Last week, heartland neighbourhood ice cream parlour Creamier announced that it will be shuttering its pioneer outlet at Blk 128 Toa Payoh Lorong 1, breaking the hearts of those who have been patronising it from the very beginning. Its last day slated to be June 30.
Nestled within a sleepy area in the Toa Payoh estate under a HDB block, the independent ice cream and coffee lifestyle café is known for its delicious handcrafted ice cream flavours and house-made waffles. Since it opened its doors in October 2011, Creamier has become a familiar feature of the neighbourhood and gained a loyal following over the years.
Heading down to visit their first ever outlet before the last day of operations? You’ll be treated to a special flavour — the white rabbit candy ice cream — concocted by the ice cream makers as a farewell gift.
The exact reason for its closure wasn’t stated, but Creamier fans would be delighted to know that it still has two outlets at Gillman Barracks and Tiong Bahru.
But if you stay, study or work near Toa Payoh and are looking for alternatives for your ice cream fix, don’t worry — all is not lost. Here’s our list of other good ice cream places in the area.
1. Shrove Tuesday
Just a mere 15 minutes walk from Creamier, Shrove Tuesday is another cosy café snuggled under a HDB flat. It offers a variety of desserts, such as ice cream, waffles, cakes, pastries, and other light bites.
What sets their waffles apart from other cafés is that it uses a yeast raised batter, enhancing the lightness and crispiness of their waffles. It also adds a hint of acidity, which pairs perfectly with their artisan gelato. Their Nyonya Cendol Waffles ($12.90)with two scoops of chendol gelato and vanilla soft serve, topped with adzuki beans, chendol jelly and grated coconut is an all-time crowd-pleaser.
Shrove Tuesday is at #01-32, Blk 94 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310094, tel: 6258 2254.
2. Salted Caramel
Situated in the Upper Thomson enclave since 2011, Salted Caramel has been a favourite go-to dessert place for both youths and adults. The ice cream parlour prides itself on handcrafting ice-cream free from artificial enhancers and preservatives and just as its name suggests, you’ve got to try its Salted Caramel flavour.
Despite its popularity, you’ll be surprised at the wallet-friendly prices of their ice creams ($3.80 for single scoop, $6.80 for double and $9.80 for triple). You can also pair your favourite flavours with a soft, crispy waffle for $10.40, or get a tub for takeaway to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. Extra brownie points to them for opening till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays!
Salted Caramel is at 246F Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574370, tel: 6753 1718.
3. Brownice Italian Vegan Ice Cream
Are you vegan or lactose-intolerant? Then Brownice — the first local dessert place to serve vegan-friendly and dairy-free ice cream made from organic brown rice — is perfect for you.
Offering one of the best vegan ice creams in Singapore, Brownice’s ice creams ($3.50 for single scoop and $6.50 for double) are made up of organic crystal brown rice, organic evaporated sugar cane juice, real fruit and pure nut butters.
Also, each scoop only contains 80 to 140 calories, one-third the calories of regular ice-creams! So feel free to indulge to your heart’s content without feeling guilty.
Brownice Italian Vegan Ice Cream is at #01-03, Sin Ming Centre, 8 Sin Ming Road, Singapore 575628, tel: 6456 6431.
4. Les Patisseries
Nothing’s better than being greeted by the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries upon entering a café. Devoted to selling French delicacies, Les Patisseries has been around since 2014 and is a popular hang-out spot among Singaporeans.
Alongside the café’s great ambience and minimalistic interior design, it also serves an impressive variety of ice cream and waffle flavours. We recommend getting the Thai Milk Tea & Earl Grey Waffle ($15.90), which is topped with two scoops of Thai Milk Tea ice cream, condensed milk and macaron.
The café is also open till 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays, perfect if you have a sudden craving for ice cream at night.
Les Patisseries is at 222 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574354, tel: 9744 0504.
5. Denzy Gelato
Located right beside Bishan’s bus interchange, Denzy Gelato churns their ice-cream in-house and offers a wide spectrum of flavours from basic ones such as Vanilla and Thai Milk Tea to new-fangled ones such as Persian Prince (almond and saffron) and Elderflower Mojito. Their ice creams are sold at $3.60 for single scoop, $6.40 for double and an additional $1 for premium flavours.
They also serve specialty coffee, if you like having ice-cream with a cup of joe.
Denzy Gelato is at #01-404, 506 Bishan Street 11, Singapore 570506, tel: 9239 6372.
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6. Udders (Upper Thomson)
A household name in Singapore, Udders is a local homegrown ice cream shop with four outlets to their name. The popular store offers a range of flavours from liqueur, to Asian-inspired, and to cosmopolitan flavours.
If you like liqueur in your ice cream, Udders will be right up your alley, with best sellers mixed with liqueurs such as rum, bourbon, cognac, and whiskey. Not a fan of liqueur? They’re also known for other crowd-pleasers such as Mao Shan Wang Durian and Snickers Mars Honeycomb Vanilla.
Udders has several outlets. Visit here for locations.
7. The Dream Café
Another café nestled amidst the quiet, laid-back charms of Toa Payoh, The Dream Café is a humble and casual place that sells premium gelato, Belgian waffles and light snacks. Their Combo 1 ($13) comprises a waffle, a molten chocolate lava cake and a scoop of gelato of your choice, or you can get a single scoop for $4.
Offering free Wi-Fi, it’s a quaint place if you want to get some work done or just unwind. They’re also open to private bookings if you need a venue for an event.
The Dream Café is at #01-1016, Blk 163 Toa Payoh Lorong 1, Singapore 310163, tel: 6258 3120.
8. The Larder Café
Sitting quietly along Toa Payoh Central, The Larder Café serves quality Western fare — such as pastas, burgers, steaks and more — and drinks. But don’t neglect their dessert menu – they also whip up a mean Buttermilk Waffle ($12), topped with two scoops of classic ice cream flavours of your choice. This friendly and chill café makes for a nice hang-out spot with the mates.
The Larder Café is at #01-124, 177 Toa Payoh Central, Singapore 310177, tel: 6253 8382.
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