In a country hustling and bustling with life within an urban, concrete jungle, to chance upon a café filled with not only great food, but also arts of all kinds, is, without a doubt, a rare sight. Such an experience is what these 3 cafés aspire to bring to their Singaporean patrons.

Broun Café:
Situated in the middle of North Canal Road, a mere 5-minute walk from Clarke Quay MRT Station, lies the humble Broun Café, distinctively made known not only by its dark brown painted walls, but also by its array of strange and wonderful offerings that not only include good grub, but live performances as well.

The homey storefront of Broun Cafe presents itself as a welcome change from the grayish modern buildings along Clarke Quay that surround it.

Patrons are spoilt for choice at Broun, as the café offers, among others, delectable pasta, stew, and their luscious Homemade Signature Brounie. The café even has a mini shop which “sells books, stickers, and a number of other strange … [and] wonderful items from local creative folk”, they describe on their website, broun.sg.

For $5, Broun Cafe offers the choice of a drink (Home-made Iced Lemon Tea or Honey Lemon), coupled with their Homemade Signature Brounie.

With the 2 café founders being musicians themselves, it is no surprise that when you pay a little visit to the café from Wednesday to Saturday nights, you’d be treated by tunes from talented local musicians who play in a corner titled Broun Sessions. “I adore Broun for its love for the local arts, music and cultural scene,” says Juliet Pang, vocalist of jazz quartet, White Noise, who recently played at Broun Café.

Juliet, together with Didi Mudigdo, the keyboardist of White Noise, play a series of Chinese and English jazz melodies, soothing to the ear. The quartet recently performed at Esplanade’s Concourse also!

*Note: Broun Café will be temporarily shifting from its home at North Canal Road. However, Broun Sessions are still on at The Loft Café, nearby Smith Street.

  • Price Rating: $$
  • Rating: 4/5
  • Address: (Temporary) 268A South Bridge Road, Singapore.
  • Contact Details:
  • Opening Hours
    • Tue: 11:30 pm – 3:00 pm
    • Wed – Fri: 11:30 pm – 10:00 pm
    • Sat: 9:00 am – 10:30 pm
    • Sun: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Food Review:

  • Food: 3.5/5
  • Ambience: 5/5
  • Service: 4/5
  • Value: 4/5

 

Talent Café:

Along Tras Street stands what looks like a 4-storey whitewashed shop house, better known as Talent Café Singapore. Initially started over 15 years ago in Kuala Lumpur, the franchise opened in Singapore last year.

Entirely white, Talent Café stands out rather blatantly amidst its neighbours along Tras Street. Photo Courtesy of Blogger Loon Wan Swen.

Though its exterior may seem plain, the interior of the café exuberates an ambience of classy art, in an environment where “photographers can collaborate with models, graphic artists with poets, chefs with artists,” as stated on their Facebook page.

The interior of all the 4 floors that make up Talent Café, however, are far more colourful than its plain storefront, featuring not only classy art, but impeccable furnishings, and even a small stage.

Stairways and walls are lined with works of art, exceptional photographs of all kinds. “They are changed every few months,” says a staff member. “Next month, we’ll feature photographs from local art students!”

 

 

In addition to artistic photography works, pictures featured in Talent Cafe are model or fashion shots of all kinds.

With great cuisine, coupled with mini bars that serve a diverse range of alcoholic drinks and desserts, Talent Café achieves a unique eating experience unlike any other.

Talent Cafe offers numerous delectable food and drink offerings, and its Pesto Pasta, complete with a herb filled texture and topped off with cheese sprinkles, is one you should try.

Food Review:

  • Food: 4/5
  • Ambience: 5/5
  • Service: 4/5
  • Value: 3.5/5

 

The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) (Pantone My Art)

Amidst paintings and illustrations hung from wall to wall, a mirrored wall lined with books, and with soft cushions to rest your tush, this two-storey The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) outlet offers a great environment for one to sit back, enjoy great food, soups, salads, pasta, dessert cakes, and not forgetting their signature offering, listed in almost every page of their extensive drinks menu- coffee.

Situated 5 minutes away from Raffles Place MRT station, and only a few minutes walk from the Singapore River, lies TCC (The Gallery), which is home to numerous art exhibitions.

The outlet even plays host to art exhibitions, most recently, Pantone My Art, held in collaboration with art-management.com, which opened on Jul 11. The exhibition features artwork from “ten Singapore-based artists,” as stated on their webpage, pantonemyart.com, tasked with creating works of art in one main colour.

Photo taken from Pantone My Art's Facebook page.

*Note: Pantone My Art will be held until Sep 30.

  • Price Rating: $$
  • Rating: 4/5
  • Address: 51 Circular Road, Singapore 049406
  • Contact Details:
  • Opening Hours
    • Sun – Thu and Public Holidays: 11:00 am – 12:00 am
    • Fri – Sat and Eve of Public Holidays: 11:00 am – 2:00 am

Food Review:

  • Food: 4.5/5
  • Ambience: 5/5
  • Service: 4/5
  • Value: 3.5/5

 

Be it in a shophouse located along a quaint street, or in a posh-looking café, it seems that slowly, arts and good food are going to be coupled together, permanently. We look forward to what other kinds of fusion cafés pop out in the future!