The quieter sister of Keong Saik Road, Bukit Pasoh Road deserves equal credit for being a foodie’s lane. Lined with hip bars and charming cafes, this preserved street has won our hearts over with its laidback, rustic aura.

And, if you haven’t heard, this stretch has received another addition to its family of establishments.

Meet Bakery’s Bench Bakery — a new artisanal neighbourhood bakery that churns out stellar bakes and gourmet sandwiches. From cranberry scones to croque monsieur, they’ve got everything you need for a dignified brunch. Caffeine junkies, not to worry, they also have a respectable selection of coffee brews and tea beverages.

Their interior brags of elegant Scandinavian vibes, replete with muted greens and lush plants. The granite floor and walls lend a subdued industrial touch to the whole space.

We especially adore the aesthetic of the main counter, which sees dangling lamps and hanging pastries.

The server shared that all their bread and croissant pastries are made with a sourdough base, which endows them with a tarter, deeper flavour.

Starting off with the Savory Swirl (S$4.50), this spiral danish pastry is stuffed with pesto and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. While the pastry itself was gorgeously flaky, it could have used more pesto filling and cheese.

One of their signature pastries is The Sticky Bun (S$5), a cinnamon bun glazed with caramel and toasted pecans. Resembling a gooey caramelised block of gold, it set our expectations pretty high for how it was going to taste.

And, trust us, it was every bit as good as it looked. The dough itself was fluffy with a soft, buttery chewiness. And when accompanied with the sticky caramel and crunchy pecans, it made for a dreamy indulgence.

We also tried the Hazelnut Twice-Baked Croissant (S$5.50). Speckled with hazelnut bits and icing sugar, the croissant had a deliciously crisp exterior.

However, we wished they were more generous with the hazelnut-infused frangipane filling, which was merely concentrated in the middle. Also, they could work on the overall flakiness of the croissant, which was slightly lacking.

Although Baker’s Bench Bakery’s pastries aren’t out-of-this-world amazing, they speak of incredible thoughtfulness and soul. We can’t get enough of their alluring atmosphere and warm service.

We can see this place getting really packed soon, so you might want to head there soon before this place gets big.

6 Bukit Pasoh Rd
Singapore 089820
Wed – Mon: 8.30am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Outram Park

Tiong Bahru is one of the best areas for hungry souls with the many hidden gems and cafes that offer scrumptious food at almost every turn. Newly opened in early 2019, Cafe Pandan is yet another addition to the bustling area.

Serving a plethora of traditional Singaporean breakfast dishes and even having their own DIY-Nasi Lemak station, Cafe Pandan is a must-visit for those in the area craving for a good ol’ school meal.

We had a taste of their Plain Cheong Fun (S$3.50) which came in a generous portion despite the affordable price tag. The silky rolls of cheong fun were coated in a sesame soy sauce and accompanied with a dollop of their house-made chilli.

Their chilli was what truly made the dish so delicious, giving it that small kick of spice with a hint of sweetness. Mix this in with the soy sauce to create a thicker sauce that can coat each piece of cheong fun!

For a good breakfast, sometimes, simplicity is the way to go. It certainly was the case with Cafe Pandan’s Thick Toast Set (S$5). Fluffy thick toast is slathered with a generous helping of the slightly savoury peanut butter and accompanied with 2 soft-boiled eggs and a choice of hot Teh or Kopi.

The toast was delicious and we liked how liberal they were with the peanut butter. The bread was soft but we felt that it was a bit dry. However, it wasn’t a big issue once you chase it down with a sip of their hot tea.

The tea was flavourful and milky, but we did feel it was slightly on the sweet side.

Cafe Pandan sits near to Wangz Hotel, so keep your eyes peeled for this entrance when you go exploring the enclaves of Tiong Bahru.

Cafe Pandan
241 Outram Road
Singapore 169044
Tel: +65 6224 2723
Tue to Sun: 8am – 8pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Outram Park/Tiong Bahru

Cafes come and go but we can tell you that this hidden gem of a bakery is currently one of the best patisseries in Singapore. Despite its tiny space, it is comfortable and smells of fresh croissants with a hint of dried roses.

Sugar Thieves, opened in December last year, is a local bakery that specializes in mousse cakes and croissants. Their desserts are not just pleasing to the eye, but taste absolutely ambrosial on your tongue too.

Tucked away in the quiet streets of Kreta Ayer is the small, cosy bakery—Sugar Thieves. They can be easily missed so keep a look out for their modern wooden-panelled exterior and white signboard. Or just try spotting their freshly baked croissants sitting near the window.

The moment you step inside, all you can smell is the buttery aroma of their croissants. They have many flavours and they do change occasionally; this includes flavours such as Houjicha (S$6.50), Hokkaido Milk (S$5.50) and even a Truffle Parmesan flavour (S$7)!

We tried the Houjicha Croissant and it did not disappoint. It was crispy, flaky and most importantly, stuffed full of light and fluffy Houjicha cream. We initially had our doubts on how strong the tea flavour would turn out to be but it exceeded expectations.

Trying the Strawberry Watermelon Cake (S$8.90) was truly a pleasure. It was light, fluffy and refreshing. The sweetness was just right, offset by the fresh strawberries, grapes and watermelon.

Normally, sweet cream gets rather jelak after a while, but this cream was cloud-like and complimented the overall cake well. There was also a hint of rose to the cake and the perfumed taste of watermelon and rose lingered on quite a while after we had finished the cake.

Saving the prettiest for last, we had their avocado mousse cake, coined the “Avo” (S$8.90). It was a pretty petite piece that made us do a double take; it looked so much like an actual avocado! Well, they used an actual avocado peel for the base.

Taking a scoop of the creamy avocado cheesecake mousse revealed the chocolate sponge cake underneath. The addition of the “seed”—a macadamia nut praline—brought the cake to a whole new level, adding an element of savoury to it. This is the kind of cake you bring home to mama.

Sometimes, when food looks too good to be eaten, they usually don’t taste all that great but Sugar Thieves has got the best of both worlds with their bakes.

One thing to note is that although we had their cakes in-house, they have a very small space and only have limited seating options. So, it may be better to take those cakes and croissants home to enjoy.

Sugar Thieves
Blk 333, #01-23
Kreta Ayer Rd
Singapore 080333
Tel: +65 9850 4377
Wed to Sat: 12pm – 6pm
(Closed Sun – Tue)
Nearest Station: Outram Park