Bedok is well-known for its hawker food and supper places, especially those at , Bedok 85 (Fengshan Food Centre), as well as Bedok 216.
There are more and more cafes and ice cream places we can find there, some closed at 2AM for the night owls.
Must add a disclaimer that I stay in the West, so coming to Bedok is a once-in-a-while affair and so compiling this café guide took a while.
Percolate
136 Bedok North Avenue 3, #01-152B Singapore 460136
Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
Quality Coffee and Artisanal Products At Bedok North
Percolate feels like an honest, unpretentious, cosy café, and certainly has brought more life to this part of the Bedok neighbourhood since its opening many years back.
It is a humble small café opened by a few friends, the barista formerly from Loysel’s Toy (who remembers this?). The name has nothing to do with chocolate, but describing a process where liquid “passes through a porous substance or small holes.”
Food wide, you can head over for some Barista Granola ($8.50), Banana Loaf ($10), Soba Salad ($13.50), Prawn Curry Mash ($13), Black Pepper Beef Couscous ($14), Duck Breast Congee ($13) and Unagi Soba ($14.50).
They also offer Croissant Sandwiches filled with Curry Egg Mayo ($7), Ham & Cheese ($7) and Hae Bee Hiam ($8); as well as a selection of cakes of Pistachio Lemon ($7), Orange Berries Passionfruit ($7), Carrot Cake ($7), Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana ($7) as well as the recommended Rootbeer Chocolate ($7).
I can see why Percolate is a survivor in this fast-moving cafe scene – they do things from their heart.
FATCAT Ice Cream Bar
Blk 416 Bedok North Ave 2 #01-25 Singapore 460416
Tel: +65 6241 0830
Opening Hours: 1pm – 10pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues
Famous for Charcoal Waffles with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce
While there were a couple of copycat (pun not intended) versions, FATCAT was the originator of the Charcoal Waffles with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce ($6.50, extra $1 for sauce) in Singapore. They are also considered a ‘survivor’.
They also have a Brown Butter Waffle ($5.50) served with salted caramel sauce and a sprinkle of dried lavender, with chocolate sauce on the waffles for extra flavours.
Need some ice cream? The signature flavours here include Butter Beer, Hay & Honey, Earl Grey Lavender, and Watermelon Soju.
You can also get Mojito Cocktail Spheres ($4.50 each). Small? Expensive? When these little spheres burst right in the mouths, delivering the mojito right into circulation, this could be worth the experience.
Hay Gelato
136 Bedok North Ave 3, #01-148, Singapore 460136
Opening Hours: 1pm – 2am (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Late Night Waffles & Gelato Cafe Opens Till 2AM
This is just 2 doors away from Percolate Coffee and one street away from crowd-favourite FatCat Ice Cream Bar that serves artisanal ice cream flavours.
A single scoop of gelato is priced at $4.20 whereas premium flavours will cost an additional $1 and waffles at $5.50.
A total of 12 flavours will be available at any one time, with interesting flavours such as Balsamic Strawberry, Truffle, Meyer Lemon, Yuzu Ginger and Smoked Hay.
I didn’t expect myself to “eat grass” when I ordered the Smoked Hay ($5.20 for premium flavour), supposedly their signature flavour at Brine Restaurant.
Made by smoking real hay (plants or grass dried and stored as animal fodder or food) and infusing into their milk-based gelato, the Smoked Hay gelato was dented in the centre with cocoa nibs on top.
The gelato was smooth and milky, with distinctive smokey-ness that lingers in the mouth without the grassy flavours of hay, whereas the coca nibs add some crunch to it, making it more robust and earthy. Hay Gelato (Bedok)
Power Coffeehouse
Blk 84 Bedok North Street 4, #01-27, Singapore 460084
Opening Hours: 8am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun) (Close on 2nd Mon of each month)
Local Fusion Dishes with Comfort of Home
As this is a relatively new café (opened 2019) and hidden at the back of Block 84, not many people know that there is a place here that serves up local toasts and fusion mains.
For drinks, there are both local kopi and teh, along with artisanal coffee from To-gather Café.
Comforting homely dishes served include Claypot Curry Chicken, Claypot Congee, Power Nasi Goreng, Ayam “Lu Rou” Don, Laksa Hokkien Mee, and Power Nasi Lemak.
They also serve up Western-style mains such as Prawn Aglio Olio, Italian Chicken Meatball Pasta, Grilled Chicken Chop and Italian Herb Crusted Fish and Chips.
BCC Tea Studio
Fengshan Market, Blk 84, Bedok North Street 4, #01-29, Singapore 460048
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Sun – Thu), 10am – 11pm (Fri – Sat)
Affordable and Instagram-Worthy Bubble Tea At Bedok 85
BCC Tea Studio is located beside Bedok 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centre which is known for its steady stream of evening and supper crowd.
In addition, its location is near 4 schools: Anglican High School, St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School, Bedok Green Secondary School and Red Swastika School. And bubble tea typically appeals to youths.
Their menu is categorised into Pure Tea (Small $2.10/ Large $2.90), Milk Tea (Small $2.60/ Large $3.40), Fantasies with layered coloured drinks ($4.20), Fizzies ($3.50), Slushies ($3.90) and Hot drinks ($3.90).
In terms of pricing, not THAT expensive as well.
The signature Fantasies ($4.20), splashed on several social media channels, come in pretty coloured layers and interesting names such as Purple Dream, Galaxy Blue and Milky Way.
Haute And Cauld
740 Bedok Reservoir Road, #01-3179, Singapore 470740
Opening Hours: 11am – 2am (Mon – Sun)
Ice Cream Cafe With Yubari Rock Melon Flavour At Bedok Reservoir
From midnight supper spot at Bedok 85 Fengshan Food Centre to the new gelato bar Hay Gelato that opens till 2am, it seems that Bedok is indeed very ‘happening’ at night.
The 20-seater space has a different feel at night, illuminated by blue neon lights that gives off a chill and relax vibe.
The Waffles ($7.90) come in 3 different flavours: Red Velvet, Charcoal and Buttermilk with a set option ($12) that includes a single scoop of ice cream with a soft drink.
14 ice cream flavours are available on their display shelves, ranging from Pistachio, Brownies & cream, Route 88, Speculators, Strawberry Cheesecake, Aroy Mak (aka Thai Milk Tea, Mint), Golden Vanilla, Yubari Rock Melon, Cookie Monster, Creme Brûlée, Cotton Candy, to Camomile Honey.
The Yubari Rock Melon was less common and interesting, tasted like melon milk with a lingering fruitiness in its flavour. Haute And Cauld (Bedok Reservoir)
Burp Kitchen & Bar
740 Bedok Reservoir Road #01-3165 Singapore 470740
Tel: +65 8428 4722
Opening Hours: 4pm – 10:15pm (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 10.15pm (Sat – Sun)
Comforting, Inexpensive Burgers & Pastas At Bedok Reservoir
Burp Kitchen & Bar at Bedok Reservoir (brunch with a view) is focused on Americanised comfort food, with Asian-inspired and Tex-Mex fusion dishes. Complete with rustic décor and friendly service.
This can be considered a place to hang out with friends for dinner and after-work drinks. This is especially when their cocktails, mocktails and bottled craft beers are priced inexpensively.
You can have a go for some comforting bar grub of Salted Egg Wings, Wanton Poppers, and Prawn Paste Popcorn Chicken; or have a dinner meal of Truffle Mushroom Carbonara, Grilled Unagi Aglio Olio, Triple Cheese Burger and Beef Bulgogi Tacos.
I particularly enjoyed the Truffle Beefy Shrooms Burger ($12) with the seared beef patty with rich hearty flavours, topped with savoury sautéed mushrooms.
The ingredients were held together well in a soft brioche bun, and the addition of truffle mayo added some aroma as you bring it closer to your nose.
Refuel Cafe
744 Bedok Reservoir Road, #01-3029, Singapore 470744
Tel: 6448 0015
Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
Uncomplicated Brunch Fare, Mains and Pasta
Refuel Café can be found at 744 Bedok Reservoir Road (within Reservoir Village) and 28 Jalan Bukit Merah – both cafes have slightly different offerings)
All Day Brunch items at Bedok include Salmon Scramble ($12.50), Vegan Baked Eggs ($9.90), Pulled Pork Burger ($12.90), Porky Egg Waffle ($13.90), and Banana Pancakes ($9.90).
For their big breakfast plate, get the Extra Tank ($16.50) with scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, sausage, bacon, smoked salmon, baked beans and salad.
It was a no-fuss plate, though I thought that the scrambled eggs could be creamier for a better mouthfeel.
For something more fillings, you can have mains of Honey BBQ Ribs ($14.90), Baked Chicken Spicy Sauce ($13.50), Baked Salmon ($13.90) or pasta dishes of Bacon Aglio ($11.90) and Creamy Shrimps & Mussels ($13.90).
The Forage Café
30 Jalan Pari Burong, Singapore 488696
Tel: +65 8869 7131
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Honey-Themed Cafe With Waffles Sandwiches
This shop located at Jalan Pari Burong (also considered near Tanah Merah, Simei, Expo) is a honey-themed one. “Foraging” is the process where bees scout for the best nectar, and thus the name.
Upon entering the café, you would notice a gallery of bee-related photos on the side; a counter selling honey and related products near the back of the café.
What you can expect is an All-Day Menu serving Waffle Sandwiches, and Donburi bowls added with apple vinegar honey sauce.
Pasta dishes and mains are available from 5pm to 9:30pm, which includes Halibut Mentaiko ($26), Panko-Crusted Truffle Chicken ($20), and Baby Back Ribs ($25).
I ordered the Chilli Cheese Chicken ($15) instead as it sounded more unique, and I wanted to see how chilli cheese sauce would go with fruity honey.
While my personal preference it for a larger piece of crispy and airy buttermilk waffles, the mini waffles had quite a soft texture which worked as a suitable contrast with the heavier fried chicken thigh fillings.
Instead of the usual maple syrup, the pure-tasting honey worked as a good accompaniment, so much so that you would feel tempted to get a bottle of honey home.
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* Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary and Nicholas Tan @stormscape.