We visited this place in November 2019, prior to Covid-19. Do check for pandemic-related updates and precautions before making your visit.
CACAO MARKET By MARIABELLE in Higashiyama, Kyoto, is host to a couple of oddities. For one, its quintessentially Western facade stands out from its neighbours of traditional buildings in Japan’s historical capital. For another, well – it’s home to a secret underground cafe accessible only by a secret passcode.
We visited this place in November 2019, prior to Covid-19. Do check for pandemic-related updates and precautions before making your visit.
What do you get when you combine a nearly thousand years old drink with a hip, modern setting and the allure of social media pictures? You get Matcha Republic!
Wandering somewhat aimlessly around Uji, Kyoto and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of shops touting variations of matcha in the hometown of this marvellous, historic drink, Matcha Republic’s minimalist white storefront called out to me from the myriad traditional stores brimming with packets upon packets of matcha powder.
You’ve heard of “husband and boyfriend” corners where you can rest your feet at retail stores, but what about an entire cafe for eating and drinking in between shopping bouts? Editor’s Market brings its slow-living philosophy into the dining world with a new F&B venture by the name of Cafe Found.
Update 19 Jan 2025: Gyosen has closed.
While Fortune Centre has established itself as a foodie haven for vegetarians and vegans, that has not stopped a handful of Japanese and Korean eateries from setting up shop in this unassuming mall. Gyosen has quietly made a name for itself with its affordable Japanese rice bowls and omaksase which are housed in two adjacent units on the third level.
If you didn’t open a cafe in Katong, can you really consider yourself part of the OG hipster neighbourhood? Atlas Coffeehouse Group marks its foray into east Singapore with Neptune, a chic cafe serving all-day brunch and other comfort foods.
Update: Waga Waga Den is temporarily closed.
With several Japanese-style or Japanese-inspired cafes popping up across Singapore, it’s interesting to see what each and every joint has to offer. One such business that has recently opened its doors at South Beach Tower is Waga Waga Den. A takeaway concept by Black Carvery Group, the same group behind Japanese fine-dining brands Black Cow and Shatoburian.
Update 19 Jan 2025: Menbaka Fire Ramen has moved to The Centrepoint.
If you’ve always been curious about Kyoto’s iconic Menbaka Fire Ramen but never got to try it (for obvious reasons), they have opened their first and only international outlet in Cineleisure Orchard.
While I’m personally skeptical about how well overseas food concepts, particularly Japanese, translate to local palates, curiosity got the better of me when I saw it was relatively empty one late weekend afternoon.
So, how does Singapore’s take on Menbaka Fire Ramen compare to the OG outlet in Kyoto?
Chue On It 