Exploring Tiong Bahru: Singapore’s Hip Hangout
Singapore’s Tiong Bahru, with its pop-up boutiques, independent cafes, and renovated art deco residences, is the perfect neighborhood for a weekend stroll in Singapore. This friendly area just south of the river and west of Chinatown has benefitted from an influx of new investment in the past few years, resulting in the perfect balance of local character and hipster charm. Explore Tiong Bahru to see some of the hip hangouts Singapore has to offer.
78 Moh Guan Terrace, Singapore 162078
Tiong Bahru is one of Singapore‘s most atmospheric neighborhoods. Art deco government-built housing developments are being turned into renovated loft apartments with cafes, bookstores, and vintage clothing boutiques at street level. On a lazy Sunday morning, people in search of medicinal scrambled eggs and a flat white flock to Flock. Service is quick and the regulars and their pups are friendly. Note that it’s cash only.
30 Seng Poh Rd, Singapore 168898
Many of the buildings in Tiong Bahru, a neighborhood near Chinatown, were built in the 1930s when the Singapore government undertook one of its first housing development projects. The two-story Tiong Bahru Market, which was completed in 2006 but in a complementary art deco style, is an important part of the community and consists of a wet market (vegetables, flowers, meat and fish) downstairs and a hawker center/kopitiam upstairs. Come for breakfast when most of the food stalls are open upstairs and the market downstairs is hopping. Don’t be afraid to ask any of the friendly stall owners for advice and recommendations. If you see a small free-standing stall selling something that resembles Chinese donuts, don’t pass them up.
68 Seng Poh Lane #01-10, Singapore 160068
When wandering through Tiong Bahru on a Saturday morning, I always stop into Flea & Trees, a quirky vintage boutique with great dresses and one-of-a-kind statement necklaces and baubles. https://www.facebook.com/FleaTrees?ref=br_tf
44 Eng Hoon St, Singapore 169786
The Monkey God Temple (Qi Tian Gong) in Tiong Bahru dates from 1920 and is a reminder of the ethnic Chinese soul of this neighborhood, which has recently undergone somewhat of a transformation. When you visit this temple you breathe in the vibrant history and living traditions of the community and momentarily forget that three new coffee shops have just popped up around the corner. http://www.qitiangong.com/
78 Moh Guan Terrace, #01-19, Singapore 162078
Café Hua Bee, which has served the same fishball mee pok (noodles) for 70 years, was recently saved from demolition by locals. The developer’s compromise? At night, the café shuts down to make way for Bincho, a modern yakitori-ya serving grilled meats. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.
