This Two-Storey Starbucks In Chinatown Has Black Sesame Frappe, Coffee Bolo Bun And More

Starbucks 37 Smith Street is a new heritage cafe in Chinatown

We’re always looking forward to the next Starbucks launch. Previously, they’ve opened a unique outlet at Bird Paradise and surprised fans with their adorable Hello Kitty collection—it’s always exciting whenever they come up with something new. This time, the popular coffee chain has outdone themselves with their latest outlet in Chinatown, at 37 Smith Street. The new two-storey cafe is situated in a gorgeous heritage shophouse and offers outlet-exclusive items!

Located in the heart of Chinatown, the latest Starbucks branch is unlike any other opening. Here’s why it’s so special: it’s the first outlet housed in a two-storey heritage shophouse.

From the Chinese calligraphy signboard at the entrance to the hand-drawn paintings dotted throughout the cafe, the theme of this new Starbucks nods to our local heritage. 

There are eight outlet-exclusive items here, and we tried four of the lot. For drinks, we got the Black Sesame Oatmilk Coffee Frappuccino with Soy Pudding and Yuan Yang Coffee Frappuccino, both priced at $9.90 each for Grande. As for savouries, we opted for the XL Chicken Char Siew Puff ($6.00) and Coffee Bolo Bun with Butter ($4.90). 

The black sesame frappe features a layer of soft soy pudding and an ice-blended drink made with nutty black sesame paste, coffee, and milk. It’s then finished with some whipped cream. The black sesame paste was slightly bitter, complementing the otherwise sweet beverage, and we thought the addition of soy pudding was a great contrast to the grainy texture of the drink.

If you love coffee and tea, you’ll surely enjoy the yuan yang frappe. What’s interesting is that hojicha is blended with coffee to create this sweet treat, along with creamy milk and chocolate chips.

Since the drinks are relatively sweet, we recommend getting the savoury XL Chicken Char Siew Puff. You get a flaky and buttery pastry packed with caramelised char siew chicken. This pastry alone is filling enough for a breakfast or midday snack!

While my colleague preferred the char siew puff, I enjoyed the bolo bun more as I’d never seen this in coffee flavour. 

The palm-sized bun stars a sugary top crust with fluffy dough throughout, and a cold slab of butter in the middle—overall, the coffee bolo bun reminded me of the famous Rotiboy!

Starbucks 37 Smith Street is a quick three-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station. It’s spacious enough to house more than 50 customers across both the first and second floors! We saw solo diners getting their work done here, alongside groups of people chattering over coffee and desserts. 

Check out our Instagram video!

If you’re looking for cafes with stunning ambience, read our guide to the most beautiful cafes in Singapore. We also have a guide to the best cafes in Singapore! 

Address: 37 Smith Street, Singapore 058950
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 7:30am to 10pm, Fri-Sat 7:30am to 11pm
Website
Starbucks Singapore is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Tao Zhi Tan.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg