Orchard Road is one of the to-go places during the year-end period for the Christmas lights, shopping and dining out with friends.
If you are heading to Orchard Road, this is an update of DFD’s previous entry of ”10 NEW Cafes At Orchard Road”, featuring more of the relatively new names of brunch places, cafes and dessert shops on the shopping belt.
For convenience, I listed them in order of direction from Tanglin Road to Somerset area.
Pano Kato
Tanglin Mall #02-23, 163, Tanglin Road Singapore 247933
Tel: +65 6235 5056
Opening Hours: 9am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Grill, Pizza and Deli at Tanglin Mall
As I was a fan of House Of AnLi, it didn’t take me too long to head over to Pano Kato located just a level below.
This is a Greek and Mediterranean style deli, serving up dishes such as Greek Salad with Feta Cheese ($22), Calamari ($22), Grilled Octopus ($28), Burrata ($4) and selection of pasta and pizzas.
I loved the Grilled Octopus ($28) which though looked small for its price, had a incredibly chewy texture, flavourful and well-grilled.
However, after repeat visits, my friends and I thought both the food and service were fairly inconsistent, but lovely space though.
Merci Marcel – Orchard
390 Orchard Road, #01-03/04, Palais Renaissance Singapore 238871
Opening Hours: 8am – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)
French Lifestyle Cafe At Orchard, With Beautiful Bohemian-Chic Outdoor Space
French restaurant-café Merci Marcel has a couple of outlets, at Tiong Bahru, Club Street, and this lifestyle concept at Orchard Road.
The Merci Marcel completes that picture – coffee, desserts, wine, food, place to Instagram and shop, and kids would probably feel comfortable here as well.
The all-day dining destination has quite a number of highlight dishes on its menu, including Ravioles de Royans ($18, $28)– French dumpling pasta filled with cheese & spinach, foie gras emulsion, Atlantic Wild Cod ($34), Barramundi Tartare ($23), Smoked Haddock Salad ($18), and of course the trending Impossible Marcel Burger ($28).
For desserts, there is the Crepe Mercel with tiramisu emulsion ($12), and Pineapple Carpaccio ($11) which my friend described as the best sweet thing she had in a while. Always packed. Merci Marcel (Orchard)
Brown Butter
583 Orchard Road, #01-18-19, Forum The Shopping Mall, Singapore 238884
Opening Hours: 11am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Avocado And Beetroot-Centric Cafe With Pink And Teal Colours
From the folks behind the Over-The-Top Milkshakes at Benjamin Browns and Flying Noodles at Hana restaurant, one would expect their newest venture would be another Instagram hit.
The entire space at Brown Butter is full of Instagram spots; from a wall full of pink roses to an entire pink shelf, pink fridge and a dual tone wall decked in pink and teal for the perfect #OOTD shot.
Their desserts menu is short and concise with avocado incorporated within it, namely Avocado Pancakes ($18), The Works ($21) served with bacon and sunny side up, Avo Waffles ($16) and Torched Avocado Cheesecake ($12).
The Avocado Pancakes ($18) came with 2 stacks of avocado pancakes with avocado slices sandwiched in between, and topped with blueberries and banana.
Social Place Singapore
Forum The Shopping Mall, #01-22, 583 Orchard Road, Singapore 238884
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 9pm (Sun – Thurs), 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9:30pm (Fri – Sat)
Retro-Chic Tea House From Hong Kong Opens At Orchard Road
Founded in Hong Kong, Social Place is a retro-chic contemporary tea house imbued with nostalgic touches from olden Hong Kong days, which serves an innovative spread of Chinese fares and Dim Sum offerings.
Upon stepping into the restaurant, you will be greeted with sleek modern interior accompanied with fun vibrant elements such as, using ping pong table for dining and a whole mural wall made up of mah-jong tiles.
They were probably the OG innovators for the now already available dishes in Singapore such as Flaming Pineapple, Fried Chicken Pieces with Chillies served in Nest, and Truffle Mushroom Buns.
What left an impression was their Pork Sliders ($14.80) aka Chinese Kong Bak Pao which came with a slice of tender braised fatty pork meat sandwiched in between soft fluffy buns which literally melts in your mouth. Social Place (Orchard Road)
Cafe de Muse
350 Orchard Road Isetan Scotts, Shaw House, #01-00 & #02-00 Singapore 228208
Opening Hours: 24/7
Korean Coffee and Dessert Place at Shaw House
It seems like Cafe de Muse is a “Korean” cafe, looking at the servers, customers (who are primary Koreans) and they serve up Bingsu as well.
The cafe serves up the typical brunch items such as Avocado on Toast ($22), Egg Benedict ($26), a couple of sandwiches such as Beef & Chimichurri ($20), and Pasta dishes ($20 – $24).
The seats by the window make it a place to people-watch, and a friend quipped there is a “hunky cute Korean server with a soft voice”. Otherwise, I thought that the menu could have more differentiating factor to match its higher than average price point.
Leckerbaer Singapore
350 Orchard Road, Shaw House Isetan Scotts #01-K2 & #01-K3, Singapore 238868
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)
Famous Danish Cookies Specialty Cafe At Orchard Road
From Denmark to Singapore, Leckerbaer has opened at Shaw House Isetan Scotts with a café concept. (Luke’s Lobster is neighbour and the brand-new Shake Shack is just across the road at Liat Towers.)
Leckerbaer was founded by two pastry chefs, Gabi and Jakob Baer Mogensen, who have extensive experience in the Scandinavian Michelin-Star scene.
The pastry shop makes everything from scratch and there are 8 Småkager in the counter to choose from. Flavours in Singapore include Banana, Milk, Chocolate, Vanilla, Passionfruit, Raspberry, Lemon, and Caramel.
However, these are not your usual-priced cookie, with each piece slightly bigger than a 50 cent coin costing $2.80. Savoury tarts from priced at $11 – $13, while a Breakfast Set is at $13. Leckerbaer Singapore (Orchard Road)
Poulet + Brasserie
ION Orchard #B3-21, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
French Fusion Restaurant-Café With Duck Confit, Nutella French Toast, At ION Orchard
Fans of Poulet would be familiar with its Roast Chicken with mushroom Chardonnay, Diane sauce, or cranberry sauce; but Poulet + Brasserie presents quite an entirely different concept.
A menu quite unlike their existing one, this one takes inspiration from cuisines in different places – Melbourne’s café-hopping scene, a little bit of Thai and French fare, and Singapore’s own local dishes. You can expect to find Seafood Laksa Linguine and Kaya French Toast here.
Chef Joshua Khoo (one of the chef-founder of Saveur) leads the kitchen brigade in preparing these dishes, combining local flavours with traditional French cooking techniques.
Get the Truffle Mushroom Risotto ($15++) which is infused with lots of umami flavours from combining different types of mushrooms – including oyster, button and brown shimeji mushrooms. You will also find bacon cubes and almond nuts for that multi-textural contrast. Poulet + Brasserie (ION Orchard)
Bacha Coffee
2 Orchard Turn, #01-15/16 ION Orchard Mall, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Gorgeous Moroccan Themed Coffee Boutique & Brunch Place
This is the Moroccan brand’s first international outpost, specialising in coffee from single origins, coffee blends as well as flavoured coffee.
People think the concept is like TWG, but coffee version.
There are over 200 to choose from, and so you can come almost every day in a year if variety is what you crave. While the coffee selection may look overwhelming at first, they do include the taste profile and strength, and the serving staff can guide you along to make a preferred selection.
The décor itself is striking, designed to reflect the Moroccan Dar el Bacha palace in Marrakech. Some customers take the opportunity to strike a pose, some repeatedly and too many.
As for food, perhaps the more unique and Moroccan style dishes left a better impression, such as the Morrocan Chicken Pastilla infused with Rosenheim Coffee ($24), and Moroccan Kefta Meatballs accompanied with straw potato fries ($28). Bacha Coffee (ION Orchard)
Matchaya – Paragon
#B1-K4, Paragon, 290 Orchard Road, Singapore 238859
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
New Outlet at Orchard Paragon With Matcha Koffee, Houjicha Cakes
While many Japanese Cafes in Singapore are imports, Matchaya is a home-grown brand that has enjoyed quite a following.
Other than its café-style space at The Cathay (it previously moved from Icon Village), it has opened a NEW kiosk at Orchard Paragon.
The Japanese tea outlet at the basement of Paragon serves up more than just modern Japanese-inspired beverages, but also include desserts, cakes and softserves.
For Houjicha lovers, they serve up Houjica Choux Pastry ($4 per pc, $22 per box of 6) and Salted Caramel Coco Houjicha Roll Cake ($6 per pc, $28 per roll).
The roll cake includes houjicha, Chantilly creamed and salted caramel dark chocolate embedded in chocolate sponge, surrounded by fluffy sponge.
Flipper’s Pancakes Singapore
391 Orchard Road Takashimaya Shopping Centre #B1-56 Singapore 238872
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Famous Soufflé Pancakes Cafe At Takashimaya
The famous Flipper’s Pancakes from Japan has opened in Singapore at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City.
Diners in Singapore can come expecting 6 different soufflé pancake flavours.
They include the original Kiseki Pancake Plain ($16.80), Matcha Azuki ($20.80), Hazelnut Chocolate ($21.80), Millennial Strawberry ($20.80), Fresh Fruits ($21.80). And for a savoury option, there is the Benedict Pancake ($21.80).
Their Kiseki pancakes (well, most of them) are served in stacks of 3s, come with a wobbly soufflé-like texture, and with house-made maple-butter cream.
So comparing this to say the average souffle pancake in Singapore, what makes that difference is that the milk, Kanagawa Hinata eggs, and Hokkaido Kitahonami wheat flour used are all imported from Japan.
Which would just give that added subtle ‘egginess’. Flipper’s Pancakes Singapore (Takashimaya)
The Cupping Room Singapore
Unit #02-10A Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road, Singapore 238872
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)
Famous Cafe In Hong Kong Has Opened At Takashimaya
If you have been to Hong Kong’s Central, you may have noticed the popular The Cupping Room along Cochrane Street, which is its flagship store located near Mid-levels.
They serve up espresso-based drinks using their House Blend; though are also known for offering single origin coffee beans from Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, Peru, and Rwanda.
I had the smaller cup of White, and thought that the acidity level could be on the stronger side for the Singapore palate. Perhaps next time I would order a larger cup or iced version with more milk to balance off.
There is a small selection of pastries and light bites offered such as Hazelnut Brownie ($5), Banana Bread ($5), Kouign Amann ($7) and Pain Au Chocolate ($6.50). Cupping Room Coffee Roasters Singapore (Takashimaya)
Drips Bakery Café – Orchard
Ngee Ann City #B2-31, 391 Orchard Road, Singapore 238872
Tel: +65 6222 0400
Opening Hours: 8am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
Tarts Specialty Shop Opens At Ngee Ann City
Compared to the Tiong Bahru outlet, this is a smaller space and functions more like a takeaway shop.
They also offer Baked Tart with Long Black/Tea sets at $11.80, or Scone/Teacake/Croissant with Long Black or Tea at $6.
Rotating tarts you can expect to find there include Baked Almond Tart, Matcha Yuzu Tart, Cinnamon Egg Tart, Choc Truffle Tart, Baked Crumble Tart, Fresh Avocado Tart, Fresh Yuzu Tart, Lemon Meringue Tart, Baked Lemon Tart, Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart, and more.
The one item that has remained as a best seller over the decade is the Seasonal Fresh Fruit Tart ($12.90).
They use a secret recipe to create a French butter tart shell paired with freshly made in-house custard infused with Madagascar vanilla beans.
The tart is then topped with freshest seasonal fruits available. I once had the Mixed Fruit Tart with raspberries and blackberries which had a soft crumbly crust, smooth cream cheese.
Cafe Ma Maison
333A Orchard Road #02-33/34 Mandarin Gallery Singapore 238897
Tel: +65 6235 6411
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Japanese Cafe With Pretty Fresh Fruits Shortcakes And Fruits-Sando
Ma Maison, known for their Japanese-Western cuisine, Tonkatsu and pretty Japanese fruit tarts has re-opened its café concept at Mandarin Gallery.
For those of you who remember, Café Ma Maison used to exist at Liang Court’s basement. The new space at Orchard Road replaces where gorgeous pastry shop Antoinette used to be.
Other than a seasonal Assorted Fruits-Sando, there are two styles of cakes served – Special Cakes and Fruit Tarts.
In terms of “Special Cakes”, there is an attractive display of Classic Strawberry Shortcake ($7.80), Chocolate Walnut ($7.80), Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake ($7.80), Earl Grey Tea ($7.80), Fresh Fruit Shortcake ($8.80), and Japanese Matcha Mousse & Red Bean ($8.80).
While my heart told me to go for a Strawberry Shortcake, I thought it has become quite a regular offering in Singapore’s cafes and so opted for a more uncommon and colourful Fresh Fruit Shortcake.
Also included is a small savoury items menu, with Omu-Katsu ($20.80) of Omu-Rice with Pork Cutlet, Truffle-Flavoured Katsu Sandwich ($14.80), and Mentaiko Spaghetti ($18.30). Café Ma Maison (Mandarin Gallery)
Alchemist Design Orchard (DO)
250 Orchard Road, #03-01 Design Orchard, Singapore 238905
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)
Hidden Café At A Rooftop Garden In The Heart Of Orchard Road
Called “Alchemist Design Orchard (DO)”, this is Alchemist’s fourth outlet, following branches at International Plaza, Hong Leong Building, and a flagship store in Tai Seng. (Okay, they must think I love them A LOT since I actually wrote 4 reviews for them.)
Alchemist DO will be to many, the ‘perfect Instagram spot’ with concrete interiors, a swanky terrazzo tile coffee bar along with stainless steel finishing, along with some natural daylight at certain angles.
Pastries are supplied by local micro-bakery Bakehaus, and you can expect Butter Croissant ($3.50), Chocolate Croissant ($4.50), Almond Chocolate ($5), Raisin Custard Swirl ($5), and Passionfruit Danish ($5).
%Arabica Singapore – 313@somerset
313 Orchard Road #01-14/15 313@somerset Singapore 238895
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)
Famous Kyoto Coffee Shop At 313@somerset
A rather prominent location for %Arabica Singapore, especially if you come out from Somerset MRT, or walk from 313 to Orchard Central.
The company strives to source all its beans directly from the origins. Depending on the season and availability, you can find coffees from Japan, Guatemala, Brazil, El Salvador, Ethiopia and Panama.
The Caffe Latte is priced at $7 for short, $8 for tall, while the iced version is priced at $8. Not considered cheap.
If you prefer something sweeter, also available is the Spanish Latte ($7.80. $9.00) which is included with condensed milk.
Grain Alley
Orchard Central #01-10, 181 Orchard Road, Singapore 238896
Opening Hours: 9am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)
Brunch Place With Instagrammable Interior At Orchard Central
Grain Alley falls into a strange situation where you would expect to find rice bowls in a place called “GRAIN Alley”, but it sells anything but that.
The menu features an all-day brunch with items such as Chorizo Shakshuka ($21), Duck Tagine with Truffle Mash ($25), Bratwurst Brunch Platter ($29), Great Greek Salad ($19), Smoked Salmon Croissant ($9, and Vegan Avocado Toast ($11).
Some of the cakes such as the Sea Salt Caramel Cake ($9) is worth a mention for is smooth texture, though one may hesitate to order due to its price.
Location is central, interior is welcoming, staff members are friendly. Grain Alley (Orchard Central)
Walking On Sunshine Cafe
Orchard Central #03-07, 181 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 8877 0088
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)
Garden-themed Cafe At Orchard Central
Walking On Sunshine or WOS, the newest beauty and dining hub in the block, is located at the 3rd floor of Orchard Central. It is one of the biggest you can find in Singapore, juxtaposing a salon and a café in one location.
If you could just pick one item from the food menu, make it the Instagram-popular Soufflé Pancake ($20.50).
Imagine a stack of three light and fluffy pancakes topped with a special cream, nuts, and fresh fruits like berries, grapes and strawberries. Good for sharing (or save all for yourself), this dish is loved by kids and adults alike.
Or have a savoury pancake for a change. The Crab and Kimchi Pancake ($20.50) is definitely on the other side of the flavour spectrum, but its spicy-sour taste is just as inviting.
Sip famous teas from Korea as you delight in the sight of beautiful flowers and plants around you, while enjoying time with your family and friends.
Glyph Supply Co
111 Somerset Road, #01-06, Singapore 238164
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5pm (Mon – Fri), 10:30am – 5pm (Sat – Sun)
Minimalist White Café Found At Somerset
Glyph Supply Co. has been attracting quite a fair bit of customers, because it is an artisanal café with quite an “instagrammable” interior.
Coffee is priced at $4.50 for the black, $5.50 for the white, Coldbrew at $6.00, while iced versions cost $1 extra. For non-coffee drinkers, there is also offering of Matcha ($6.00) and Chocolate ($6.00).
This is slightly pricier than what you find in other hipster cafes in the neighbourhoods, but I suppose they have high rentals to pay.
Bakes are from Carpenter & Cook, and you get a rotational selection from Lemon Tart, Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Tart, Passionfruit Meringue Tart, Almond Croissant, Pain Au Chocolat, to savoury bites of Mushroom Quiche, and Ham and Cheese Croissant.
Quality coffee you can find at this part of town, plus it is considered slightly hidden. Glyph Supply Co. (TripleOne Somerset)
Hvala – TripleOne Somerset
111 Somerset Road, Singapore 238164
Opening Hours: 11am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Minimalist Japanese Cafe At Somerset
Hvala’s Japanese teahouse is what I would describe as a little oasis in busy downtown.
The space located at TripleOne Somerset (do check out Coney Donut while you are there) has got almost full-white look with minimalist touch, natural daylight, and Japanese zen-like vibes.
The teahouse is designed such that there are steps in which customers can sit on and sip on matcha latte.
What I appreciated was there are different sections with varying seating arrangements, so those who come alone can enjoy some ‘me’ time, while friends can sit around a table in a group.
I think Hvala has managed to carve out a niche for themselves, in finding that sweet spot between offering quality Japanese tea with some modern interpretation. Hvala (TripleOne Somerset)
Tsui Wah – The Heeren
260 Orchard Road, The Heeren #02-02 Singapore 238855
Tel: +65 6366 9270
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10pm (Sun – Thurs), 10:30am – 11pm (Fri – Sat)
2 Storey Outlet At Orchard Road, NEW Items Of Mala Prawns And Bottled Milk Tea
This Tsui Wah at The Heeren is a two-storey 192-seater establishment which features a quick service concept on Level 1 and a contemporary-styled restaurant on Level 2.
That means customers can choose to drop by for takeaways or dine-in alfresco without any service charge at Level 1; or they can also head upstairs to the full-fledged restaurant.
Tsui Wah The Heeren has included two new dishes, such as the Mala Prawns ($11) – mala soup of prawns in a broth laden with enoki mushrooms and stewed radish; and the Assorted Vegetables and Prawns Curry with Steamed Rice ($16).
Launched exclusively at Tsui Wah The Heeren is the Tsui Wah Bottled Milk Tea. Freshly brewed daily and served chilled, customers can choose to grab-and-go at Level 1 ($5.50) or enjoy it cold from an iced bucket at Level 2 ($5). Tsui Wah Singapore (Heeren)
Other Related Entries
10 Must-Visit TIONG BAHRU Cafes
10 Best Holland Village Cafes
10 Must-Try KAMPONG GELAM Halal Restaurants
10 Brunch & Dessert Cafes In The EAST
12 Best Jalan Besar Cafes
* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.ghlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.