Hitlist

Whoever said you can only get good pasta at fancy Italian restaurants has not yet discovered the food at Ah Bong's Italian. Located in a humble coffeeshop in Tiong Bahru Estate, this stall serves up some mean Italian pasta - for just $6! For some perfect comfort food, get the Slow Cooked Pork Ragu, Ah Bong's Birthday Pasta (spaghetti served with broccoli cheese sauce and bacon) or Ah Bong’s Mac & Cheese with truffle oil. End off your meal with some unique crème brûlée - with flavours extending to earl grey, triple espresso, and Thai milk tea. Their incredibly satisfying, extremely affordable and regularly changing menu will keep you coming back!

Taking over Liberty Coffee's old space at Rangoon Road is new frozen yoghurt bar, The Cold Pantry. With a handful of froyo stores setting up shop lately, this place sets itself apart by offering not just unique flavours of froyo, but with unique topping combinations as well. Case in point - their thai milk tea froyo with homemade honeycomb, and their Movie-Date yoghurt cup which comes topped with popcorn, banana and chocolate sauce, with a cheese nacho base. How's that for unique!

Newly opened British-inspired cafe Hyde & Co. has brought the English obsession with crumpets to Singapore. You don't find many places serving up these classic tea time treats, but at Hyde, expect a sizeable range of griddle cake topping options - eggs/ potatoes/ mushrooms, bacon/ ham/ smoked salmon, homemade spreads/ fruits. When in doubt, go for the Lady Hyde, their take on the classic Croque Madame, with house special hebi hiam for a more local flavour. For the sweet tooth, try their Gula Gula; gula melaka-oozing crumpets sprinkled with coconut. Don't forget to order that pot of tea! ;)

Durian Creme Brulee. Salted Egg Fries. These are all the reasons you need to pay The Quarters a much-needed visit. Located in Icon Village at Enggor Street, they take inspiration from local Asian flavours to create exciting and unique mod-sin (Modern Singapore) dishes. A sucker for salted-egg-yoke anything will HAVE to order the crispy fries with salted egg yolk dip, and of course, don't leave without first trying their signature durian creme brulee - with smooth, creamy Mao Shan Wang durian custard that's so, so satisfying.

Honeycomb is now all the rave, and this new froyo parlour takes this unique combination to a whole new level by making it their specialty. Located at Thomson V Two, Beegurt offers creamy frozen yoghurt topped with their signature raw honeycomb imported from New Zealand. The Beegurt Special ($6.80) comes with honeycomb and a choice of 2 additional toppings ranging from caramelised biscuits to granola and fresh fruit, and is finished with a drizzle of honey. Now, doesn't that sound perfect?

Formerly OZ Specialty Coffee, Pacamara has now opened at Upper Thompson, bringing their well-loved Pacamara blends alongside a sizeable menu of mains and cafe food. Expect great coffee, including more unique offerings like the Iced Thai Coffee. The menu includes burgers and mac & cheese, as well as brunch items like red velvet pancakes and truffle benedict. The miso-glazed salmon ($22) is highly recommended, as is the salted caramel brioche French toast ($16). This clean, bright cafe is a lovely space for spending some quiet time alone, or for a relaxing meal anytime.

From the good people behind Sarnies and The Lokal comes Club Meatballs, a gastropub specializing in - you guessed it - meatballs. Build your own meatball plate with a choice of sauce, toppings and bases. Of course, it's convenient CBD location means you can come here just for a mid-day coffee fix, as well as after-work cocktails, wines and beers on tap.

The froyo craze is making its way back, with newly opened Frozen opening its doors in Toa Payoh, offering a healthier alternative to the usual ice creams and gelatos to quell the heat. Hailing from Melbourne, this yoghurt bar uses biodynamic milk and yoghurt, serving up cool frozen yoghurt flavours including pomegranate, green tea, mango & soy, and coconut. Toppings range from healthy chia seeds, banana bread, goji berries, pomegranate bits, roasted coconut, and loads more!

Bringing a variety of French pastries to Toa Payoh Central is Les Patisseries. This new kid on the block is opened by three graduates from local culinary schools. Les Patisseries literally means 'pastries' in French, and that is exactly what should bring you through their doors. From macarons, tarts, cakes and croissants, you will definitely be spoilt for choice. Opt for their Dulcey Hazelnut Tart, L’Rocky, or stick to the basics and have a croissant with a cup of coffee from Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters.

If you've been dying to try Teppei's famous chirashi, you'll be glad to know they've added one more outlet to their empire. Newly opened at the basement of Takashimaya, get the Kaisen Don to taste what the hype is all about, and see if you're partial to this style. To some, the marinade might be a little salty, but to others, it's pure bliss. Head over before the queues go crazy!

Opened with supper-goers in mind, GRUB Noodle Bar caters to the late-eaters and the ever-hungry by serving comforting bowls of beef noodles (from $12), Assam laksa ($13) and more with no MSG or artificial flavours. Also order the Hokkaido Scallop Tataki ($15) - fresh scallops torched with a mustard glaze and mandarin orange pieces, to share! Open from 7pm - 12.30am, this is really the perfect place for late dinners after work. Oh and yes, these are the same guys behind GRUB and FIX.

Pastry-lovers in the CBD, you'd be glad to know that Pantler - a bakery offering all sorts of baked goods and sweet treats, has just opened its doors on Telok Ayer Street. Their sleek interior just draws more attention to their mouth-watering pastry showcase. From cakes and tarts, to croissants and pastries, there's something for everyone. They also have a very unique offering of Pâte de Fruits (essentially fruit jellies) that are made in-house. Their Ricotta Cheese Tart comes highly recommended, as with their Choux Creme pastry which comes filled with delicious vanilla cream!