Some people live to eat, and others eat to live, but I say eat and live by doing fun things at each meal. Spice up each dinner by making them extra memorable with hands-on activities such as terrarium making, free karaoke marathons, and flower arrangement classes. Here are 10 cafes that offer entertaining activities besides eating, perfect for your next squad gathering or Tinder date.
Whether you’re someone whose only experience with dough is cookie dough ice-cream, or an avid baker who whips up sweet treats on a regular basis, there’s a class at Baker’s Brew for you. They offer a whole range of cake baking, cake decorating, bread making, and pastry making classes catered to novices and professionals, and they even have lessons for kids. Learn to bake a tall and impressive Thai Milk Tea Cake ($118) and adorable Matcha Red Bean Totoro Buns ($128). If you’re about that #IGlife, attend a class to learn how to decorate Miss Unicorn Cake ($188). You can also get a takeaway of Baker’s Brew’s cakes from all their outlets, or dine in at their Paragon branch.
Address: 290 Orchard Road, #05-46, Paragon, Singapore 238859
Opening hours: Tue-Thur 11am to 10pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 11pm, Sun 11am to 10pm
Tel: 9062 6094
Website
List of other locations
Flowers. Coffee. Space is a collaboration between floral design boutique Dawn Q. Floral Design and cafe Stamping Ground Coffee. Dawn Q. holds two Hand-tied Bouquet or Centrepiece Workshops ($150 for one, $420 for three, $720 for five sessions) daily from 12pm to 3pm and 4pm to 7pm, and you’ll be served complimentary coffee or tea from Stamping Ground. If you prefer to go with your own flow, arrange for a Floral Jamming Session ($80 for one, $144 for two, $216 for three people) where you’re free to craft a bouquet from a selection of seasonal flowers, with minimal guidance. Coffee or tea and a pastry from Stamping Ground will be served for floral jamming sessions.
While you’re there, enjoy the beautiful flowers while chowing on Bacon Jam ($14), which features sweet-savoury, bak kwa-esque bacon jam and sous-vide egg on brioche, with a cup of mocha ($5.50) on the side for some chocolaty goodness.
Address: 87 Upper East Coast Road Singapore 455223
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 6pm
Tel: 9179 6689
Website
The Plant Story is a garden where you can build your own terrarium while nibbling on noms from a simple, comforting spread. Pack colourful sand into a glass jar and decorate it with plants of your choice when you purchase a DIY kit ($35). Gardening newbies or children can request for guidance to build their terrariums by paying an additional $10. Tuck into a Mushroom Quiche or a bowl of Tomato Soup at the cafe attached to it while admiring the serene Marina Bay. It’s a piece of nature’s paradise on the outskirts of the concrete jungle that is the CBD.
Address: 11 Rhu Cross, #02-03, Passion WaVe at Marina Bay, Singapore 437440
Opening hours: Thur-Tue 10am to 7pm
Tel: 6348 8040 / 9722 0438
Website
Alps Cafe is, contrary to what its name suggests, a bar. It has an open karaoke concept where each table gets the microphone for two songs per round. Head there earlier in the evening for an uninterrupted KTV marathon or kill time with the cafe’s dart machines. Their menu covers Western and Japanese dishes. Order interesting Japanese appetisers such as Grilled Puffer Fish ($18+) or one of the popular items off their Western menu, Chicken Rollato ($25+). They also have a selection of pizza under $20, but in case you can’t decide, go for Half and Half ($25+) to get the best of both worlds
Address: 38 Prinsep Street, Singapore 188665
Opening hours: Sun-Thur 4pm to 1am, Fri-Sat 4pm to 3am
Tel: 6333 9068
Website
Lovers of tail-wagging furries cannot miss Paws and Pans! The cafe doubles as a shelter for dogs, so you may even meet your doggie soulmate here. Pet owners can bring their fur kids along for some playtime in a dedicated space on the cafe’s second floor. Rest assured, their growling tummies will be taken care of with the cafe’s pet menu, which features choices such as hormone-free chicken, lean pork, and salmon. As for us humans, find comfort in Paws and Pans’ crispy Sesame Chicken Wings ($8.80), or chicken, prawns, or dory fish cooked in a sauce of your choice and accompanied by rice and a fried egg.
Address: 327 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427584
Operating hours: Mon-Tue 1pm to 10pm, Thur-Fri 1pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 12pm to 10pm
Tel: 6509 6506
Website
For some, the days of first dates have long passed and planning playtime might sound more familiar. The worst part of any playtime is definitely cleaning up. At Eatplaylove Cafe, your child will be free to sketch, paint and snip without having to sweat over packing up art supplies afterwards. Just $5 will get you two hours of playtime at the Craft Corner on weekdays and one hour on weekends, with subsequent half-hour blocks at an additional $2.50. The menu here has a Thai-Western focus so check out their Chicken Chop ($11.50+) or Basil Chicken ($9+). Smores Waffle ($9.50+), which has a layer of toasted marshmallows over a thin waffle, may entice those with a sweet tooth.
Check out other child-friendly restaurants in Singapore.
Address: 28 Aliwal Street, #01-07, Aliwal Arts Center, Singapore 199918
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 9am to 10pm (kitchen closes at 9:30pm)
Tel: 6444 6400 / 9652 5846 (SMS for reservations)
Website
My mum says playing games during mealtimes is bad for family bonding, but I think she’ll change her mind when it comes to board games. At The Mind Cafe, you can choose from over 200 board games from classic old-school ones such as Saboteur to more obscure titles. Play a game with your friends at $3++ per person every hour from Sunday to Thursday, and at $4++ per person every hour on Fridays and Saturdays. You’ll need some food to fuel your brain and win the game, so go for Baked Chicken Mushroom Rice ($10.80++) or Tom Yum Chicken Spaghetti ($10.50++).
Address: 60A Prinsep Street, Singapore 188664
Opening hours: Mon-Thur 2pm to 11pm, Friday 2pm to 6am, Sat 12pm to 6pm, Sunday 12pm to 11pm
Tel: 6334 4426
Website
Riders Cafe has been around for a decade and continues to draw a strong crowd on weekends for good reason – this space is an escape from city life, and they serve great food. Check out Seared Scallop Risotto ($26++), which has three plump and juicy scallops on creamy rice. For dessert, Brioche French Toast ($16++) hits the spot with sweet caramelised bananas complementing smokiness from chunks of bacon. It’s located beside Bukit Timah Saddle Club, so you get a view of horses walking around the stable from the restaurant. Kids aged 3-12 can experience a pony ride at the club for $10.
Address: 51 Fairways Drive, Singapore 28
Opening hours: Sun-Thur 8am to 9pm, Fri-Sat 8am to 10pm
Tel: 6466 9819
Website
Bukit Timah Saddle Club
There’s an artist inside all of us – even stick man drawings and flowery scrawls on old worksheets count for something. Channel your inner Picasso at Cups n Canvas, a comfy space with an area where art jamming sessions and guided art classes are held. Sip on a cup of lilac Sweet Potato Latte ($4.80) to spur your creative juices, or load up on creamy Blanc Pasta ($15.90).
Address: 139 Selegie Road, Singapore 188309
Opening hours: Mon-Thur 11am to 8:30pm, Fri 11am to 11pm, Sat 9am to 11pm, Sun 9am to 8:30pm
Tel: 6884 6855
Website
The Screening Room has a boutique film theatre that screens timeless classics twice a day from Monday to Saturday. The first screening starts at 7pm and the second at 9pm, 9:15pm, or 9:30pm depending on the duration of the movie. No tickets are required and seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis, but each person need to spend $15++ on bar bites and drinks to enjoy the movie, so place your orders before the show begins. You won’t be missing popcorn when you’re nomming on crispy Truffle Fries ($10++) and juicy Crispy Fried Karaage Chicken with Wasabi Dipping Sauce ($15++).
Address: 12 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069692
Opening hours: Mon-Thur 6pm to 1am, Fri-Sat 6pm to 3am
Tel: 6532 3357
Website
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Besides the usual dinner and movie, a date with someone special or even your friends and folks can be so much more. If you’ve had unique experiences at other eateries, leave a comment to let us know.
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