The best cafés in Singapore for dessert

At Catkin, desserts are not an afterthought. The intimate dessert bar is helmed by Soh Hui Shan, who at 27 years young, has already clocked in with local fine-dining giants such as the now-defunct Restaurant Andre and three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Zén. Opt for the Catkin experience ($48), where Huishan recreates familiar flavours into a Haute dessert omakase course. Savour on inspirations drawn from nostalgic snacks like the tutu kueh, hawthorn flakes and the muah chee. The dessert bar has also got a range of freshly churned ice cream and sorbets for those looking for a cheeky little treat after a meal. Take note though, if you're planning to visit on the weekend between 4pm to 7pm, reservations are required as the 12-seater dessert bar will not entertain any walk-ins.

This reservation-only dessert café is a hidden oasis of Japanese-inspired sweet treats. Diners have to choose what they want to order beforehand – this allows the husband and wife duo who run Kki Sweets to better manage the quality of their cakes and also prevent waste by preparing only what's required for the day. We recommend getting three to four desserts to share as a way to sample the variety that the patisserie has to offer. Favourites include the Koide, a cake that invokes zen imagery of fishes swimming in a pond and its flavours reflect the same light, airy vibe. This elegant treat comes with refreshing layers of mint sponge, lychee and grapefruit mousse, and crowned with grapefruit jelly.

It’s not every day you find restaurant-quality desserts in the heart of an HDB estate but this gem in Jurong East does just that. This minimalist patisserie in Jurong East is run by chef-owner Lee Yin Quan, who has a diploma in French pastry from Ferrandi Paris. Having worked with famous pastry chefs from around the world, Lee serves stunningly plated and meticulous desserts that you wouldn’t be surprised to find at a fine-dining establishment. Try the Madu, a hexagonal cake of honey caramel with a cornflake crumble served with Horlicks ice cream and keep an eye out on Lee's Confectionery's Instagram page for updates on its rotating array of pastries.

Italian gelato, Korean injeolmi, and French madeleines. Iconic desserts and pastries from around the world are brought together at this creative sweet shop in Singapore. The headlining parfaits ($24), with two scoops of ice cream served in a sculptural Raawii Strøm bowl, are fit for a queen. Some 24 ice cream options are freshly churned, and the rotating selection spotlight novel flavours (from $5.50) like milk tea made with smoky lapsang souchong, genmaicha drizzled with Manuka honey, bingsu-inspired injeolmi, and black cold brew sorbet. For light bites, the pastry shelves are lined with a variety of fun, modern bakes. Highlights include the salted caramel-topped canelé ($4); black-tea infused madeleine ($4), coated in strawberry chocolate; coffee mascarpone mini pound cake ($4.50); and hazelnut mocha sable sandwiches ($5.50) that are reminiscent of Ferraro Rocher.

In the mood for healthy ice cream? Kind Kones dishes out quite a variety of healthy, vegan and mostly gluten-free sweet treats. All their ice cream and desserts are made from scratch with natural and chemical-free ingredients that are unprocessed. Picky eaters will be pleased to know that the ice creams do not contain eggs, dairy products, emulsifiers or preservatives and instead, are based on coconut, cashews and/or almonds. Flavours rotate every day but the signature is the Blue Planet, which looks like Earth with green matcha cake bits and a base that is coconut, cashew and almond milk with vanilla and a natural blue pea flower dye. 

Fans of the stinky fruit, you ought to pay this modern durian stall a visit. In the calm sanctuary lies unique house-made durian desserts such as the creamy durian mousse ($7.50), swiss rolls and mao shan wang choux puff ($1.80). There is also the classic D24 durian chendol (from $5) to beat the heat. For purists, head outside and snag a seat under the tree. There you'll be able to feast your way through six variants of durian specially handpicked by the restaurant ranging from the popular Mao Shan Wang to the lesser known Black Thorn.

Wrap up date night at Lolafaye Cafe on Hamilton Road, a dessert parlour serving ice-cream, waffles and milkshakes. A big draw for Lolafaye Cafe is that it opens till 2am – perfect for those who crave something sweet hours after dinner. The cosy space is kitted out with tan leather seats, walls adorned with a tropical-themed design and low lighting for that intimate ambience. There are two waffles options here: Charcoal Blackout and Buttermilk Belgian. The ice creams may rotate and include seasonal flavours; crowd favourites include Hazelnut Rocher, Dark Fantasy and Biscoff Butter.

Mr Holmes Bakehouse is a San Francisco-based bakery best known for rolling out batches of sweet cruffin – a croissant-muffin hybrid that comes filled with luscious cream and dusted with sugar. Swing by its pink-clad home and choose from a line-up of sugar-dusted sweets where signature bakes include jazzed-up croissants and stuffed doughnuts. Fans of the savoury should definitely try the bacon jalapeno danish.

Momolato is short for ‘more and more gelato’ – a belief that most would have no problem getting behind. Here, you'll find easy-to-eat, healthy frozen treats; tropical-inspired flavours are derived from natural ingredients and made without any artificial additives. Choose from 18 different flavours such as roasted Sicilian pistachio, refreshing Kochi yuzu shisho, and hojicha layered with oolong notes. There is even a vegan and keto-friendly range to cater to various dietary preferences. Have it scooped up in a cup (from $4.90), or served with a crispy pandan waffle cone ($1.50). Dine-in seatings might be limited, but for those lucky enough to grab a table, orders of the croffle (from $6.60) are a must.

This neighbourhood ice cream and waffle parlour deep in the heartlands of Singapore is as delicious as it is Instagrammable. It opens from noon till two in the morning, making it a popular supper hot spot. You'll always be greeted by the intoxicating scent of buttermilk waffles and generous scoops of ice cream. And things are kept mighty affordable with scoops priced from $3.90 onwards (add $0.80 for premium flavours such as mao shan wang durian) and come in unique creations like oolong lavender, honeydew cucumber and Yakult Oreo.

The Scandinavian-themed, wood-toned interior makes for an inviting and homey space. Tuck into Dainty cookies ($2.80), called småkager, as they are clearly the star of the show. Other eight different bites are also are available, including orange and chocolate, cinnamon-scented hazelnut, meringue-topped passionfruit, and chocolate brightened with calamansi. These small sweets are perfect with a pot of warm brew ($6.50), or the iced Garden of Eden ($7) bursting with an elegant floral aroma. Don't wait, pull up a rattan-backed chair, and settle down in a sun-drenched corner under the skylight.

Best known for their handcrafted pastries that offer as much visual appeal as palate pleasures, definitely try the new intricate Caramelia Banana Cake. Consisting of three contrasting layers of a lemon caramel crumble base, chocolate cake with confit banana, and a lashing for sweet caramel chocolate mousse that hugs a sea salt caramel core. But if you've been a long-time fan of Tuxedo, be sure to pick up their evergreen signatures of the iconic Hazelnut Chocolate Éclair, freshly baked buttery French croissants and Pain au Chocolat while you're there.

Freshly churned gelato are hidden from sight at Dopa Dopa Creamery. Instead, the various flavours are stored in the shop’s special ponzetti – just like how the Italian gelato shops do. With each order, the frozen treat is whipped by hand to make it more ‘springy’ and elastic. Sample it as it is, in waffle cones, or sandwiched between flaky croissants. Our favourite: the home-roasted pistachio that’s toasty in colour and flavour. 

Led by the Les Amis group’s head baker, Tarte by Cheryl Koh creates awe-inducing tarts that are a delight to consume. Prices might be a little steep ($10 for an individual tart), but each circle comes well-composed with colourful toppings and buttery crusts. Fruity inspirations take the lead, with favourites such as candied kumquat on citrus curd, Tasmanian cherry compote with cinnamon crumble, and clementines paired with yuzu cream. For the chocolate-lovers, there’s also the macadamia tart with 41% milk chocolate ganache, and another made from 66% dark chocolate.

You might already know that this famous homegrown bakery serves up stellar bakes of croissants ($3.50) and pastries. But you might not know about its off-the-menu secret kaya ($0.50), available only upon request. Fresh pandan juice, coconut milk, caster sugar, and egg is emulsified with virgin coconut oil to create a soufflé-like consistency. But if you’re looking for something more hearty, order the sweet stack of waffles ($21). The base of 100% sourdough waffles, made from an ancient 158-year-old starter, comes crowned with fresh mangoes and lemongrass chantilly cream. But if your tastebuds are craving something salty, the airy waffles can also be made savoury ($23) with the addition of bacon and honey ricotta ($23). 

If popular Toa Payoh ice cream café Creamier is too inaccessible for your dessert fix, find an alternative in Sunday Folks, the brand’s breezier dessert bar at Chip Bee Garden (sorry, Easties). Bestsellers include earl grey lavender and sea salt gula melaka ($7.90 each in cone/cup), which you can finish with toppings such as sea salt chocolate honeycomb, honey-toasted granola and handmade gula melaka mochi alongside sauces like miso caramel and chocolate hazelnut. Waffles start from $10 with one topping – or just go all out with the $17 option, complete with three toppings, a generous swirl of ice cream and two slices of waffles. To coerce you to stay a little longer, the café also brews coffee ($4-$8) out of a La Marzocco machine and offers Franklin & Sons sodas ($6.50), Gryphon tea ($6) and Hitachino Nest beers ($13). 

You'll find this joint packed to the gills with the well-dressed set on weekends. They're probably there for the desserts. The prudently sweetened waffles, drizzled in salted caramel and vanilla ice cream ($12.50), are the perfect counterpoint to the silky, well-built cuppas (from $3.50). Other sweet brunch plates are also worth sharing, like the Summer French Toast ($21) with tea-poached pears and hotcakes with lemon curd ($14.50). 

This Halal cake brand has grown to two takeaway outlets in the city, but you’ll want to retreat into its cottage-like Jalan Besar flagship for a sweet treat. The cakes here look bang on trend, but use recipes inspired by owner Shannon Lua’s grandmother.

As-seen-on-Pinterest tiered cakes (from $280), frosted minimally between layers and dressed with foliage and fruits, are the hot order for weddings and birthdays. Butter Studio’s also a whiz at matching trendy ingredients. Milo and Speculoos? Check. Salted caramel and red velvet? Hell yeah. A slice goes for $7.90, with the option to add ice cream at $4 a scoop, and cupcakes start at $3.50 a pop.
 
And if you must pad your stomach with savouries before the sweet, pick from the menu of standards like eggs Benny ($15), turkey bacon melt French toast ($13), and sausage lover’s platter ($16), available at lunch and late into dinnertime. Butter Studio’s open ’til midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, so definitely count this as an alternative to a Swee Choon supper pig out.

Creamier has made a name for itself whipping up some of the best ice cream on the island. But we’re not only talking about its strangely comforting flavours like sea salt gula Melaka, Thai milk tea and roasted pistachio ($3.30/single scoop, $5.60/double scoop). The dessert itself is flawless: not too dense and not too light, its texture delicately coats the tongue without leaving behind a cloying finish. That the ice cream isn’t too sweet is yet another plus point. The Belgian waffles ($6) are worth a return trip, too. They’re served in stacked pairs, and while you can easily crush them alone, do yourself a favour by adding a scoop ($8.80). 

The French pâtisserie carries a spread of sweets for your picking, but its made-to-order soufflés are reason enough to return. The Guanaja Chocolate option ($18.50) does no wrong – it’s decadent but retains the texture of a good soufflé, with gently bitter notes to cut through any cloyingness. Crack the top of your soufflé, drizzle a little sauce into its aerated centre, then tuck into mouthfuls of the warm chocolatey stuff. 

Pretty cakes paired with exquisite teas, all housed in a beautifully decorated space adorned with handpainted floral murals – that's what you can expect from Nesuto Patisserie. Helmed by Alicia Wong, the head pastry chef who's spent five years in Capella's kitchen, Nesuto serves cakes, entremets and plated desserts alongside tea pairings by Antea Social. Our favourites include the Noisette Rocher, Wong's take on a Ferrero Rocher made from hazelnut praline mousse, Guanaja 70% ganache and a caramalised hazelnut feuilletine for an added crunch. For something lighter, opt for the yuzu raspberry. The light yuzu meringue and delicate Japanese cotton sponge feel like a cloud on the tongue, with a slight tartness from the raspberries coming through.

Run by Cordon Bleu trained Gwen Lim, PatisserieG might possibly offer some of the best cakes in Singapore. Ingredients directly imported from France ensure desserts of the highest quality – featuring the G Spot Cake ($9), its signature dessert piece. They also offer artisan coffees and a wide range of pastries and macarons ($3 a piece).

Platters of pastries and cakes tempt your taste buds as you enter Plain Vanilla Bakery, but resist that because you’re here for one purpose: to capture those cupcakes, squash them between your teeth, reduce them to a sticky, gooey clump.

Choose from a dozen flavours ($3.90 each): chocolate hazelnut’s a bold, Nutella-fuelled prize crowned with more nuts; red velvet’s made with Valrhona chocolate and capped with a thick cream cheese frosting; and cookies and cream’s a chocolatey affair with smashed Oreos weaved into its frosting. You’ll want to collect ’em all, we promise.