Updated: The Dispensary is no longer in operation.
Walk into this quaint little cafe at the far end of the trendy Tiong Bahru neighbourhood and you will be greeted with a unique interior and atmosphere that you will not be able to find anywhere else.
What used to be a traditional Chinese medicine hall is now The Dispensary, a one-of-a-kind cafe concept that preserved what was left of its former tenant, to weave it into their new and fresh old-meets-new concept.
Tiong Bahru is every cafe hopper’s dream and also every foodie’s heaven. With the wide range of cuisine types and choices this trendy neighbourhood offers, Tiong Bahru has slowly and successfully become one of the most iconic food destinations in Singapore.
The formula is no rocket science – Tiong Bahru offers us a rustic charm like no other. With a neighbourhood as full of life as Tiong Bahru, it is no surprise that more and more people choose to open their cafes, restaurants or bakeries here.
If you are unfamiliar with the area or thinking about making a trip down to sample some delicious food, here is our Guide to Tiong Bahru’s Restaurants, Cafes & Eateries to assist you in picking the best place in the neighbourhood to dine in.
Tiong Bahru is one of the oldest residential estates in Singapore. But in recent times, it has undergone a renaissance; the area is probably the hippest neighbourhood in Singapore right now. It all started with the opening of a coffee joint and an indie book store along Yong Siak Street. The rest, as they say, is history.
Here is a guide to Tiong Bahru’s restaurants, bars, cafes and shops.
PS Cafe Petit at Tiong Bahru is a new takeaway concept for freshly made pizzas and wine. It has a very cool vibe, and I love the design of the shopfront and interior. It is a shame that there is no dine-in area, though.
That said, it is a good option if you want to get pizzas for occasions like a house party, or picnic. On the menu, you can find pizzas (prices range from $21-28) such as PS Original Smokey Marherita, Bolognese, and Four Cheese Porcini.
PS Cafe Petit
78 Guan Chuan Street #01-41
Tel: +65 9226 7088
Tue to Sun: 11am – 10.30pm
Words by Sarah Lim, photos by ladyironchef.
Open Door Policy at the uber-hip Yong Siak Street has certainly managed to draw in the brunch-loving crowd with their creative weekend offerings. Groups of patrons, mostly expatriate families, started streaming in once doors flung open at 11am and half an hour later the restaurant was fully packed.
Being under the Spa Esprit group (which also manages Forty Hands Cafe), we’d expected no less of the décor, and ODP certainly delivers as far as ambience is concerned. Despite the collision of rustic wooden shelves, metallic elements lining the ceiling and stools looking as if they came out from a 1960s classroom, everything blended together to create the perfect Manhattan-chic vibe for a weekend brunch.
And that was precisely what we were here for on a Sunday morning. It didn’t matter that the brunch menu had fewer than 10 items; we immediately homed in on the pancakes, French toast and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs.