With Chinatown being full of amazing traditional teahouses and kopi spots, it seems almost laughable for one to crave their usual Starbucks order there. But we’re not gonna judge you for flocking to the cult coffee chain’s newest outlet in this historic area, because it’s the first-ever Starbucks branch that’s occupying a heritage shophouse in Singapore, with two storeys to boast of.
This aesthetically-pleasing locale isn’t simply for the vibes; All the decor and even the merchandise and drinks are curated in a way that tastefully pays homage to this cultural district’s rich storied past. This is already evident from the signages on the outside, where the Chinese characters “星巴克” (“Starbucks” in Mandarin) are plastered on a pillar as well as on a black doorway plaque in gilded gold font, just like the kind you’d find along the entrances of other preserved shophouses in the area. These were painstakingly handcrafted by local masters of calligraphy and wood carving.
Step into the retail space on the ground floor, where a giant Merlion Bearista plush statue – a great photo point – sits on a pedestal alongside shelves of store-exclusive merchandise. Some of these are designed in collaboration with JunleFont, a talented local calligraphy artist with autism. Spot the cute local twists to Starbucks’ collectible mugs, tumblers, and stuffed bears – items that are perfect as souvenirs for your friends from overseas.
Don’t mistake this for just a retail store though – we saw some netizens wrongly coming to the conclusion that this Starbucks at Smith Street doesn’t serve drinks. Just around the corner in an adjacent room is the order counter with a small seating area. Don't be bummed if all spots are taken, because there’s also a whole spacious second floor with different seating configurations including a long communal table, smaller round ones for solo dining and dates, and a cluster of mosaic-tiled tables with arched booth seats inspired by the old-school public benches at Singapore’s HDB void decks.
You’ll also notice plenty of coffee-themed paintings on the walls – including depictions of different coffee brewing methods, and the Starbucks siren against an oriental landscape – all done by Singaporean artist Tiffany Lovage. The largest one of all is on the exterior: A long mural that blends modern scenes of daily life with illustrations of Chinatown’s old bullock carts, but with the cattle pulling along blue-and-white porcelain cups filled with coffee cherries in lieu of wooden wagons.
Outlet-exclusive menu items at Starbucks Smith Street, Chinatown
A special Starbucks deserves a special menu; Sip on two locally inspired outlet-exclusive beverages: the black sesame oatmilk coffee frappuccino with soy pudding, which brings a mishmash of textures; and the yuan yang coffee frappuccino, where you get the best of both coffee and hojicha with chocolate chips. Both drinks are blended and topped with whipped cream, and priced at $9.90 for the grande size.
Pair those with light bites that are created in partnership with Old Seng Choong, a popular heritage confectionery brand that’s been around since 1965. Tuck into the XL chicken char siew puff ($6), coffee bolo bun with butter ($4.90), coffee egg tart ($3.90) and lychee swiss roll ($7.20), among others.
The outlet opens bright and early at 7.30am daily, so you can easily stop by for a pre-work pick-me-up before the tourist hordes start milling in. Closing is at 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10pm during the rest of the week.
Clearly, Starbucks at 37 Smith Street is more than just another coffee joint. But if that’s still not up your alley, check out Blue Bottle Coffee’s first café in Singapore, the best coffee shop in Asia aka Apartment Coffee at Selegie, or explore our favourite hidden cafés in Singapore.
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