Comic and cartoon characters are making waves this year, with the recent opening of the Hello Kitty Orchid Garden Cafe and Pompompurin Cafe. Look out too for a Pokemon-themed pop-up cafe that will be at the fourth floor of Bugis Junction from May 27 till July 31.
This article was first published in The Straits Times, Apr 28, 2016.
Singapore’s first Hello Kitty themed cafe is also the world’s first 24-hour Hello Kitty cafe.
The cafe located in the public area of Changi Terminal 3 can accommodate 84 people, with a take-away counter.
The decor features fresh flowers and a dedicated retail corner selling special gardening kits and Hello Kitty merchandise.
Dishes on the menu are inspired by Singaporean fare, such as wagyu beef rendang and orange sugee cake.
Breakfast options include Eggs Benedict with smoked duck and salmon, with a Hello Kitty twist. Prices of the main course dishes range from $15 to $24.
For those looking for souvenirs from the cafe, there are also Hello Kitty custom-roasted coffee and custom-blended tea.
The cafe is named after the Sanrio character Pompompurin, a golden retriever that has been nominated twice as the most popular character by Strawberry News, a magazine published by Sanrio.
The eatery on the fourth level of Orchard Central just opened on April 18 and is Sanrio’s first character-themed cafe in Singapore, after opening in places like Tokyo and Hong Kong.
The cafe has space for 78 diners and serve creatively styled dishes, like the Pompompurin shaped banana and caramel pancakes ($16.99) and the Taco Rice In A Cup of Friendship ($19.99). Main courses are priced between $18 and $27.
Beverages include the hot latte ($12.99), which comes with Pompompurin-shaped marshmallows.
Take a photo with Pompompurin’s friends Bagel, Coconut, Mint and Macaroon in the Tomodachi House, which means “Friends House” in Japanese. Each booth fits four people and is themed after one of the four friends.
Every Pompompurin Cafe has a centrepiece of its own that serves as a photo op spot. For the Singapore outlet, there is a decorative tree, which features 3D mascots of Pompompurin and friends.
The greenery as well as the cafe’s floor-to-ceiling windows contribute to its “garden city” decor.
Charlie Brown Cafe is South-east Asia’s first Peanuts comic strip themed-cafe.
The first outlet in Orchard Cineleisure Mall opened in 2011, followed by the OneKM mall in 2015. Both cafes are Halal-certified.
Some signature dishes include the Honey Grilled Chicken ($14) and the Beef Risotto ($14). And for dessert, the chocolate and matcha lava cakes ($7) which come decorated with a drawing of Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s pet beagle.
You can buy Peanuts merchandise, including mugs, clothing and plush toys, at the cafes or from the website.
Opened in July 2015, the Little Prince Creamery is a heartland cafe at 47 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh inspired by the classic French book The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
The walls and floor feature drawings of key characters like the Little Prince and the boa constrictor.
There is also a corner filled with The Little Prince books in different languages including French, Chinese and English.
The cafe serves artisan teas and hand-crafted gelato which pair well with waffles and sandwiches.
There is also a Rose Cafe Latte ($5) based on the Little Prince’s beloved rose in the book.
Prices for waffles and sandwiches range from $6.90 to $8.90.
The brain child of Member of Parliament Denise Phua and her husband Roland Tay, Professor Brawn Cafe was sparked off by the couple’s son, Jun-Yi.
Mr Tay used to be a senior vice-president at ST Telemedia before opening the cafe in October 2009.
He decided on the name of the cafe after he saw his then 12-year-old son Jun-Yi’s drawing of a scholarly superhero, Professor Brawn.
Jun-Yi, who is autistic, described the superhero as “strong, smart and kind”, and Mr Tay wanted the cafe to embody these characteristics.
He hires teenagers with autism at the two outlets at Boat Quay and Novena, and gives them a chance to experience being in the working world.
The cafe serves Western food, like pan-seared Norwegian salmon ($17.90) and savoury BBQ pork ribs ($18.90).
Prices for the main courses range from $12.90 to $18.90.
Each section of the menu has an academic theme, such as calling the salmon dish a “main module”.
Fans can satisfy their craving for all things pop culture at Hungry Heroes, along Tessensohn Road.
The eye-catching DIY Superhero Chandelier hangs from the ceiling and is decorated with superhero action figures.
There are also life-sized superhero statues and head busts of Captain America, Thor and Iron Man.
The walls feature more than 100 superhero and pop culture posters in frames. These include posters of actress Audrey Hepburn and The Beatles.
There is also a faux weapons showcase, inspired by the movie Kick-Ass.
The restaurant serves American-style dishes, like the Bacon Karate Chop with Honey Thyme Gastrique ($20) and the Mother of all Chicken Burgers ($32). Prices for the main courses are from $19 to $30.
Opened last September, the DC Comics Super Heroes Cafe on the first level of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands serves American-style burgers, sandwiches and steak.
The cafe is decorated with posters from the DC Comics series, a life-sized figure of Superman breaking through the wall, limited-edition merchandise and a life-sized replica of the Batmobile.
There are four booths themed according to different superheroes: Supergirl, The Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, with each booth showcasing original artwork by concept artist Stanley Lau.
On the menu are superhero-inspired creations, such as the new Batman’s Wagyu Beef Jaw Burger ($31.90), which is based on the newly released Batman v Superman movie.
This signature dish comes with wagyu beef and foie gras butter served in charcoal burger bun with the batman logo.
Prices for burgers and entrees range from about $20 to $40.