Quick answer: Singapore’s artisanal bread scene runs on long ferments, good butter, and bakers who treat dough like it matters. Mother Dough Bakery in Kampong Glam is the go-to for sourdough and flaky pastries. 174bingo in Joo Chiat does cardamom buns and a pet-friendly vibe. Marymount Bakehouse hand-scores loaves after a full 20-hour proof. For something completely different, Banelé turns banana bread into a caramelised, chocolate-centred hybrid. Each spot on this list takes bread seriously—and it shows.
You wake up early on a Saturday and you want bread that justifies the queue. Not toast, not a sandwich you could assemble ownself—loaves and pastries built on long fermentation and real butter. The window is tight. The good stuff moves before lunch. Here is where to go, what to grab first, and how to time it so you are not staring at an empty shelf.
If none of these quite fit, Best Cakes, Bakes & Desserts in Singapore has 51 lists covering the rest of the category.
Editorial round-up, not a directory listing. Missed someone worth knowing about? Send it our way.
Mother Dough Bakery
Mother Dough Bakery holds down a two-storey shophouse in Kampong Glam, and there’s a good chance you’ll smell it before you see it. What started as a one-woman pop-up in 2017 is now a full-blown sourdough operation turning out brioche, ciabatta, baguettes, whole wheat loaves, and hefty focaccia slabs—all built on natural fermentation. The pastry counter runs just as deep: almond croissants, chocolate croissants, seasonal danishes like banana cream with chocolate marshmallow, and a beef pastrami croissant with green chilli béchamel that’s worth planning your morning around. They open at 10am and things move fast, so don’t be paiseh about arriving early.
- Address: 3 Jalan Kledek, #01-01, Singapore 199259
- Phone: +65 6909 6604 | WhatsApp +65 8725 7110
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm
- Website: motherdough.com.sg
Come before 10am on a weekday if you can swing it. The Kampong Glam morning light hits the shophouse just right, and the brioche is still pulling apart like cotton. This is the one to pick when your Saturday crew wants pastry and you want a proper loaf—everyone walks out sorted.
174bingo
Joo Chiat’s 174bingo feels more like a friend’s creative hideout than a typical bakery—and that’s exactly why people keep going back. The space is pet-friendly, the baking is slow and thoughtful, and the menu leans into rustic, nature-inspired flavours. You’ll find baguettes, cardamom buns, chicken pies, and garlic & herb knots, but the one you’ll hear everyone talking about is the Memory of Østerbrogade—a flaky pastry filled with vanilla cream and raspberry jam. The Iranian pistachio tarts are a close second. It’s the kind of place where you linger over coffee, with your dog at your feet and crumbs on the table.
If you’re after a wider sweep of baked goods across the island, our list of Bakeries in Singapore for Artisanal Delights has more to explore.
- Address: 174 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427445
- Hours: Wed – Fri 8:30am – 4:30pm (last coffee 4pm), Sat – Sun 8:30am – 5:30pm (last coffee 5pm), closed Mon & Tue
- Website: 174bingo.com
Walk in on a slow weekday afternoon when Joo Chiat is quiet and you can lepak with a coffee and one of those cardamom buns. The space rewards a reader, someone who wants an unhurried hour. The baguettes sell out fast, so don’t act blur—grab yours before you sit.
Marymount Bakehouse
Marymount Bakehouse on Race Course Road is proof that a home-based sourdough obsession can turn into something truly shiok. Every loaf here goes through a 20-hour natural fermentation, then gets hand-scored before it hits the oven. The House Loaf is a white wholemeal sourdough that’s steady and reliable. If you want more crunch, the Marymount Seeds packs in sesame, quinoa, and sunflower seeds. But the sleeper hit? Their Levain Pies—think shepherd’s pie and forest mushroom with smoked duck, all baked with the same attention as the bread. It’s honest, old-school baking done right.
Editorial round-up, not a directory listing. Missed someone worth knowing about? Send it our way.
- Address: 421 Race Course Road, Singapore 218668
- Phone: +65 9183 3185
- Hours: Wed – Fri 9am – 6:30pm, Sat – Sun 9am – 6pm, closed Mon & Tue
- Website: marymountbakehousesg.com
Pick-up window is tight because each loaf gets 20 hours of fermentation. Plan your collection around their bake schedule—call ahead or check their updates. The seeded sourdough has enough crunch to carry a thick spread of cold butter, which is exactly what you want on a Sunday morning.
Lean Rich Bakery
Lean Rich Bakery keeps things tight—a small, focused menu run by a Korean baker who cut his teeth at Tartine Bakery in Seoul. Tucked along Clemenceau Avenue, this place is all about precision: lean sourdoughs and rye breads on one side, rich, butter-heavy pastries on the other. The pistachio croissant is nutty and flaky in all the right ways, and the chocolate-filled one is pure indulgence. If you like your bread with a bit of Northern European restraint and your pastries with zero compromise, this is your stop. They open at 8:30am and close when they sell out, which happens earlier than you’d think.
For those who geek out specifically over sourdough, we’ve also rounded up the sourdough bakeries in Singapore worth knowing.
- Address: 81 Clemenceau Avenue, #01-14, Singapore 239917
- Hours: Tue – Fri 8:30am – 5pm, Sat – Sun 8:30am – 4pm, closed Mon
- Website: instagram.com/leanrichbakery
The menu is compact, so your decision is fast. Pistachio croissant for something flaky and nutty; the rye sourdough when you are building a serious cheese board. Go solo on a weekday—the space is calm, and a single pastry and a coffee here feels like a proper escape.
Bakery Brera
Out west on Empress Road, Bakery Brera is a family-run operation that takes its flour seriously—French and Japanese varieties, long-proofed for 16 to 18 hours. They open at 7am, so the early crowd can grab sourdough, baguettes, ciabatta, and croissants still warm from the oven. The cruffins are the real draw here: nutty caramel, lemon curd, or whatever seasonal flavour they’ve dreamt up. Brioche buns round out the selection for anyone building a serious brunch at home. It’s been recognised as a top Singapore SME, which tells you they’ve been doing something right for a while now.
- Address: #01-05, 8 Empress Road, Singapore 260008
- Phone: +65 8413 6569
- Hours: Mon – Tue 7am – 4pm, Wed – Sun 7am – 5pm
- Website: bakerybrera.com
The 7am open is your tactical advantage. Swing by before the Empress Road crowd wakes up, grab the cruffins while they are still oven-warm, and you are out before anyone else has found parking. The seasonal flavours change, so ask what is fresh before you chope a box.
Kwaasong Bakehouse
Kwaasong Bakehouse landed in Boat Quay in 2023 and quickly made a name for itself with viennoiseries that lean hard on French Isigny butter. The butter croissants and pain au chocolat are textbook—shattery, golden, deeply satisfying. Then they add local flair with kaya folds and fresh fruit cream cheese batons that feel distinctly Singaporean without losing that European backbone. The space is understated and the hours are simple: 8:30am to 4pm daily, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. If you like your pastries buttery enough to leave a trace on the paper bag, make this one a priority.
Craving something specifically long and crusty? Our guide to the best baguettes in Singapore has you covered.
- Address: 13 Lorong Telok, Boat Quay, Singapore 049026
- Phone: +65 8377 1832
- Hours: Daily, 8:30am – 4pm
- Website: kwaasong.xyz
Hit this one when you have a friend in town who misses Europe but wants a taste of home too. The kaya folds are the move—French butter and local kaya, no compromise. Boat Quay in the morning is surprisingly quiet, and a window seat here sets you up for a solid start to the day.
Banelé
Banelé does one thing, and it does it so well that it turned a home-based idea into a halal-friendly cafe at Chancery Court. The banelé itself is a hybrid: part banana bread, part brownie, part canelé, with a dark caramelised crust and a molten chocolate centre. Flavours range from dark chocolate made with Valrhona Guanaja 70% to almond, peanut butter, and raspberry. Each one is baked fresh and arrives looking like a little gift. They’re open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, and it’s worth timing your visit so you get one while it’s still warm. This is the kind of bake that makes you stop mid-conversation.
- Address: #02-44 Chancery Court, 36H Dunearn Road, Singapore 309433
- Phone: +65 8860 1131
- Hours: Tue – Sun 10am – 6pm (last order for toasting and drinks 5:30pm), closed Mon & public holidays
- Website: banele.sg
How to choose
Your pick depends on what you’re really after. If sourdough is the priority, Mother Dough and Marymount Bakehouse are the ones putting in the long hours of fermentation. For croissants and viennoiseries that lean French, Kwaasong and Lean Rich Bakery are where the butter shines. 174bingo and Bakery Brera cover a wide spread of breads and pastries in a more casual, everyday way—good for bringing home a mixed bag. Banelé is its own category entirely; go there when you want something nobody else in Singapore is making. Most spots are small-batch, so check opening days before you head down—many close on Mondays, and a few sell out by early afternoon. Expect to pay around $5–$8 for a pastry and $8–$15 for a loaf, though exact prices shift with ingredients and season.
| Bakery | Specialty Breads | Pastries Worth Trying | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mother Dough Bakery | Sourdough, focaccia, whole wheat loaves | Beef pastrami croissant, seasonal danishes | Kampong Glam |
| 174bingo | Baguettes, cardamom buns | Memory of Østerbrogade, pistachio tarts | Joo Chiat |
| Marymount Bakehouse | House Loaf, Marymount Seeds sourdough | Levain pies (shepherd’s pie, mushroom duck) | Race Course Road |
| Lean Rich Bakery | Sourdough, rye breads | Pistachio croissants, chocolate croissants | Clemenceau Avenue |
| Bakery Brera | Sourdough, baguettes, ciabatta | Cruffins (nutty caramel, lemon curd) | Empress Road |
| Kwaasong Bakehouse | Butter croissants, pain au chocolat | Kaya folds, fruit cream cheese batons | Boat Quay |
| Banelé | Banelé (banana bread hybrid) | Dark chocolate, almond, raspberry banelé | Dunearn Road |
Summary
Singapore’s artisanal bread scene has moved well past supermarket loaves, and these seven bakeries show what happens when bakers treat time and ingredients as the main event. Whether you’re chasing a deeply tangy sourdough, a butter-drenched kaya fold, or a chocolate-centred banana cake hybrid, there’s a shop here that will make you want to come back next weekend. Bring a tote bag, go early, and let your nose lead the way.
Disclaimer: Details can change; always confirm opening hours and availability directly with the business before heading down.
Editorial round-up, not a directory listing. Missed someone worth knowing about? Send it our way.
Frequently asked questions
This is your dessert play masquerading as a bakery stop. The banelé hits that dark, caramelised, molten-chocolate note that makes you pause mid-bite. Come after lunch at the Chancery Court cafe—order one dark chocolate and one raspberry, cut them both, and share with someone who gets it.
What makes these bakeries “artisanal”?
They use long fermentation times, natural starters or levain, and premium flours and butters. Most bake in small batches by hand, often with European techniques adapted to local tastes.
Which bakery has the best croissants?
Kwaasong Bakehouse and Lean Rich Bakery both focus heavily on viennoiseries. Kwaasong uses French Isigny butter and does a kaya fold; Lean Rich offers pistachio and chocolate croissants with a Korean baker’s precision. Mother Dough’s beef pastrami croissant is also a standout.
Are any of these bakeries halal?
Banelé is halal-friendly. For the others, check directly with the bakery if halal certification matters to you, as most are small independent operations.
Do I need to pre-order?
Generally no, but quantities are limited. Many of these bakeries sell out by early afternoon, especially on weekends. Calling ahead or checking their social media for the day’s bake is a good move if you’re set on a specific item.
Which bakery is best for savoury options?
Marymount Bakehouse stands out with its Levain Pies—shepherd’s pie and forest mushroom with smoked duck. Mother Dough’s focaccia slabs and 174bingo’s chicken pies also give you good savoury choices beyond pastries.
Can I bring my dog?
174bingo is pet-friendly. The other bakeries are mostly small shophouse or cafe settings without outdoor seating; it’s best to check their individual policies if you’re planning to bring a pet.
