With the reopening of Waffletown in Clementi, we’ve been reminded of the simple joys of tucking into a comforting, piping hot waffle snack. Here’s the lowdown on where else to go for the best old-school pandan waffles (besides Prima Deli, that is).
Situated in the heartlands of Aljunied, Garden Pastry & Cake makes buttery, sweet pandan waffles. What’s great is that you can actually choose between crispy or soft for the doneness: the former has a slight crunch on the outside and a fluffy centre, whereas the soft option is very pillowy and melts in your mouth.
Taste test: They can afford to be a little more generous with the fillings, but for choices like the sea salt caramel, it could be that they don’t slather that on to avoid over sweetening the final product. Be prepared to wait though: it can take up to 20 minutes even if you order just one or two waffles.
Block 95 Aljunied Crescent, #01-505/507, Singapore 380095. Open 7:30am-9pm daily
If you frequent Holland Village, you may know this shop along the MRT station underpass. Levure Naturelle is your typical bread and pastry stall with a waffle station, where they make pandan waffles that have a kueh-like consistency. There are other outlets around Singapore (Kallang, Buona Vista, and Alexandra Road), but this particular one seems to be very popular for their waffles.
Taste test: Expect them to be more on the chewy side when it comes to the centre. The exterior on the other hand has the perfect amount of crisp. The filling could be more generous (it really depends on the person making it), but with such balanced sweetness overall, you could honestly order the plain waffle and it’d be the perfect pick-me-up.
Aside from the usual suspects, premium flavours like chocolate banana and cranberry cheese are available.
200 Holland Avenue, #B1-04 Holland Village MRT Station, Singapore 278995. Open 7am-11pm daily
The bustling Bakery Cuisine serves the CBD crowd, tucked away in a corner along the underpass linked to Raffles Place MRT station. Even at 8 in the morning queues are seen forming here, some jumping in line to get their hands on the ultra large, ultra thick waffles on offer.
Taste test: This is ideal for anyone who doesn’t quite like the pandan flavour of local waffles, so expect something more on the plain, clean-tasting side. The waffle exterior is very crispy, the centre is cakey and soft, and filling portions are quite decent. Fresh durian waffles are also on offer here, at just $3.50.
5 Raffles Place, #B1-23 Raffles Place MRT Station, Singapore 048618. Open 7am-7:30pm Mon-Fri, closed Sat and Sun
Here at Y2 Bakery, you’ll find old-school sweets and savouries neatly arranged on a table right outside the stall – exactly what you’d picture when you think of a quaint Singaporean bakery that sits below a HDB block.
Taste test: The pandan waffles here are thick and on the crispy side, with a slightly soft middle that’s fluffy and cake-like. This is a great option if you’re not into anything too sweet, but the amount of filling leaves a lot to be desired.
525 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-2395, Singapore 560525. Open 6:30am-10pm daily
Operating as part of Malaysia Boleh! – a food court featuring classic Malaysian hawker fare – Traditional Waffle has some interesting specialties, including hot dog waffles on a stick and durian waffles.
Taste test: The waffles here are priced a lot higher (a plain waffle costs $2.50 – that’s the standard price for premium flavours in the heartlands), but they are larger, thicker, and crispier than usual. Fillings are aplenty, especially for the $9.50 mao shan wang option (pictured), which was not too overwhelmingly rich or sweet.
53 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #B2-41/42 AMK Hub (within Malaysia Boleh!), Singapore 569933. Open 11:30am-9:30pm daily
All the way in Sengkang is Uncle Tony’s Tuckshop. Looking at its waffle menu, you can tell the stall caters to kids (probably something to do with the schools nearby and even next to it). Jars with rainbow sprinkles and tiny marshmallows sit on the counter, and these toppings are options for their chocolate-filled waffles.
Taste test: The waffles here are very crispy, yet airy and light. Overall, the flavours are balanced, and surprisingly, nothing is too sweet here (even though looking at the menu you might think otherwise. Even the ondeh-ondeh waffle (pictured), which contains generous amounts of gula melaka and shaved coconut, was just right in terms of sugar level.
2 Sengkang Square, #01-05 Sengkang Community Hub, Singapore 545025. Open 8am-6pm Mon-Sat, closed Sun
Gambateh Cafe has two outlets: one in Bukit Merah (we visited this one) and the other in Yishun. This heartland stall sells drinks like milk tea, Asian desserts (grass jelly and pudding beancurd are just some of the options), and pandan waffles – which is possibly the most popular thing on the menu judging from the waiting times (at least 15 minutes).
Taste test: Gambateh Cafe is generous when it comes to fillings, and their waffles are generally crispy, so go for this if soft waffles aren’t your thing. However, we did find them slightly dry, although the overall taste was quite balanced and the waffles weren’t too sweet. Compared to other stalls on this list, the flavours on offer are pretty standard (peanut, kaya, blueberry – just to name a few), and there’s nothing out of the ordinary to choose from.
Blk 1 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150001. Open 11am-7pm Mon-Sat, closed Sun
We’ve tried them all and we have our winners. Tied for first place, we have to give it to both Garden Pastry & Cake and Levure Naturelle at Holland Village. We love how you can actually choose between crispy and soft waffles at Garden Pastry, and how their treats are so buttery and sweet without being too cloying. For Levure Naturelle, nothing beats how kueh-like their waffle centres were. That spongy, soft goodness… that’s some Nyonya-approved stuff right there.
In second place: Bakery Cuisine. We liked that the pandan flavouring isn’t too overwhelming here, so the taste of the fillings and the waffle shines through. We also appreciate the general size and thickness of their waffles, making these snacks worthy purchases.