Actress Rebecca Lim Opens Long-Queue Bakery In Chinatown With Shio Pan, Egg Tarts And More

The Test Kitchen is actress Rebecca Lim’s new family-run bakery

The Test Kitchen is Chinatown’s newest kid on the block, selling affordable, pretty bakes at nett prices. 

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It all started when Daniel Lim, the older brother of actress Rebecca Lim, launched the bakery’s online sister brand, The Lim’s Kitchen, back in 2021. Riding on the popularity of their bakes, the family opened their first-ever physical cafe at Cross Street Exchange this May 2025.

Here, fresh bakes are stocked daily at 8:30am and 11:30am, respectively. 

I started with the Milo Dinosaur Rondo ($5), which features a flaky, cylinder-shaped cruffin. It came filled with creamy Milo cream and was topped with Milo powder for extra chocolatey goodness. 

The Blueberry Danish ($6) is an equally crispy pastry loaded with sweet custard, blueberry sauce, and fresh blueberries.

My personal favourite is the Smoked Salmon Cronigiri ($5), where the same buttery croissant pastry is filled with a savoury salmon paste, and topped with a thin slice of smoked salmon and a drizzle of mentaiko sauce.

Another must-try is the Garlic Cream Cheese Shio Pan ($4). It’s crispy and buttery on the outside, with a rich and smooth garlic cream cheese inside.

Do note that their bakes typically sell out by lunch. But not to worry, as the cafe also offers a range of sandwiches from noon onwards. 

I tried the Babe’s Bali Assam Baggie ($14), which features a thick slab of deep-fried pork belly stuffed into a crispy house-made baguette. Pickled cucumber and sambal matah are also added for punchy flavours, bringing a sweet-tangy kick to the succulent pork belly.

The Roast Beef Baggie ($15) was equally delicious, comprising tender roasted Wagyu, smoky sauteed mushrooms, sweet caramelised onions, gooey melted cheese, and rich Dijon mustard encased in a crispy baguette. Special mention to the Wagyu, thinly sliced and beautifully cooked medium rare for a tender yet chewy texture.

Don’t sleep on their house-made Egg Tart ($2.90), a crowd favourite that’s only available from 2pm and typically gets wiped out in a matter of minutes. Best enjoyed warm, its crisp, caramelised top gives way to a rich, creamy custard with each bite.

For easy access, the cafe is located a three-minute walk from Chinatown MRT Station Exit F. FYI, The Test Kitchen is currently in its soft launch phase, so please extend some grace if you encounter any hiccups along the way.

For more cool bakeries in Singapore, check out My Aunty’s Bakery, a humble hawker stall in Raffles Place with Milo madeleines and more. Alternatively, Sweetlands Confectionery is an old-school bakery in Whampoa that makes bread for popular kaya toast chains. 

Address: 18 Cross Street, #01-13, Cross Street Exchange, Singapore 048423
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 4pm
Website
The Test Kitchen is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Kyla Wong and edited by Nabila Malek.
This was a media tasting at The Test Kitchen.