Photograph: Funan

The ultimate guide to Funan Singapore

After three years of redevelopment, the former IT mall Funan is back with a new look, image and exciting tenants

Saturday 29 June 2019

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Written by Nicole-Marie Ng & Delfina Utomo

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Say the word Funan and the phrase "the IT mall" immediately comes to mind. But after three years of development and a $560 million revamp, the latest shopping centre by Capitaland is back to show us that it can be so much more.

With a retail section that spans six storeys housing 192 tenants, Funan has something for everyone, whether you're looking for tech, food, fashion, fitness or culture. The futuristic mall houses flagship stores of international brands such as Brompton Junction and Taobao, as well as local labels like Carrie K. and Another Sole. It also has an ABC Cooking Studio, Golden Village, a futsal court, and tech-enabled handsfree shopping plus a food court where you can pay for food with your cryptocurrencies.

If all that sounds a little too overwhelming, here's a guide to some of the things you can do, eat and shop, only at the new Funan.

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To do

GV Funan

Things to do
City Hall

Photo: GV Funan

Golden Village (GV) Funan is the brand's 14th multiplex in Singapore and the Funan outlet promises a more premium movie-going experience. The complex houses seven theatres including new seating concepts like the Deluxe Plus where cinema-goers can sink into spacious and reclining leatherette seats. The Gold Class Express is similar to GV's iconic Gold Class experience – but at a more attractive price. The only difference is that you have to order your food in advance via the CV mobile app.

Things to do
Walks and tours
City Hall

Photograph: Edible Garden City

Take a breather from the retail jungle of Funan and step out (and up) to the Urban Farm operated by Edible Garden City – who has long championed the grow-your-own-food movement in Singapore. Located on the seventh storey of Funan is an 18,000sq ft Food Garden where you can find more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables including mushrooms, edible flowers, okra, basil, mint, watermelon, lemongrass and passionfruit. The urban farm is also open to the public (one of the few!) and is a space where visitors can learn how vegetables are produced and harvested.

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The Ark at Funan

Sport and fitness
Football
City Hall

Photo: The Ark

Play a game of futsal with a view at the uppermost floor of the mall. Operated by The Ark, the place is unmanned and booking of courts is done via the website. It is the first futsal court in the heart of the CBD and definitely a place to hit with the gang for a change from the usual gym sesh.

Things to do
Classes and workshops
City Hall

Learn to cook in a fun and relaxed environment at ABC Cooking Studio. No experience is needed – just rock up to a class and choose to whip up bread, cake, wagashi (Japanese confections that are often served with tea), food for kids or proper dishes to impress by signing up for a course. You can even take up trial lessons first before deciding on a course. The courses come in all difficulty levels so it's all good for beginners as well as pro home chefs who want to sharpen their skills.

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Drumstruck Studios

Things to do
Classes and workshops
City Hall

Photo: Drumstruck Studios

To add on to the fun activities in the mall – sign up to learn an instrument at Drumstruck. Despite the name, you can learn to pick up other instruments too like the acoustic and electric guitar, bass, pop piano and keyboard. Classes are held on an individual basis so you have plenty of one-on-one time with your instructor which means you have no excuse not to get better.

Afuri

Ramen
City Hall

Photograph: Afuri

Named after Mount Afuri in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, this ramen joint has made waves in Tokyo for its light and delicate chicken-broth bowls perfumed with a touch of yuzu. Its first branch in Singapore is located at basement one of Funan and it carries Afuri’s signatures such as the yuzu shio ramen ($15.90) and yuzu tsukemen ($15.90). The former comes with thin whole-grain noodles topped with bamboo shoots, mizuna (Japanese mustard greens), a slice of pork belly, half and egg and nori; the latter comes with thicker noodles, marinated chunks of pork belly and a tangy dipping sauce. The yuzu flavour is more pronounced in the tsukemen and makes for a refreshing yet satisfying meal that isn’t too heavy on the palate. But if you’re a fan of bolder flavours, try the tonkotsu tan tan ramen ($15.90) or tonkotsu shio ramen ($13.90) instead.

Peranakan
City Hall

Photograph: Godmama

Opened by three Peranakans passionate about keeping their culinary traditions alive, Godmama is where you’ll find your favourite Nonya comfort food. Aside from the classic ayam buah keluak ($18.90), babi assam ($16.90), sambal udang ($23.90) and otak otak ($9.90), you’ll also find co-owner Christina Keilthy’s star dish: egg skin popiah ($6.50) filled with stewed vegetables, fresh prawns, lettuce, crushed peanuts and fried shallots.

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Noka

Japanese
City Hall

Photograph: NOKA

Hidden away on the seventh floor of the mall, which you need to access by walking through the lush rooftop garden by Edible Garden City, lies Noka. It’s the Spa Esprit Group's first foray into Japanese dining, with chef Seki Takuma leading the charge. The glassed-walled dining room with a ceiling decked out in white paper umbrellas follows the same farm-to-table approach as sister restaurant, Open Farm Community. The nearby garden sends 80 percent of its produce to Noka, which makes it way on the menu as a part of a $150 omakase or more casual selections like salmon aburi ($18) or a kaisen don ($35). It also has a $45 three-course lunch set, which comes with your choice of sushi moriawase or bara chirashi.

Oyster bars
City Hall

If $2 oysters sound like the perfect way to celebrate the end of a workday, then The Oyster Bank is where you want to be. Choose to have them naked ($2.90), or try it dressed in mignonette ($3.90/oyster), grilled with mentaiko ($3.90/oyster) or breaded and deep-fried ($12.90/8 oysters). Swing by during Happy Shucking Hour (5pm to 8pm on weekdays, 3pm-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays) for naked oysters priced at an unbeatable $2. If you’re hankering for something more substantial, its also has rice bowls like a bara chirashi don ($13.90), salmon aburi don ($15.90) or smoked duck don ($12.90).

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Fireless Kitchen

City Hall

Looking for a healthy yet satisfying meal? Head to the Fireless Kitchen for a grain bowl concept similar to the likes of The Daily Cut or Grain Traders. Customise a bowl with your choice of base, protein and three sides. The price you pay depends on your protein selection – all prepared sous vide – with options like barbecue pork belly ($15.90), chicken pesto ($11.90) and lemon herb salmon ($15.90). Its star base is a creamy sweet potato mash while companions to your meal come in the form of miso-glazed carrots, balsamic onion confit and more.

Snack bars
City Hall

With over a thousand outlets in China, A Gan Guo Kui makes its international debut at Funan with the help of local bubble tea brand, LiHO. There are currently five types of Guo Kui – a thin stuffed flatbread – available: Sichuan pickled fish ($3.20), preserved vegetable ($2.60), spicy beef ($2.90), coconut ($2.60) and brown sugar red ben ($2.30), each baked fresh on site. Don’t be deceived by its humble appearance, the savoury Sichuan options bring the heat. Wash it down with beverage options like water chestnut, plum juice or hot soy milk at $2 a cup.

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More food and beverage options

For more restaurants, cafés, bars and snack stalls at Funan, click here for the mall's F&B directory.

To shop

The Green Collective

Shopping
Lifestyle
City Hall

Fashion and sustainability can indeed go hand in hand. Aligned with their mission to champion conscious living, expect to find quirky items like handcrafted necklaces and shoes made from recyclable material amongst other eco-friendly gems like compost bins and reusable sandwich wraps. If you're exploring eco-friendly skincare options, there are plenty of choices of face scrubs, face mists and more in-store. Browse the ethically made creations of more than a dozen of homegrown and international brands.

Shopping
Perfumeries
City Hall

Perfumes may be aplenty but at Six, it's all about the emotional experience. Founder Jason Lee creates perfumes to reenact moments and capture memories. The perfumes on this homegrown label was created for the trendy, adventurous and soul-searching individual, the unisex scents come in a six variants collection. The first three variants, 123 Tribeca, 1724 Puka and 27˚F Biei were named after places in New York, Boracay and Hokkaido respectively.

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Love, Bonito

Shopping
Fashion
City Hall

Step inside the Love, Bonito’s largest physical store in Singapore located right in Funan. The local label offers womenswear for work, casual wear and also special occasions. The Funan store is one Instagrammable spot with pastel walls, coloured lights and beautiful fitting rooms. It also has an express e-commerce counter, and on-demand stylists. The store will also hold workshops and events to bring the community together to experience the brand.

Shopping
City Hall

Photo: Michael Chan

Dubbed the mother of folding bikes, Brompton bicycles are made for city living. Each Brompton bike is handmade in London (where the brand started) with many customisable parts to make it perfect for you. Its ability to fold into a small, portable package make the Brompton ideal for commuting around the city. The new Brompton Junction store in Funan is the first in Southeast Asia and will showcase the latest Brompton products including exclusive limited edition bikes. The in-house cycling path in the mall makes it possible for the store to have a live demo area so customers can try out models before making the purchase.

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Courts

Shopping
Raffles Place

Photo: Courts

A returning tenant, Courts continues to be the one-stop shop for home appliances and gadgets in the mall. Some interesting things to note is the focus on new and cutting edge technology. Find robots serving you, dancing WoBo Robots on sale and a whole section dedicated to create your smart home with Google Home products.

Shopping
Shoes
City Hall

Anothersole shoes are incredibly luxurious and light to wear – and purchasing a pair also contributes to a good cause. The Funan boutique is the first standalone Anothersole store in Singapore and you can shop the entire range of leather plimsolls. Choose between pretty pastels or glittery sequins, or settle on a versatile tan brown pair for everyday wear.

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TK Foto

Shopping
City Hall

If anything, TK Foto is one of the main reasons people frequented Funan in its former glory. The store has been a go-to for photographers in Singapore when it comes to getting the best and latest gear. The return of TK Foto to Funan also sees another addition – an audio section for speakers, earphones, headphones and more.

Shopping
City Hall

Photo: DJI

DJI is a brand most tech-savvy people would've heard before. Come by the store to see the drones in action – there's even a cage where you can test them out! Besides its famous drones that are known for taking spectacular aerial photos and videos, there are also other handheld gadgets and gear that can help enhance your photography. The Funan store is also DJI's authorised retail store in Singapore.

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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The ultimate guide to Funan Singapore

To do

GV Funan

Edible Garden City

The Ark at Funan

ABC Cooking Studio

Drumstruck Studios

To eat

Afuri

Godmama

Noka

The Oyster Bank

Fireless Kitchen

A Gan Guo Kui

More food and beverage options

To shop

The Green Collective

Six

Love, Bonito

Brompton Junction

Courts

Anothersole

TK Foto

DJI