Plain Vanilla likely needs no introduction, having been in the cafe scene since a decade ago and is known for its cupcakes and bakes.

It’s recently opened its sixth and newest bakery cafe along East Coast Road. The decor is reminiscent of its Tiong Bahru branch, with black pendant lights, long teak benches and reclaimed wood tops from French railway stations of the past that have been further repurposed and turned into cantilevered communal tables. There’s also a cosy backyard with a skylight.

Foodwise, there’s the Breakfast menu (8am to 3:30pm) and Brunch menu (11am to 3:30pm), which options that run the gamut of eggs benedict, toast, granola bowls, a grilled cheese sandwich, and of course, its array of tempting cupcakes.

Plain Vanilla East Coast is at 199 East Coast Road, Singapore 428902. Open daily from 7.30am to 7pm.

This new bistro, creamery and bar serves up Asian-style grub like curry fish on papadum, jumbo chicken satays, and house special chicken wings. For a sugar hit, try its range of gelato with waffles.

Wash it all down with your choice of tipple from its cocktail menu boasting adventurous options – there’s a Spicy Melon with watermelon, Roku Gin, ginger, chilli, a Green Cloud with gin, yuzu, matcha, lemon and laksa leaves, as well as a Mango Tango that has Maker’s Mark whiskey with spiced syrup and orange marmalade.

Eastside Collective is at 212 Telok Kurau Road, Singapore 423835.

I12 Katong has reopened with a slew of new restaurants following an extensive revamp, one of which is PS. Cafe. Located near the mall’s entrance, the 134-seater space greets diners with elegant furnishings and marble flooring that harken to magnificent seaside villas that once occupied East Coast Road. And for pet owners, the good news is that the outdoor terrace is pet-friendly, too.

You’ll find all-time favourites on the menu, from the loaded PS. Big Breakfast to the Superfood Salad, Crab Tart, and PS. Burger, as well as signature Truffle Shoestring Fries. What’s new? The outlet-exclusive Bali Beef Cheek Rendang Rice Bowl that nods to Katong’s heritage with tender beef cheek in aromatic rendang, shallot-scented rice, wing bean salad, and tempeh. Also worth ordering is the fragrant Original Laksa Leaf Pesto with spaghettini that isn’t overly spicy.

Also new is PS. Katong Chendol Panna Cotta, which is creamy with a coconut fragrance. Or you can always stick to the crowd-pleasers like the Double Chocolate Blackout Cake and the iconic Sticky Date Pudding.

PS.Cafe Katong is located at 112 East Coast Road, I12 Katong, #01-01/02/03, Singapore 428802.

Be whizzed away on a tropical escapade at Lime House, which serves authentic Caribbean fare (and a lot of rum). After opening its first outlet at Keong Saik, it’s now introduced a second restaurant along East Coast Road, with green accents, potted plants, wooden furnishings, and rattan seats.

Start with the addictive Caribbean Nachos — earthy and crisp plantain chips paired with creamy avo and tomato salsa — then make your way through spicy Chicken Doubles (curried chicken on a pancake-like bara bread), jerk chicken skewers and more.

Back to the rum – the list is extensive here, with tasting flights available. We recommend the botanical and citrusy sweet Lime House Punch, which is deceivingly potent.

Lime House East Coast is at 47 to 49 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428768. Visit its website for reservations.

If you appreciate fresh handmade pasta, then Forma is where to make a reservation. The new dining outfit is born out of a collab between The Cicheti Group and pasta artisan Lee Yumhwa of Ben Fatto 95.

The focus is on pasta made wth traditional techniques — the opening menu features the likes of the Oriechette al Sugo d’Agnello, a ear-shaped pasta typical of Puglia that scoops up a hearty braised lamb shank sugo, and tiny pork-filled parcels that star in the Tortellini in Brodo.

Pasta aside, the antipasti and mains by executive chef Dylan Cheong are star players too. The Polpette di Baccala, breaded salted cod and mashed potato bites, and the Prosciutto di San Daniel e Melone are both winners. For secondi, there’s a pan-roasted blue cod that boasts an airy wafer-like skin and tender flesh in a silky vermouth-butter sauce stew. Or get the Costata di Manzo, which stars 45 days dry-aged, 100 per cent grass-fed cube roll from King Island, Tasmania.

Forma is at 128 Tembeling Road, Singapore 423638. Open for lunch from 12pm – 2.30pm (Fri & Sat), and dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm (Tues to Sat). Visit its website for reservations or more information.

Dickson Nasi Lemak may have just opened a month ago, but it’s already drawn snaking queues. Helmed by the same people behind Champion Polo Bun, the takeaway dining concept prides itself on Malaysian-style Nasi Lemak, which supposedly uses the same recipe as Kuala Lumpur’s famous Village Park Restaurant.

The only main on the menu is the Ayam Goreng Berempah ($8.60+), which comes with fragrant coconut rice (made with homemade coconut milk), half a hard-boiled egg, and a spiced chicken leg that’s fried upon ordering. Then there’s its signature sambal, which uses 18 ingredients and is cooked for over five hours.

Dickson Nasi Lemak is at 320 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427571. Closed on Wednesdays.

Note: Dickson Nasi Lemak is closed till further notice. Follow its Instagram page for updates.

If not for its bright yellow exteriors, it’d be pretty easy to miss this new coffee joint — after all, it quite literally is a hole in the wall. There isn’t any seating available, and it’s more of a takeaway kiosk for when you need java on the go.

There are the usual suspects of Espresso ($3.50), White ($6) and Dark Mocha ($7). Or check out its signatures (all at $7), like the mint-infused Kohito, the Iced Coco Espresso with coconut water, or the Iced Coco Hoji that melds coconut water with hojicha.

Kohi Roastery & Coffee Bar is at 283 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427535.

Next to Kohi is Natsu, opened by the Ebb & Flow Group and chef Lewis Barker of the newly awarded one-Michelin-starred Sommer ⁠— and the coffee here is supplied by Kohi, too.

Come here for Western brunch classics given a Japanese flair, like eggs benedict layered with sansho glazed ham and sauteed wasabi spinach ($28++), sandos (from $22++) and jiggly souffle pancakes with white peach slices and almond cream ($23++).

The quaint and contemporary space doused in pastel hues also makes for fodder for your Instagram feed.

Natsu is at 283 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427535.

Joo Chiat’s home to an array of Vietnamese eateries, but if you’re after a Muslim-friendly option, there’s Joo Chiat Caphe, which uses ingredients from halal sources.

You’ll find mainly banh mi here, but with a twist. For fusion-style takes on the Vietnamese classic, there’s the Mackarel Otah With Homemade Vietnamese Mayonnaise ($6.50), and the Batter Crispy Fillet with Honey Mustard Sauce ($7).

Or go all out with the Earthquake ($8.50) loaded baguette filled with cold cut ham, grilled chicken thigh, lemongrass beef patty and chicken pate. Apart from banh mi, there are also options like Kuning Fish Nasi Lemak ($2.20), Otah Toast ($2.50) and Soft-Boiled Eggs ($1.80).

And if you need a caffeine fix, Vietnamese drip coffee is available here, too.

Joo Chiat Caphe is at 263 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427517. Visit its website for more information.

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding Supernova, a new cafe concept helmed by the same people behind Atlas Coffeehouse,  Apollo Coffee Bar, The Neptune, Lunar Coffee Brewers, and Columbus Coffee Co.

Surrounded by glass windows that afford plenty of natural light, the space is a mix of modern and classic elements, with wooden furniture, marble tabletops, and a chandelier overhead.

Menu-wise, expect hearty brunch fare in the day, from Steak Hash ($26.90++) with cubes of pan-seared striploin and crispy potatoes, Chorizo, Eggs & Avo ($20.90++) and Passionfruit French Toast ($20.90++). The menu also differs for lunch, with options like Shoyu Butter & Garlic Rigatoni ($18++), Wagyu Cheeseburger ($22.90++) and Eggs in Meurette, a poached eggs in a red wine stew ($24++).

Bonus: it’s a pet-friendly cafe.

Supernova is at 266 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437053.

Love all things mochi? Pay a visit to Dochi Dochi, a bakery that specialises in mini mochi doughnuts. It started out as a home-based business, before recently opening a physical store in Joo Chiat. Made fresh on the daily with no preservatives, it serves up both sweet and savoury bite-sized balls of bliss like Parmesan Garlic Butter, Truffle Mushroom, Maple Osmanthus, Biscoff Crunch, and Oreo Bomb.

Prices start from $7 for 10, depending on the flavour you go for.

Dochi Dochi is at 95 Joo Chiat Rd, #01-02, Singapore 427389. Visit its Instagram page for more information.

After opening its first outlet in Upper Thomson, Hello Arigato has done well enough to open the doors to a second space in Joo Chiat.

It’s all about the sando (Japanese-style sandwiches) here, with choices running from the signature Gyu Sando ($26++) loaded with 160g of Angus beef striploin, to the Tamago Sando ($14++) with tamagoyaki and an Ajitama Egg. And just for the Joo Chiat outlet is the HCG Sando ($16++), stuffed with a shrimp paste chicken or har cheong gai that’s been marinated for 48 hours and cucumbers.

If you’re up for something sweet, it offers baked goods like Miso Banana Cake ($7++), cookies ($5 per piece) and a Yuzu Meringue Cake ($9++) too.

Hello Arigato is at 314 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427565. Visit its website for more information.

Fans of the popular Wen Kang Ji Wanton Noodle at Golden Mile Food Centre will be glad to know that it has opened a second joint in Joo Chiat, housed in the same coffee shop as the equally well-known Da Dong Prawn Noodles.

The stall is best known for its juicy, glistening char siew that’s roasted in-house. The Wanton Noodles come in two sizes ($6 and $8), and are served with boiled wantons and a zesty housemade chilli sauce. Pork lard can also be added upon request.

Also on the menu are Dumpling Noodles ($5), Dumpling Soup ($5) and Wanton Soup ($5).

Wen Kang Ji Wanton Noodle  is at 354 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427600. Closed on Tuesdays.

For a quirky cafe experience, make your way to USD Cafe, which stands for Upside Down. Get the camera ready – you’ll get lots of fun photo ops with furniture and decor that have been hung upside down.

Apart from the novel experience, the spotlight is on the coffee, and especially Ipoh-style white coffee in an array of interesting concoctions. Think Cheesy Salted White Coffee, Okinawa White Coffee, Banana White Coffee and Jasmine White Coffee (all at $7.50++).

Food-wise, dig into all-day brunch fare, toast, pastries, and a variety of cheesecakes.

 USD Cafe is a 171 East Coast Road, #01-05, Singapore 428877.

If the scorching weather has you longing for an icy treat, may your way Kind Kones (also one of the new stores at I12 Katong) for all-natural vegan ice cream at Kind Kones. 

It’s the brand’s first location in the East; its other outlets are located in town at Paragon and The Forum. Free of dairy, eggs, preservatives and refined sugar, sink your teeth into luscious flavours like Almond Brittle Fudge, Baklava, Pecan Praline, and Passionfruit Sorbet.

Kind Kones is at #02-25 I12 Katong, 112 East Coast Road, Singapore 428802.