The ultimate guide to Katong and Joo Chiat

Beat the heat with freshly made gelato from Birds of Paradise. Delicately-perfumed and sophisticated, its botanical-inspired flavours taste like edible poetry. This tiny gelato nook along East Coast Road Road is standing-room-only and perpetually packed. Flavour, texture and colour are coaxed from flowers, herbs, nuts and spices for signatures like white chrysanthemum, strawberry basil, and lemongrass ginger (from $4.70 a scoop). Even their housemade waffle-cone ($1) is scented with thyme.

Chin Mee Chin has long been a breakfast institution. After a two-year renovation, the old-school bakeshop finally welcomes back diners. Now, the heritage business is helmed by the pastry chef Maxine Ngooi from the Ebb and Flow Group, who is also responsible for the sweet treats at Tigerlily Patisserie located just a few minutes away. 

Walking into the new Chin Mee Chin feels almost like entering a time capsule: those familiar with the original will recognise the old-world floor tiles, accompanied by similar dining tables and chairs. Expect to find buns, toasted over charcoal grill just like the yesteryears, then slathered with its signature kaya spread ($2.20). Or relish in familiar finds of plain ($1.60) and chocolate ($1.80) cupcakes.

But remember to have a taste of the new additions, too, with flavours that remain rooted in tradition. Hae bi hiam buns ($2.20) pack spice and umami in every bite, cream horns ($2) are piped with smooth vanilla cream, and fluffy chiffon cake comes sweetened with gula Melaka ($2.20). Outside, the new Chin Mee Chin also comes filled with more alfresco seatings, and even spots a colourful retro-style mural.

Katong has no shortage of old-school Peranakan restaurants but Baba Chews is offering a twist on the traditional. The modern restaurant is housed in the old Joo Chiat Police Station, a designated heritage building, and serves reinterpreted local classics such as chilli crab tagliatelle ($20) with deep-fried soft shell crab and a luscious sous vide egg. Also popular on its menu is the chicken rendang lasagna ($18), spicy and creamy layers of pasta and fragrant dry curry that's made in limited quantities daily.

Sinpopo aims to emulate Singapore as it was in the '80s, with its grilled shophouse storefront, tiled floors and rattan chairs. Much of the furniture is also made by the owners of the brand, a testament to the effort put into this joint. Food here is prepared the traditional way – its nasi lemak rice is steamed in a muslin cloth, and its coffee is made Nanyang-style with the kopi sock. Dessert selections are also an ode to local culture, with gula melaka, pulut hitam and kueh sarlat cakes ($8 each) being some of its most popular offerings.

328’s laksa ($5.35-$7.50) lets you scoop all the good stuff into one spoonful – even the fishcake is thinly sliced so you’ll get a bite of it along with prawns, beansprouts and cockles. The broth itself is thick and coconut-y, which may to too jelak for some. But not us. And while you’re at one of its many outlets, don’t forget to order a slice of otah ($1.40) to accompany the dish. 

One of Singapore's best kept secrets, this small stall is only open on weekdays and even so, tends to run out pretty early so it might take you a few tries before you finally get to try it. It's all in the actual name of the shop, really. The prata kosongs here are super crispy on the outside and much fluffier on the inside. It may sound and look so simple but there's a reason why people keep returning to this gem in Joo Chiat. 

Hidden in the far east of town, this under-the-radar artisanal coffee shop puts a unique twist to modern cafes. Blending both art and coffee, the art gallery part of the shop has paintings made from coffee – blending in with its otherwise crisp and clean interior. There aren't a lot of options on the menu, just a couple types of beans done in your preferred style as well seasonal cakes and bakes but that doesn't mean you shouldn't add this place to your café hopping list.

From the custom DIY furniture to the charmingly inexperienced pair of owners as they fumble to put together your order, Brawn & Brains’ unpretentiousness – closeted away in a hard-to-spot nook at Geylang’s old badminton hall – oozes an infectious quality. Cramped yet cozy, there’s no fancy latte art or overthought, intricate brunch menu to be had – just good, lovingly-brewed coffee (an organic, single-origin from Brazil) and co-owner Gwen Peh’s homey and fragrant grapefruit yoghurt pound cake (from $3.50/slice).

It's always a treat when you order at Forty Hands' counter, which is decked with pop culture references (spot the iconic quote from Pulp Fiction) and shelves of literature. Plus, no matter your first order of the day – latte, cappuccino, or flat white (from $6.50) – the coffee connoisseurs here will serve up quality brews made with freshly roasted beans which you can bag home too. And if you're feeling peckish, the café also serves all-day breakfast including smashed avo on toast ($20), har cheong gai (prawn paste fried chicken) waffles ($19), and the popular big boy breakfast ($25).

Forget about your usual pub grub – this drinking den serves up modern Teochew dishes alongside its own craft beers. Wash it all down with four proprietary microbrews ($7/half-pint, $15/pint) which are on constant rotation: The Blk 6.22, a dark ale; The Yellow Van, a pale ale; The Manuka Stout, a honeyed stout; Small Monster, an IPA; and The General, which isn’t so much a beer as it is a ginger-flavoured shandy. Besides those, the bar also has craft beer the likes of Fresh Squeezed IPA, Fourpure Pale Ale and Hitachino Nest Pale Ale on tap.

Merging the coffee shop and bar bistro concepts, Alibabar the Hawker Bar features five stalls selling kopitiam staples like hokkien mee and prawn noodles, as well as Japanese cuisine, gourmet burgers, value-for-money French fare, and of course international beers, including upmarket brews like Belgian Trappistes Rochefort beers.

There’s nothing small about Little Farms’ latest outlet in the east of Singapore. The gourmet grocery store has its largest shopfront – a sprawling 6,000-square-feet space – along Joo Chiat Road. Expect an expanded selection of fresh produce, sourced from producers and farmers from Australia, Europe, and around the world. And there is more than just fresh produce and pantry staples; beyond supermarket essentials, Little Farms at Katong also comes outfitted with a butcher counter, coffee kiosk, all-day bistro, and full-service bar.

You can't stroll down East Coast Road without making a pitstop at Rumah Kim Choo. The two-unit shophouse houses a heritage gallery upstairs, and a Peranakan shop downstairs. Under the banner Kim Choo Kueh Chang, it also sells the family's signature pyramid-shaped rice dumplings which come wrapped in bamboo leaves and stuffed with various savoury fillings such as chicken, and chilli prawn. That's not all – it also hosts walking trails, private boutique tours, Peranakan beading workshops, and nonya kueh sampling sessions. And if you're looking to own a bespoke kebaya, drop by its boutique gallery for a free fitting session.

The brainchild of DJ collective Matteblacc, this music space is more than meets the eye. Besides offering stacks of records for music aficionados to browse through, the laidback store also invites customers to enjoy a cuppa specialty joe and craft beers while copping merch and accessories from your favourite artists, bands, and cult streetwear brands. Take note of its new sweet digs at 446 Joo Chiat Road, a stone's throw away from its former home.

Like its OG store in Bras Basah, this east-side Cat Socrates outlet offers a cornucopia of unique home décor, books, trinkets, bicycle accessories, craft, and paper paraphernalia. It's cosy wonderland to discover lifestyle goods created by local brands and designers, as well as books and magazines published local writers and illustrators. Keep a lookout for the resident cat shopkeeper Zoo-Zoo – if he isn’t waiting to greet you by the door, he might be resting in his bed by the window. 

Browse Elyse and I’s collection of whimsical beach totes and pouches at this new multi-label boutique. Hand-embroidered designs of palm trees, pineapples and watermelons that scream summer adorn the front of these bags. Other brands in store include Australian gemstone jeweller Elverd Designs, menswear label Hanway and Louise Hill Design’s artworks. 

Vintage lovers: behold Singapore Trading Post, a homeware emporium filled with memorabilia sourced from places that used to be the trade routes of Singapore’s colonial past. One-of-a-kind pieces to covet include large statement furniture like grandfather clocks and bronze statues to trinkets like vintage keys and an old pair of binoculars. Plus, there's a cool corner that pays homage to the Singapore of old, displaying nostalgia-inducing items like Sinalco trays and Kickapoo ads.