Singapore’s soul isn’t always easy to spot, especially amid the gleaming towers and luxury maisons of Orchard Road.
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But look closer and you’ll find it threaded through the lifestyle and entertainment precinct – tucked into hidden corners, side streets and basement corridors, waiting for travellers curious enough to look twice.
In fact, some of the first places in the city soul-hunters should seek out are Orchard’s late-modernist buildings from the ’70s and ’80s. Unlike most malls in Singapore today, which belong to one developer or are part of a real-estate investment trust, many of these older complexes are strata-titled developments, where shop lots are owned by individuals. Shorn of a central entity controlling the tenant mix, they offer lower rents and the opportunity for non-mainstream businesses to find their lane.
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Orchard Plaza, opened in 1981, is the sort of grey, functionalist building you could easily miss.
But don’t be fooled by the chipped floor tiles and narrow corridors: an influx of vibrant independent eateries, from bak chor mee stalls to yakitori joints, fill it with fresh buzz.
All photos by Nabil Nazri
Among these, Bisco Sakaba, a natural wine bar, is a standout. Helmed by a reserved Japanese couple who only want to be known as Kei and Nico, the European-Japanese hole-in-the-wall offers delicious bistro dishes that fuse classic European techniques with Japanese flavours and ingredients, alongside a range of rising Japanese wines. The pours are served in stemless glasses, because “we want guests to feel relaxed and enjoy wine without any formality”, explains Nico.
Adding to the eclectic mix is Fairies Aisle, a popular thrift shop opened by Gen-Z sisters Syaikyra and Fazila Farakhan Aung. They started out with one unit but now have two, both packed with Y2K and Harajuku-style garments and accessories, including hard-to-find Japanese labels such as Angel Blue. Pink walls, stars plastered on the ceiling and an assortment of Sanrio plushies round out the founders’ otherworldly, whimsical aesthetic.
All photos by Nabil Nazri
Fairies Aisle is just one hint of the local communities that have found a home here. In a corner of the fourth floor, you’ll find Magic Castle, one of Singapore’s oldest magic shops.
When now-owner Wee Kim Siong heard that the shop was set to shutter during the pandemic, he poured his life savings into the business to keep its legacy alive.
“As it was the last magic shop standing, I took a leap of faith,” says the passionate illusionist, who has performed around the world. Today, the shop is full of vim and pep (and magic dust?). Packed with supplies from wands to chop cups and cards, it also invites groups and individuals to discover the world of magic through workshops and private lessons.
Gathering spaces
On the other end of Orchard Road, Far East Plaza has plenty of its own subculture stories. The Corner Shop is a lifestyle store that has stood its ground since 2008, a time when the mall was at the forefront of youth and street culture. While Far East Plaza’s audience has waxed and waned through the years, owner Jebson Tan’s keen pulse on the scene has helped his store maintain a steady fanbase. What began as a platform for cult brands such as Carhartt WIP has evolved into an eclectic cubbyhole of collaboration merchandise, knick knacks and emerging Asian labels – from Indonesian scent specialist Oaken Lab to local jewellery brand Hues. “Many regular guys have found a safe space here, because I can be their stylist, especially those who don’t really shop and feel shy,” says Tan.
All photos by Nabil Nazri
In the same building, look out for The Community Coffee – a thriving third space, as its name suggests. According to the owners, Far East Plaza’s unostentatious nature is a perfect match for the coffee shop’s ethos. “We place less emphasis on high-end auction or competition [coffee] lots,” says Wan Li Aun, its head of coffee. “We always want to keep our coffees accessible, affordable and enjoyable.” Besides brewing tasty cups, The Community Coffee has gained a following for its open-to-public events, such as tasting sessions and brewing workshops.
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For a bite of Orchard’s soul, head to Pete’s Place in the basement of Grand Hyatt Singapore. A beloved fixture on Orchard Road’s dining scene since 1973, this old-school brick-walled Italian trattoria carries more than a hint of nostalgia for Singaporeans who came of age in the ’80s and ’90s, many of whom will remember it as a date-night hotspot.
The hotel itself opened in 1971 as Southeast Asia’s largest property and has since earned its place as a favourite gathering space for generations of families. It’s also hosted its share of pop culture history: John Lennon reportedly checked in here under a pseudonym in 1976, seeking a quiet escape from the spotlight.
All photos by Nabil Nazri
Across the road (and out of sight) on the sixth floor of Far East Shopping Centre, Shashlik offers another serving of sentimentality. The 50-year-old restaurant was founded by the late Tan Niap Hin and eight Hainanese staff who pooled their savings after their previous employer Troika, Singapore’s first Russian restaurant, shut down.
Nearly four decades on, some of Shashlik’s original team still work the floor, the youngest now around 80 years old. It’s a rare thread of continuity on a street where almost nothing else has stayed the same.
Expect mind-bending mash-ups of Russian fare and Hainanese flair, alongside white-tableclothed interiors and theatrical tableside service.
A continually evolving landscape
Orchard’s characterful businesses aren’t confined to malls – they surface wherever a building offers the space and story. In 2024, Loy Contemporary Art Gallery opened in the quaint-looking Tudor Court, a 1920s quarters that used to house civil servants. The young gallery’s boundary-pushing, multidisciplinary curatorial approach to art and design makes for a fascinating counterpoint to the building’s colonial-era charm. Its current exhibition, Outside Looking In, for example, brings together diverse local and international artists, such as Singaporean multimedia artist Akai Chew and Chinese porcelain artist Wang Xiaolin, who work across photography, painting and ceramics.
All photos by Nabil Nazri
And then there’s Baan Living in Orchard Towers, a vintage furniture and homeware store founded by Wendy Ng, a former advertising executive turned antiques specialist. With a focus on all things Peranakan, the jewel-box of a shop sells ornate porcelain, intricate kebayas and rare first-edition books. Baan Living also brims with banker’s lamps, vintage typewriters and salvaged office plaques, giving visitors a rare glimpse into items that have long been left behind in future-obsessed Singapore.
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Shops like Ng’s will redraw your perceptions of the island as a sanded-down, sterile city-state.
They’re proof that Orchard Road – and Singapore itself – runs on more than efficiency and glass towers: it’s built on entrepreneurial spirit and passion, kept alive by those who’ve chosen to follow their own path.
Today, louder brands and obvious luxury may form the backbone of this iconic street, but it’s these independently minded businesses that hold its soul. And long after the newest storefront has faded from memory, they’re the ones that you’ll remember; the ones that will bring you back.
Where to find Orchard Road’s soul: 9 characterful shops, restaurants and bars to know
Shop | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
Far East Plaza | An eclectic streetwear-focused multi-label store that is heavily influenced by 80s pop culture and local nostalgia. Founder Jebson Tan has a good pulse of the world's trailblazing brands, stocking goods from the likes of Indonesia’s rising footwear brand Hijack Sandals and San Francisco’s workwear label Ben Davis. | |
Far East Plaza | As its name suggests, the people that gather at Community Coffee are as important as a good roast. Founder Nor Aslam Bin Yusoff is also the leader of the Singapore Roaster Forum, which explains the regular workshops and bar takeovers organised by Community Coffee. | |
Orchard Plaza | Started by sisters Syaikyra Farakhan Aung and Fazila Farakhan Aung, this thrift store has been gaining in popularity for its Harajuku-style apparel. Japanese femme labels feature alongside vintage Barbie DVDs, plushies and defunct street magazine FRUiTS in this eclectic (if not chaotic) store. | |
Orchard Plaza | This store, which specialises in magic supplies and magician classes, is a testament to Singapore’s under-the-radar but tight-knit subcultures. Whether you’re looking for playing cards, silks or special effects equipment, Magic Castle knows a thing or two about pulling a rabbit out of the hat. | |
Orchard Plaza | Orchard Plaza is the heart of Singapore’s izakaya revival, and Bisco Sabaka is the one to beat. Run by a shy but dynamic Japanese couple, the modern izakaya not only serves well-executed dishes but is also popular for its weekend live DJ sets. | |
Orchard Towers | Baan Vintage is new addition to one of Orchard’s oldest buildings. This tiny store is a treasure trove of heritage objects, from Peranakan beaded shoes and vintage kebayas to ornate jewellery and cultural tomes. | |
Tudor Court | Founded by Dennis Ouyang, Loy Contemporary Art Gallery is a young gallery that showcases cross-disciplinary works, with a particular interest in emerging Southeast Asian artists. Ouyang has been vocal about crafting accessible exhibitions that spark conversation, rather than making the gallery feel institutional or intimidating. | |
Grand Hyatt Singapore | Tucked within Grand Hyatt Singapore, one of Orchard Road’s oldest and most storied hotels, this old-school trattoria has been serving up classic Italian fare since 1973. For Singaporeans who came of age in the ’80s and ’90s, Pete’s Place carries a particular kind of nostalgia, remembered fondly as a favourite dating spot of the era. | |
Far East Shopping Centre | Founded in 1986, underrated Shashlik serves Russian cuisine filtered through the lens of Hainanese cooking. From borscht to baked Alaska, the food is deliberately old-school, but that’s the draw. The theatrical, tableside service – by waistcoated waiters, some of whom have been with the restaurant since the start – is also a joy to witness. |
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Grand Hyatt Singapore
Grand Hyatt Singapore is a Grand Living Room and Wellness Haven in the heart of Orchard Road – and one of the precinct’s most storied addresses, having opened its doors in 1971. More than five decades on, it remains a place where generations of Singaporeans have marked first dates, celebrations and homecomings, carrying its own share of soul.
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