The ultimate guide to Tampines

Pretty in pink with gold accents, Fluff Stack’s interior is as striking as their soufflé pancakes itself. The soufflé pancakes are pillowy and delicate, and an unmistakable jiggle that many diners have come to enjoy. Each plate of pancakes are not only Instagrammable, but they are tasty as well. Highlights include the Classic Soufflé Pancakes, the Strawberry Cheese option as well as the Hazelnut Chocolate one.

Specialising in both thosai and appam, it’s easy to spot this stall at the Tampines Round Market - just look for the longest queue. Rajarani Thosai serves handmade dishes, and highlights include the Plain Appam, which has a piping hot soft moist center with fragile lacy edges, and a grainy savoury sweet salty flavour, and the Egg Appam with fluffy pillow soft center and eggy sweet notes. The Masala Thosai is also a treat - a savory South Indian pancake that is soft in the middle and nicely crisp around the edges, and generous spiced potato filling.

Known for its blow torch beef cubes, Beef Bro offers a wide selection of toppings such as mentaiko, cheese, garlic chilli, barbecue sauce and even sambal belacan to go with the juicy cubes. Their signature Mentaiko Beef Cubes feature Australian premium rump that’s sizzled to perfection, and topped with mentaiko and seaweed. Diners also have the option to add on scrambled egg as well as cheese. Sink your teeth in these cubes and you can taste the umami flavour bursting on your tastebuds. The eatery also serves flame-grilled seafood options and bento sets, which include Japanese or brown rice, salad, and cherry tomatoes with the protein of your choice.

At this restaurant, order its signature and namesake - the Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang - and they will give you three different chillies in it. The dish comes with a grilled chicken leg topped with taliwang sambal, served alongside coconut rice infused with lemongrass, fried egg, fried anchovies and peanut. The dish is also served with another scoop of sweet-spicy sambal by the side. Each ingredient in this plate works harmoniously together. Other highlights from here includes Ayam Belado and Ayam Cabe Ijo.

If you like your bowl of mala hot and spicy, then you have to try out Labula Mala Xiang Guo in Tampines. Their signature mala xiang guo offers a wide variety of ingredients, from your standard greens to the meal options. You can even select the spiciness depends on your tolerance level. While you can feel the heat from the chilli, you will also feel the numbness from the peppercorns in the mala xiang guo. Remember to prepare cold beverages throughout the meal as they are definitely not toying around with the spice.

Zoul’s Corner is known for its Nasi Ayam penyet, and here’s why. A large portion of crispy chicken is served on a plate, including all the crumbs that’s full of goodness. Instead of using plain white rice, Zoul’s Corner incorporated the fragrant option normally found in your chicken rice. The sambal has a fiery kick to it as well, so prepare a glass of water just in case! 

Other highlights in the menu include Bee Hoon Hong Kong, Ikan Bawal Penyet and Tom Yum Fried Rice.

If you need to get your Indian rojak cravings fixed, come by Tampines Junction for a plate of delicious Al Mahboob Indian Rojak. Get spoilt for choice with the wide variety of ingredients from tempeh, crispy dough fritters, fried fish cake and fried prawn fritters among others. These ingredients are freshly deep-fried to perfection, and served alongside a fiery, homemade chilli dip with crunchy peanuts in it. The chilli dip is refillable, so don’t hold back when you’re chowing down these fried goodness.

Frequented by famished folks from around the island, this stalwart of local food is easily spotted a mile away. The circular market is nestled within a ring of shophouses, and was recently given a facelift with wider walkways for better ventilation. The food centre is also decked with new seats including baby chairs for families. Like it was pre-renovation, the food centre boasts a variety of stalls serving everything from nasi padang and thosai to rice dumplings and Sarawak kolo mee. Pro tip: head there early as food runs out before lunchtime. We’re also a fan of nasi rawon (from $2.50) from Kayat Nasi Padang.

A popular spot for night owls in the east, Al-Azhar has your back 24 hours (now open from 8am-11.30pm) when it comes to a late-night supper fix. It's affectionately known for its naan, which is toasty and crisp on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. The flatbread is served with flavourful curries for that added kick. There's also maggi goreng, biryani, murtabak and more, but the calorie-laden prata and butter chicken set ($7.90) is our go-to pick for the munchies.

If your Instagram feed is an endless scroll of pretty, colourful food, get on the sugar bus and head to this little neighbourhood café. Satisfy your sweet tooth with an assortment of homemade ice creams (from $3.50), oven-baked cakes (from $6.90) and waffles with – what else – ice cream (from $10). Flavours include coconut for something tropical, espresso for a perk-me-up, and durian if you’re a fan of the King of Fruits.

This Halal-certified café prides itself in massive portions of comfort food sans the hefty price tag – there's no GST and service charge, either. Expect the usual suspects of Western delights – pasta, steaks, burgers, and desserts. For something familiar, tuck into its bestselling chicken aglio olio which packs a punch with chilli padi ($10), or its battered fish fillet carbonara ($10) if you can't handle the spice. Otherwise, try its Craze Firebird burger ($13.50 with burger buns or $15.50 with waffles) which comes with double fried chicken smothered in its homemade harissa chilli sauce, as well as curly fries and salad on the side.

Full of jiggly joy, 19Tea is one of the few places in the east to get your fix of floofy, soufflé pancakes. Originated from South Korea, the milk tea and dessert specialty café is praised for its thick, towering and wobbly pancakes which are served in various flavours including matcha ($4.20), tiramisu ($4.20), meringue milk tea ($5.90), and the signature original snow pancake ($3.90). Pair your dessert with bubble tea for the ultimate sweet treat. Together with the pastel-hued interiors of this cosy café, one bite will send you on cloud nine.

Having late-night cravings for egg prata, murtabak, mee goreng or chicken biryani? This open-air Indian joint has your back 24/7 (it's currently opened from 7am to 11pm during Phase 2), and draws the hungry crowds every night – a testament to its highly raved prata. The star dish ($1.30) is a happy medium between fluffy and crispy, and is worth every calorie. We recommend having your prata with egg ($2) or with sambal and fish curry on the side for an extra kick.

Here’s a multi-concept boozer that’s full of surprises – penguins not included. Perfect for after-work drinks, Tipsy Penguin is an Asian-fusion bistro, sports bar, karaoke joint, and live music venue under one roof. However, it's currently open for dining and drinking only during Phase 2. But the menu here is just as extensive with pasta (from $15), Hawaiian poké (from $14), and Mod-Asian dishes (from $14) available on top of bar bites and desserts. As for the tipples, unwind with pints of draft beer (from $10), glasses of house pours (from $9), and signature cocktails including the Tipsy Old Fashioned ($15) with bourbon, demerara and dried orange peel.

New name, same delicious smoothies. Previously known as A1 Penang Chendol, A1 Chendol & Durian prides itself in making rich smoothies and heavenly chendol desserts that are – as it puts it – "worth a second cup". The popular neighbourhood dessert shop has been serving Tampines residents and students from nearby Temasek Polytechnic for almost two decades, and with the revamp, it's showing no signs of slowing down. Beat the heat with its signature A1 Penang chendol (from $4) topped with a generous amount of red beans and pandan jelly. It also comes with a smoothie option.

Since 1992, the sports bar has always been a solid choice for catching a game or two. It has over 20 bars across the island, and you won't have to travel far to catch a screening in the east as Harry's has a new, hip home at Tampines Grande. Order up the signature laksa popcorn chicken ($14) or go big with a wings platter ($28), and a pint of Harry's premium lager ($16), or a bottle of Tiger ($13) as you catch the latest in the sporting world.

You best believe that Xing Fu Tang's first outlet is at Century Square, with plenty more in the works. The main star of the show is none other than the brown sugar milk ($5.30). Its brown sugar pearls are freshly made in-store, and are lightly fried to give it a burnt, caramelised taste. The rest of the menu is slightly kitschy but as Instagrammable – the mango smoothie with pink cactus pearls ($6.90) is topped with a rabbit-shaped jelly, while the matcha pearl milk ($6.50) and strawberry pearl milk ($5.90) are coloured in different hues.

This outlet is the first store in Singapore to have a Lego Art wall with Star Wars-themed mosaic. The Lego Art series is designed for adults who have a keen interest in pop culture (and Lego, of course). Older Lego fans will love the dedicated Adults Corner where pro builders can assemble more complicated sets. Kids, on the other hand, get to enjoy the vertical play wall in the store or sit at the play table and build new worlds with Lego bricks. When it's time to shop, head to the Pick-A-Brick wall and fill a container with all the bricks you want or take your pick at the Build A Minifigure station and customise your very own collectible. 

Did you know that the first Foot Locker store in Singapore is housed in Century Square? Here, you'll find everything from the classic styles to the latest trends from the big guns like Nike, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Vans and more proudly sitting on the shelves of the iconic sportswear retailer. Shop its impressive selection of trainers, slides, and activewear, as well as collections that are exclusive only to Foot Locker stores. 

What started as a blog shop has grown into a full-fledged boutique. The local label had its first brick-and-mortar at Cineleisure Orchard before setting camp at 313@Somerset, Bugis+, Wheelock Place, Westgate, and Tampines. Hung on its racks are fashion-forward pieces that works well for any occasion from boardroom to bar. Expect a trendy mix of edgy, playful and plain minimal dresses, tops, trousers, and accessories. En route to sustainability, the label is also designing more pieces made using sustainable fabrics like linen and lyocell.

Previously known as Mt. Sapola, Hysses continues to make products that smell amazing and are completely natural, only containing botanical and bioactive ingredients that help provide healing and nourishment for the skin and hair. The homegrown brand has an extensive range of essential oils that target concerns such as stress and anxiety to nausea and premenstrual syndrome. Men's needs are accounted for too, with oils to combat low testosterone and hair loss.

Looking to recreate the Muji-esque vibe for your new home? Look no further than local lifestyle brand Iuiga to nail that Scandinavian vibe to a tee – at an affordable price tag to boot. Launched as an online store, Iuiga has branched out with physical stores at Funan, Paya Lebar Quarter, and more. Its store at Tampines 1 is the largest and features the full lineup of products, as well as an experiential area where you can interact with its exclusive solid wood furniture collection. Go forth and browse Instagram-worthy tableware, home decor, and even the trendy metallic suitcase for your next vacay.

There are only two Ikea stores in Singapore – one in Alexandra, and the other at Tampines Retail Park. Shopping at this Swedish furniture behemoth is a guilty pleasure most of us won’t normally ’fess up to. The affordable prices and stylish designs make it easy for anyone to spruce up their home. After all that shopping, take a break with a hot dog and soda, or those tasty, tasty Swedish meatballs.

Shop all things electronics including domestic appliances, home entertainment solutions and the latest digital technology as well as modern furniture under one roof at the biggest Courts store in Singapore. What sets this multi-levelled Megastore apart from other Courts stores is its home-like showrooms, contemporary retail concepts, end-to-end home solutions and a huge array of products at affordable prices.