New cafes in Singapore: they just keep comin’, undeterred by the high turnover rates in the F&B realm. But hey, who are we fickle diners to complain? The more the merrier, so here’s the lowdown on eateries that’ve recently opened — from a floral-themed space to a haven for vegans.
Eleven Strands
From the folks behind Kembangan cafe South Union Park, which cooks up some of the best pasta on the island (in our humble opinion), comes Eleven Strands, an affordable Serangoon spot with Italian influences. Stepping into the unit left behind by Kombi Rocks Diner, the minimally-decorated eatery does what it excels at: great pastas. Straying slightly from the original, the plates here tend towards classic recipes such as aglio olio and beef bolognese, but simple is just as good when you’ve got solid skills in the kitchen.
Meats like grilled pork chop, BBQ ribs, and braised beef cheeks appear on the menu as well, plus sides such as French onion soup and chicken liver pâté. But really, any cafe associated with the ace chefs at South Union Park could serve us butter and toast, and we’d still be totally on board with it.
66 Yio Chu Kang Rd. 9487-1398. Tues-Sat noon-11:30pm, Sun noon-10pm.
Kebun
Singapore’s first vegan latte bar. Intrigued? Kebun‘s set up by a team of vegans who’ve done their time in the kitchen experimenting with dairy-free milks, resulting in house-made cashew “mylk” that’s made fresh daily for the Chinatown cafe.
Promising to be a better-tasting milk, the substitute apparently contains more nutritional value, and can be found in the menu’s selection of tea lattes such as Earl Grey, chai, and matcha. More unusual concoctions are available as well, with the likes of Royal Thai (black tea orange blossom and crushed tamarind seeds), Seoul misugaru (black sesame seeds, black beans, black and brown rice, barley grains) and Korean sweet potato — all of which you can pair with any of the vegan desserts on display.
#01-41, 531 Upper Cross St. 9009-8375. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm.
Little Oasis
A cozy refuge from the sweltering heat, this hidden Everton Park cafe offers a calming space away from the busy roads nearby. Originating as an online home bakery called Little Wooden Table, Little Oasis aims for wholesome and healthy with all-day brekkie goodies for breakfast and lunch. Think banana oatmeal waffles, avocado egg bagel, granola cup, smoked salmon quinoa stack, baked chicken salad, and a hearty platter of eggs, grilled tomatoes, avo, greens, mushrooms, toast, and fruits. If you’d like a dessert slice, try signatures like lemon drizzle cake, Earl Grey lavender chiffon, or banana yogurt loaf.
#01-79, Blk 3 Everton Park. Tues-Sun 9am-5pm.
Voyage Patisserie
A pleasant spot to chill with a surprisingly large menu, Voyage Patisserie is an elegant gem among the old school shops of Tiong Bahru. In its ground floor shop house space, the cafe serves a medley of coffees, teas and kombuchas, alongside light snacks like croissants, brioche slices, and savory quiches. If you’re hankering for a proper meal, it’s also got salads and French-style mains like Croque Madame, braised oxtail, and steak and egg sandwich.
But the star of the show is clearly the selection of beautifully styled desserts that glisten and gleam as they call out to your inner sugar fiend. From tiramisu with peach confit to apple mille feuille to a Hokkaido sweet corn soufflé that comes with a scoop of toasted popcorn ice cream, the sweets are quite the treat.
249 Outram Rd. 6223-2490. Tues-Thurs 10am-10pm, Fri-Sun 10am-midnight.
Wild Blooms
In the heartland neighborhood of Hougang, you’ll find a lovely little cafe that knows just how to be Insta-worthy for the new generation of social media foodies. Florals and pops of color dot the two-story space that is Wild Blooms, with plenty of gorgeous backdrops for you to snap even the most basic of dishes.
But looks aside, the menu offers decent cafe items like charcoal wings, sambal pulled pork burger, and a range of pastas, coupled with desserts that are just as photogenic. Try the rose apple pie or order one of the flower tea jelly cakes that come in flavors such as osmanthus and jasmine. They’re almost too pretty to eat — except we never turn down a sugar high.
#01-01 The Midtown, 1187 Upper Serangoon Rd. 9191-9722. Tues-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-midnight, Sun 11am-9pm.
