The Upper Thomson neighbourhood is experiencing a revival, with new cafes like November 8 and One Man Coffee opening in the area. Among them, you should swing by One Man Coffee for great coffee and delicious light bites like its ‘Toad in the Hole’ and the much-lauded French toast.
The cafe scene in Singapore is thriving with many new cafes opening every month. However, there are many places that do not last long because they lack real substance to build a following. Oftentimes, new cafes are more style than substance, and serves mediocre food with lacklustre service.
Habitat Coffee at Upper Thomson Road deserves a mention for the great work that it has been doing. The bistro has been around for a few years, and despite the tough competition, it shines and remains a favourite for many. Habitat Coffee is worth visiting because it serves good coffee and well-cooked dishes at sensible prices.
I have been to The Coffee Daily near Serangoon Garden Estate several times in the past few months. It has quite a few good things going for it: the cafe serves a pretty good cup of coffee; the staff are always friendly, genuine and welcoming; it is a cosy place with free wifi to revise for your exams, or to catch up with friends.
Dining out is getting increasingly expensive, and it is difficult to find an affordable restaurant in Singapore which offers decent main courses for under S$20. Which is why Lola’s Cafe at Simon Road deserves a mention. Almost all the dishes on the brunch menu (10am – 3pm) and dinner menu (6pm – 10pm) are priced below S$15 nett. For a wallet-friendly meal, note down Lola’s Cafe.
Note: The restaurant is now closed.
When I have cravings for Korean food, I like to go to Crystal Jade Korean BBQ Buffet. Their Nex outlet has a decent buffet spread and you can get the usual marinated meat and fish. The food is nothing fantastic, but it is acceptable for the price (weekdays: $24 nett for lunch, $28 nett for dinner; and weekends: $28 nett for lunch, $32 nett for dinner). There is also a students’ promotion $16.50 nett for lunch buffet on weekdays.
23 Serangoon Central
#01-01/02 Nex
Tel: +65 6634 4920
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm -10pm
Wimbly Lu Chocolate Cafe is a dessert place located in the residential area at Jalan Riang. Part of Wimbly Lu’s charm is that from the moment you walk in, it strikes you as a quaint, whimsical kind of place. It is ideal for whiling away a few hours with friends.
Yet another pancake shop has popped up in the neighbourhood. This time, it’s Little Pancakes, located in the Upper Thomson area. What sets these pancakes apart, as the shop’s name suggests, is their size. Serving miniature pancakes that are about 3 inches in diameter, Little Pancakes offers both sweet and savoury options on the menu.
Nakhon Kitchen has gained a reputation for serving good, authentic Thai food at reasonable prices. It is not unusual to see a queue forming outside the shop during dinner time. So does it live up to the hype?