Gula Melaka, or otherwise known as palm sugar, is a popular type of sweetener in Southeast Asia. Made from the sap of flower buds from coconut trees, the liquid is boiled until it thickens and then left to cool for it to solidify.

Since many people love its deep caramel flavour, Gula Melaka is a popular dessert option as it gives off a lovely sweet taste that enhances the dessert. That is also why more cafes in Singapore are now offering Gula Melaka desserts as part of their dessert menu.

From scones to waffles and even churros, here are 8 Gula Melaka Desserts In Singapore You Must Try.

ALL THE BATTER – AVOCADO GULA MELAKA SLICE

If you happen to love avocados, you will definitely enjoy the Avocado Gula Melaka Slice (S$5.90) from All The Batter—what you get is sweet Gula Melaka cream on top of moist avocado batter cake.

17 Jasmine Road
Adelphi Park
Singapore 576585
Tel: +65 8510 6313
Sat & Sun: 11am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Marymount

Photo Credit: All Things Delicious

ALL THINGS DELICIOUS – GULA MELAKA SCONES

We all know the usual Gula Melaka desserts in Singapore but did you know that there is Gula Melaka scone? That’s right, you can get that at All Things Delicious and they are going at S$3.50 each.

34 Arab Street
Singapore 199733
Tel: +65 6291 4252
Mon: Closed
Tue to Fri: 8am – 7pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 7pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

BUTTER STUDIO – SALTED GULA MELAKA CUPCAKE

Specialising in a variety of Halal-certified cupcakes and whole cakes, Butter Studio’s main outlet is located along Jalan Besar where you can find Salted Gula Melaka Cupcakes (S$3.50). While many substandard cupcakes out there are dry, you should be pleased to know that cupcakes at Butter Studio are moist and comes full-flavoured.

Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the generous Gula Melaka fillings inside the cupcake.

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147 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208865
Tel: +65 6294 7115
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri: 12pm – 12 Midnight
Sat: 10.30am – 12pm
Sun: 10.30am – 10pm
Tue: Closed
Nearest Station: Lavender

CHURROS FACTORY – ONDEH CHURROS

Churros Factory needs no further introduction—having four outlets in Singapore and pop up booths at events in Singapore offering delicious and satisfying churros. Choose among Original, Pandan, Charcoal and Chocolate flavours for your churros and get the Gula Melaka dip.

A cup of three churros will set you back at S$7 (churros – S45.50, dip – S$1.50).

112 East Coast Road
#B1-26, 112 Katong Mall
Singapore 428802
Tel: +65 8500 0700
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

HATTER STREET – GULA MELAKA AND PANDAN WAFFLE

Located in a HDB estate—just a few units away from popular Thai eatery Nakhon Kitchen—Hatter Street offers desserts with a twist.

They have a few waffle options but being Gula Melaka addicts, we would recommend their waffle with pandan ice cream and Gula Melaka sauce (S$9.50).

#01-333, Block 212 Hougang Street 21
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6988 4591
Daily: 1pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

MOOSH – ONDEH ONDEH SOFT SERVE

Situated along Haji Lane, Moosh Softserve is where you should head to if you are looking for some refreshing sweet treats to cool off in the sweltering heat.

The Ondeh Ondeh soft serve (Regular: S$4.50 / Large: S$6.90) features a gula melaka soft serve base, lined with pandan sauce and topped with desiccated coconut, coconut flakes and even more pandan sauce. Despite all the different elements added, the soft serve was extremely silky and creamy without being too sweet.

44 Haji Lane
Singapore 189237
Mon to Thu: 12am – 8pm
Fri to Sun: 12am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

SINPOPO – GULA MELAKA CAKE

Fans of Awfully Chocolate may find the presentation of this cake familiar as the style of layering is similar to the ever-popular Super Stacked Cake from Awfully Chocolate.

If you are worried that Sinpopo Brand’s Gula Melaka cake might be overwhelmingly sweet, you will be happy to know that this cake spots just the right amount of Gula Melaka and is fragrant as it can be.

458 Joo Chiat Rd
Singapore 427671
Tel: +65 6345 5034
Mon: Closed
Tue to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Dakota

SUNDAY FOLKS – SEA SALT GULA MELAKA ICE CREAM

Café hoppers and foodies alike flocked to the spacious café to sample Sunday Folks’ delectable offerings of freshly baked Belgian waffles and mouthwatering ice cream. Waffles will only be baked after your order is taken and the same applies to the preparation of the freshly churned ice cream.

Get their Sea Salt Gula Melaka Ice Cream in a cup (S$7.20) or handmade cone (S$7.20).

44 Jalan Merah Saga
Chip Bee Gardens #01-52
Singapore 278116
Tel: +65 6479 9166
Mon: Closed
Tue to Fri: 1pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village

When it comes to afternoon tea, the de facto meeting place for many people is Shangri-La Hotel’s Lobby Court. It offers the traditional English Afternoon Tea ($34++/pax on weekdays, $36++/pax on weekends) – which comes with finger sandwiches, scones, and cakes.

If you are looking for somewhere to spend a quiet afternoon, I can’t think of a better place than Shangri-La’s Lobby Court.

Just look at those beauties. Delicate finger sandwiches, beautiful cakes and pastries. They are the perfect companions when you are catching up with a friend over tea.

The scones – with a gorgeous golden crust – are also one of the best that I’ve had in town. When you take a bite, it leaves crumbs all over the table top. It is good on its own, but even better when slathered with jam and clotted cream.

To me, Shangri-La Hotel’s lobby court is one of the top 5 afternoon high tea places in Singapore. Come here to enjoy an elegant afternoon over lavish teas.

Alternatively, The Rose Veranda at Shangri-La’s Mezzanine Level has an international high tea buffet ($42++/pax). It is available from 11.30am to 6pm on weekdays, and there are two seating on weekends – 11.30am – 2.30pm, 3pm – 6pm.

Shangri-La Lobby Court
22 Orange Grove Road
Mezzanine Level Shangri-La Hotel
Tel:+65 6213 4486
English Afternoon Tea: $34++ (Weekdays), $36++ (Weekends)
Daily: 3pm – 5.30pm

I love afternoon tea. It combines three of my favourite things – yummy desserts, a nice pot of tea, and catching up with good friends.

I’ve always heard about the afternoon tea at Chihuly Lounge, Ritz-Carlton Millenia, but for some reason, I never had the chance to try it. When I finally went there recently for an afternoon indulgence, I must say that they did not disappoint – if anything, exceeded expectations.

I really like Chihuly Lounge. I like that the place has a high ceiling – allowing light to flood the lounge – and it feels spacious and comfortable. I like that the lounge has good chill-out music, it is a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by. I like that the staff are attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. And of course, I love the cakes, pastries, and sandwiches, that are oh-so-delicious.

Unlike the usual hotel afternoon tea, Chihuly Lounge offers a decadent eight-course afternoon tea set menu ($39++/pax, from 2.30pm to 5pm). After you have settled down, the staff will bring out a pretty tea mocktail, which is served with a selection of crackers with XO chilli sambal. Then, you will proceed to choose a pot of tea — from a wide selection on the menu — or freshly-brewed coffee. Before the main event, you get to enjoy the carving station trolley which gives you the choice of beef wellington or salmon coulibiac (note: this changes on a weekly basis).

And finally, the tea set stand consists of smoked chicken and chestnut salad in laugen roll; avocado and cream cheese in whole meal finger and cucumber; parma ham on olive baguette; Scottish smoked salmon in almond buns; plain and raisin scones; pistachio macarons; lemon cheese cake with meringue; chocolate praline tarts; and strawberry puffs.

If you still have room, you must try the raspberry sorbet which comes in a very pretty ice cream cone.

Last, but not least, there is the dessert trolley with tea cakes, cookies, kueh lapis, and pralines.

You get to enjoy the whole experience for just $39++/person. For a five-star afternoon tea, I would definitely recommend Chihuly Lounge at Ritz-Carlton Millenia.

Chihuly Lounge
7 Raffles Avenue
Lobby Ritz-Carlton Millenia
Tel: +65 6434 5283
Weekday afternoon tea: 2.30pm – 5pm
Note: This was an invited media tasting.

Having afternoon tea is one of my all time favourite activities. What’s there not to like when you get to have delicate finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones, savoury treats and pretty desserts?

When you ask people to recommend a place for a luxury afternoon tea, most people would probably mention The Courtyard at Fullerton Hotel Singapore.

If you have always wanted to try the Fullerton High Tea, gather your friends and make a reservation today!

For $42++/pax, you get a traditional English afternoon tea which comes with a selection of English tea sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, and an assortment of sweets. And the best part is the food and tea/coffee are replenish-able.

There is also the option of topping up for a glass of wine at $52++, or champagne at $62++.

If you are a big fan of scones, you must check out the ones here. They are quite possibly one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

An assortment of sandwiches: salmon corn, ‘otak’ cheese, pumpkin crackers, asparagus beef, and cucumber tomato.

Pastries and sweets: cream puff, kueh lapis, puff pastry, and chocolate cake.

While it may seem like you are paying a high price for finger sandwiches and petite desserts, what you get in return is a perfect afternoon. The Courtyard at Fullerton Hotel, without a doubt, has one of the best afternoon high teas in Singapore.

The Courtyard
1 Fullerton Square
GF Fullerton Hotel
Tel: +65 6877 8128
Daily English Afternoon Tea $42++
Mon to Fri: 3pm – 6pm
Sat & Sun 2 -4 pm, 4.30pm – 6pm

For more recommendations, please read my list of afternoon tea places in Singapore

While I love going to fancy restaurants, it is impossible to spend so much on food all the time. That’s why I am always on the lookout for cafes that serve decent food at affordable prices.

Tea Cosy at Plaza Singapura is one of them. It serves a pretty decent afternoon high tea at $29.95 for two, from 2.30pm to 6pm daily.

The Tea Cosy Supreme High Tea Set ($29.95 for two, $19.95 for one) comes with seafood or non-seafood items, sweets (choice of  two English Scones or three Miniature Cakes) and a beverage (English Breakfast Tea, Coffee or Lemonade).

If there are two of you having the high tea set, you can opt for both the seafood and non-seafood items, which will give you Grilled Prawn Cocktail, Foie Gras Taster, Turkey Ham Crostini, Smoked Salmon Crostini, Parmesan Toast, Baked Mushroom, and Crispy Duck Crostini; and for desserts, two English Scones and three Miniature Cakes.

It sounds like a lot of food, but it is actually manageable as they are served in bite-sized portions.

If the high tea set doesn’t appeal to you, Tea Cosy has an ala carte menu which starts at appetisers like Tea Cosy Decadent Salad ($16.95) and Baked Mushrooms ($9.95); through sandwiches like Smoked Salmon Toasts ($13.95) and Beef Steak Burger ($13.95); then up to pastas and main courses like Braised Duck Pasta ($14.95) and Miso Dory ($18.95); and end off with desserts like Cupcakes ($3.85) and English Scones ($6.95).

The food is nothing special, but for a nice, quiet and relatively affordable afternoon tea in Orchard road, Tea Cosy at level five of Plaza Singapura is the place to go.

For more recommendations, read my list of afternoon high tea places in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Tea Cosy
68 Orchard Road
#05-10 Plaza Singapura
Tel: +65 6341 9318

// Update: Mykii Brasserie Cafe is now closed

Many food lovers always like to go Holland Village as it has always been one of the popular dining spots in Singapore that has so many different restaurants. I recently came to know that Mykii restaurant actually serves brunch on weekends. It wasn’t  even on my list of Brunch Places in Singapore when I had compiled it back then.

Breakfast at Mykii Brasserie Cafe is available on weekends from 11.30am – 4pm, and there are three brunch menus to choose from: Hearty Deluxe ($38), Gourmet Chic ($28) and Classique ($28). We had a Hearty Deluxe brunch set which came with a starter of homemade bread & muffin/scone/cupcake, Mykii Brunch platter, a choice of main course, dessert, coffee/tea and fruit juice. I know, that’s quite an handful isn’t it? In addition to that, we shared another Gourmet Chic brunch set which was essentially about the same as the Hearty Deluxe brunch set – less the main course.

Most of the time, I prefer to order from the ala carte menu, rather than having a brunch buffet. There’s no need for so much variety for breakfast, I’m a cereal-eggs-pancakes-desserts kind of guy. I like to keep brunch simple – nothing too heavy.

The scones are sturdy, yet crumby, hard on the outside yet so moist inside, it’s the type that I will love to have every morning. On the other hand, the Oreo cupcake was just okay, very sweet and a little too dry. The homemade bread, however was excellent. While waiting for the food to come, we couldn’t help but spread the room-temperature butter onto the bread and wolfed down two slices each.

The Eggs Benedict was more than just a pretty face. The magical combination of eggs and bacon always works. While the holladaise sauce wasn’t as buttery as I would like it to be, it’s just assuring to have Eggs Benedict for breakfast.

Mykii’s Brunch platter consisted of French chipolata sausage, grilled fresh tomatoes, streaky bacon with farmhouse eggs. For the eggs, we chose to have the ocean’s catch omelette with squids and prawn with a tangy thai-sweet chili mayonnaise. Hearty and satisfying, this is my classic interpretation of a big breakfast.

By the time the Iceland Smoked Salmon Sandwich arrived on our table, our stomach was already almost filled to the brim. I had no idea why it was named the Iceland smoked salmon sandwich, but I do know for a fact that the fries that accompanied the sandwich were delicious. It was nicely cut, and had a great potato taste. They were also light and not too salty; we finished every fry without feeling guilty.

If you have been around for some time, you will know that I have always been against the marriage of chocolate and banana. There are plenty of different options like orange chocolate and chocolate mint, but yes, I do not like chocolate banana.

The Chocolate Banana cake here did not change my opinion of the popular dessert, but at least it wasn’t that bad. For one, the bulk of the cake was chocolate ganache and only a thin layer was the banana component. I have nothing against banana, but chocolate banana doesn’t work for me.

I was elated when the dessert menu had a choice of Sweet Morning Platter, which was petite old English pancakes with pear compote, smoothie shooter, and vanilla bean gelato. When the dessert came, the size of the pancakes caught us by surprise. Again, I blamed myself for not reading the menu carefully, petite old English pancakes.. Yes it’s petite, small, tiny or whatever vocabularies you can think of.

Well, it wasn’t too bad. It’s pancakes, you know – pancakes always taste good. The slightly sourish smoothie shooter provided a good counterbalance to the sweet duo of pear compote and ice cream. Ooh, there’s vanilla beans! Perfect. Just the way I wanted to end a good and hearty brunch.

Compared with the other brunch places in Singapore, Mykii probably won’t be among my favorites, but that’s not because it’s not good. The food was pretty decent, not top-notch, but good enough. Their brunch menu really spoils me with so much food, and I’m very sure that my stomach will hold a protest very soon if this goes on.

Actually come to think of it, the beautiful part about breakfast food is the simplicity of it. Having a cup of coffee while reading Sunday Times, beginning breakfast with starter-eggs-mains-desserts, and most importantly, having it with your favorite person – what more can you ask for?

Go and have a good breakfast today! Sundays are meant for brunch.

Restaurant Review
Mykii Brasserie Cafe
17d Lorong Liput
Holland Village
Tel: +65 6468 2838