In this month's edition of Hot New Cafes: 1872 Clipper Tea Co., Style by Style Vibes Cafe, Ollella and more
By now, you should’ve already figured out that we can’t resist a fine cuppa Joe, sinful sweet treats and a cosy ambience where we can chill to our hearts’ content. New cafes are still blooming throughout our sunny island, and they’re certainly helping us satisfy these guilty pleasures of ours – drinking heavenly-brewed coffee or tea, munching on scrumptious café delicacies, getting that photo angle right for that IG shout-out. So here they are: from ION Orchard to Mediacorp’s new ‘hood, these hot new cafes in Singapore should be next on your café checklist.
1872 Clipper Tea Co.
Obsessed with tea? Then you should make your way to 1872 Clipper Tea Co.’s brand new flagship store at ION Orchard. Here, you’ll be treated with an array of flavourful hot teas from its Essentials, Herbal & Blossoms, Tropics and Luxuries collections at a first-of-its-kind in-store tea bar – how cool is that! You can also try its range of specialty teas like the cold brew pure Ceylon black tea, apple pie, lemongrass-ginger and sweet gula Melaka tea latte. But the fun doesn’t stop in your brew. If you’re feeling peckish, you can savour delectable tea-infused pastries and desserts like zesty lemon yuzu éclair ($7.50), and earl grey truffle (5pieces – $8.50 each).
1872 Clipper Tea Co., #B4-07, ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801, p. 6509 8745. Open daily 10am-10pm.
Style by Style Vibes café
Established by leading fashion website styleXstyle.com, Style by Style Vibes café has been garnering attention of food bloggers, café hoppers and the like. Located within the new Mediacorp vicinity, Style by Style Vibes café definitely exudes a warm and comfy ambience with its wooden furniture and humble interior – a great escape from the bustling city life. Looking for a quick healthy grub? Then its fluffy yet crisp sandwich croissant ($8.90) would surely work well for ya’ – you can pick either tuna, mushroom, teriyaki chicken or egg. Its balanced set lunches provide something a lil’ heartier, where they’ll offer grilled seabass or chicken a la king ($15.90) that is served along with vegetables, rice, soup and fresh salad. And those with a sweet tooth should definitely give the ondeh ondeh layer cake and chocolate mousse a shot. Pay them a visit, and you might even bump into some local celebrities – who knows?
Style by Style Vibes café, Media Gallery, Level 3, Mediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507, p. 8868 2288. Open Mon-Fri 8am-10pm; Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 9am-6pm.
Ollella
Tucked away in the Northeast of Singapore, this new dessert café is the go-to place if you’re into either artisanal French choux or simple Indonesian kueh lapis. Here, you’ll find two brands, Chouquette (pronounced as shu-kett) by OLLELLA and Gula by OLLELLA. The former comprises of Ollela’s specialty, the French choux: a type of viennoiserie that is made of airy crisp choux pastry sprinkled with pearl sugar and filled with custard or mousse. (Think cream puffs or eclairs, but a more sophisticated rendition of those.) Although its menu is slightly limited, Chouquette by OLLELLA does offer seven spectacularly-flavoured choux ($4-$5) – from familiar tastes such as vanilla and dark chocolate to quirkier offerings like apple cinnamon and matcha with azuki. You can also get Choux Tarts ($32-$45) – choux pastries adorning a tart base, decked with different cream and garnishes – perfect as centerpieces for special occasions! But if you’re simply looking for a more conventional dessert to devour, visit them on Wednesday for Gula by OLLELLA, where you can get homemade buttery and spice-scented kueh lapis ($38-$72), made to perfection!
Ollella, #01-01, Residences@Somme, 3 Petain Road, Singapore 208108, p.9139 9871. Open Wed-Mon 12pm-9pm. Closed on Tue.
Shiberty Bakes
Blogger turned baker – that’s the gist of the story behind Shiberty Bakes. Launched by blogger, Jessica Loh, Shiberty Bakes is yet another hip dessert café nestled at Owen Road. And if you can’t get enough of macarons, Shiberty Bakes offers stunningly flavoured ones such as Ferrero Rocher, red velvet, earl grey, matcha and even – hot food trent at the mo’ – salted egg yolk!. You can also get Shiberty Toast ($16) in three different flavours (classic, Rocher and matcha). Shiberty Bakes also provides creatively curated milkshakes to quench your thirst. And if you’re into food photography, the clean minimalistic white interior of this café will definitely help you to get your million dollar shot.
Shiberty Bakes, #01-277, 46 Owen Road, Singapore 210046. Open Tue-Sun 12pm-9.30pm. Closed on Mon.
Pokémon Café @ EWF
Popping outta nowhere like a pocket monster from a Poké Ball, a Pokémon café (yup, another cartoon café!) will be taking over the premises of EWF (Everything With Fries) at Bugis Junction, from 27 May to 31 July. From what we’ve heard so far, the brand that started out as a Japanese Game Boy game and evolved (pun intended) into a pop culture phenomenon will be occupying a 32sqm space, selling Pokémon franchise and Pokémon-themed dishes. Butwhat does that mean?? Will we see ‘bubble beam’ seafood dishes? ‘Razor leaf’ salads? Steaks char-grilled by a Charmander? Your guess is as good as ours.
Pokémon Café @ EWF, #04-05 Bugis Junction, 200 Victoria Street, Singapore 188021, p. 6338 0135. Open 27 May to 31 July.