The best cafes and bakeries in Tiong Bahru cluster on two streets, Yong Siak and Eng Hoon, and range from a French pastry flagship to a scoop shop that built its own cult following, all inside converted 1930s shophouses.
Tiong Bahru Bakery: The Flagship That Started It
Tiong Bahru Bakery opened its flagship at 56 Eng Hoon Street in 2012 under French pastry chef Gontran Cherrier, and the croissants and kouign-amann here are the reason the rest of the street’s cafe scene followed. The store spent 13 years at the same address before a full refresh in October 2025 brought a new look and an expanded pastry lineup, including a heavier focus on shio pan, without moving from the original shophouse.
Plain Vanilla: The Grocer-Bakery Flagship
Plain Vanilla’s flagship at 1D Yong Siak Street pairs its full cake and pastry selection with a daily brunch menu, a grocer line under the same brand, and a curated homeware corner. The converted shophouse space uses skylights to bring in natural light, and an alfresco patio extends seating outdoors when the indoor tables fill up, which happens quickly on weekend mornings.
Creamier: Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee
Creamier, at 78 Yong Siak Street, built its name on small-batch, handcrafted ice cream alongside a genuine coffee program rather than treating coffee as an afterthought. The Tiong Bahru store runs rotating in-store flavours specific to the location, so the lineup on a given visit depends on what the kitchen has made that week.
Merci Marcel: French-Balinese Cafe and Wine Bar
Merci Marcel, at 56 Eng Hoon Street #01-68, splits its 1,450-square-foot space into a lounge, a cafe area and a garden patio, running French breakfast and brunch by day before turning into a wine bar at night. The kitchen leans French-Balinese, with shareable plates like duck rillettes and tarte flambee alongside grilled mains, priced closer to a bistro dinner than a casual cafe stop.
Getting There and Practical Tips
All four cafes sit within a five-minute walk of Tiong Bahru MRT station (EW17), on or just off Yong Siak and Eng Hoon Streets. Weekday mornings are noticeably quieter than weekend brunch hours, when queues form outside Plain Vanilla and Tiong Bahru Bakery in particular. None of the four take large-group reservations for casual daytime visits, so groups above four or five should expect to split up or wait.
FAQ: Cafes and Bakeries in Tiong Bahru
Which cafe is best for a sit-down brunch rather than a quick coffee?
Plain Vanilla and Merci Marcel both run full brunch menus; Tiong Bahru Bakery and Creamier work better for a quicker pastry or ice cream stop.
Is Tiong Bahru Bakery still at its original location?
Yes. It has stayed at 56 Eng Hoon Street since opening in 2012, most recently refreshed in October 2025 without changing address.
Are Yong Siak and Eng Hoon Streets within walking distance of each other?
Yes, they’re parallel streets a few minutes’ walk apart, both inside the Tiong Bahru conservation estate.
Bottom Line: Best Cafes and Bakeries in Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru Bakery and Plain Vanilla cover the essential pastry stops, Creamier is the pick for dessert, and Merci Marcel is the one to book for an actual sit-down meal. The National Heritage Board’s Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail is worth a look before you go, and our Tiong Bahru travel guide covers the estate’s Art Deco architecture in full.
For more on the area, see our guide to Best Boutique Hotels Near Tiong Bahru.
You may also find useful our guide to Holland Village: Nightlife and International Dining.
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