7 Relaxing Cafés in Punggol for an Enjoyable Weekend

Initially, we planned to do a Punggol hawker guide but there isn’t any huge hawker centres in the area to explore and coffee shops were quite limited. So, we decided to explore the cafés in Punggol. To be honest, Punggol Settlement and Punggol Promenade are quite inaccessible unless you have a car. The upside was that these food establishments are not crazily packed with crowds. You can really unwind and enjoy your meal in a relaxing and laid-back ambience. We bring you 7 cafés in Punggol to ‘lepak’ your weekend away.

Ah Dong Teh House

Ah Dong Teh House is a good place for people who prefer kopi and teh to flat whites and cappuccinos. This eatery is the only one that opens at 11am on weekdays. Lunch specials are available on weekdays from 11am to 5pm and all main courses come with a free soup and a free drink. We had Ah Dong Curry Chicken ($9.90) where you can choose to pair it with rice or bread. The curry wasn’t too spicy. It’s on a milkier side and boasts a strong coconut flavour. The chicken was well-cooked, it was one of the more generous portions of curry we had at such a good price.

Besides local favourites, Ah Dong Teh House serves Western food as well. We shared Garlic Butter Mussels ($9.50) as an appetizer but found the plump mussels braised in garlic butter cream sauce a little too salty and “gelat”. The Blue Curacao ($6.50) with hints of mango flavour was too sweet for us but kids will love this.

Cravings

I’ve to say that this café’s website looks way more impressive that the physical café. Catering to the youngsters who are looking for a short break from prawning, fishing or playing pool, the cafe serve waffles, ice cream and other desserts. We picked the savoury waffle ($8.90) with choice of Ham & Cheese, Chicken & Cheese and Crispy Chicken Fingers. Unfortunately, the Chicken & Cheese savoury waffle didn’t impress, perhaps we should have ordered the sweet waffles instead.

Fur Kicks

Fur Kicks’s Pork Ribs ($28) appealed to us most. Each piece contains fork-tender, succulent meat that was well marinated and very tasty. The BBQ sauce was a little sweet in the beginning but finishes with a spicy, peppery twist. This portion is ideal for sharing among two persons. If you’re there to grab a drink, you can also order their tapas which range from truffle fries to nacho chips & baked cheese to topshell, just to name a few. Besides the pork ribs, hearty diners can also go for beef burger, fish & chips and pasta options. Fur Kicks serve sweet desserts as well if you’re looking for a sinful indulgence.

Just The Place

Just The Place’s menu is quite extensive and we tried their Seafood Marinara ($22.90), as well as, their French Toast ($8.90). The former had spaghetti cooked til al dente, with fried fish fillets, squids and prawns, tossed in their spicy Marinara sauce. The seafood was fresh and tasty but the fried fish fillets was too salty on our day of visit.

On the other hand, the French Toast featured pan-fried eggy Brioche drizzled with maple syrup, berry compote and was served with vanilla ice cream. This was really good as the sweetness was neutralized by the refreshing berry compote. We wouldn’t mind waking up to this for breakfast or ending our meal on a satisfying note with this French toast. Just The Place also serves meat platters and pizzas and we might just head back to try these since we had a pleasant experience dining there for the first time.

Trunk at Bay

This eatery serves classic Thai food, from appetizers like Pandan Chicken and Thai Otah to mains such as Phad Thai, Hot Basil Pork or Chicken rice, Tomyum soup and Green Curry to desserts like Mango Sticky Rice. It was a rainy night when we patronized so we had to sit indoors but if you go on a clear night, it’s actually quite breezy to sit outside while listening to the soothing sounds of waves crashing against the shore.

The Green Curry Chicken ($12.90) was disappointing as the chicken was too tough and the curry was too bland. Perhaps, we should’ve tried their Tomyum soup or Phad Thai … We ended the night with Mango Sticky Rice ($7.90) which was the saving grace.

Wayne’s Chill Out

Now that Coney Island is accessible to cyclists and joggers, why not drop by this café to reward yourselves after staying out too long under the scorching sun? The menu features freshly made ice cream, pizzas, desserts and drinks such as ice cream floats, milkshakes and freshly brewed coffee. We had a classic waffle with single scoop ice cream ($10.50) where we chose kaya butter toast flavour, it did cool us down on a hot day so we have no complaints.

Whisk and Paddle

Located beside the “river”, this café boasts a tranquil atmosphere and you can choose to dine alfresco or enjoy the air-conditioning indoors when the heat is too hot to bear. This café is very family-friendly as there’s a small playground where your kids will be able to enjoy themselves. All-day breakfast is available here and there’s even a kid’s menu. Western food is the focus here and we decided to go for the unique Duck & Lychee Thin Crust Pizza ($17.80). The crispy crust is topped with succulent smoked duck breast. Each bite gives a burst of flavours which ends with a refreshing twist due to the lychee and mango salsa. We also had Churros ($5) for dessert and we opted for the Gula Melaka dip. Unfortunately, the churros were not as fluffy as we expected them to be and the Gula Melaka dip was too sweet.

Punggol may be an “ulu” place for most of us but it’s not a bad idea to check the area out over the weekend after exploring Coney Island on a bike. The area is almost like a dead town on weekdays but don’t be surprised to see a crowd during weekends, especially at Punggol Promenade, as many families and friends love gathering there just to catch prawns and fishes. Hope this guide is useful for those of you who are new to the estate!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

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