8 Interesting HDB Heartland Cafes To Check Out On A Weekend

What it is: A granola kitchen by Guy Savoy and Waku Ghin-trained chef Christopher Kong, whose granola at his private diner Dearborn was so well-received that he opened a shop selling just the item in different flavours.

#01-29, 1 Everton Park, S081001. Open daily except Sun. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm. www.dearborn.sg.

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What it is: A gelato cafe opened by a former athletics coach and his two running buddies. The cafe offers 18 flavours of gelato including Mao Shan Wang, Roasted Pistachio and Creamy Coconut with Coconut Crunch, along with house-made cinnamon cones and buttermilk waffles to accompany the gelato scoops.

#01-2665, Blk 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, S560603. Open daily except Mon, Tues-Thu 12pm-9pm, Fri-Sun 12pm-10pm. Tel: 8912-9368. Facebook, Instagram.

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What it is: A Taiwanese bun cafe by ex-Din Tai Fung chefs, who offer gourmet fusion ‘gua baos’ (‘cut buns’, aka the Taiwanese term for kong bak paus here) with pork belly and deep-fried tilapia, plus CCB (Crispy Chicken Bun lah), beef short rib fried rice and balsamic vinegar fries.

#01-378, 63A Lengkok Bahru, S151063. Open daily except Mon 11am-10.30pm. Facebook, Instagram.

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What it is: A gelato cafe, opened by a former motorshow model. It’s a franchised outlet of Bishan cafe Denzy Gelato, which supplies the ice cream here. There are some 16 gelato flavours available, like Mango & Yuzu Sorbet, Ruby Chocolate & Raspberries, Yogurt Speculoos, Peanut Butter & Banana and vegan-friendly options like Oat Milk Dark Chocolate Ganache and Coconut Milk Gula Jawa Sea Salt.

509 Bedok North Street 3, #01-103, S460509. Open daily Mon 5pm-12am, Tues-Thur 12pm-12am; Fri-Sun 12pm-2am. Facebook, Instagram

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What it is: A takeaway bubble tea kiosk by Shatec-trained pastry chef Candy Lu and her partner Jerine Soh, who decided to open a brick-and-mortar shop selling BBT, pastries, cakes and Taiwanese night market-style stuffed cheesy baked potatoes with customisable toppings.

#01-4464, 28 Jln Bukit Merah, S152028. Open daily 11am-9pm. Instagram

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What it is: The owner of Naked Finn and gourmet burger joint BurgerLabo opened this casual burger spot called 2280 (the name is taken from the international abattoir number code for the beef neck cut, which is what 2280 uses for its beef patties). There are only two types of burgers served here, a cheeseburger with single or double patties, plus add-on fries and beverages.

2280 Burger is at #01-10 Henderson Industrial Park, 213 Henderson Rd, S159553. Open daily except Sun. Mon-Sat 11am-10pm.

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What it is: A gelato parlour co-owned by Dave Parkash, the man who went viral with his girlfriend Jacqueline Ho when they were the target of racist remarks made by ex-Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturer Tan Boon Lee. Dave’s gelato shop serves scoops with a mix of Singaporean and Filipino-inspired flavours like Ube and Milo Peng, as well as an ice cream sandwich with a classic yeasty Pinoy bun called pandesal.

#01-09, 218 Bedok North Street 1, S460218. Open daily Mon-Wed 1pm-10pm; Thur 1pm-12am; Fri-Sat 1pm-2am; Sun 1pm-1am. Instagram.

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What it is: A late-night gelato parlour located in Yishun, run by two NUS alum pals who wanted to fulfil their dreams of running a supper spot in the north of Singapore. The void deck-inspired cafe offers ice cream in local-inspired flavours such as Cereal Mai Pian and Muah Chee.

#01-216, 160 Yishun St 11, S760160. Open Mon – Thur 1pm – 2am; Fri – Sun noon–2am. Instagram.

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