A Weekend Food Guide to Tanjong Pagar

What comes to mind when we spring the words Tanjong Pagar at you? Some of you may associate the area with cafes to get your caffeine and brunch fix, while others picture a sizzling Korean BBQ grill just around the corner. Despite the absence of the working crowds on weekends, it certainly isn’t lacking a stream of people scouring the streets to settle at for their next meal. If you’re looking to spend the weekend exploring Tanjong Pagar, read on and let us be your guide – we promise to feed you well.

For Mall Surfers In the sweltering heat or the event of a threatening storm, chancing upon malls like Icon Village is akin to receiving a warm and welcoming embrace. Besides a couple of hair and nail salons, the food enclave is lined with inviting temptations like KUMO Japanese Kaiseki Restaurant, SALTA Argentine Parrilla + Grocer for anyone craving hunks of steaks or Mission Juice for healthy froyos or smoothies to-go. You could engage in some dessert exploration as you sweep through the stores. Let your sweet tooth lead the way! And while you do, take part in their Instagram contest. Simply hashtag your snaps with #iconvillage to stand a chance to win $20 worth of vouchers weekly or spend a minimum of $50 for a chance to win the big bucks in their grand draw.

Our sweet picks: Chocolate & Gelato Shoppe

Photo courtesy of Chocolate & Gelato Shoppe

Battle the likes of the scorching sun with a refreshing and guilt-free dessert fix at Chocolate & Gelato Shoppe, which prides itself as having the world’s finest single-origin chocolate. Here, the must try flavours include Dark Chocolate made of 70% cocoa and a pinch of brandy, as well as the prominent Mao Shan Wang for durian lovers to indulge in. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-84, Singapore 078877. Open Mon to Fri (11am – 7pm) and Sat (12pm – 6pm). Nick Vina Artisan Bakery

Photo courtesy of Nick Vina Artisan Bakery

Brandishing artisanal breads and pastries with an elegant French flair is Nick Vina Artisan Bakery, a local artisanal bakery opened by Chefs Nick Chua and Vina Wang. While the whiff of freshly baked bread will lure you in, the gleaming display of French pastries will keep you there (forever). Their blueberry chocolate mousse cakes, strawberry matcha and citron tarts are handcrafted to perfection but a signature not to miss is the Foret Noire, which consists of 55% chocolate kirsch mousse with a kirsch soaked chocolate genoise sponge. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-54/55, Singapore 078877. Open Mon to Fri (7.30am – 9pm) and Sat to Sun (8am – 3pm). Pâtisserie Glacé

Photo courtesy of Pâtisserie Glacé

If you ever manage to walk past Pâtisserie Glacé without giving their gorgeous pastries a second take, we salute you. This Japanese bakery helmed by Chef Tomoko is laced with light cream cakes and dainty cheese tarts. Each decadent pastry is baked with the use of high quality ingredients shy of any preservatives. Despite the absence of a seating area, the individually packed baked goods make for a convenient takeaway treat to enjoy as you walk on. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-33/34, Singaore 078877. Open daily from 11am to 10pm. Whips Cupcakes

Photo courtesy of Whips Cupcakes

Keep calm and eat a cupcake at Whips Cupcakes. You won’t be able to resist the mini cupcakes with those tiny wonders going for just $1 each. The selection of authentic and beautifully decorated American cupcakes include Valrhona Chocolate, Red Velvet and Salted Caramel amongst many others. If you’re on the hunt for cupcake shops that provide customization for an upcoming birthday or special occasions, look no further - this is it. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-85, Singapore 078877. Open daily from 11am to 7pm. For Café Hoppers Group Therapy Coffee

Catch up with old friends over brunch and coffee at Group Therapy, a spacious café in Duxton that is constantly buzzing with chatter and laughter. Standard all-day breakfast items are available here but the much-raved Poached Eggs that comes with smoked salmon and an unbelievably thick blanket of hollandaise and gruyere is one to melt all your troubles away. With the café located on the second storey of a shop house, grab a window seat (if you can) and a cuppa while you gaze upon the quiet neighbourhood for a therapeutic afternoon. Pun intended. 49 Duxton Road #02-01, Singapore 089513. Open Tue to Thu (11am – 6pm), Fri (11am – 11pm), Sat (11am – 10pm) and Sun (10am – 6pm). My Awesome Cafe

As featured in this month’s edition of New Bites, My Awesome Café is one of Tanjong Pagar’s newest cafes boasting a vintage look, retaining the old shop front of a Chinese medical hall and even using old school tables with revamped tops to give its customers a nostalgic dining experience. (Note: The under table compartment is great for you to stow your bags away. Just don’t forget them later!) Here, you’ll find hunky servers preparing generous portions of salads like My Awesome Salad, which comes with smoked salmon, roasted chicken breast and beautiful duck rillettes. 75 Carpmael Road, Singapore 429812. Open Mon to Sat (11.30am - 10pm) & Sun (6pm – 10pm). SPR MRKT

Photo taken from SPR MRKT Facebook Page

Essentially ‘Supermarket’ without the vowels, SPR MRKT is a food, retail and art space along McCallum Street where you’ll be able to shop for daily necessities, indulge in simple gourmet fare or simply admire some personal works of art – some of which may be up for sale. Or simply put: a lifestyle café. Touted as one of the best in town, their truffle fries are worth a go and we hear their bread pudding served with vanilla sauce comes topped with chocolate croissants – how can we say no to that? 2 McCallum Street, Singapore 069043. Open Mon to Fri (8am – 9pm) and Sat (9am – 4pm). Tom N Toms Coffee

Photo courtesy of Tom N Toms Coffee

The sole outlet of Korean coffee chain Tom N Toms Coffee is tucked within Icon Village and makes for a great escape unlike the more prominent coffee giants in Singapore. With a majority Korean crew and hip K-pop tunes running through the speakers, the café gives you a sliver of the Korean café experience for anyone wanting to relive their days in Seoul. Besides good coffee, they’ve got a food menu worth highlighting - signatures include amazing pretzels, thick toasts and freshly baked pizzas. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-12/14, Singapore 078877. Open daily from 7am to 11pm. Waffle Slayer

Photo taken from Waffle Slayer Facebook Page

If you have an insatiable appetite for waffles, Waffle Slayer will be your safe haven for months to come with its wide variety that comprises both sweet and savoury departments. As the café is owned by the good people of Stranger’s Reunion, you’ll get to enjoy their best-selling Buttermilk Waffles alongside intriguing options like the Squid Ink Waffles with smoked salmon and poached egg (pictured above) and Chicken Schnitzel Buttermilk Waffles, which comes decked with a large piece of fried chicken with an accompanying drizzle of mayonnaise. 37 Kampong Bahru, Singapore 169356. Open Mon to Sun from 11am – 10pm. Closed on Tue. For Korean BBQ Lovers 2D1N Soju Bang Korean Restaurant

Photo credits to fun-hideout.blogspot.sg

2D1N Soju Bang needs no introduction and the never ending line outside the restaurant is testament to its status in Singapore’s Korean BBQ world. For approximately $20+ per pax for a buffet, affordability is without a doubt a star factor at this joint, which is opened till the wee hours of the morning. Expect good and proper service here – aluminum foils on the hot plates are changed quickly and regularly by attentive staff. Before you go crazy piling your plates with mountains of meat, note that a $20-penalty is tagged to any leftover food. And if you’re willing to look past the lack of ventilation, grab your best pals and head down for a grill. 44/46 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088465. Open daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 3am. Manbok Galbi Korean BBQ Restaurant

Another authentic Korean BBQ restaurant in the vicinity worth mentioning is Manbok Galbi. The family-run business is one that provides friendly and hospitable service with the crew assisting you in cutting and barbequing your food as if you were guests in their humble home. If order decisions aren’t your forte, their set menus will save your day. Designed to feed varying group sizes, each set consists of a combination of marinated meats to suit the taste buds at the table. For a good balance, go for their seafood pancake and kimchi soup. You won’t regret it. 63 Tanjong Pagar, Singapore 88484. Open daily from 11am to 2pm and 6pm to midnight. Super Star K

Photo taken from Super Star K Facebook Page

Best known for its astounding ventilation system, Superstar K is one Korean BBQ restaurant that doesn’t come with hours of queuing. An order of BBQ meats here gets you a complimentary bowl of piping hot steamed egg on top of the usual refillable banchan and noteworthy side of kimchi. Specialties here include the back ribs, grilled beef ribs and pork belly, all of which are available at a la carte prices. On top of great service, hidden compartments under the seat of your stools hold your bags, giving you a more comfortable dining experience. 75 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088496. Open Tue to Sun from 5.30pm to 2am. For Bar Goers Jeykell & Hyde

Photo taken from Jeykell & Hyde Facebook Page

One of the newest and hottest bars in town, Jeykell & Hyde, comes from the same folks behind neighbouring nail bar Manicurious. Expect creative and imaginative concoctions with their key mixologist shaking things up and carrying his experience over from Bar Stories. We think a girl’s night out here sounds amazingly inviting – nails first, cocktails later anyone? 49 Tras Street, Singapore 078988. Open Mon to Thur (6pm – midnight) and Fri – Sat (6pm – 1am). The Bar

Previously known as The Blarney, The Bar is a bustling Irish pub serving western grub like hearty pastas, chunks of grilled steak and pizza to pair with pints of Irish beer. The cosy space makes for a great chill-out location with a wide variety of drinks to choose from. Fretting over costs to incur for the World Cup later this June? Live sports screenings are shown here aside from live bands, so join us in crossing your fingers and hope they do the same then. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-24, Singaore 078877. Open Sun to Thu (11am – midnight) and Fri to Sat & Eve of PH (11am – 1am). The Straits Wine Company Wine Bar

Photo courtesy of The Straits Wine Company

The Straits Wine Company is no stranger to all you wine connoisseurs. Their outlet at Icon Village takes on the charm of an elegant wine bar, where you’ll be able to pick out your favourite wines and have them there and then at special off-the-shelf prices. What’s better than being surrounded by walls lined with floor-to-ceiling racks of wine bottles? Clinking your glasses while you’re there. Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street #01-43/44, Singaore 078877. Open Mon to Wed (11am – 9pm), Thu to Fri (11am – 10pm) and Sat to Sun (11am – 8pm). Tippling Club

Photo taken from Tippling Club Facebook Page

After five years in Dempsey, Tippling Club makes a move to a cosy shop house in Tanjong Pagar and has received much cheer along the way. Their fabulous cocktails come in quirky glasses and bottles to fit the character of each drink. The sweet and fruity Juniper Sling for example, arrives in a perfume bottle complete with a chic box designed by the collaborator, English perfume house Penhaligon’s. Pair your swigs with Chef Ryan Clift’s inventive modern European cuisine. 38 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088461. Open Mon to Fri (12pm – midnight) and Saturday (6pm – midnight). See Also: Chill out at our recommended places in Tanjong Pagar Don't miss the best eats in town - check out OpenSnap now!