9 Cafes In Farrer Park That Make It The Purple Line’s Very Own “Tiong Bahru”

Farrer Park cafe guide

Adapted from @shennyyang & @thefatladyfeeds

Haji Lane, Thomson Road, and Duxton might be the top cafe-hopping districts to sate your appetite for waffles or truffle fries. But unbeknownst to many of us, Farrer Park is hiding a fair share of gastronomical delights too.

Not to be confused with Farrer Road near Bukit Timah, Farrer Park is within the culturally-rich Little India. Here are some of the noteworthy cafes in the area that you may not have known of prior:

1. Brunches Cafe

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Bringing a blast from the past, Brunches Cafe’s interior is lined with antiques and even has a dissected Mini Cooper helming a condiments bar and plush seat booth. Avid antique collectors can do some shopping here too – there’s a dedicated retail corner to sate your love for genuine, vintage collectibles.

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Even their cutlery follows the vintage theme, with their Coffee On The Rocks ($6.90) served in painted floral glassware. You’ll be given frozen coffee cubes shaped like konnyaku jelly, which you pour fresh milk and sugar over to suit your tastes.

Source: @thefatladyfeeds

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Address: 96 Rangoon Road Singapore 218381
Opening Hours: Mon, Wed – Fri 11AM – 10PM | Sat & Sun 10AM – 10PM | Closed on Tue 
Telephone: 8685 8488 
Website

2. Ollella

Source: @shennyyang

Move aside, cream puffs – Ollella’s choux pastries will be the subject of your next midnight craving. Crafted with a delicate craquelin shell, they’re brimming with flavoured cream and custard.

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They go for $3.60 per piece, $13.60 for 4 and $38.80 for 12. The Lychee Rose divulges a rich lychee puree with rose-flavoured cream, reminiscent of bundung but with more fruity and floral notes.

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Another crowd favourite is their Apple Cinnamon. Beneath its textured shell lies generous cinnamon-apple compote, Madagascar vanilla mascarpone cream and vanilla streusel – a perfect tea time treat!

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Address: 3 Petain Road, #01-01 Residences @ Somme, Singapore 208108
Opening Hours: Mon, Wed – Sun 12PM – 6PM | Closed on Tue 
Telephone: 6291 4076 
Website

3. Old Hen Coffee Bar

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Old Hen Coffee Bar scores well on first impression – with a chic industrial decor with dissected fans as ceiling lamps.

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Pick a spot facing the glass window and people-watch while slurping on their signature cold brews. Their Creamy White Cold Brew ($6.50) is a sweet and creamy concoction will give you a much-needed caffeine fix. It’s also available in varations like Black ($6), Cold Dark Cocoa ($6.50) and Cold Matcha Milk ($7).

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A dessert that’d go perfectly well with the cold brews is their Panna Cotta ($8), with a play of textures and flavours in 3 layers of goodness: smooth vanilla milk pudding, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and crunchy salted caramel popcorn.

Address: 88 Rangoon Road #01-03 Singapore 218374
Opening Hours: 9.30AM – 6.30PM daily
Telephone: 6341 5458
Website

4. Old Hen Kitchen

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If you’re a fan of Old Hen Coffee Bar’s cold brews but need something more substantial than just coffee and dessert to fill your tummy, its sister outlet Old Hen Kitchen boasts a fusion food menu with an open kitchen dining concept.

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Their Salmon Soba ($19) comes with sous-vide salmon steak topped with tobiko roe, vegetables, and a unique peanut citrus teriyaki sauce.

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For a snack to share, go for their Chilli Crab Fries ($12). With generous chunks of crab meat, the sauce is well-balanced with the fiery chilli and tangy tomato flavours.

Address: 127 Owen Road, Singapore 218931
Opening Hours: Mon, Wed – Fri 12PM – 9.30PM | Sat & Sun 10AM – 6.30PM | Closed on Tue
Telephone: 6291 0632
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5. Non Entrée Desserts

Non Entrée Desserts’ bright yellow storefront sets it apart from its lao jiao provision store neighbours, but what will truly surprise you is their spread of nostalgia-inducing desserts with a crazy twist.

Most ang ku kuehs come with peanut, yam or mung bean filling encased in a glutinous rice skin, but Non-Entree’s Ang Ku Kueh ($9.90) is made of strawberry jelly sitting atop a buttery shortbread base.

Appearance-wise, their Bak Chor Mee ($14.40) can pass off as the real deal. But with mango vermicelli “noodles”, raspberry “chilli sauce”, and sesame snow “minced meat”, this creatively deceptive dessert is one you’ve got to try at least once in your life.

Click here to find out more about Non-Entree’s other quirky desserts!

Address: 204 Rangoon Road, Singapore 218451
Opening Hours: Tue – Fri 2PM – 10PM | Sat 12PM – 11PM | Sun 12PM – 10PM | Closed on Mon
Telephone: 9878 6543
Website

6. Enchanted Cafe

Against a backdrop of oak furniture, charming fairy lights and pots of dried flowers, Enchanted Cafe’s whimsical decor will constellate your childhood fairytale fantasies.

Giving an Asian twist to the burger, Enchanted Cafe’s Ngoh Hiang Burger ($18.90) comes with a juicy ngoh hiang patty with a splash of made-from-scratch garlic sauce. Bits of water chestnut in the patty give it an added crunch.

Impressive on the theatrics is the Sorcerer’s Elixir ($9.90). A seemingly normal blue drink is brought to life when a special orange “potion” is added – the result is a glittery purple concoction that’s great for the ‘gram. Strong on floral notes with hints of lychee, the drink’s recipe remains secret.

Click here for an in-depth review of Enchanted Cafe.

P.S. there’s no GST or service charge here, so munch away!

Address: 88 Rangoon Road, Singapore 218374
Opening Hours: Mon – Thur 9AM – 9PM | Fri 9AM – 10.30PM | Sat 8AM – 10.30PM | Sun 8AM – 9PM
Telephone: 8813 1086 
Website

7. Cafe Salivation

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Vegetarian food isn’t limited to just salads, and at Cafe Salivation, there’s a whole spread of Mediterranean and Western-style vegetarian cuisine, with a touch of Indian influences.

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Ditching ground beef for generous chunks of soy, kidney beans, olives and cheese, their Lasagne With Soya Mince And Spinach ($15) is so full-bodied in flavour, you’ll easily forget that you’re not actually eating meat!

Other must-try dishes include their Sweet Potato & Quinoa Burger with Blackberry Salsa ($8.50) and Shepherd’s Pie ($14).

Address: 176 Race Course Road, Singapore 218607
Opening Hours: Sun – Thur 10AM – 10.30PM | Fri & Sat 10AM – 11PM
Telephone: 6298 1412
Website

8. Hungry Heroes

Whether you’re a Marvel buff or a DC fan, you’ll enjoy feasting at Hungry Heroes, with dishes of supersized proportions.

For a good amount of protein to help you develop muscles to save the world, Nice To Meat You ($56) is a platter of sirloin, chicken leg, pulled pork and pork ribs that’s suitable for sharing among 3-4.

Worthy of every calorie, their supreme ribs have been through the stove not just once, but twice: first braised in low heat and glazed, then grilled to seal in the juices. With an impeccable meat-to-fat ratio, the ribs are best paired with a refreshing cup of craft beer, such as the Deschutes River Ale ($15/pint).

Click here to read our full review of Hungry Heroes.

Address: 33 Tessensohn Road, Singapore 217656
Opening Hours: Tue – Thur 4PM – 12AM | Fri 4PM – 1AM | Sat & Sun 12PM – 1AM | Closed on Mon
Telephone: 6295 5401 
Website

9. Jewel Cafe and Bar

Source: @anaffairwithfood

Folks at Shenton Way are no stranger to Jewel Coffee, a highly successful artisanal coffee outlet. Tapping on their previous success, Jewel Cafe and Bar was born, offering mains and a brunch menu in addition to coffee in their two-storey establishment.

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Choose from their extensive pasta collection, which includes their signature Chili Crab Pasta ($20). Infused with spices and ginger, their sauce isn’t like the usual chilli sauce – it’s slightly tangy, while still packing a spicy punch.

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Another sinful concoction is their OMG Burger ($21), featuring crispy bacon, a sunny-side up egg, cheddar and caramelized onions atop a juicy USDA beef patty with luncheon meat.

Alfresco seating are available too! Source

Look forward to free coffee-tasting sessions on every 3rd Saturday of the month, and a 1-for-1 pasta promotion on Thursdays (dine in only, 11AM-4PM).

Address: 129 Rangoon Rd, Singapore 218407
Opening Hours: Sun – Thur 9AM – 10PM | Fri & Sat 9AM – 11PM
Telephone: 6298 9216
Website

Cafe hopping at Farrer Road in Little India

Little India may be our go-to for some of the best Indian cuisine in Singapore or snacks from Mustafa – but it’s also home to a cluster of cosy cafes serving up brunch favourites and mouthwatering desserts. Check them out the next time you’re in the area!