Singapore’s café culture has been significantly influenced by the Australian approach to casual dining—wholesome, fresh ingredients, all-day breakfast menus, and a relaxed atmosphere. The three cafes reviewed here exemplify this trend while adding their own unique touches to health-conscious dining.
Terra Madre: The Organic Pioneer
Location: 71 Loewen Road, Dempsey Hill
Opened: September 2021
Operating Hours: From 8am daily
The Concept
Terra Madre distinguishes itself as more than just a café—it’s a comprehensive organic lifestyle destination. Housing one of Singapore’s largest organic and natural food retail stores alongside its restaurant, the establishment embodies a farm-to-table philosophy with a focus on accessibility and affordability.
Ambiance
The restaurant occupies an airy, inviting space that captures the relaxed Australian café aesthetic. Its location in Dempsey Hill provides a welcome escape from urban intensity, making it ideal for leisurely meals.
Menu Highlights
Breakfast (from 8am): The morning menu showcases creative vegetarian options alongside heartier fare. The grilled mushroom toastie with cashew cheese pesto offers a sophisticated plant-based option, while the ricotta hotcakes with smoked pecan crumble, caramelized orange, and organic maple syrup provide indulgent comfort.
Lunch: The lunch service follows a customizable format with salads and vegetables paired with protein choices. Standouts include the gochujang baked salmon elevated with yuzu and miso, and the grilled grass-fed lamb chops finished with herbs and lemon oil.
Dinner: Evening dining shifts to a sharing-plates concept. The whole red snapper grilled in banana leaf with Caribbean spices, basil oil, and mango salsa demonstrates the kitchen’s ability to balance bold flavors. The organic spatchcock chicken with mint labneh, peri peri sauce, and charred lime showcases similar creativity.
The Retail Experience
The attached store stocks over 1,000 organic products ranging from pantry essentials to specialty items like truffles, artisan cheeses, and vegan alternatives. The selection emphasizes quality and variety, making it a destination for health-conscious shoppers.
Verdict
Terra Madre succeeds in making organic eating approachable without sacrificing flavor or portion size. The dual retail-restaurant model adds convenience for customers who want to recreate dishes at home.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Whole Kitchen: Gluten-Free Excellence
Locations: Katong (original), 120 Robinson Road (CBD Bakery Café)
CBD Location Opened: October 2021
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4pm (CBD location)
The Philosophy
Founded by culinary director Susan Soulard and resident health coach Anne Swain, The Whole Kitchen takes dietary accommodation seriously. Every dish is gluten-free by default, with extensive options for dairy-free, vegan, paleo, grain-free, low-carb, and keto diets.
The Difference
What sets The Whole Kitchen apart is its commitment to house-made condiments. From peanut butter to tomato kasundi and berry chia jam, the café controls every element of its dishes, ensuring quality and dietary compliance.
Menu Highlights
Breakfast: The granola bowl offers flexibility with natural Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt alternatives. The keto smoked salmon tartine and banana toastie with peanut butter and hazelnut cacao butter demonstrate how dietary restrictions need not limit creativity or satisfaction.
Lunch: The build-your-own toast concept empowers diners to customize their meals. Pre-designed options like the Saigon Chicken (turmeric baguette with organic chicken, pumpkin pate, pickle, and Thai basil) and the Mumbai sandwich (chaat masala, cheese, coriander chutney, and tomato kasundi) showcase global flavor influences.
Grab ‘n’ Go: The CBD location’s takeaway selection of cakes, muffins, and nut mixes caters to busy professionals seeking healthy convenience.
Verdict
The Whole Kitchen proves that dietary restrictions can inspire rather than limit culinary creativity. The CBD location’s weekday-only operation suits its business district clientele, though weekend availability would be welcome.
Rating: 4.5/5
Carrotsticks & Cravings: The Social Favorite
Locations: Robertson Quay, Dempsey, 5 Stanley Street (CBD)
CBD Location Opened: August 2021
Operating Hours: 8am to 5pm daily
The Appeal
Carrotsticks & Cravings has built a loyal following through its casual chic aesthetic and highly customizable menu. The ability to adapt dishes for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and paleo diets without compromising on taste has made it a go-to for diverse dining groups.
Menu Highlights
Breakfast: The hearty shakshouka with spicy Mediterranean red sauce and poached egg on grilled sourdough delivers bold flavors. The signature Acai Berry Bowl with peanut butter granola or coconut topping offers a lighter alternative.
Lunch: The Keto Chicken Avo Salad exemplifies the café’s ability to create satisfying low-carb meals, combining chicken breast, avocado, feta, roasted walnuts, and lemon herb dressing.
Weekend Special: The Stanley Weekend Special for two ($46) represents exceptional value. This substantial platter combines Australian and Israeli influences with cream cheese puff pastries, oven-roasted eggplant on homemade hummus, falafel patties, avocado with feta, Israeli salad, and a choice of smoked salmon or chicken leg ham. Add sourdough bread, two eggs, and two coffees (with alternative milk options), and you have a feast that justifies a leisurely weekend brunch.
Beverage Options
The café’s extensive alternative milk selection (almond, coconut, oat, soy, skimmed) demonstrates attention to dietary preferences. The option to add prosecco or rosé elevates the weekend brunch experience.
Verdict
Carrotsticks & Cravings combines affordability, flavor, and dietary flexibility in an appealing package. The Weekend Special particularly stands out for its value and variety.
Rating: 4.5/5
Comparative Analysis
Best For…
Terra Madre: Shoppers seeking a one-stop organic lifestyle destination, dinner gatherings with sharing plates, those interested in high-quality retail products alongside dining.
The Whole Kitchen: Strictly gluten-free diets, weekday breakfast and lunch in the CBD, those following specific dietary protocols (keto, paleo, low-carb).
Carrotsticks & Cravings: Weekend brunches, mixed dietary groups, value-conscious diners, those seeking casual all-day dining with global flavor influences.
Price Point
All three cafes occupy the mid-to-upper price range typical of health-focused dining in Singapore. Carrotsticks & Cravings offers the most compelling value proposition with its Weekend Special, while Terra Madre’s dinner menu represents the highest investment but delivers accordingly in portion size and quality.
Dietary Accommodation
The Whole Kitchen leads in strict dietary compliance with its entirely gluten-free kitchen. Terra Madre emphasizes organic sourcing. Carrotsticks & Cravings offers the most flexibility with customization across multiple dietary preferences.
Ambiance
Terra Madre provides the most elevated dining experience with its Dempsey Hill setting. The Whole Kitchen’s CBD location prioritizes efficiency for business district workers. Carrotsticks & Cravings strikes a balance between casual comfort and chic presentation.
Final Thoughts
The Australian café trend in Singapore has evolved beyond serving flat whites and smashed avocado. These three establishments demonstrate that health-conscious dining can be flavorful, satisfying, and socially enjoyable. Whether you’re committed to organic eating, managing dietary restrictions, or simply seeking wholesome meals in welcoming environments, Singapore’s Australian-style café scene delivers on all fronts.
The success of these cafes signals a broader shift in Singapore’s food culture toward transparency in sourcing, accommodation of diverse dietary needs, and rejection of the false choice between healthy and delicious. As all three continue to expand and refine their offerings, they’re not just feeding customers—they’re reshaping expectations about what everyday eating can and should be.
- Limited Information: Most establishments appear to be dine-in focused
- Takeaway Available: Several hawker stalls and coffee shops
- No Delivery Mentioned: For most locations
Tourist Accessibility:
- Highest Value: Maxwell Food Centre, Tong Ah Eating House, Original Katong Laksa, Atlas Bar
- Moderate Accessibility: Most hawker centres and established restaurants
- Advance Planning Required: The Ampang Kitchen, Burnt Ends reservations
Cultural Significance:
- Historical: Tong Ah (1939), Singapore Zam Zam (1908), Song Fa (1969)
- Heritage Preservation : Kim Choo Kueh Chang, Tan’s Tu Tu Coconut Cake
- Modern Innovation: Burnt Ends, Cloudstreet, % Arabica
Cooking Techniques Highlighted:
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