Victoria Bakery Review: Underrated HK Cafe With Fresh Bolo Buns And Egg Tarts At Marina Square

Victoria Bakery is a Hong Kong-inspired cafe at Marina Square

I’ve not been to Marina Square in a while, so when I heard of Victoria Bakery, a Hong Kong-inspired cafe at the mall, I was keen to check it out. Although they’ve been around for close to a year, the bakery cafe seems fairly under-the-radar, without much online buzz.

Food at Victoria Bakery

Victoria Bakery specialises in HK-style bakes: think bolo buns, egg tarts, char siew pastries and more. Over at the front of the store is where it’s at; you’ll find a huge assortment of freshly baked tarts that are ready from 11am onwards.

If you arrive before 11am, there’s still a good variety of buns to choose from—perfect for brekkie or snack for any time of the day.

The Char Siew Bo Lo Bun ($3.80) is a must-try. Like your typical HK-style bolo bun, this bake comes with a sweet and crumbly crust atop soft bread. Hidden within the bread is a decent amount of char siew, which were not too sweet.

The savoury pork chunks tempered the sweetness of the crust, so you get a good balance in each bite. My only gripe was the bread leaned a little dense and soggy—I would have preferred if the bun was fluffier and lighter.

If you’re up to try something different, I’d recommend the Dark Chocolate Bo Lo Bun ($4.50). At $4.50 a pop, this was the most expensive bake we ordered. The round bun comes with the same cookie crust on top, but chocolate-flavoured instead.

Get your phone ready before you tear into the bun, as the molten chocolate filling oozes out almost immediately. Though it tasted sweeter than dark chocolate, the lava centre paired excellently with the soft bread and crisp crumble topping.

Those who want something less indulgent can consider the Sea Salt Bun ($2.80) instead. This shio pan, which came with little sea salt flakes on top, was sufficiently buttery with a pleasant chew.

Pro tip: If you’re dining at the cafe, let the staff know and they’ll heat up the buns for you!

If you’re visiting past 11am, don’t miss out on their Hong Kong-style pastries as that’s when they’re fresh out of the oven.

There’s the quintessential HK Egg Tart ($2.60), which had a good crust to filling ratio. The crust was buttery and slightly flaky, while the custard centre was smooth and not too sweet. While it wasn’t the best egg tart I’ve had, it’s not too shabby for a mall bakery.

If you want something sweeter, their Cookie Skin Egg Tart ($2.60) might be worth trying.

We also enjoyed the HK Char Siew Pastry ($2.80), which featured the same barbecued pork filling as the bolo bun. I liked how there was a generous serving of char siew within the flaky pastry that wasn’t too heavy or greasy.

Those dining in can yum cha the proper way with some tea and coffee. Since Victoria Bakery is Hong Kong-inspired, we had high hopes for the Victoria Hot Milk Tea ($4.50). Unfortunately, the milk tea fell short of our expectations as the tea wasn’t fragrant or punchy enough.

I’d recommend skipping the milk tea in favour of the Iced Sea Salt Coffee ($6), a beautifully layered drink topped with cream foam, spiked with sea salt to balance out the richness.

Ambience at Victoria Bakery

Victoria Bakery sits on the second floor of Marina Square, an eight-minute walk from Esplanade or Promenade MRT Station. It’s also accessible from City Hall MRT Station via CityLink Mall.

The seating area comfortably seats 30 diners. It’s decked with chic marble tables, rattan chairs, and lime green booth seats for a pop of colour.

Over at the counter, there’s an ordering area with bakes displayed for you to pick and choose.

The verdict

Overall, I was impressed with the range of bakes and tarts offered at Victoria Bakery. The spacious dining area, coupled with the central location, makes the cafe a great pitstop for a post-shopping snack. While there were a few misses, the cafe is still worth a visit if you’re in the area and need a pick-me-up!

For more noteworthy bakeries to try, read our full guide to the best bakeries in Singapore! Alternatively, check out our BHC Chicken review for famous Korean fried chicken in the same mall.

Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-302/303 Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Opening hours: Daily 9:30am to 8:30pm
Website
Victoria Bakery is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Raelynn Ng.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.