There’s much to do at the newly revamped Jurong Lake Gardens which spans a whopping 90 hectares and includes three main areas: Lakeside Garden, Chinese Garden, and Japanese Garden. And as with any day spent out and exploring in sweltering Singapore, pit stops are a must. Eden Café is a quiet, halal-certified spot tucked away in Chinese Garden, where you can fuel up on all-day brunch, quench your thirst, or grab an ice cream to beat the heat.
Getting there
The café is a 10-minute walk from Chinese Garden MRT Station. Upon reaching the station, follow the signs for Exit B. Walk under the sheltered walkway across the field until you reach Chinese Garden Bridge. You should see the Cloud Pagoda on the horizon. After crossing the bridge, turn right towards the sheltered area by the water where the café is located.
If you’re booking a private hire to Eden Café directly, note that you’ll likely be dropped off at Yuan Ching Road along Lakeside Garden instead. From here, it will take you 18 minutes to walk to the café. To avoid this, we recommend setting your drop-off location as Chinese Garden MRT Station Exit B and walking from here instead.
The space
Eden Café sits right by the water – not quite Maldives-clear, but still a pleasant view – and is surrounded by lush greenery. The spacious outdoor seating includes tables with direct views of the Cloud Pagoda, but the air-conditioned area is definitely recommended on a hot afternoon for a temporary respite from the heat. Even inside, ample natural light floods the space, keeping it bright and inviting.
Spot the ice cream counter near the cashier which can be accessed from outdoors. Here’s where to get scoops of gelato ($6.90 each) in flavours like Mao Shan Wang, sea salt caramel with almonds, or blueberry yoghurt for the road.
The menu
There’s an extensive selection of locally-inspired brunch fare (from $7.90) to choose from. The har cheong gai waffles ($22) are a pleasant surprise – a spin on the usual chicken and waffles combo, the shrimp paste batter is well-fried and crunchy without being overly oily, and the spiced maple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness. Other local dishes include Nyonya curry chicken curry with mantou ($10.90), laksa ($8.90), chicken porridge ($7.90), and more.
More unique options on the menu to try include the creamy avocado and buttermilk fried cod fish pasta ($24) and the rendang burger ($20). For the pasta, an avocado cream sauce is used and the dish is topped with a generous hunk of cod, lightly battered and fried with a flaky consistency. It’s a spin on regular cream pasta with avocado and fresh greens adding a healthy touch, but the flavours get cloying over time.
The rendang burger sees beef patty marinated in rendang sauce and topped with a gooey sunny-side-up egg that oozes when bitten into. It’s paired with sides of pickles, tangy slaw, and fries. We find the beef patty to be on the drier side and the rendang to be sweeter than expected, though the fries are crisp and nicely done. There are also other typical brunch dishes on the menu like avocado on sourdough ($16), as well as several breakfast sets (from $6.90) to get your fix of kaya butter toasts, soft-boiled eggs, and coffee.
Quench your thirst with a fairly extensive drink menu that includes items like strawberry matcha ($8), cold brew coffee ($7), a rose sakura beverage ($8), kombucha in various flavours ($8), and more.
Eden Café is open daily from 9am at 70B Yuan Ching Road, #01-04, Singapore 619629.
Find out more about Eden Café here.
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