Browsing Bukit Timah

1 Maple Pub

Every neighbourhood needs a local, and Maple Pub has been filling this niche for some time now. It attracts a regular crowd of thirty-somethings who chow down on yakitori sticks, washing it all back with mugs of ice-cold beer. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, free snacks such as chicken wings and fishcakes are served, while Wednesdays and Saturdays see special beer promotions pushed during the happy hour period (4-9pm). Tapping into Singapore’s love for anything free, the pub also holds a regular lucky draw. For every $100 spent, patrons can win booze goodies ranging from a mug of beer to a bottle of Martell.

Where: 100 Jln Jurong Kechil more...

2 Cake Avenue

Tucked away at the end of a quiet road, this cake shop is a ’hood favourite thanks to its rich chocolate fudge cake made from Belgian chocolate. Customised creations are also on offer – fashion a cake complete with cream or fondant finishing in the form of a jeep, poker table, pink garden or whatever you fancy. These cakes (from $38 per kg) and cupcakes (from $2.50 each), and pre-orders, take a minimum of three days, while wedding cakes (from $38 per kg) take a week to whip up.

Where: #01-01 Kilat Centre, 33 Lorong Kilat more...

3 Ng Kim Lee

This family-run confectionery dates back 55 years and gives a nod to the good old days with its retro-tiled floor and antique cabinets. On a day-to day basis, their muffins (13 flavours including durian, cheese, coffee and strawberry) fly off the shelf like hotcakes, as do the fluffy, light egg tarts ($0.70 each) and chunky chicken mushroom pies ($1.30 each). But what keeps the customers coming back year after year? The old-style flaky tau sar pia and delicious wife’s biscuit ($0.60 each), and the traditional Teochew pastries customary for betrothal baskets.

Where: 4 Chun Tin Road more...

4 Al-Ameen Eating House

On any given night (or morning) this coffee shop is packed to the rafters, a favourite spot to swing by for supper or post-clubbing/pre-dawn fuel. Happy and hungry punters tuck into favourites like the perfectly crisp tosai, plates of tasty nasi goreng or delicious nuggets of chicken tikka, butter chicken and prata, before finishing it all off with a super-sized Milo dinosaur or teh cino.

Where: 2-4 Cheong Chin Nam Road more...

5 Huber’s Butchery

How do you know a neighbourhood is becoming more gentrified? When a gourmet deli/butcher sets up shop. Open since July 2008, Huber’s is more than just a meat seller, they’ve styled this outlet along a more gourmet angle, selling imported dairy products, frozen seafood, salads, fresh breads and even fondue pots. Beyond being the purveyors of prime cuts of meat – popular items include the Australian Stockyard Angus grain-fed beef, lamb chops and sausages – the staff can also attend to any of your portion cutting, marinating, roasting, vacuum packing needs. And as all the butchers are former cooks and chefs, you know your grub is safe in their hands.

Where: 122 Upper Bukit Timah Road more...

6 Minah Departmental

If you’re planning on going through a Chinese wedding rite or incorporating some element of it on your big day, this is the place to visit. Established for more than 40 years, this tiny shop is filled with Chinese wedding supplies such as red umbrellas, traditional decorations, embroidered bridal bed sheets, and dragon and phoenix candles. If you’re not sure what to pick or how to use it, the owners will happily dish out some age-old advice on wedding customs, explain what each item signifies and help you pick out the ones you really need.

Where: #01-19 Beauty World Centre, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road more...

7 Happy Baby Departmental Centre

Open since 1984, this store has attended to many of the neighbourhood’s toy demands. These days, it prides itself on stocking a treasure trove of playthings from decades past and present. Marvel at old-school wooden pianos, dangling crib trinkets and various other nostalgic oddities such as inflatable balls and mini pinball gadgets. Seek them out for Halloween, Chinese New Year and Christmas festive effects as well as more conventional SpongeBob merchandise.

Where: #02-28 Beauty World Centre, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road more...

8 Frutta La Viva

Patrons stake out this brightlycoloured shop for its ever-changing roster of gelato flavours. With a rotating cast of 24 to choose from, top favourites include durian, frutti di bosco (a mixture of three berries), bacio (nuts and chocolate) and passionfruit. If you’re hungry for more than a scoop (from $3.30 per scoop to $9.80 for a palette of six), take home a tub of 500g ($12.90) or go all out with the one kilo pack ($23.90).

Where: #01-01 Suncourt, 21 Lorong Kilat (opp Beauty World Plaza), Upper Bukit Timah Road more...