Rangoon Road is one of those areas that we’d love to think of as the “last frontiers of Singapore”. In our memories, we grew up knowing Rangoon Road as one laid back neighbourhood scattered with coffee shops, little eateries and workshops. When one thinks of Rangoon Road, Ng Ah Sio and Founders Bak Kut Teh come to mind.

However, the neighbourhood is more than just bak kut teh. While Rangoon Road may not have evolved much, it is no less quaint and lovely. Today, many new cafes have opened in the neighbourhood and it is hardly a surprise given the strategic location.

Here is a guide to cafes in the Rangoon Road neighbourhood.

#1 BRUNCHES CAFE

Situated along Rangoon Road, this furniture-cum-bakery cafe has an exceptional decor, cluttered with countless of vintage furniture which you can bag home at a price. Here at Brunches Cafe, you will not feel like you are dining in the usual cafe setting but in a factory store instead. One of the most distinct furnishing includes a mini-cooper turned dining table, allowing you to dine with an nostalgic experience you will never forget.

96 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218381
Tel: +65 8685 8488
Mon, Wed to Sun: 9am – 7pm
Closed on Tue
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#2 JEWEL CAFE & BAR

Jewel Coffee’s second outlet at Rangoon Road is much spacious than its original coffee shop in Shenton Way. Well-loved by the executives and expats – its first wave of supporters – Jewel sees a younger and hippy crowd at its two-story space at Rangoon Road. Still serving quality brew that is consistent and always pleasing, Jewel Cafe & Bar is a marvellous option to head to when you need a good cuppa.

They have a pretty decent food menu too, and though prices are slightly steep, we really enjoyed the ricotta pancakes we had.

129 Rangoon Road
Tel: +65 6298 9216
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#3 L’ETOILE CAFE

One of the earliest cafes to open in the Rangoon Road neighbourhood, L’Etoile is a quaint and charming French-themed Japanese café. On the food menu, you can find all day brunch, salad, soup, sandwiches as well as desserts.

Well-loved by many and with a steady stream of loyal supporters over the years, think of it as an artisan cafe with a tastefully-done up space, where you can settle down at a table by the window to hear the rain splatter over a slice of azuki cake.

160 Owen Road
Tel: +65 6298 2872
Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#4 OLD HEN COFFEE BAR

Established in July 2014, Old Hen Coffee Bar is a relatively newcomer in the local café scene. It is a cosy unit that sits at Rangoon 88, a SoHo building along Rangoon Road. Old Hen offers the standard cappuccino, latte and flat white, but the must-try is its signature cold brew – which is extremely satisfying on a hot day.

What may seem like a small and unassuming unit is actually an inviting space that you can retreat to when you need a coffee break, or when you need somewhere quiet to catch up on your emails or to read your newest issue of Kinfolk.

88 Rangoon Road #01-03
Singapore 218374
Tel: +65 6341 5458
Mon: 12pm – 10pm
Wed to Fri: 12pm – 10pm
Sat: 10am – 6.30pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#5 P BISTRO

Unlike most of the new cafes that are more hype than substance, P Bistro at Owen Road – just down the road from L’Etoile Cafe – is a refreshing addition to the local dining scene. The no-frills bistro dishes out comfort food at reasonable prices. They may not taste extraordinary, but they make good meals.

Expect dishes like Carbonara (S$15), Beef Bolognaise Spaghetti (S$16), Coq au Vin Jaune (S$22), Roast Chicken with Mushroom Sauce (S$18) and Duck Confit (S$28).

142 Owen Road
Tel: +65 6392 2333
Sun to Thu (Closed on Mon): 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#6 THE COLD PANTRY

The Chocolate Root Beer Waffle (S$12.50) is out of this world. Although chocolate in the batter made the waffle slightly cake-ier in texture, we liked that the waffle still stayed crisp throughout and the added chocolate chip cookie, charcoal vanilla soft-serve and the homemade root beer sauce all came together perfectly.
131 Rangoon Road
Tel: +65 9179 7266
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 9pm
Fri to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

For more recommendations, read our guide to Singapore’s Best Cafes.

It’s really nice to see so many new cafes sprouting up around Singapore. I’ve been going on a cafe-hopping adventure, and one of the places that I went to is L’etoile Cafe at Owen Road.

The French-themed Japanese cafe is a real hidden gem, so if you are looking for a place to hangout with your friends this weekend, you can consider coming here.

Getting to L’etoile is not that difficult. Take the North-East line, alight at Farrer Park and find exit D which leads to Owen Road.

The ground floor is pretty much like a regular cafe with simple furnishings. It is the second floor (the first picture of this post) that makes the cafe stand out.

They did a good job mixing and matching old furniture. The result: a quirky and whimsical look that you can’t find elsewhere. I particularly loved the birdcage painting on the wall.

The current brunch menu is simple and affordable. They have several items like big breakfast ($9.5), eggs benedict ($5.9), banana nutella toast ($5.9), French toast ($5.9), and French crepes ($5).

From what I understand, they will be introducing a new all day brunch menu in the coming weeks. For now, their food menu is available till 3-4pm.

L’etoile cafe is a place where you can have a cup of coffee, read a book, and watch the world goes by. It’s also a place where you can hangout with a group of friends and play card games all day long. I like that it is not too crowded, and the off-the-track location makes it feel as though you are going on a quest to find a hidden treasure.

L’etoile Cafe
160 Owen Road
Tel: +65 6298 2872
Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

For more recommendations, please read my list of best cafes in Singapore