Missing Hong Kong? There’s a new Cha Chaan Teng in town!

You can satisfy your cravings for authentic Hong Kong-style noodles, roast meats, and cha chaan teng classics at Pi Food, a new Hong Kong-style eatery located at UBS Singapore Business Hub (formerly known as Park Mall).

The kitchen is helmed by Hong Kong Head Chef Tsang Tak Ching, who worked as a Sous Chef at Lei Garden (Hong Kong) for 7 years before heading to Singapore.

Photos credit: Pi Food

You can look forward to Pi Food’s house specialities such as Hong Kong Fresh Shrimp Wanton Noodles, Iberico Pork Char Siew, Crispy Pork Belly, Sweet and Sour Pork and Gui Fei Chicken; as well as Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng classics including Hong Kong-Style Baked Rice with Pork Chop and Hong Kong Beef Brisket in Curry Sauce.

Pi Food
9 Penang Road, #01-18
Singapore 238459

Created by Genevieve Lee, runner-up of MasterChef Singapore 2018, Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery started out as a home-based business with an e-commerce website during the pandemic in 2020 and it quickly made waves with its Sourdough Bomboloni—combining sourdough and the Italian ‘bomb’ shaped doughnuts.

Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery is opening their first physical store at Park Mall with a soft launch on 3 July 2021. The official opening date will be on 8 July 2021.

Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery’s 900 sq ft store at Park Mall will have a takeaway kiosk, retail section and a production kitchen that can cater to both online and retail sales. Online pre-orders and group buys will continue for fixed boxes of 9 Sourbombes, with the option of delivery or collection in-store.

You can also choose to visit the store to pick your Sourdough Bomboloni and get some drinks including cold brew coffee, house-made kombucha and dairy-free tea lattes.

Expect a total of 9 sourbombe flavours, including 6 best-selling signatures and 3 limited edition flavours, which will be introduced quarterly based on seasonal ingredients.

Photos credit: Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery

The 6 signature sourbombe flavours include:

• Cinnabombe (plain)
  The OG Sourbombe in full sour glory, dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
• Blueberry & Lemon Thyme
  A fruity summer bombe of lemon cream, blueberry jam and fragrant thyme
• Lavender Lime Mascarpone
  Velvety mascarpone infused with aromatic lavender and bright citrus lime
• Basque Burnt Cheesecake
  Molten lava explosions of cream cheese and blue cheese, the ultimate umami bombe
• Hojicha Caramel
  Fragrant Houjicha cold-steeped in milk and sprinkled with toothsome caramel crunch
• Passionfruit & Caramelised Banana
  A tropical paradise of ambrosial passionfruit mixed with caramelised banana cream

The bakery also has plans to launch a new range of experimental sourdough bakes—including sourdough croissants—later this year. We cannot wait to try them soon!

Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery
Park Mall, 9 Penang Road #02-03
Singapore 238459

Local bakery, Edith Patisserie has opened a new cafe at 9 Penang Road (the former Park Mall building) in Dhoby Ghaut.

Edith Patisserie Cake Bar is a cosy space that will be offering a selection of Edith Patisserie’s signatures cakes, bakes, waffles, as well as coffee.

Established in 2013, Edith Patisserie is a local bakery specialising in layered cakes, brownies and tarts for special occasions such as birthdays and weddings.

Some of their best sellers include Honey Cake, Earl Grey Lavender Cake, Lychee Rose Cale and Cookie Dough Speculoos Chocolate Cake.

Photos credit: Edith Patisserie Cake Bar

To celebrate the opening of Edith Patisserie Cake Bar, they are offering 15% off your total bill from 7 – 18 April 2021.

Edith Patisserie Cake Bar
9 Penang Road #01-06
Singapore 238459
Mon: 12pm – 8pm
Wed & Thu: 12pm – 8pm
Fri – Sun: 12.30pm – 9pm

Drips Bakery Café opens its second outlet at Ngee Ann City. Established in 2010, Drips Bakery Café is a café in Tiong Bahru (Tiong Poh Road) which is known for its tarts and some of their signatures include Seasonal Fruits Tart, Baked Lemon Tart and Choc Truffle Tart.

The new space at Ngee Ann City is located at Tower B #B2-31, near to Wangz Cafe and Guardian. There’s only have limited seatings with a few tables.

Other than their signature tarts, Drips Bakery Café also serves a variety of cakes and pastries.

The new outlet at Ngee Ann City has two ongoing promotion—any scone/teacake/butter croissant with a beverage at S$6 or any slice of baked tart and a beverage at S$11.80.

Drips Bakery Café
Ngee Ann City
Tower B #B2-31
Daily: 8am – 9pm

Cupping Room Coffee Roasters is opening its first outlet in Singapore at Ngee Ann City.

One of the most established independent coffee shops in Hong Kong, Cupping Room Coffee Roasters is opened by the champion of the Hong Kong Barista Championship 2013.

Cupping Room Coffee Roasters Singapore is located on level two of Ngee Ann City, taking over the unit directly opposite Van Cleef & Arpels. The hoarding is already up and they will be officially opening to the public on 10 Oct 2020.

Photo Credit: Cupping Room Singapore

From first look, the interior of the Singapore outlet is very different from Cupping Room Hong Kong.

Photo Credit: Cupping Room Singapore

The space is conceptualised and designed by Brewin Design Office and it is inspired by the layers of coffee and milk mixing; nude tones weave between solid brown shades and are held together by concrete and stone elements.

The arrival of Cupping Room Coffee Roaster in Singapore is definitely great news for coffee lovers.

Cupping Room Singapore
391 Orchard Road
Level 2 Ngee Ann City
Singapore 238872

Read: 34 best coffee shops in Singapore that you have to visit at least once.

In the super fast-paced rat race in Singapore, it’s getting increasingly difficult to have more alone-time. It’s super hard just to get a few hours to ourselves, yet even then, we might have other priorities outside of work, school and all.

Here’s a list of cafes you can visit if you want to take a short breather from life. They’re quiet and perfect for being alone while sipping on a hot drink, watching as life passes you by even just for an hour or two.

AMBER EMBER

This cosy cafe is relatively new but has already made a name for themselves, not just for their quirky food options and delicious coffee but also their wonderfully decorated exterior and interior. A cup of their freshly-brewed coffee is the perfect accompaniment for a book or just to watch a show on your smartphone.

Amber Ember
730 Upper Serangoon Road, #01-01
Singapore 534613
Tue to Fri: 10am – 5pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 6pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Serangoon

Photo Credit: Instagram

COOK & TRAS SOCIAL LIBRARY

This elegant cafe doubles as a hidden book cafe. Just stepping into the space makes you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a library lounge in old London. Decorated with warm amber lights and beautiful wooden furnishing, all you need to do is grab a book, some cocktails or their all-day dining dishes, and you’ll be set for a few hours of me-time.

Cook & Tras Social Library
2 Cook Street
Singapore 078857
Daily: 6.30am – 12am
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

GATHER THE MISFITS

Taking over the now-defunct CPlus+ is the extremely Instagrammable cafe – Gather The Misfits. They bring interesting toastie flavours to the table, along with a myriad of coffee selections, drink choices and pastries.

Their space is cosy, homely and comfortable. It’s perfect for catching up on some studying, work or just to relax and rewind after a stressful week.

Gather The Misfits
217 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218457
Tel: +65 9298 7291
Mon, Wed to Sun: 10am – 6pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Farrer Park/Boon Keng

GLYPH SUPPLY CO

This minimalist cafe in the heart of Orchard Road is clean, quiet and serves great coffee. They’ve even added some house-fermented Kombucha to their list of handcrafted beverages! If you’re looking to spend the afternoon people-watching, reading or even just chatting with a pal, head over to Glyph Supply Co.

Glyph Supply Co
111 Somerset Road, #01-06
Singapore 238164
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 7.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 7.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

HVALA

What says “zen” better than a Japanese matcha cafe? Hvala’s newer outlet at TripleOne Somerset boasts a pristine layout, resembling a zen Japanese garden. It’s a great place to read, scroll through social media or just relax while sipping on a matcha or hojicha latte. They also have a great range of Japanese-inspired desserts to munch on while you rewind.

Hvala
111 Somerset Road
TripleOne Somerset
Singapore 238164
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

JING SI BOOKS & CAFE

A cafe dedicated to Shih Cheng Yen, a nun, who also goes by the name “Jing Si”. The name means “silent contemplation”, and her books and works aim to inspire goodness and kindness in whoever reads them. The cafe has a quiet, warm and zen vibe where you can read and sip on a drink in peace.

Jing Si Books & Cafe
134 Geylang East Avenue 1
Singapore 380134
Tue to Sun: 11am – 7pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Aljunied/Paya Lebar

Photo Credit: Instagram

KATASUMI KOOHII

This Taiwanese and Japanese-inspired cafe is a quaint little hidden gem nestled in Bukit Pasoh. They serve a variety of chiffon cakes, bakes and coffee. They provide a nice cosy space for patrons to just sit and relax, maybe even with a book in hand as the day passes.

Katasumi Koohii
25 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089839
Mon, Wed to Sun: 12pm – 8pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Outram Park

KURASU

Hailing from Kyoto, this quiet cafe is tucked away in Odeon Towers. They don a minimalistic setting and serve fragrant coffee and a great matcha latte. Surrounded by glass walls, you can watch as cars and people zoom by as you enjoy your cuppa. Whether you’re there alone or you bring a friend, it’s a wonderful place for some quiet time.

Kurasu Singapore
331 North Bridge Road
#02-01, Odeon Towers
Singapore 188720
Mon to Fri: 8am – 5pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

Photo Credit: Instagram

MELLOWER COFFEE

This Shanghai-originated cafe has grown in popularity in Singapore, with its first Global Flagship store located in Bugis, an area known to be a cafe hotspot. It has a spacious wood-themed layout but yet maintains a calming, quiet ambience. We recommend their cold brews to accompany you for the afternoon.

Mellower Coffee
108 Middle Road, #01-01
Singapore 188967
Daily: 8am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

THE BOOK CAFE

It is a great chill-out place where you can sit down, have a cup of coffee, read a book, and watch the world go by. The food there is pretty affordable too! Besides having a wide selection of magazines and newspapers, the cafe also has plenty of power-points for folks who are on their laptops.

The Book Cafe
20 Martin Road
Tel: +65 6887 5430
Sun to Thu: 8.30am – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 8.30am – 12 midnight

Previously known as the brand that brought the Instagram-worthy Hong-Kong style egglet waffles to Singapore in 2015, Hvala since has rebranded as an all-matcha lifestyle cafe. They have recently opened their second outlet at TripleOne Somerset, boasting the same chic, zen vibe as their outlet at CHIJMES.

Serving all-things Matcha, think Matcha Lattes, Whisked Matcha, Matcha cakes and Matcha Ice Cream, Hvala is an oasis for true matcha fans in Singapore.

Walking into Hvala at TripleOne Somerset was like walking into a modern Japanese Garden. Its Japanese-style minimalist interior was extremely calming and it provided the perfect backdrop to relax and enjoy the food and drinks.

It would be a great place to spend an afternoon catching up with friends over tea or just having some nice alone-time.

We first had to try the Matcha Latte (S$5.80) and we were not disappointed. The Matcha was freshly whisked and gently poured over milk to create a beautiful gradient. Sipping it down, the bitter taste of the matcha is contrasted by the milk and a little sweetness from the sugar syrup.

The Matcha was wonderfully smooth and flavourful with a floral note to it. It was pretty much one of the best Matcha Lattes we have had in Singapore.

To pair with our Matcha Latte, we ordered a slice of Hvala’s Hojicha Cake (S$7.80). Light and airy Hojicha-infused sponge is layered with fresh cream, adzuki beans and a generous drizzle of thick Hojicha sauce.

We loved how the smoky aroma of Hojicha was amplified by the bitter Hojicha sauce but we felt that the cake did not hold as much Hojicha flavour as we had hoped. We did like the nice contrast in texture that the adzuki beans provided, though!

Overall, we were pretty pleased with our experience at Hvala and we would love to come back again and spend the day here, sipping on a Matcha Latte and perhaps enjoy a book while doing so.

111 Somerset Road
TripleOne Somerset
Singapore 238164
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Walking down Orchard Road, there are plenty of famous malls that line the streets but one of the lesser-known ones is TripleOne Somerset even though it’s right outside the MRT Station. Recently renovated, this mall now has several attractive food options – from lunch to coffee and pastries.

One cafe, in particular, could be your new favourite cafe in town – Glyph Supply Co. It’s a minimalist’s dream, decked in white walls and simple decor. They serve up some delicious coffee and pastries so you could spend your entire morning sipping away watching as bustling crowds pass by the roads of Orchard Road.

We first ordered a Hot White (S$5.50) from their selection of coffee. We thought that the coffee was very smooth and did not have any unpleasant bitterness that lingered on our tastebuds. It was slightly acidic, though.

We also had the iced Matcha Latte (S$7). They hand-whisk ceremonial grade matcha powder in the latte resulting in a smooth matcha flavour with grassy yet floral tasting notes.

To go along with our drinks, we chose to have Glyph Supply Co’s Lemon Drizzle Loaf (S$5). Though it was rather petite in size, it packed a big punch of flavour. This is the kind of cake that will instantly lift your spirits, perfuming your tastebuds with the vibrant flavour of lemon. Sweet, tangy and addictive – hallmarks of a wonderful lemon cake.

This minimalist cafe is definitely a gem tucked away in the heart of Orchard road. Give them a try when you’re in town – their friendly staff will be more than happy to cater to your coffee cravings!

Glyph Supply Co
111 Somerset Road, #01-06
Singapore 238164
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 7.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 7.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset