The otherwise quaint and quiet neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru may be known as one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore, but beyond its old-school charm lies plenty of cafes worth exploring! From breakfast to brunch, dinner and dessert, here are the Top 10 Cafes in Tiong Bahru.
1) Little House of Dreams
There’s something about Little House of Dreams that is just attention-grabbing. And that attention in question has to do with the bright pink facade while the inviting fairytale-like interior makes it an ideal spot to enjoy with loved ones, particularly for couples or girls’ day out. When it comes to their menu, they offer deli and brunch items ranging from Roast Beef with Baguette to the hearty Big Breakfast and Fluffy Pancakes. Come lunch and dinner time, expect comfort food like Classic Fish & Chips, Triple Cheese Pizza and Black Angus Beef Burger.
littlehouseofdreams.com/shop | FB: littlehouseofdreams | IG: @littlehouseofdreams
2) Tiong Bahru Bakery
Here’s a popular bakery cafe that needs no introduction, with their signature croissant a must-try item on the menu. Apart from their classic flaky variety, they offer other flavours such as almond, almond chocolate and even green tea. But if you prefer a savoury type of croissant, they have them too, namely Roast Beef Croissant and Ham & Cheese Croissant. Other recommended dishes worth trying include the homemade Sourdough Waffle where you can enjoy it savoury or sweet. For those who choose to dine at their Eng Hoon Street branch, don’t forget to try their exclusive pair of sourdough waffles that come with 2 toppings of your choice. Among the toppings available include salted caramel, apricot jam and maple syrup.
tiongbahrubakery.com | FB: tiongbahrubakery | IG: @tiongbahrubakery
3) Merci Marcel
Offering a French Balinese dining experience in the comfort of a bohemian-style cafe, Merci Marcel boasts the kind of interior straight out from a Pinterest board. This includes everything from its beautiful glasshouse garden patio to the striking mustard mosaic-tile flooring — all of which are tastefully designed worthy of Instagrammable moments. Menu-wise, they cover a wide range of all-day menu options to choose from. Enjoy one of their fresh baked goods made with 100% French butter or start your day fresh with their wholesome organic Poached Eggs served with sourdough bread and mesclun. For lunch and dinner, try some of their delicious mains such as the Australian Grass-Fed Angus Beef or the Roasted Pork Loin Rack to share. The latter uses only GMO-free fed variety coupled with rosemary glaze, mashed parsnip and broccoli.
mercimarcelgroup.com | FB: mercimarcelsg | IG: @mercimarcel
4) Plain Vanilla Bakery
Plain Vanilla Bakery takes pride in offering only the best for their customers. That means you won’t find any mass-produced varieties other than homemade goodness from the finest ingredients possible. For instance, they only insist on using pure French butter and Belgian chocolate for their baked goods. Don’t forget to try their signature cupcakes, offering various flavours like Cookie and Cream, Dark Chocolate Ganache and Red Velvet. They also serve other food such as the house blend Granola Bowls served with natural Greek yoghurt, Chicken Pesto Pasta and pancake varieties. For the latter, it is only served exclusively during the weekend with toppings, namely Maple Bourbon Candied Bacon and Dark Chocolate Raspberry.
plainvanilla.com.sg | FB: pvbakery | IG: @pvbakery
5) Forty Hands
For those who are wondering why they named their cafe “Forty Hands”, it actually refers to the fact that 40 hands are required to produce a coffee from bean to cup. So, it goes without saying they know what’s best when it comes to coffee. Here, they offer both hot and iced varieties while those looking to fill in their tummies can check out Forty Hands’ range of Australian-style brunches. Serving all day long, go simple with their homemade Crunchy Dark Chocolate Granola or indulge in the beef or pork sausage-based Big Boy Breakfast. Need more recommendations? Their signature Tau Sar Pau (red bean bun) is definitely a must-try here as well as others like Fried Chicken Wings and Kong Bak Pau (steamed buns with braised pork in soya sauce).
40handscoffee.com | FB: fortyhands | IG: @40handscoffee
6) PS. Cafe Petit
PS. Cafe has a few branches islandwide and one of them happens to be at Tiong Bahru. This cosy bistro-style cafe has over 200 wines to choose from but they also serve brunch (only available on weekends) and comfort-food mains. For the latter, they have varieties of pizzas (PS. Smokey Margherita, Fennel Sausage and PS. Bolognese are some of their choices), burgers as well as fish & chips (battered with Tiger Beer) and chicken varieties. Keep in mind that given its limited seating capacity, takeaways are encouraged.
pscafe.com | FB: ps.petit | IG: @pscafe
7) Flock Cafe
Beyond its cosy and homey interior that exudes a sense of warmth, this family-run cafe features plenty of comfort-food goodness to satisfy your palate. Try one of their savoury pancakes ranging from scrambled eggs to crumbled dory fish and club sandwich-style. They serve all-day breakfast too, such as the tummy-filling Big Breakfast and Fruit Salad & House-Made Granola. Flock Cafe also offers all-time classic favourites, namely Pork Cheek Burger, beer-battered Fish & Chips and House-Made Beef Burger. Coffee-wise, they have everything from single/double espresso to latte, cappuccino and long black — all of which are sourced from the famous artisan roaster of Liberty Coffee.
flockcafe.com.sg | FB: FlockCafeSpore | IG: @flockcafespore
8) Chapter 55
An Italian bistro that doesn’t skimp on choices, with their menu covering everything from appetisers to mains and desserts. Some of their recommended dishes include the Warm Portobello Mushroom Salad, Crabmeat Aglio Linguine, Angus Ribeye Steak and the unique savoury-sweet Duck Lychee pizza. The latter comes in a 12-inch thin-crust variety topped with tender smoked duck breast, lychee and mushroom. Don’t forget to leave some space for one of their signature desserts, namely the freshly-made Buttermilk Waffles topped with various ingredients like banana slices, nuts and butterscotch sauce. If that’s not enough, they even include not one but two scoops of creamy gelato. Chapter 55 happens to make its own gelato in-house using the finest ingredients and only in small batches.
chapter55.com.sg | FB: chapter55 | IG: @chapter_55
9) The Butcher’s Wife
If there’s one thing about The Butcher’s Wife that impresses the most, it has to be their gluten-free menu. Not only that as they also happen to be the first of its kind in Singapore. Serving both lunch and dinner, they offer brunch options like Organic & Sustainable Acai & Banana Bowl and Fluffy Coconut Pancakes. For mains, they have wholesome varieties ranging from Sweet Potato Gnocchi to Buckwheat Tagliatelle, Banana Leaf Seabass and The Husband’s Favourite Beef Burger. Finally, the dessert: Sink your teeth at their Warm Chocolate Cake served with caramel-miso ice cream & pili nuts or go tropical with their refreshing Mango Coconut Parfait.
thebutcherswifesg.com | FB: thebutcherswifesg | IG: @thebutcherswifesg
10) Drips Bakery Café
For the past decade, Drips Bakery Cafe has been a mainstay at Tiong Bahru. The secret of their success lies in the commitment of using only the best ingredients available and exotic fruits sourced from all over the world. For sweet tooths, never leave the cafe without sampling their famous Seasonal Fruit Tart. The tart itself is a heavenly homemade morsel made from pure French butter, fresh custard and Madagascar vanilla beans. Then comes the best part: the toppings itself either served with the freshest seasonal fruits or berries of the day.
drips.com.sg | FB: dripsbakerycafe | IG: @dripsbakerycafe
That’s not all! More Top 10s in Singapore are waiting to be discovered!
The compilation of this list was made from accumulation of Public Votes at TallyPress.com.
