Lemon meringue tarts, steak sandwiches, specialty coffee, Neapolitan-inspired pizza. If you reckon you can only get these items at Singapore’s trendy bakeries, cafes and restaurants – and have to fork out a sizable sum to do so – think again. Over the past year or so, there’s been a slew of new openings in hawker centres and kopitiams serving atas food.
Many of these establishments are helmed by owners boasting serious chops, having worked at Michelin-starred venues and hotel kitchens. Read on for our picks.
Situated at Golden Mile Food Centre, Cat in the Hat sells to-die-for French pastries and is run by a young hawker who was formerly a pastry chef at numerous five-star hotels. If you only have space in your stomach for one thing, nab the lemon meringue tart, which sports a zesty lemon curd, crunchy base and airy swirl of meringue. Other standouts include the chocolate ganache tart, madeleine and assorted financiers.
Cat in the Hat is at 505 Beach Road, #01-106, Singapore 199583. Visit its Instagram page for more information.
Scrambled eggs can be hard to get right – so it’s a good thing that not one but two of Danlao’s owners honed their craft at Eggslut before setting up this stall. Rice bowls are crowned with your pick of protein and fluffy, smooth and silky scrambled eggs that rival those you’ll encounter at Singapore’s top cafes. We’re partial to the chicken cutlet and char siew options, while vegetarians can go for the tomato variety.
Danlao is at 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01-73, Singapore 069184, tel: 8830 8355.
Opened earlier this year, Blackgoat’s owner boasts an impressive resume, including time spent at Michelin-starred establishments Burnt Ends and Zen. There’s no set menu at this Muslim-friendly spot, with items on offer changing throughout the week. We suggest finding out when they’re serving the juicy steak sandwich – grilled tenderloin and black garlic mayonnaise enveloped between two slices of bread – and coming down then.
Blackgoat is at 4A Jalan Batu, #01-05, Singapore 432004, tel: 8383 5982. Visit its Instagram page for more information.
Following the success of their outlets at Tekka Centre and 216 Bedok Food Centre, Generation Coffee Roasters has just opened a new location at Hong Lim Food Centre. On the menu, you’ll find classic espresso-based beverages including cappuccinos, flat whites and long blacks made with single-origin beans, alongside their specialty Dirty Matcha (a matcha latte with espresso) and Spanish Latte (a latte with condensed milk) creations.
Generation Coffee Roasters is at 531A Upper Cross Street, #01-59, Singapore 051531, +65 8891 2911. Visit its website for more information.
This Taman Jurong Food Centre vendor serves pizzas inspired by the Neapolitan variety, which are beloved for their thin crust and puffy, charred edges. The hand-stretched dough is fermented for at least three days before being topped with a homemade tomato sauce. Flavour options include pepperoni, ham and cheese, and premium cheese, which you can supplement with the likes of mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and onions.
168 Neapolitan Style Pizza is at 3 Yung Sheng Road, #03-168, Singapore 618499, tel: 8824 0944. Visit its Facebook page for more information.
Want to take your wanton noodles up a notch? Visit Amoy Street Food Centre’s Chun Feng Man Mian, which does an elevated rendition of the dish. Truffle lovers can sample the truffle char siew noodles – al dente strands of thin egg noodles coated in a truffle-scented sauce that isn’t overpowering, crispy wontons and unctuous chunks of tea-marinated Iberico pork belly, as well as a small bowl of flavourful broth.
Chun Feng Man Mian is at 7 Maxwell Road, #02-114, Singapore 069111. Visit its Instagram page for more information.
Make no mistake, this isn’t your ordinary Western food stall at your neighbourhood kopitiam. At Jofa Grill, an ex-Burnt Ends chef draws on a wood-fired grill to churn out items such as their charcoal-grilled chicken chop, pork chop and ribeye steak, which have a nice smoky hit and are served with the requisite fries and coleslaw. Choose from an array of sides including onion rings, garlic bread and mashed potatoes.
Jofa Grill is at 165 Bukit Merah Central, Singapore 150165, tel: 9827 2827. Visit its Instagram page for more information.
If you’re in the Holland Drive area and have a craving for Japanese food, hit up The Japanese Food Alley. Run by a Japanese couple, the establishment offers an extensive selection of items that you’ll find at most Japanese restaurants. Begin your meal with an indulgent sashimi platter before moving on to mains such as the chirashi bowl, tonkotsu tempura ramen, chicken karaage curry and egg and unagi don.
The Japanese Food Alley is at 40 Holland Drive, #01-39, Singapore 270040, tel: 9299 4877. Visit its Facebook page for more information.