Housed within the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, Hortus—formerly known as Fennel Cafe—is a new Mediterranean restaurant by the Unlisted Collection which runs many exciting F&B concepts in Singapore including Burnt Ends, Basque Kitchen by Aitor, Meatsmith, The Market Grill and more.

Helmed by Chef/Owner Michael Wilson, Hortus is a new concept that specialises in Mediterranean cuisine and it is officially opening to the public on 6 October 2021.

Hortus is an all-day dining restaurant which serves lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The prices range from S$8 – S$30 for a small plate, S$15 for salads, and S$28 – S$45 for a main course.

Some of the things that you can look forward to at Hortus:

• Mediterranean salads
• Mediterranean dips
• Home-baked breads
• Mediterranean mains
• Housemade cakes, tarts and pastries

Hortus will be taking over the space vacated by Fennel Cafe while another new concept will be replacing the former Pollen Restaurant and it is slated to open in the next few weeks.

Hortus
18 Marina Drive, #01-09 Level 2 Flower Dome
Singapore 018953
Wed – Sun: 10am – 9pm

Fennel Cafe is a garden-themed cafe at Flower Dome within Gardens By The Bay which offers panoramic views of Marina Bay and Singapore Flyer. It is easily one of the prettiest places to have afternoon tea in Singapore.

The Afternoon Tea Set is priced at S$45++/pax (deposit is required for reservations).

Here’s what you can expect from Fennel Cafe’s Afternoon Tea Menu.

Savoury

• Egg salad sandwich with tomato chutney
• Chicken liver parfait cherry
• Salmon rillettes and cucumber sandwich
• Gruyere cheese gougeres
• Buttered leek and cheddar quiche

Sweet

• Mandarin choux
• Peanut butter and jelly macaron
• Salted caramel and pine nut tart
• Mango cream doughnut
• Whole wheat shortbread with chocolate and marshmallow

Devonshire

• Homemade scones with clotted cream & berry jam

Coffee/Tea Selection

• English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Chamomile, Peppermint, Rooibos Vanilla
• Espresso, Macchiato, Long Black, Cappuccino, Latte, Flat White, Mocha

At S$45++/pax, we were perhaps expecting more from the afternoon tea set, but it wasn’t the most impressive spread. The sandwiches, scones and doughnuts were great, but everything else wasn’t that memorable.

It is also worth mentioning that Fennel Cafe offers free-flow coffee/tea for the Afternoon Tea set (one beverage per person to be served at a time).

Having said that, we would still return to Fennel Cafe for the afternoon tea for the ambience and the complimentary access to the Flower Dome. It’s a lovely place to enjoy a leisure afternoon tea and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Do take note of the following if you are planning to go to Fennel Cafe for the afternoon tea.

There is a free buggy service from Gardens by the Bay’s arrival plaza to the Flower Dome and the service runs every five minutes from 11.30 am onwards.

You can also get complimentary access to the Flower Dome without paying the entrance fee which saves you S$12/adult. Make sure to take a stroll in the Flower Dome after having your afternoon tea at Fennel Cafe.

Fennel Cafe
S$45++/pax
3pm – 5pm (last seating at 4pm)

A charming, beautiful dining spot that’s a surefire way to impress a date, POLLEN Terrace astounds with its lush botanical surroundings, stellar service and delicious French-Mediterranean food that presents itself in the most vibrant of colours.

POLLEN Terrace takes up a large space in the Flower Dome at Gardens By The Bay and you can get there by hopping onto a personalised buggy ride at the arrival plaza—how fun is that?!

All POLLEN’s guests are also given complimentary access to the flower dome so you really do get so much more out of your meal there!

While the main draw of POLLEN is the restaurant at level one that offers multi-course dining, the terrace bar on level two is equally worth visiting too. Unlike many open bars in Singapore where you will have to bear with the midday heat, the temperatures at POLLEN will always remain at a cool 20 degrees Celsius.

It is always a great time to have a tipple at POLLEN; the curated beverage menu comprises their signature cocktails, wines and beers from both international and local brands.

Have a starter to whet your appetite. POLLEN’s couscous, duck ham, date and pomegranate salad (S$19++) is a visual feast that is refreshing and palatable on the taste buds as well.

One of our favourites on the menu, the Saffron risotto with beef cheek (S$34++) came with a chunk of juicy beef cheek placed on a bed of creamy saffron risotto that reminds us of the Spanish paella. We would, however, recommend this only for the light eaters or for sharing with other mains as the serving size is not substantial.

POLLEN’s 1,000 Guineas Shorthorn Beef (Striploin – S$38++, Ribeye – S$48++) is a treat for the senses.

From the perfectly seared edges to the medium pinkish interior, this one is for all the meat lovers. Accompanied on the side is a serving of fluffy, buttery mashed potato and a grilled portobello mushroom.

Pollen Terrace
18 Marina Gardens Drive
#02-09 Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6604 9988
Daily: 9.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront