We Visited Chinatown’s Prettiest Cafe Hidden In A Shophouse, With Mains Under $25

Rise Bakehouse has affordable brunch and cakes in Chinatown

I’m no stranger to Rise Bakehouse. I first visited the cafe when they opened in Potong Pasir, then again when they expanded to Orchard. Their newest outlet, housed in a conserved shophouse along Chinatown at South Bridge Road, is easily their prettiest yet. With its heritage-inspired decor and locally inspired menu, Rise Bakehouse has since become a must-visit for locals and tourists.

It’s been a few years since I last visited, so I decided to drop by to see if the cafe still lives up to the high standards I remember.

Food at Rise Bakehouse

Rise Bakehouse’s menu features a mix of Singapore-inspired small plates and mains. We started with the Singapore XL Chicken Satay ($15.90+), which came with 10 grilled chicken skewers, along with pineapple peanut sauce and keropok on the side.

For a cafe, this was a decent rendition. The chicken was tender and well-seasoned, with light char on the edges, though it lacked the smoky, herbaceous depth you’d expect from a good satay stall. The peanut sauce leaned sweet rather than savoury, but the crunchy keropok helped balance things out and was great for mopping up the sauce.

The Soft Shell Chilli Crab Rigatoni ($23.90+) was an ambitious dish. This number featured rigatoni tossed in a dry, sweet-spicy chilli crab sauce, topped with crab chunks and a whole crispy soft shell crab. The crab sweetness came through clearly in the sauce, which was a good sign, and I liked that it didn’t taste artificial. As for the soft shell crab, I found it well-fried with a satisfying crunch.

Unfortunately, the dish was slightly let down by its oiliness and relatively mild spice level as I would have liked more punch. Still, it was an enjoyable and filling pasta.

We were rather full by them, but still had some stomach space for the Gula Melaka Mochi Waffles ($17.90+). This featured Rise Bakehouse’s signature brown butter waffles, which were stuffed with palm sugar mochi and served with a scoop of gelato. The mochi here was dense and chewy, with a firm, satisfying bite rather than a stretchy pull. The waffle itself had a crisp exterior and a buttery base that held up well against the sweetness of the gula melaka.

No visit to Rise Bakehouse is complete without trying their cakes, which is what they first rose to fame for. This was my second time trying the Kaya Pistachio Cake ($9.20+), which I remembered being a personal favourite from my last visit. The slice was soft and airy, with pandan sponge layered with house-made kaya, kaya-infused chantilly cream, and pistachio paste, plus bits of nuts through the centre for a light crunch.

In practice, it tasted more like a pistachio cake with kaya on top rather than an equal split of flavours—the pandan flavour stayed subtle, while the kaya was more concentrated in the top layer. Not a complaint; it was still a well-executed slice I’d happily have again. It’s also a store-exclusive, making it worth ordering while you’re here.

The Osmanthus Oolong Cake ($8.50+) is arguably one of the most popular cakes at Rise Bakehouse, so we had to get it. This oolong-infused sponge was layered with honey osmanthus chantilly cream and oolong ganache, then topped with a silky layer of osmanthus flower jelly. If you are not a fan of very sweet cakes, this is one to go for.

Moving on to drinks, we had the Pandan Matcha Cloud Latte ($9+), part of Rise’s Made In Singapore drinks lineup and one of the more photogenic drinks on the menu. The creamy drink came with coconut flakes, uji matcha, and fluffy pandan cream on top. The pandan came through strongly, while the matcha was more subdued, which was a tad disappointing as I’m a huge matcha fan. Still, it was a fun drink that tasted like kueh in liquid form, and was worth trying for the novelty.

The Milo Mocha Gao ($9+) was another easy favourite. The kopi flavour came through strongly here, cutting through the sweet, chocolatey Milo to create a well-balanced drink that never felt cloying, with a roasted coffee note that lingered. It also came with a cream biscuit on the side for dipping into the topping, which was a small but charming touch reminiscent of childhood breakfasts!

Ambience at Rise Bakehouse

I’ll tell you to come for the food, but Rise Bakehouse’s ambience is another reason to stay. The space closely recreates the vibe of a 1960s Singapore coffeeshop, with patterned mosaic tiles, wooden furniture, and marble tabletops. The front counter is lined with trinkets such as vintage telephones, biscuit tins, and other knick-knacks that feel curated rather than kitschy.

Rise Bakehouse is about a seven-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station.

Rise Bakehouse – Eatbook review

There are plenty of food options in Chinatown, and cafes here are not in short supply, but Rise Bakehouse still manages to stand out from the rest. The heritage ambience alone is worth a visit, and there are genuinely memorable items on the menu, especially their cakes. As far as locally inspired cafes go, this is one worth visiting if you are in Chinatown.

For more good food in the area, read our Chinatown food guide. If you enjoy visiting cafes, read our guide to affordable cafes in Chinatown with mains under $20.

Address: 273 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058822
Opening hours: Sun-Mon, Wed-Thurs 11:30am to 8:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 10pm
Tel: 8928 9111
Website
Rise Bakehouse is not halal-certified but uses no pork or lard.

Photos taken by Nivian Chiang.
This was a media tasting at Rise Bakehouse.