FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN CAN BRING A STROLLER ALONG

You can bring along a stroller on the train as long as you can collapse and tuck it under the seat.

TOILET

There is no toilet on the train and you can only find them at the train stations. Puffing Billy makes several stops along the way, so take the opportunity to stretch your legs, explore the area, and take in the sights.

PARKING AT PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY

There are ample parking lots at Belgrave CFA near to the Belgrave station if you get there early.

SITTING ON THE SILL OF THE TRAIN

To be completely honest, the seats in the train are not the most comfortable so it is only fun when you can sit on the sill. Do take note that only kids above 4 years old can sit on the sill.

Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover, or simply looking for a unique experience for the kids in your family, you should check out Puffing Billy Railway at least once in your life.

Switzerland is Heaven on Earth. Switzerland is beyond beautiful. Switzerland is forever and always our favourite holiday destination.

No amount of time spent in Switzerland is ever enough; there is just so much to explore. While the city is quiet and peaceful in its own way, the countryside is what we love. Of mountains and lakes, ski slopes and charming villages, Switzerland is a travel destination that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

To add on, Switzerland has the lowest crime rates in the world, making it even more attractive as a destination. It is also very pet-friendly, and you would see many locals bringing their dogs along with them just about anywhere.

Whether you are after a ski trip of your lifetime, a sports trip to feed your inner dare-devil, or a respite in the villages, Switzerland has it all. If it is going to be your first trip, this basic guide will help you get started and perhaps make your planning slightly easier.

Switzerland is a mountainous country in Europe. Not going to give you geography lessons here, but for starters, know that while it is huge, it is also largely connected to France, Italy and Germany because of its proximity. You can fly in to its various cities, with Zurich being the largest and most popular “terminal”.

The various parts of Switzerland are also closely linked to the bordering countries, and hence its identities may differ from one part to another, e.g. Lugano is close to Milan, so that part of Switzerland would be heavily influenced by the Italians – in terms of food, language and all the in-betweens.

City or Countryside Holiday?

Make a choice and this will help you decide where to stay when in Switzerland. The larger and most popular cities where tourists would choose are Zurich, Lucerne and Bern.

We very much prefer the countryside for its scenic landscapes and peacefulness. And there are endless places to check out. You can drive around for a month and spend a day or two at each place, and probably still have a long list of villages/ lakes/ ski slopes to tick off.

The popular countryside destinations include Interlaken, Grindelwald, Verbier, Lauterbrunnen, Iseltwald, Vevey, Lungern and Thun. These are just the tip of the ice berg, by the way. So it further boils down to the activities you are keen on, and the experience you are after.

Seasons in Switzerland

Spring sometimes starts as early as mid-March. The snow clears up, flowers start to bloom, trees start turning green, the lakes shine in a bright azure shade… Summer is typically from June to mid-September, and Fall is from mid-September to early December. Winter season in Switzerland is usually from mid-December to March, sometimes till end of March.

The different seasons make a huge difference to what you can do during your trip, especially if you are traveling for sports-related activities.

Getting around Switzerland

It is best to rent a car and to drive your way around Switzerland. It is the most convenient and parking places are aplenty and mostly free, unless you are parking in the towns or city centres. Otherwise, you are only looking at your car rental fees and fuel.

For car rentals, just go with the car rental company you have loyalty with or just pick the one that offers the best rates.

If you are not fond of driving, there are public buses and trains you can take too, but that would also mean you cannot stop anywhere you like, and you may have to walk a great deal to get to the more obscure spots and vantage points.

Some would cycle their way around; it is like an expedition and an activity on its own.

Languages in Switzerland

Apart from their native language, most people can speak English quite fluently. And depending on where you are, the locals may also speak French, German and Italian.

Sports in Switzerland

Sports In Switzerland’s countryside makes up a big bulk of its visitors. There are just so many things you can do – paragliding, skiing, ice hockey, tobogganing, trekking… just to name a few.

Depending on the season you visit Switzerland, the activities available are aplenty. So if you are a thrill-seeker, Switzerland is just the place for you. But if you are one who enjoys the art of doing nothing, Switzerland is also the right place for you because you can simply enjoy the slow life in the beautiful countryside.

Food in Switzerland

This is probably the part we like least about Switzerland. Food is boring, and we always end up with pizza takeouts. Swiss people eat a great deal of potatoes and bread, and that’s pretty much their staple. Paired with lots of cheese in the form of raclette or fondue, Swiss cuisine can be pretty boring after a while.

But the availability of Italian food makes things better. You can always find restaurants that serve pasta and pizza, which are always reliable right?

When all else fails, coop is everywhere so you can pick up fresh groceries and whip up your own meals in your apartment.

The most beautiful places in Switzerland

How do we even begin? For starters, perhaps Interlaken is good. Sitting in between the stunning Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, its strategic location makes it accessible to many small villages and towns. Surrounded by mountains and alpine meadows, there are lots to explore within Interlaken. There is also a huge town which makes it very convenient should you require just about anything at all.

CLOY fans must visit the quiet village of Iseltwald which is one of the most iconic filming scenes in the Kdrama.

It is a tiny village that overlooks Lake Brienz. It is charming and tranquil. Take a stroll along Lake Brienz while admiring the beautiful scenary.

We absolutely love Lake Lungern – probably the most charming lake in Switzerland. It may be small, but it is breathtakingly beautiful. So pristine, so clean and so peaceful; Lake Lungern is a pit stop we must make every time we travel in the countryside of Switzerland.

There is also Grindelwald that we love, and it is also quite a self-sufficient village. Whether it is summer or winter activities, you’ll never be bored at Grindelwald. It is also the base for mountain climbers.

Verbier is a dream for everyone who skis. This Alpine village is the gateway to the 4 Vallées ski area, and every winter, it sees countless skiers from all over the world.

Gruyères is a medieval town in the Fribourg canton of Switzerland, and is known for their cheese production. This is where all cheese connoisseurs have to go. It. is also nice to take a nice walk along the cobblestoned streets with views of rolling hills and mountains that surround the tiny town.

Still not sure where to start?

Here’s our family-friendly itinerary for a 7D6N trip to Switzerland. We took it slow, because we are all for enjoying the day as it is. To us, the drive from one village to another is very often the activity itself and we love stopping our car at beautiful spots for a photo or two.

Disclaimer: this itinerary was done in Winter, with a toddler in tow.

Buttery, flaky and absolutely delicious, a good croissant is a real treat. This classic French pastry is easily one of the most recognizable symbols of France.

There are many excellent artisan bakeries which offer really good croissants in Singapore. It’s really nice that we don’t have to simply dream about heading to Paris for some really good pastries and croissants when there are such amazing options available in Singapore.

Now, make some time to try out these places. We hope you find your new favourites!

ALICE BOULANGERIE

Conveniently located in the Tanjong Pagar, Alice Boulangerie is a space which we would consider to be relatively Nordic and minimalistic, with simple wooden and rattan furniture and classy pendant lamps. No frills about its decor, but most definitely cosy enough for some quiet me-time, a simple lunch meeting, a date and a wonderful spot to simply lay back and relax. With an impressive culinary and baking team, you are set for great food and bakes.

From the classic plain Croissant, to Pain Au Chocolat, and their iconic bi-coloured croissants, it goes without saying that everyone comes to Alice Boulangerie for their famous croissants. You’d be sorry to leave without trying one!

Alice Boulangerie’s croissants come with the most gorgeous and on-point honeycomb structure. Absolutely stunning, flaky and buttery with every bite.

Alice Boulangerie
12 Gopeng St, #01-05/11 Icon Village
Singapore 078877
Tel: +65 8874 3300

BAKERY BRERA

Located just behind Empress Road Food Centre, Bakery Brera is one of the most popular bakeries in Singapore which is known for freshly-made bread, croissants, cruffins and burnt cheese cake.

Helmed by passionate owners Jacky Chan and his wife, Thrina, Bakery Brera revolutionises the concept of neighbourhood bakeries. Gone are the days of overly-sweet yet flavourless sliced cakes and Swiss rolls!

Bakery Brera
#01-05, 8 Empress Road
Singapore 260008
Tel: +65 6492 5428
Tue to Sun: 7am – 7pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Farrer Road

BAKER & COOK

The brainchild of famous baker, Dean Brettschneider, Baker & Cook is home to yummy buttery croissant, and pastries.

The crisp layers of this croissant flake away nicely as you bite into it and it tastes buttery without being overly greasy!

Baker & Cook has twelve outlets in Singapore and you can find them in many neighbourhoods in Singapore.

30C Loewen Rd, Singapore 248839
Tel: +65 6251 1098

BROTHERBIRD BAKEHOUSE

Popular croissant bakery, Brotherbird Bakehouse offers an array of beautiful croissants including Rocher Croissant, Mentaiko Prawn Twice-Baked, and Churros Croissant.

Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, Brotherbird Bakehouse’s Croissants intrigue with their multi-flavoured creations.

Brotherbird Bakehouse
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179103
#B1-67
Daily: 11am – 9pm

Photo credit: Cedric Grolet

CÉDRIC GROLET

World-renowned pastry chef Cédric Grolet is opening his first patisserie in Asia and it will be located at Como Orchard.

You have probably seen Cédric Grolet’s legendary croissants on social media before. Queues outside the Cédric Grolet Opéra regularly last for hours and you are lucky if you can get your hands on the croissants and pastries.

Open for breakfast and afternoon tea, dine-in or takeaway, Cédric Grolet Singapore will be offering a range of desserts, pastries, sandwiches and Singapore exclusives including a special tea menu.

Cédric Grolet Singapore
COMO Orchard
Bideford Rd, Singapore 229922

CARPENTER & COOK

Located in a quiet street along Lorong Kilat, Carpenter & Cook is a friendly and homely neighbourhood bakery cafe which doles out some really delicious croissants. In particular, their Almond Croissant was an absolute delight to bite into with a crunchy, almond-topped exterior. Then when you hit the pastry, it’s so decadent and buttery that you just can’t stop eating!

They are one of the OG bakery cafes in Singapore and it’s not hard to figure out why they have been around for so many years.

Carpenter and Cook
19 Lorong Kilat
#01-06 Singapore

CROWN BAKERY & CAFE

Nestled amongst residences at Bukit Timah is Crown Bakery & Cafe. Established in 2015, Crown Bakery & Cafe offered bread and bakes made with the very best of ingredients from all around the globe. This includes Hokkaido Kitanokaori flour, German sourdough and the creamiest French butter; no artificial flavours or ingredients at all!

Despite it being but a plain pastry, Crown Bakery & Cafe’s Croissant is packed with the taste of fresh butter. The layers fall apart upon biting into it and it is deliciously flaky and flavourful.

Crown Bakery & Cafe
557 Bukit Timah Road
#01-03 Crown Centre
Singapore 269694
Tel: +65 6463 3066

ENJOUÉ BAKERY

Not to be confused with the infamous Euphorique Bakery that has been embroiled in countless sagas on the internet, this is the original Enjoué Bakery that serves amazing freshly baked bread, tarts and yes, croissants! The almond croissant from this under-the-radar bakery is sweet, super buttery and flaky—hallmarks of a great croissant.

Enjoué Bakery
29 International Business Park Road
#01-2a&2b, Acer Building
Tel: 9191 6145

KEONG SAIK BAKERY

Known for its amazing array of modern pastries and cakes with local flavours, Keong Saik Bakery has opened its second outlet at Chip Bee Gardens, next to RedMan Gourmand at the end of Jalan Merah Saga.

From the classic French Butter Croissant, to Black Sesame Croissant, Rocher Croissant and its crowd-pleaser Sor Hei pastry, you can certainly find something that suits your taste bud.

44 Jln Merah Saga, #01-42
Singapore 278116

LA LEVAIN

Located at 23 Hamilton Road near Jalan Besar and Lavender, La Levain is a new bakery cafe by pastry chef, Wythe Ng who used to work at Keong Saik Bakery & Bakery Brera.

Other than the classic bakes, La Levain also has an array of Double Baked Croissants such as Hojicha Mochi Croissant, Burnt Cheese Croissant as well as its signature Bo Bo Cha Cha Croissant.

La Levain
23 Hamilton Road
Singapore 209193

LE MATIN PATISSERIE

Helmed by Chef Mohamed Al-Matin who has previously worked at Noma, Restaurant Andre, Black Star Pastry, Zumbo, Le Matin Patisserie has recently opened a flagship outlet at ION Orchard.

Le Matin Patisserie serves top-notch French pastries including their signature croissants, Kougn Amann, and Pain Au Chocolat. Chocolate lovers will love the Pain Au Chocolat which was stuffed with Valrhona dark chocolate and came with a molten chocolatey center.

2 Orchard Turn, B2-49 ION ORCHARD
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 8030 7303

MOTHER DOUGH

This Muslim-run bakery serves one of the best croissants in Singapore. With a extra-crispy exterior, the inside of Mother Dough’s croissant is beautifully layered. It tastes distinctly of creamy butter with a hint of salt.

Mother Dough also serves delicious almond croissants such as their Almond Chocolate Croissant that is spiced with a bit of cinnamon. They’re super delicious and indulgent pastries you can’t resist sinking your teeth into!

Mother Dough
749 North Bridge Road #01-01
Singapore 198717

PATISSERIE G

Homegrown patisserie, Patisserie G is known for their stellar pastries, desserts as well as excellent cups of coffee. This flaky croissant is a picture-perfect rendition of this French classic.

Patisserie G
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-40 Millenia Walk
Singapore 039596

PETIT PAIN

A small batch bakery in Joo Chiat, Petit Pain is quite possibly one of the most famous croissant shops in Singapore. There is a perpetual long queue outside the bakery every day for their croissants.

Petit Pain’s croissant is certainly a labour of love we enjoyed to the fullest. We love how the pastry had a slight saltiness from the sea salt added to it. It was certainly one of the best croissants we have ever tried in Singapore.

Petit Pain
315 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427566

SUGAR THIEVES

A hidden patisserie along Kreta Ayer, Sugar Thieves has been steadily growing its fanbase over the years, not just for its pretty cakes but their ever-changing seasonal mini croissant flavours. Think Houjicha, Hokkaido Milk, Mao Shan Wang Durian and even Truffle Parmesan Croissants.

Sugar Thieves
Blk 333, #01-23
Kreta Ayer Road
Singapore 080333

TIONG BAHRU BAKERY

A household name for croissants, viennoiserie, pastries, Tiong Bahru Bakery needs no introduction. Apart from their already sinful buttery plain croissant is their signature Kouign-amann. Just a bite will send you spiralling, craving for seconds (and thirds).

56 Eng Hoon St, #01-70
Singapore 160056
Tel: +65 6220 3430

THE BREAD RACK

The Bread Rack is an artisan bakery cafe near Serangoon and Kovan which specialises in freshly-baked sourdough, croissants and baguette.

We had the Butter Croissant (S$3.8) and Almond Croissant (S$4.8). The crisp layers flaked away nicely as you bit into the super buttery and airy croissants.

The Bread Rack certainly has one of the best croissants you can get in Singapore.

The Bread Rack
9 Yio Chu Kang Rd
#01-55, Space@Kovan 545523
Tel: +65 8875 5407

THE LUNAR RABBIT BOULANGERIE

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie is a new French bakery which specialises in viennoiserie—the ‘bridge’ between pâtisserie and French bread.

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie’s executive baker & owner, Elaine graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo and she worked in a French-Japanese bakery in Singapore before starting out The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie on her own.

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie’s Classic French Croissant is excellent. It is light and airy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Definitely one of the best croissants we’ve had in Singapore. We also love their Almond Croissant and Kouign-amann.

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie
16 Hamilton Road, #01-02
Singapore 209186

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery is an institution which has been dishing out Singapore-style old-school breads—or better recognised as buns—for decades.

While everyone has their favourites (and there are only a handful of surviving traditional bakeries in Singapore), we grew up with Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery at Serangoon Garden Market and it is our go-to place whenever we want to satisfy our craving for old-school buns.

“Zai Lai, Zai Lai!”

The daily fresh bakes from Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery are a true testament to the standards of old-school local-style breads.

The stall occupies two units in the buzzing Serangoon Garden Food Centre & Market, and since young, we’ve watched the two uncles picking breads from the shelves and calculating the total sum in godlike speed.

Queues are often seen especially in the morning when trays after trays of freshly baked buns are put up, and during lunch hour. Very often, they sell out by 2pm.

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery has quite the selection of old-school buns. Pillowy soft with a brown skin and white interior, tears apart easily, and exudes a distinct fragrance that we grew up knowing.

The Butter Bun is probably the most famous one, while the Cheese Bun comes close in terms of popularity. The Hamburger is essentially chicken luncheon meat enveloped in soft bun, and the Kaya Peanut is our all-time favourite.

The aroma of the bakes often fill the market, and despite inflation and rising food costs, their prices remain low and the uncles are ever humble of their successes.

Serangoon Garden Bakery & Confectionery
49A Serangoon Garden Way
#01-45 Garden Market
Singapore 555945

Read our guide on the traditional bakeries in Singapore you should support.

From the legendary Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, to the iconic Heap Seng Leong and Tong Ah Eating House, and the under-the-radar Sin Hoe Huat Cafe, here are 16 Kaya Toasts places in Singapore where you can get the best traditional Singapore-style breakfast of Kaya Toasts and local Kopi.

Photo credit: CHIN MEE CHIN Confectionery

CHIN MEE CHIN Confectionery

Specialising in local kopi, traditional kaya toasts and soft boiled eggs, Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is an institution known for its baked goods such as Swiss rolls, cream horns, luncheon meat buns and sugee cakes.

To the dismay of its loyal supporters, Chin Mee Chin Confectionery announced its permanent closure back in 2018 citing a lack of succession and manpower issues and it was closed for a few years.

The legendary Hainanese-style coffeeshop then made a sensational comeback at its original location at 204 East Coast Road.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery
204 East Coast Road
Singapore 428903

FUN TOAST

Originally known as Kheng Nam Hong, a coffee house at Telok Ayer Street, Fun Toast has since rebranded to a modern concept where the younger generations of Singaporeans can better relate to.

One of their signatures includes the Kaya Butter Soft Bun set which features kaya smothered on buns that are crisp on the outside and incredibly soft on the inside. We highly recommend you to dip it into their soft-boiled eggs for an elevated flavour.

Fun Toast
9 Bishan Pl, #03-09, Singapore 579837
*Multiple outlets in Singapore

GOOD MORNING NANYANG CAFE

The kaya toast at Good Morning Nanyang Cafe is really unique. Their kaya spread is freshly made in-house; so rich, luscious and subtly sweet. But what sets them apart from the other kaya toast places in Singapore is their kaya ciabatta toast.

Good Morning Nanyang Cafe
Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road, #02-03, Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 9650 3256

HEAP SENG LEONG

Although kopi gu you is a dying tradition, Heap Seng Leong is one of the surviving coffee shops in Singapore that still sells this old-school drink. Entering their humble space is often described as walking into a museum showcase of a 1950s kopitiam.

Slices of traditional white bread were toasted and flipped on a charcoal stove to brown both sides before they were lightly scrapped with butter knives to remove any burnt bits. Orange Hainanese-style of kaya spread and two squares of butter were sandwiched between two slices of toast before they were cut into triangles to be served.

Heap Seng Leong
10 North Bridge Rd, #01-5109
Singapore 190010
Tel: +65 6292 2368

HEAVENLY WANG

Heavenly Wang serves a mean slice of Kaya Toast (S$1.50), with thick butter slices and a sweet kaya spread generously tucked in between slightly crisp bread.

This halal eatery also whips up several other Singaporean classics too, so be sure to try out their signature Mee Siam that is well-loved by the locals.

Heavenly Wang
277 Orchard Road, #B2-07/08, Orchard Gateway, Singapore 238858
*Multiple outlets in Singapore

HILL STREET COFFEE SHOP

Hill Street Coffee Shop is an old-school coffee shop which evokes a sense of nostalgia that is hard to find in Singapore.

You have to try Hill Street Coffee Shop’s Steamed Kaya Bread. Expect to sink your teeth into the incredibly soft white bread, coated with a generous kaya spread with a distinct coconut element and topped off with pieces of savoury butter.

Hill Street Coffee Shop
Supertree Grove, Gardens By The Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive
Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6702 3373

HUB & SPOKE

Located just outside Changi Airport Terminal 2 is HUB & SPOKE Cafe, a hidden glass house cafe which serves an array of affordable local dishes including Nasi Lemak, local Kopi and Kaya Toast.

They offer both kaya toast and steamed bread and you can choose from the usual fillings such as kaya butter, butter sugar, and peanut butter. All sets come with a choice of kopi/teh and soft-boiled eggs.

HUB & SPOKE Cafe
60 Airport Boulevard #01-T2S-02,
Singapore Changi Airport, 819643
Daily: 7.30am – 10.30pm

KILLINEY KOPITIAM

The pioneer outlet of Killiney Kopitiam was founded in 1919 and still operates along Killiney Road today; it is the longest standing Hainanese coffee shop in Singapore.

Other than the kaya toast, the coffee shop also dishes countless of local delights such as their famed Laksa and Curry Chicken. The standards across various outlets have dropped over the years, but the original branch at Killiney Road is still as good as before.

Killiney Kopitiam
67 Killiney Road, Singapore 239525
Tel: +65 6734 3910
*Multiple outlets in Singapore

KAFFE & TOAST

The halal subsidiary of Coffee & Toast, Kaffe & Toast is a local chain with more than 10 outlets in Singapore. Their kaya spread is made with more doses of egg yolk and is generously slathered on each slice of freshly grilled bread. We also love with the Mackerel Otah Bun that comes with fish otah.

Kaffe & Toast
10 Eunos Rd 8, #B1-157, Singapore 408600
*Multiple outlets in Singapore

KENG WAH SUNG

Situated along Geylang Lorong 41, Keng Wah Sung is one of the oldest coffee shops in Singapore and it has been serving its amazing local breakfast with kaya toast, traditional kopi and soft-boiled eggs for more than 70 years.

Keng Wah Sung Coffeeshop
783 Geylang Road
Singapore 389672

TOAST BOX

Opened by the BreadTalk group, Toast Box prides itself on offering authentic breakfast that will bring one back to the 70′s.

It is set to ignite nostalgia amongst the Singaporeans, completing the experience with a good Nanyang cuppa and grilled Kaya Toasts. Other popular options include the Floss Toast and Crunchy Peanut Butter Thick Toast.

Toast Box
AMK Hub, No. 53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, #01-01, Singapore 569933
Tel: +65 6484 6591
*Multiple outlets in Singapore

TONG AH EATING HOUSE

Previously located in an iconic red and white building, Tong Ah Eating House is a traditional coffee shop that has been around since 1939 and has gained recognition for both its charcoal-toasted and steamed kaya toast.

While there is no lack of kaya toast places in Singapore, Tong Ah Eating House is one of those eateries that keeps customers going back for more. Everything is kept simple—from the modest wall decorations to their humble kaya toast and traditional coffee.

Be sure to catch them toasting the kaya toast on traditional charcoal grills and you can even request for your toast to be extra crispy.

Tong Ah Eating House
35 Keong Siak Road, Singapore 089143
Tel: +65 6223 5083

SIN HOE HUAT CAFE

A perennial favourite amongst the residents who live around the area and the folks who frequent the Lower Pierce Reservoir Park, Sin Hoe Huat Cafe at Sembawang Hills Food Centre has been serving simple yet consistently delicious traditional breakfast of kaya toasts and kopi since 1968!

Sembawang Hills Food Centre is not exactly an accessible location, but trust us, the kaya toasts and coffee from Sin Hoe Huat Cafe are worth travelling for.

Sin Hoe Huat Cafe
590 Thomson Road
#01-01 Sembawang Hills Food Centre
Singapore 574419

YA KUN KAYA TOAST

Established in 1944, Ka Kun Kaya Toast—one of the most famous kaya toast places in Singapore—needs no introduction.

The kaya from Ya Kun—made up of eggs, coconut milk, sugar and pandan—is sandwiched between crisp brown toasted bread. The household brand constantly keeps up with the trend to offer new menu items, and the consistency is the reason for our loyalty.

Ya Kun Kaya Toast
18, #01-01 China St, 049560
*Multiple outlets in Singapore

 YY KA FEI DIAN

Located in an old shophouse at the junction of Beach Road and Purvis Street, YY Kafei Dian is known for its traditional Hainanese fare and their famous old-school kaya toast and local kopi.

On the menu, you can find Hainanese fare including chicken rice, Hainanese-style pork chops, Hainan Braised Pork Belly and a range of zi char dishes. But what you have to try is their traditional coffee and old-school kaya toasts which are amongst the best that we’ve tried in Singapore.

YY Ka Fei Dian
37 Beach Rd, #01-01, Singapore 189678
Tel: +65 6336 8813

Singapore has opened up our borders (selectively) and we are seeing some hopes of travel with the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) that are slowly rolling out. Among the VTLs, South Korea is one of them and we jumped at the chance of traveling almost immediately when the news was released.

Tickets booked, luggage packed, PCR tests taken. We were ready for our first vacation after two long years. We had waited so long for this surreal moment! Traveling in pandemic times meant many more procedures and restrictions, and the new norm may be daunting, but hey, we aren’t complaining! At least we get to travel!

This new norm is probably here to stay for a while, and if you are still unsure of what to expect for your next flight out via the Singapore – South Korea Vaccinated Travel Lanes, here’s what we can share from our recent experience when we flew SIN>ICN, and then ICN>SIN.

With all the required tests and documents to prepare, The Singapore – South Korea is perhaps the most complicated VTL route. Here’s our Singapore & South Korea VTL Guide which includes useful tips and important things that you must take note of before, during and after your trip.

SINGAPORE > SOUTH KOREA

Here’s a checklist of the important things that you need to remember for your trip:

• Apply for K-ETA
• 14 days travel history in Singapore and/or South Korea only
• Print out your Notarised vaccination certificate
• Travel insurance policy
• Pre-departure PCR test within 48 hours of your flight
• Book a non-stop flight to South Korea
• Take PCR test on arrival in South Korea (advanced booking on Safe2GoPass required)
• Take PCR test/Antigen Test on department in South Korea (advanced booking on Safe2GoPass required)
• Advance booking of your on-arrival PCR test at Changi Airport
• Complete your SG e-arrival card 3 days before arrival in Singapore

Tip: Please print a copy of all the important documents and bring them along with your passport everywhere you go to.

APPLY FOR K-ETA

You also must apply for a K-ETA at least 24 hours before your flight to South Korea. Do note that everyone needs your own K-ETA (including children), you cannot just apply 1 K-ETA for the entire family. It costs around 10,000 KRW (around S$11.27) per person.

The results for the K-ETA will usually be received within 24 hours of application. We got the approval very quickly, but there’s no harm to just apply for the K-ETA earlier.

K-ETA is valid for 2 years once issued.

14 DAYS TRAVEL HISTORY IN SINGAPORE AND/OR SOUTH KOREA ONLY

In order to qualify for the Singapore & South Korea VTL without quarantine, you must make sure that you have spent the past 14 days in Singapore and/or South Korea only.

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT A COPY OF YOUR NOTARISED VACCINATION CERTIFICATE

If you are vaccinated in Singapore, please use the Notarise portal to download a notarised copy of your digital vaccination certificate as it comes with a QR code and it will be very useful when you are trying to prove your vaccination status in South Korea. Please print out a copy of your vaccination certificate and bring it along with your passport everywhere you go to.

South Korea is super strict and you need to show your vaccination status when you are dining out or entering shopping malls and shops.

Children who are under the age of 6 who are unvaccinated are able to travel to South Korea and be exempted from quarantine. Children who are over the age of 6 who are unvaccinated may still travel to South Korea, but will be subjected to quarantine for 10 days. Please refer to Embassy of South Korea’s website for more details on this.

Most staff at restaurants/shopping malls will just check the hard copy of your vaccination certificate, but the stricter ones will require you to use their app ‘COOV’ to scan the QR code.

Tip: set the language of ‘COOV’ app to Korean and click on the first button (as shown above) to scan the QR code of the notarised copy of your digital vaccination certificate so that the verification of your vaccination status will appear in Korean.

TRAVEL INSURANCE WITH COVID-19 MEDICAL EXPENSE COVERAGE

Travellers taking the Singapore – Seoul VTL are required to purchase travel insurance with a minimum coverage of 30,000,000 KRW (around S$33,799) for COVID-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs. Make sure to check that the travel insurance policy has Covid-19 medical expense coverage.

And please print and carry a physical copy of the insurance policy when you are in South Korea.

PRE-DEPARTURE PCR TEST WITHIN 48 HOURS OF YOUR FLIGHT

Travellers from Singapore to South Korea are required to take a pre-departure PCR test within 48 hours of your flight. For example, if your flight is on 20 Jan 2022 at 2300hrs, you may take the test on 18 Jan from 0000hrs onwards.

Please refer to this list of MOH-approved Covid-19 Test providers in Singapore to find a clinic for your PCR test. Children aged 5 and below need not take the PCR test.

There are many clinics that provide Covid-19 PCR tests at home and they will send someone to do the PCR tests at your place.

We booked our PCR test at home 48 hours before our flight and we got the test results 24 hours later. We highly recommend doing this as it really saves you the hassle of travelling to a clinic and queuing up just to do your PCR tests.

BOOK A NON-STOP FLIGHT TO SOUTH KOREA

It goes without saying but you need to book a non-stop flight to South Korea from Singapore on Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines or Scoot.

And for those of you who are travelling on a VTL for the first time, you can simply book any non-stop flight from Singapore to South Korea. But you have to book a VTL flight back from Seoul to Singapore and the airlines will highlight those flights via the VTL labels.

TAKE PCR TEST ON ARRIVAL IN SOUTH KOREA

Book an on-arrival PCR test at Incheon Airport via Safe2GoPass before departing from Singapore. Do print out a copy of the email confirmation from Safe2GoPass so that you can show them to the staff when you are at Incheon Airport’s testing centre.

You can see the schedule of the time it takes for the test results to be out on Incheon Airport’s website.

After taking the test, you may proceed to your accommodation in South Korea using taxi, private vehicle, designated bus or train for international travellers to isolate and wait for the results to be out. Public transport would not be allowed starting from 20 January 2022 due to tightened measures.

You will get the results via email and once you have received a negative result, you are free to go out. But until then, you are required to stay at the hotel/accommodation while waiting for the results.

We took our PCR test at Incheon Airport at around 3.30pm and we got our negative test results by 5.30pm when we got to the hotel. So even if you are only reaching South Korean after 3pm, your test results should be out in the evening (instead of 8am the following morning) and you won’t have to waste the first night of your trip.

If you are planning to travel to other parts of South Korea, please note that you are not allowed to take domestic flights until you receive the negative result for the on-arrival PCR test.

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TAKE SELF-ADMINISTERED ART ON DAY 3 AND 5

Travellers entering South Korea from Singapore will have to carry out a self-administered ART on days 3 & 5 (your arrival day is counted as day 1) of your trip. For example, if your arrival day is 20 Jan 2022 (day 1), you will take the ART on 23 Jan 2022 (day 3) and 25 Jan 2022 (day 5).

Remember to bring along some ART test kits before travelling to South Korea. You have to take a photo of the ART result together with your passport for self-recording.

TAKE PCR TEST ON DAY 6 OR 7 IF YOU ARE STAYING IN SOUTH KOREA FOR 8 DAYS OR MORE

If you are staying in South Korea for 8 days or more, you will be required to take a COVID-19 test at a designated hospital/clinic on the 6th or 7th day of your arrival. You won’t have to isolate and can continue with your activities after taking the PCR test.

Refer to this list of medical institutions that provide PCR testing.

VERIFICATION OF VACCINATION STATUS WHILE IN KOREA (NEW)

As of 14 Jan 2022, the vaccination certificate issued to someone who has received 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine is considered to be valid for 6 months (180 days) from the date of administration of the 2nd dose.

For example, if the 2nd dose was taken on 10 July 2021, the vaccination certificate would be valid till 06 January 2022, 2359hrs. However, if you have received a booster shot (3rd shot), the vaccination certificate would be valid from the date of administration of booster shot and would not have an expiration date.

Under the tightened measures in South Korea, VTL travellers who completed their primary series of vaccination more than 6 months ago would not be allowed to visit certain public areas and facilities including restaurants if they did not receive a booster shot.

TL;DR Take your booster shot before travelling to South Korea if possible.

SOUTH KOREA > SINGAPORE

14 DAYS TRAVEL HISTORY

In order to travel from South Korea to Singapore on the VTL, you must have spent the past 14 days in Singapore, South Korea, and/or any other VTL country designated by Singapore.

APPLY FOR VTP (not applicable for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents

Short-term visitors and long-term pass holders will need to apply for a VTP between 3-60 days before their intended arrival in Singapore. No fee is applicable.

A VTP is not required for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents.

TAKE PRE-DEPARTURE ART-PCR 2 DAYS BEFORE FLIGHT

All VTL travellers must take a pre-departure ART/PCR within 2 days of their flight from South Korea to Singapore. The test must be taken at an MOH-recognised institution.

We did our pre-departure ART at Incheon airport and we booked our test 3 hours before our flight. Do take note that the results for the antigen test will take an hour and you will need to wait for the results to be out and get the test centre to print out the certificate before you can check in.

Please go earlier so that you won’t miss your flight. We chose to do it at Incheon Airport as it is more convenient and accessible and we did not want to go through the hassle of finding a test centre in the city during our trip.

Like what you did with the on-arrival PCR test at Incheon Airport, book an pre-departure ART test at Incheon Airport via Safe2GoPass before departing from Seoul. Do print out a copy of the email confirmation from Safe2GoPass so that you can show them to the staff when you are at Incheon Airport’s testing centre.

FILL UP THE SG ARRIVAL CARD ON ICA’S WEBSITE

Reminder to fill up the SG arrival card with electronic healthy declaration on ICA’s website before flying back to Singapore, it will save you a lot of time when you are clearing the custom at Changi Airport.

TAKE A DESIGNATED VTL FLIGHT TO SINGAPORE

Book a VTL flight back from Seoul to Singapore and the airlines will highlight those flights via the VTL labels.

ON-ARRIVAL PCR TEST AT CHANGI AIRPORT

The on-arrival PCR test (S$125/pax) at Changi Airport was super efficient. You can prebook and prepay for it online before landing in Singapore. Remember to print out a copy of your booking and receipt for a smooth process.

You will have to self-isolate until negative result is received. We took our test at 10.30pm upon arriving at Changi Airport and we got our test results via email around 4 hours later at 2.35am.

DAY 2 TO 7 SELF-TESTS

VTL travellers entering Singapore after 23 Jan 2022, 2359 hours via both air and land checkpoints will only be required to do unsupervised self-administered Antigen Rapid Tests (ART) from Day 2 to Day 7 of their arrivals if you need to leave their place of residence or accommodation.

There is no need to submit your results, but you need to be tested negative before going out.

Prior to this, the current testing regime requires VTL travellers to conduct unsupervised self-administered ART on Days 2, 4, 5 and 6 and supervised ART on Days 3 and 7 from their arrival in Singapore.

Have a safe and fun trip to South Korea!

The charming Lavender and Jalan Besar neighbourhoods are filled with plenty of cafes, coffee shops and dessert places.

From the OG coffee shop, Chye Seng Huat Hardware to newly-opened spots including La Levain and Habitat Coffee, here are 15 cafes in Lavender and Jalan Besar to check out next.

BLACK FAIRY COFFEE

Black Fairy Coffee is a cafe at Jalan Besar serving coffee, all-day brunches, Asian fusion dishes, and small bites. Some of their signatures include Popcorn Latte, Soy Chicken, Rustic Beef Stew and a selection of bentos.

131 Tyrwhitt Rd, Singapore 207553
Tel: +65 6909 3518

CHYE SENG HUAT HARDWARE

One of the OG coffee shops in Singapore, Chye Seng Huat Hardware needs no introduction.

Keeping the name of the hardware store that they took over, Chye Seng Huat Hardware possesses a modern-industrial style interior, specialising in unique blends of coffee and an exciting all-day breakfast menu.

Known for serving a mean cup of coffee, this is essentially a haven for coffee lovers and those who enjoy Western brunch.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware
150 Tyrwhitt Road
Singapore 207563
Tel: +65 6396 0609

ELIJAH PIES

Elijah Pies is a popular pie/tart shop which is known for their famous nutella pie.It has opened a new baking studio at 803 King George’s Ave in the Lavender neighbourhood. There will not be any dine-in area and it is only for takeaways only.

Fans of Elijah Pies will also be happy to know that they will be selling their pies by the slice at the studio. The prices of the pies by the slice range between S$7 to S$7.50 and the flavours for the day are subject to availability.

Elijah Pies
803 King George’s Ave, #02-216
Singapore 200803
Tel: +65 9855 9480

HABITAT COFFEE

Habitat Coffee has moved from Upper Thomson Road to a new location at King’s George Avenue in the Lavender neighbourhood.

The cafe has been around at the previous location at Upper Thomson Road for the past 10 years, and despite the tough competition in the cafe scene, it shines and remains a favourite for many. Habitat Coffee is worth visiting because it serves good coffee and well-cooked dishes at reasonable prices.

Habitat Coffee
803 King’s George Ave
#01-242/244
Singapore 200803

LA LEVAIN

Located at 23 Hamilton Road near Jalan Besar and Lavender, La Levain is a new bakery cafe by pastry chef, Wythe Ng who used to work at Keong Saik Bakery & Bakery Brera.

Pasty chef Wythe Ng had co-founded Keong Saik Bakery with another partner before leaving in 2019. He last worked at Bakery Brera as the head chef and he had also worked at Japanese bakery chain Boulangerie Asanoya and Baker & Cook.

La Levain
23 Hamilton Road
Singapore 209193

LUCID

If you’re on the hunt for a quiet place to work or a place for good conversations, Lucid will fit the bill perfectly. The quiet ambience and clean aesthetic completely won us over. Kickstart your day at this cafe which offers a quick caffeine fix for coffee junkies or sweet treats for dessert addicts. Good vibes guaranteed.

This minimalistic cafe with mainly grey cement tones had a modern industrial design that was aesthetically pleasing with beautiful natural lighting that entered the space.

Lucid
38 Hamilton Road
Singapore 209208

OBERSTRASSE

A popular haunt among cafe enthusiasts and nearby office workers, this humble cafe is the perfect go-to if you ever find yourself craving a hearty all-day breakfast.

Their menu is extensive, to say the least, and they also serve up coffee that pairs beautifully with your food.

Oberstrasse
809 French Road,
Singapore 200809

ONCE UPON A TIME BY JEANETTE AW

Once Upon A Time is a minimalistic bakery opened by Singaporean actress, Jeanette Aw. The patisserie offers a revolving menu of cakes and pastries; with three to five items available at any one time.

There is no fixed menu and the bakes are offered for a limited period of time until they retire.

Once Upon A Time
35 Hamilton Rd, #01-04
Singapore 209204

Photo credit: Pacto by Parchmen

PACTO BY PARCHMEN

Pacto by Parchmen is a relatively new cafe at Jalan Besar Community Centre and it is opened by the team behind pet-friendly Sun Ray Cafe and Parched. Sun Ray Cafe is known for serving excellent coffee at wallet-friendly prices and you can expect the same of Pacto by Parchmen.

Pacto by Parchmen uses an exclusive Pacto espresso blend of Ethiopia, Guatemala and Colombia beans roasted fresh from their roastery, Parchmen.

An espresso is priced at S$2, while you can get Latte and Cappuccino at S$4.

Pacto by Parchmen
69 Jellicoe Road #01-05 Singapore 208737
Jalan Besar Community Centre

Photo credit: The Refinery

THE REFINERY

Serving delicious grain bowls, ice cold beers and fresh coffee, The Refinery aims to redefine casual dining and social drinking. Most dishes are affordably priced under S$20 and our top picks include their Aburi Salmon Donburi, Salted Egg Onion Rings as well as their signature Gyudon.

The Refinery
115 King George’s Avenue
Tel: +65 6293 0461

THE LUNAR RABBIT BOULANGERIE

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie is a new French bakery which specialises in viennoiserie—the ‘bridge’ between pâtisserie and French bread.

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie’s executive baker & owner, Elaine graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo and she worked in a French-Japanese bakery in Singapore before starting out The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie on her own.

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie is a takeaway-only bakery without any dine-in area and they will be offering up to 13 types of Viennoiserie every day.

The Lunar Rabbit Boulangerie
16 Hamilton Road, #01-02
Singapore 209186
Tue to Sun: 8.30am to 5pm

THE TIRAMISU HERO

Aptly named so, The Tiramisu Hero is an adorable and heartwarming cafe tucked along the stretch of Tyrwhitt Road which is known for their signature tiramisu.

121 Tyrwhitt Road
Tel: +65 6292 5271

TWO BAKERS

Helmed by Le Cordon Bleu Paris trained chef, Two Bakers is a cosy cafe that sits along Horne Road and they do both mains and desserts really well.

With the mission to serve wholesome food for the soul and the motto of “eat well live well”, it is a place where you can go for yummy brunch or to have a cuppa with your favourite desserts.

Two Bakers also has another outlet in Serangoon.

Two Bakers
88 Horne Road
Tel: +65 6293 0329

WIMBLY LU @ TYRWHITT

Located just a few doors away from Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee, Wimbly Lu’s outlet at Tyrwhitt Road is definitely more accessible as compared to the original outlet at Jalan Riang

Staying true to what they know best, Wimbly Lu @ Tyrwhitt is essentially a cosy and artsy place filled with many #OOTD opportunities. During your visit, make sure that you try their fluffy yet firm waffles and Root Beer Float Cake.

Wimbly Lu @ Tyrwhitt
166 Tyrwhitt Road,
Singapore 207570
Tel: +65 6291 8138

Mention Serangoon Gardens and most people will think of the famous Chomp Chomp Food Centre. However, there is really more to the food scene at Serangoon Gardens than just the famous hawker stalls.

Here is our Serangoon Gardens Food Guide featuring restaurants, cafes, and eateries you have to visit when you are at Serangoon Gardens. P.S. We are working on a separate guide to the hawker stalls at Serangoon Garden and we will be sharing that soon.

APOLLO COFFEE BAR

One of our favourite cafes in Serangoon, Apollo Coffee Bar in Serangoon Gardens is opened by the same guys behind the popular Atlas Coffeehouse and Columbus Coffee Co. It has already made quite a name for itself with its Mediterranean-inspired brunch creations.

P.S. Apollo Coffee Bar is a dog-friendly cafe; you can also bring your dogs and dine at the outdoor area.

65 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555961
Tel: +65 6246 3875

BAKER & COOK / PLANK SOURDOUGH PIZZA

With several outlets across the whole of Singapore, Baker & Cook has become a familiar mainstay in our local bakery cafe scene. Besides their dignified selection of viennoiserie and pastries, they also offer savoury mains.

87 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555983
Tel: +65 6241 5548

CHONG QING GRILLED FISH

When one mentions kao yu, the first place that instantly comes to most people’s minds is Chong Qing. They are popular for having a large variety of kao yu cooked in different ways, with some of their popular items being their Signature Charcoal-Grilled Fish Hot Pot as well as their Small Golden Snapper in Spicy Fragrant Broth.

2 Maju Ave, Singapore 556680
Tel: +65 6702 6680

Photo credit: Chu & Co

CHU & CO

Nestled at 15 Lichfield Rd near Serangoon Gardens, Chu and Co is a pet-friendly bakery cafe with freshly-baked bread, pastries, coffee and gelato. The backyard is a great place to hang out with your friends and furkids.

15 Lichfield Rd, Singapore 556835
Tel: +65 8874 7615

DAN’S STEAK

Opened by Daniel Ong, Dan’s Steaks is a steakhouse with a slight Korean twang and it will provide free banchan (Korean side dishes) just like the usual Korean restaurants.

Other than large-format steaks, Dan’s Steaks also offers a range of 250g – 350g grass-fed steaks, wagyu steaks, USDA Prime steaks.

And do not miss out on the fantastic side dishes. The creamy and buttery Mashed Potatoes completely stole the show, while we also loved the Cream Spinach with Fried Egg.

12 Maju avenue (Opp MyVillage)
Singapore 556690

EAST TREASURE SPECIALITY PRAWN NOODLES

Established by the team behind Astons, East Treasure Speciality Prawn Noodles offers prawn noodles with two flavours—local and Penang style. Each bowl of prawn noodle comes with prawns, generous portions of pork belly slices, pork ribs, fried and braised Spanish pork tail, fresh bean sprouts and vegetables.

#B1-K1 to, Maju Ave, K5 1, 556679
Tel: +65 6509 0977

FUEL BEAST

Looking to eat clean? This shop in MyVillage provides healthy protein bowls and smoothies, with prices starting from S$9.90 for a main.

1 Maju Ave, #01-05 MyVillage
Singapore 556679
Tel: +65 9002 4816

HAJIME TONKATSU & RAMEN

Opened by Chef Tan-San—who was previously from Tonkichi and Tampopo—Hajime Tonkatsu & Ramen is a casual eatery at myVillage which has authentic tonkatsu and ramen at relatively affordable prices.

Their ramen is decent by most standards, but the real star of the show is their tonkatsu. We love their Premium Pork Loin and at S$22.90, it is better and cheaper than most of the tonkatsu that we’ve had at other tonkatsu places in Singapore.

1 Maju Avenue,
myVillage @ Serangoon Garden, #02-07/8/9
Singapore 556679
Tel: +65 6509 9952

HANWOORI KOREAN RESTAURANT

Hanwoori Korean Restaurant is one of those under-the-radar restaurants that only Korean food lovers in the know and residents will find their way here.

The owner is a jovial lady that is so passionate and hospitable, she makes you feel like you are dining in a hole-in-the-wall joint in Korea.

76 Serangoon Garden Way
Tel: +65 6283 6339
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Serangoon

ICG CHICKEN & BURGER

Located at the basement of myVillage, ICG Chicken & Burger specialises in Korean fried chicken and burger. The Korean fried chicken flavours include original, sweet & spicy, sweet garlic, spicy Gangjung, garlic soy, creamy onion, and cheese.

ICG Chicken & Burger has another outlet in the west at West Mall.

#B1-23, 24, 14 Maju Ave
Singapore 556691

ISSHIN MACHI

Taiwanese restaurant chain, Isshin Machi has opened a new outlet at Serangoon Gardens and it will be taking over the former space vacated by Nic & Tom Eatery.

Isshin Machi
55 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555951

LITTLE FARMS BAR + GRILL

Popular speciality grocery chain, Little Farms has opened its 7th outlet in Serangoon Gardens at myVillage and it includes a dining concept which has a grill-focus menu that is prepared with all-natural, gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients. The al fresco dining area is also a pet-friendly space where you can bring your furkids along.

KOTA ZHENG ZONG BAK KUT TEH

This popular Johor Bahru-based restaurant started from humble roots, beginning as a mere push-cart. With over 40 years of experience and cooking their special herbal Bak Kut Teh over a charcoal flame, they are undoubtedly one of the best Bak Kut Teh restaurants in Malaysia.

The Signature Claypot Bak Kut Teh is served according to the number of portions ordered. You can order the standard mix of Pork Rib, Pork Belly, Pork Tail and Pork Leg or choose any of the above to add into their signature herbal broth. Each clay pot is topped with a generous helping of Fried Beancurd Skin.

68 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555964
Tel: +65 6974 8280

MACHI MACHI

Widely known as Jay Chou’s favourite bubble tea brand, Machi Machi’s second outlet is located at Serangoon Gardens.

Machi Machi offers diverse flavours of bubble teas such as fresh fruits, cream cheese and lattes. Choose from five different tea bases: Tieguanyin Oolong Tea, Sun Moon Lake Black Tea, Pekoe Jasmine Green Tea, and Ceylon Highland Black Tea.

2 Maju Avenue Singapore 556680

MAISON KAYSER

If there’s any place we can count on for solid artisanal bread and opulent pastries, it would be Maison Kayser. This esteemed French artisanal bakery has been around since 1996, with outlets across several countries.

Taking over the former Bakerzin’s space in MyVillage, Maison Kayser has classic savouries and elegant bakes, from stuffed croissants to chocolate eclairs.

1 Maju Avenue, MyVillage at Serangoon Gardens, #01-26/27/28
Singapore 556679
Tel: +65 6509 8184

OBLONG

Oblong is a dessert cafe in Serangoon Gardens that offers pretty decent ice cream. Their waffles come dressed in a variety of flavours such as tiramisu, charcoal and pandan gula melaka.

10 Maju Avenue
Singapore 556688
Tel: +65 6858 2320

PA BUL LO KOREAN BBQ

Pa Bul Lo Korean BBQ Restaurant at Serangoon Gardens will bring back your favourite memories of Korea with their Charcoal Pork Belly, Yangnyum Dak Galbi and Korean Army Stew.

63 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555959
Tel: +65 6677 2795

Photo credit: Plonk

PLONK

Australian bar Plonk has just the right ambience for after-work drinks with your colleagues and friends. Carrying wine from Australia and even Europe, go all out at their fully-stocked bar and Mediterranean food.

7 Maju Avenue
Singapore 556685
Tel: +65 6286 4688

POW SING KITCHEN

Established in 1983, Pow Sing Kitchen at Serangoon Gardens dishes out traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice and zi char fare.

We have been patronising Pow Sing Kitchen for years and the Chicken Rice is always very satisfying. We will go so far as to say that it is one of the best chicken rice restaurants in Singapore.

59 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555961
Tel: +65 6284 0800
Nearest Station: Serangoon

RK EATING HOUSE

RK Eating House is our favourite prata restaurant in Singapore. The prata place is open for 24 hours so you can get your prata fix at any time of the day. Besides prata, they also have other Indian-Muslim options such as murtabak and Indian rojak.

1A Kensington Park Road
Singapore 557253
Tel: +65 6289 5379
Nearest Station: Serangoon

SOI THAI KITCHEN

Up for some spicy, sour and full-flavoured Thai cuisine? Make your way to Soi Thai Kitchen where you can feast on tom yum soup, basil pork and Thai fried rice to your heart’s content.

58 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555954
Tel: +65 6282 3788

SRI SUN EXPRESS

A popular hangout spot among the young crowd, Sri Sun Express is a 24-hour eatery that serves up a smorgasbord of Indian supper favourites from the classic roti prata (done in possibly a hundred different ways), murtabak to even some innovative creations such as their masala tacos.

Another common sight here is their massive 3-litre drink towers.

56 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555952
Tel: +65 6282 2325

SUN RAY CAFE

This secluded pet-friendly cafe is situated on the fringe of Serangoon Gardens and it caters to both animals and humans, with an extensive selection of dishes at really affordable prices including S$10 for Eggs Benedict, S$8 for French Toast and S$2.5 for a cup of 5 oz white coffee.

79 Brighton Crescent
Singapore 559218
Tel: +65 6283 8700

Photo credit: The Açaí Collective

THE AçAÍ COLLECTIVE (TAC)

The Açaí Collective (TAC) uses unsweetened organic Açaí and frozen bananas for their Açaí base, and it is topped off with fresh fruits, grains and seeds; the Açaí is 100% sugar free.

1 Maju Ave, #01-08 myVillage
Singapore 556679

THE LARDER CAFE

Hearty brunches and wholesome beverages are exactly what The Larder Cafe is good at. This cafe started out at Toa Payoh and has opened a second outlet at Serangoon Gardens.

Boasting a plethora of mains, brunch, big bites and desserts, you can expect to be torn between their delectable options. There’s even alcoholic drinks and a kids’ menu!

66A Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555962
Tel: +65 6253 8382

Photo credit: Waa Cow! Yakiniku

WAA COW! YAKINIKU

Known for its flame-torched wagyu beef bowls and other Japanese donburi, Waa Cow! has opened a new Japanese Yakiniku restaurant at myVillage in Serangoon Gardens.

Waa Cow! Yakiniku is a brand new grill-it-yourself dining concept featuring different beef cuts—such as karubi, oyster blade, striploin, and ox tongue—as well as a selection of pork, chicken and vegetable options.

Waa Cow!
1 Maju Ave, Singapore 556679
myVillage

Read our guide to 22 cafes in Serangoon neighbourhood.

From trendy cafes serving brunch and coffee, to dessert places with waffles and ice cream, the Serangoon neighbourhood has countless of eateries that are worth exploring.

Here are 23 cafes in the Serangoon area you should definitely check out.

APOLLO COFFEE BAR

One of our favourite cafes in Serangoon, Apollo Coffee Bar in Serangoon Gardens is opened by the same guys behind the popular Atlas Coffeehouse and Columbus Coffee Co. It has already made quite a name for itself with its Mediterranean-inspired brunch creations.

P.S. Apollo Coffee Bar is a dog-friendly cafe; you can also bring your dogs and dine at the outdoor area.

65 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555961
Tel: +65 6246 3875

BAKER & COOK

With several outlets across the whole of Singapore, Baker & Cook has become a familiar mainstay in our local bakery cafe scene. Besides their dignified selection of viennoiserie and pastries, they also offer savoury mains.

87 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555983
Tel: +65 6241 5548

Photo credit: Chu and Co

CHU AND CO

Nestled at 15 Lichfield Rd near Serangoon Gardens, Chu and Co is a pet-friendly bakery cafe with freshly-baked bread, pastries, coffee and gelato. The backyard is a great place to hang out with your friends and furkids.

15 Lichfield Rd, Singapore 556835
Tel: +65 8874 7615

Photo credit: Cottontail Creamery

COTTONTAIL CREAMERY

More than just an ice cream cafe with artisanal ice cream, this charming Taiwanese-owned cafe in Serangoon also has brunch, waffles, crepes and coffee on their menu. Food options include Beef Tacos, Breakfast Burger with Scrambled Eggs, and Italian Meatball Spaghetti.

Block 326, Serangoon Ave 3, #01-378
Singapore 550326
Tel: +65 8118 7552

DUTCH COLONY COFFEE CO

A coffee shop that started with a humble beginning at PasarBella, Dutch Colony Coffee Co. now has its own coffee roastery and academy at Defu Lane as well as five outlets across the island including the one at New Tech Park near Lorong Chuan MRT Station.

151 Lorong Chuan
#01-08 New Tech Park
Singapore 556741

Photo credit: Eleven Strands

ELEVEN STRANDS

It’s not every day that you find a French-inspired cafe, and one that’s nailing their dishes, at that. Eleven Strands is founded by the same guys behind South Union Park, with both of their menus sharing slight similarities.

66 Yio Chu Kang Rd
Singapore 545568
Tel: +65 9487 1398

Photo credit: Joji’s Diner

JOJI’S DINER

Located at 534 Upper Serangoon Road which is just 5 minutes away from NEX, Joji’s Diner stands out with its neon signboard and cute decor which has all-day breakfast, burger, rosti, waffle, ice cream and milkshake from 10am to 10pm.

534 Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534549
Tel: +65 8292 9478

KOOKS CREAMERY

Lava cookies with ice cream may not be the trendiest dessert anymore but who cares about trends if it’s good. And, few places do this hot-and-cold treat as well as Kooks Creamery does.

Founded by two sisters, this minimalistic cafe is a hotspot for sugar junkies. There’s just something about warm gooey matcha chocolate and cold velvety ice cream that really hits the spot for us.

211 Serangoon Avenue 4, #01-02
Singapore 550211
Tel: +65 9006 8748

OBLONG

Ditch the plain old waffles and jazz things up with some red velvet waffles at Oblong, a dessert cafe in Serangoon Gardens that offers pretty decent ice cream. Their waffles come dressed in a variety of flavours such as tiramisu, charcoal and pandan gula melaka.

10 Maju Avenue
Singapore 556688
Tel: +65 6858 2320

PINTS & CONES

Located along Serangoon Avenue which is just 5 minutes away from Nex, Pints & Cones is an ice cream cafe which serves ice cream, thyme waffles as well as craft beers.

304 Serangoon Ave 2, #01-02
Singapore 550304

Photo credit: Plonk

PLONK

Established in 2013, Plonk is a neighbourhood Australian-style restaurant & bar at Serangoon Gardens opened by an Australian from Melbourne. It dishes out hearty breakfasts, sharing platters and a range of organic and natural wines.

7 Maju Ave
Singapore 556685
Tel: +65 6286 4688

RACHELRAX CAKES

Rachelrax Cakes started out as a home-based business and it made a name with their signature Galaxy-Glazed Dome Cakes. It has started a small takeaway shop at Lim Tua Tow Road selling an assortment of tarts (think Orh Nee, Lychee Rose, Kaya Toast, and Chendol), Tiramisu, Chamomile Cheesecake and Galaxy-Glazed Dome Cakes.

Do note that there is no dine-in area and it is for takeaway only.

12 Lim Tua Tow Rd
Singapore 547735

SUN RAY CAFE

This secluded pet-friendly cafe is situated on the fringe of Serangoon Gardens and it caters to both animals and humans, with an extensive selection of dishes at really affordable prices including S$10 for Eggs Benedict, S$8 for French Toast and S$2.5 for a cup of 5 oz white coffee.

79 Brighton Crescent
Singapore 559218
Tel: +65 6283 8700

Photo credit: The Better Scoop

THE BETTER SCOOP

Formerly known as Just Because Creamery, The Better Scoop has opened a new outlet at 264 Serangoon Central which is just next to Nex.

As compared to their original outlet at 8 Jalan Legundi in Sembawang, The Better Scoop’s new shop in Serangoon Central will have a bigger selection of ice cream.

264 Serangoon Central, #01-203, S550264
8 Jalan Legundi, #01-08, S759274

THE LARDER CAFE

Hearty brunches and wholesome beverages are exactly what The Larder Cafe is good at. This cafe started out at Toa Payoh and has opened a second outlet at Serangoon Gardens.

Boasting a plethora of mains, brunch, big bites and desserts, you can expect to be torn between their delectable options. There’s even alcoholic drinks and a kids’ menu!

66A Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555962
Tel: +65 6253 8382

THE PLAIN JANE

If The Plain Jane was an actual lady, we’d fall head over heels for her straight away. This pretty little cafe in Serangoon does impeccable swiss rolls — airy sponge layers laced with fresh luscious cream.

We adore their Earl Grey Swiss Roll (S$5.90), which emanates a robust tea fragrance. Accompany it with their Matcha Latte (S$5.50/hot, S$6.50/cold) for a loaded caffeine fix.

Blk 211, Serangoon Ave 4, #01-10
Singapore 550211
Tel: +65 6281 2477

INFUSION ROASTERY CAFE

A Korean-inspired minimalist bakery cafe, Infusion Roastery Cafe is where you can enjoy pastries and cakes—that are baked on premise—with a cup of speciality coffee. This sleek cafe and coffee bar has certainly raised the standards of neighbourhood cafes in Singapore.

10A-E, Yio Chu Kang Rd
ICB SHOPPING CENTER
Singapore 545524

Read our guide on cafes in Kovan and Lorong Ah Soo neighbourhoods to dine at.

Celebrating its 5th anniversary this year, the Michelin Guide Singapore 2021 has just announced its results and 49 top restaurants have made it to the list. Here is the full list of the winners.

Restaurants in Singapore with one Michelin star

Alma
Béni
Braci
Buona Terra
Burnt Ends
Candlenut
Chef Kang
Corner house
Cut
Garibaldi
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle
Iggy’s
Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine (Orchard)
Jag
Labryinth
Lei Garden
Ma Cuisine
Meta
Nouri
Putien (Kitchener road)
Rhubarb
Shinji (Bras Basah Road)
Shinji (Tanglin Road)
Summer Palace
Summer Pavilion
Sushi Ichi
Sushi Kimura
Table65
Terra
28 Wilkie (new)
Art (new)
Basque Kitchen by Aitor (new)
Cloudstreet (new)
Cure (new)
Esora (new)
Lerouy (new)
Oshino (new)
Shang Palace (new)
Sommer (new)
Thevar (new)
Whitegrass (new)

Restaurants in Singapore with two Michelin stars

Saint Pierre
Shisen Hanten
Shoukouwa
Waku Ghin
JAAN by Kirk Westaway (new)

Restaurants in Singapore with three Michelin stars

Les Amis
Odette
Zén (new)

Mention Kovan and most people will think of the famous Punggol Nasi Lemak and the popular food stalls at Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre. But residents in the Kovan and Lorong Ah Soo neighbourhoods will tell you that the area is more than that. It is also home to many eateries and cafes that are worth exploring.

Here is our guide to the cafes in Kovan and Lorong Ah Soo to visit for brunch, coffee, ice cream and desserts.

ICE EDGE CAFE

One of the oldest cafes in Kovan, Ice Edge Cafe has been around for a decade and has gained a huge following with its hearty savouries and stellar sweets. Dishes served here are very affordable and generously portioned.

You might have heard of their legendary Mao Shan Wang Lava Cake, Waffles and Homemade Brownies, but Ice Edge Cafe is more than that. It offers a menu of wallet-friendly dishes (most mains are priced under S$20).

2 Kovan Rise
Simon Plaza, #01-10
Tel: +65 6858 5729

HOOLOO

The Mad Hatter-inspired cafe, Hatter Street in Kovan has rebranded to Hooloo—a new cafe serving rice bowls, bagels, desserts, waffles and ice cream.

Hooloo is having a soft launch and serving only desserts, waffles and ice cream for now. It will officially open on 10 October 2021 and the new menu will include savoury mains as well.

212 Hougang Street 21, #01-333, Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6988 4591

CIEL PATISSERIE

Situated in Lorong Ah Soo—near to the Kovan neighbourhood—Ciel Patisserie’s location might seem unlikely for an artisanal French bakery, but their cakes will make a special trip worthwhile.

Their Lemon Meringue Tart nails every component, from the sturdy meringue down to the buttery crust. Their bestselling Strawberry Shortcake boasts a light sponge cake interspersed with sweet whipped cream and dewy strawberries.

124 Hougang Ave 1, #01-1444
Singapore 530124
Tel: +65 6383 0803

FATCAT ICE CREAM & COFFEE BOUTIQUE

Known for its charcoal waffles with salted egg yolk sauce, FATCAT Ice Cream Bar is a popular ice cream shop in Bedok and it has just opened a new outlet, FATCAT Ice Cream & Coffee Boutique, at 15 Simon Road which is just a short walk from Kovan MRT Station.

The new outlet in Kovan is for takeaway only and there is no dine-in area. As such, they will not be serving their signature charcoal waffles here. Other than ice cream, the new boutique will also be offering coffee (S$4 for black coffee, and S$5 for white coffee) using a blend of Ethiopian and Colombian beans, as well as Milkshake cold brews (S$8) and refreshing Yuzu soda (S$7).

FATCAT Ice Cream & Coffee Boutique
15 Simon Road
Singapore 545900

FLAVOUR FLINGS

Flavour Flings at Lorong Ah Soo near Kovan is a halal-certified café specialising in American-French cuisine. The people behind the first raclette salted egg yolk croissant in Singapore, the eatery has garnered a fair bit of regulars stopping by for their hearty all-day-breakfast and brunch menu.

Hougang Ave 1, Block 121
#01-1348
Singapore 530121
Tel: +65 6286 0051

LICKERS

Next to Ciel Patisserie is Lickers Ice Cream, a hipster ice cream cafe which opens until 2am from Tuesdays to Sundays.

Serving up the usual fare of ice cream and waffles, the flavours vary depending on the fresh produce they can find that day.

124 Hougang Ave 1, #01-1446
Singapore 530124

LOLA’S CAFE

Known for its brunch fare, coffee and cakes, Lola’s Cafe is one of the more popular cafes in Kovan.

Just don’t go during peak periods over the weekend, as you might end up waiting up to an hour for your food. It is also one of the few dog-friendly places in the Kovan and Serangoon neighbourhoods.

5 Simon Road
Singapore 545893
Tel: +65 6343 1808

MAISON KAYSER

Artisanal French Bakery Maison Kayser has opened its 6th Outlet at Stars of Kovan in the Kovan neighbourhood. The new outlet is located at Stars of Kovan and it has taken over the former premise of Sugartree Gelato.

There are a few seats in the small bakery cafe and you can enjoy a cup of coffee/tea with your bread and pastries.

Maison Kayser
988 Upper Serangoon Rd
#01-28 Stars of Kovan
Singapore 534733
+65 9010 7389
Daily: 7.30am – 5.30pm

NAKED ICE CREAM

Located along the same stretch as Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap, Punggol Nasi Lemak, Ding Te Le and Qi Wei Chicken Claypot, Naked Ice Cream is a new waffle and ice cream cafe in Kovan which opens until 2am daily.

Like most ice cream cafes in Singapore, you can have your ice cream in a cup, cone or with a waffle. There are two waffles to choose from—Plain Waffle (S$3.80), or Charcoal Waffle (S$4.80). For drinks, you can choose from coffee, tea and house special fizzies.

957 Upper Serangoon Rd
Singapore 534717

THE BREAD SHOP

Other than freshly-baked bread and pastries, The Bread Shop in Kovan serves up the usual brunch works, but of great quality at affordable prices. Most of the dishes on the menu are priced under S$16.

953 Upper Serangoon Rd
Singapore 534715
Tel: +65 6581 7461

THE HUMBLE SCOOP

Known for its locally-inspired ice cream flavours including Orh Haw (hawthorn berry), Orh-Bee-Good (pulut hitam) and In-Kueh-Dible (salted coconut & gula melaka), The Humble Scoop has opened its second outlet at Stars of Kovan.

The new ice cream takeaway shop in Kovan prides themselves on locally inspired ice cream flavours and they do not use any colourings, flavourings or additive in the ice cream.

988 Upper Serangoon Road
Stars of Kovan #01-02
Tel: +65 8803 5981

SEE YOU LATTE

See You Latte is an Indonesian-fusion cafe at Stars of Kovan

Beef Rendang Rice (S$11.90), Indonesia Curry Chicken Rice (S$8.90) and Grilled Chicken with Rice (S$8.90).

All the ingredients in our café are fresh from the market and do not contain any MSG.

988 Upper Serangoon Road,
#01-15, Stars of Kovan, Singapore 534733

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/twocranes.sg/

TWO CRANES

For brunch and coffee with a Korean twist, Two Cranes is one to visit. This Korean-inspired cafe offers an eclectic mix of coffee beverages, savouries and desserts.

Some of the Korean mains you can try include Wonda Army Stew (S$16.90), Fu Bimbimbap (S$13.90), and Kimchi Fried Rice (S$12.90).

Block 211, Hougang Street 21, #01-291
Singapore 530211
Tel: +65 8166 0140

Read our guide on the cafes in Serangoon neighbourhood.

Famous Swiss roll cake shop, Rich & Good Cake Shop has a new online shop at www.richngood.com and you can now get your favourite Swiss roll cakes from them via delivery to your doorstep.

Nestled among the many shophouses that pave the streets of Kampong Glam, Rich & Good Cake Shop stands as something of a confectionery institution in Singapore.

Founded in 1997, Rich & Good Cake Shop rose to fame with their legendary Swiss rolls and they opened a second outlet at Jewel Changi Airport in 2019.

The Swiss rolls on the new online shop are priced between S$8.42 – S$9.35.

Rich & Good Cake Shop’s delivery:

• Doorstep delivery service from Mondays to Saturdays
• 2 time slots (10am – 12pm, 2pm – 5pm)
• Minimum order for delivery 5 rolls, maximum 18 rolls
• Delivery fee of S$10 – S$15 (depending on the location)

Rich & Good Cake Shop specialises in a variety of Swiss rolls that come in several flavours from chocolate, mango, green tea to blueberry and even durian.

The two flavours, however, responsible for their claim to fame are their Kaya Swiss roll and Durian Swiss roll. Perhaps it’s due to the sense of nostalgia that these classic flavours evoke, but one thing’s for sure, they taste mighty darnn good.

Swirled with pandan-infused kaya, the Kaya Swiss roll is, without a doubt, one of our all-time favourites. The sweet aroma of pandan, coupled by the semi-sweet coconut jam filling makes this modest-looking Swiss roll just the best tea time snack.

Encased within a soft, durian-accented roll is a cream filling mixed with creamy durian. The ratio between durian cream to sponge cake is perfect, such that neither of them overwhelms the other. The roll is sweet but is nicely balanced out by a subtle saltiness in the cream itself. A hit among durian lovers, this is must if you’re thinking of bringing a dessert over to a house party—provided they’re fans of durian as well.

Rich & Good Cake Shop
24 Kandahar Street,
Singapore 198887

https://richngood.com

Five Guys Singapore is opening its third outlet at ION Orchard basement 3, near to H&M, Hoshino and Poulet.

Following the opening of Tenya Singapore, Sen-Ryo and Ion Orchard Hawkers’ Street, Five Guys is the newest dining concept to open at ION Orchard.

Brought in by Zouk Group, this American cult favourite is a fast-casual burger joint which is known for its highly customisable menu. You can build your favourite burger or sandwich by exploring different combinations and taste profiles based on your preferences.

Five Guys offers 15 free toppings including an in-house mayo recipe created exclusively for Five Guys by Heinz. As such, there are approximately 250,000 combinations one can choose from.

The burgers are made-to-order, allowing the patty to retain its moisture.

Five Guys Singapore currently has two other outlets at Plaza Singapura and nex.

Five Guys Singpapore
Ion Orchard
2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801