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

When you think of Alexandra, you’ll think of IKEA, Alexandra Village Food Centre and ABC Brickworks hawker centre. Of course, we love these three options but there are tons of other places you can explore in or nearby the Alexandra area, just in case you’re looking for some cafe grub!

Whether it’s cold brew coffee, burgers or truffle fries, we’ve got you covered with this guide to cafes in the Alexandra area!

CARRARA CAFE

Decked in marble tables and rose-gold accents, Carrarra is a pretty Instagram-worthy cafe serving some interesting dishes ranging from Western pasta and waffles to hawker zhi char classics.

Try their Salted Egg Yolk Fried Chicken Waffle, Marmite Wings and their Signature Chilli Crab Seafood Pasta! Those with a sweet tooth can savour their freshly-made waffles with their home-made gelato.

Carrara Cafe
2 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-5148
Singapore 150002
Sun to Thu: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Redhill

ELYON CAFE

If you’re into Keto diets, try Elyon Cafe – a cafe specializing in all-things Keto! This humble cafe is run by passionate people who believe in the health benefits of keto-food while not compromising innovation and taste!

Indulge in some snacks such as Crispy Enoki Mushroom Fries or try one of their signature noodles – the Roma Carbonara Shirataki Noodle or the Tom Yum Seafood Shirataki Noodle. Who says healthy can’t be delicious too?

Elyon Cafe
126 Bukit Merah Lane 1
#01-202
Singapore 150126
Mon to Fri: 11am – 7pm
Sat: 11am – 9pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Queenstown/Redhill

FOLKS & STORIES

Specializing in all sorts of cookies with quirky toppings and infusions is Folks & Stories. Their humble storefront is neatly nestled away in the quiet streets of Queenstown. Set up by SMU Alumnus Jody Ang, each cookie has distinct and unique personalities.

Their range of cookies (S$3.50) include the Quirky Tastemaker (Rosemary Dark Chocolate), the Curious Merrymaker (Cream Cheese Dark Chocolate) and the Inquisitive Wanderer (Green Tea White Chocolate).

Folks & Stories
Block 163 Stirling Road, #01-1238
Singapore 140163
Mon to Fri: 10.30am – 6pm
Sat: 10.30am – 4.30pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Queenstown

GEOMETRY

Artisanal ice cream parlour Geometry is located right beside ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre. The shop is simple yet intimate; think geometric-inspired lamps, potted plants and wooden benches. From Dark Chocolate Truffle to Earl Grey Tie Guan Yin, all their ice creams are free from artificial ingredients and preservatives.

2 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-5142
Singapore 150002
Tel: +65 6255 6366
Sun to Tue & Thu: 12pm – 9.30pm
Fri and Sat: 12pm – 11pm
(Closed on Wednesdays)
Nearest MRT Station: Queenstown / Redhill

QI PHILOSOPHY CAFE

Boasting a serene garden-like interior filled with greens and plants, QI Philosophy Cafe is a great place to unwind, relax and have some healthy cafe grub. If you like Sweet Potato Fries,  their rendition is pretty great and comes with some tangy mayonnaise to complement the mild sweetness.

An interesting dish they have is their Laksa Pesto which is a dry laksa with pesto and an onsen egg. Quite the unique take on dry laksa and it’s a must-try!

Dawnson Road
Sky Terrace@Dawson 93, #01-02
Singapore 142093
Tue to Sun: 10.30am – 9pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Redhill

REFUEL II CAFE

Sporting a nice and clean wood and tile-themed interior, Refuel II serves comforting all-day brunch and popular nosh!

You definitely have to try their Truffle Fries that are generously sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, their Fuel Me Up baked eggs with chorizo, crispy bacon, mushrooms, peppers and cheese! It’s served with crispy toast and is one of the most satisfying brunch dishes!

Refuel II Cafe
Block 28 Jalan Bukit Merah
Brickswork Estate, #01-4468
Singapore 152028
Mon to Fri: 11am – 9.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Redhill

TIONG HOE SPECIALITY COFFEE

Tiong Hoe Gim Kee Trading Co is a reputable pioneer in Singapore’s competitive coffee industry. Its founder, Mr Tan Tiong Hoe, has more than half a century worth of experience in roasting coffee beans.

Their roasts are fragrant and addictive. Give their Pollen White Cold Brew Coffee a try – it’s delightfully creamy with a floral aftertaste from being infused with pure raw honey.

Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee
170 Stirling Road
Singapore 140170
Tel: +65 6473 1133
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Sat and Sun: 9am – 4pm
Nearest Station: Queenstown

THE COFFEE BELT

Open daily till 8pm, the third-wave coffee establishment is a wonderful place to catch up with friends over a good and strong cuppa, or to simply unwind into some me-time in the late afternoons.

With over 25 different flavours and types of drinks, The Coffee Belt’s comprehensive menu will cover everyone’s differing preferences. We’ve been there several times, and are still discovering new favourites! From the all-time favourite Aussie flat white (S$6.50), Chai Tea Latte (short – S$6.50, tall – S$7) to sinfully rich Iced Blended Coffee Frappe (short – S$6.50, tall – S$7), there is a drink for every mood.

The Coffee Belt
Lobby Level
Park Hotel Alexandra
323 Alexandra Road
Singapore 159972
Tel: +65 6828 8888
Daily: 7am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Queenstown / Redhill

SEEDS CAFE

This unique cafe is dedicated to providing training to differently-abled students from the Rainbow Centre it’s located in. Students will be trained in a separate area from the dining area then moved out to do different duties.

You can enjoy their very affordable food options ranging from Pies to Sandwiches and coffee. Their coffee blends are from Tiong Hoe Speciality Coffee, ensuring great quality as well!

Seeds Cafe
501 Margaret Drive
Rainbow Centre
Tel: +65 6817 9414
Singapore 149306
Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 6pm
Sat & Sun: 7.30am – 2.30pm
Nearest Station: Queenstown