Souvenirs & Gifts
My partner and I subscribe to the practice of omiyage and find particular joy in purchasing gifts for others when we’re in Singapore. So many gifts are well-designed, well-packaged, or completely unique in flavor.
Large indoor malls are everywhere – shopping is probably the second most popular national pastime next to eating – but we’ve narrowed down a few places that we think are special for finding that perfect something for yourself or others. Don’t forget to ask about tax refunds: As a tourist, you could save 7% on purchases above S$100.
Local Design
Supermama
Supermama was founded by a couple (Mei Ling and Edwin) who decided to take a year off in 2011 to invest in their dream of starting a gallery store. Years later, Supermama continues to lead contemporary Singaporean design by combining Singaporean nostalgia with minimalist, modern artwork, and fine Japanese craftsmanship. Their blue and white porcelain goods make beautiful gifts, and bring to mind heirloom Delftware but with a chic Asian twist. It’s hard for me to resist growing our collection of Supermama goods every time we visit Singapore.
We’ve found Supermama goods at Takashimaya, but you can also make a special trip to visit their flagship store where they have their full collection, and a well-curated selection of home goods from international labels like Areaware and Arita.
Address 1: 213 Henderson Road, #01-01, Singapore 159553. (Flagship)
Address 2: 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555. (Asian Civilizations Museum)
Cat Socrates
If you need to find a gift that is adorable, unique, and potentially cat-themed, look no further than Cat Socrates. There are two locations: Tiong Bahru and Joo Chiat. That both these locations are considered hip and quaint neighborhoods should tell you a lot about what Cat Socrates is all about.
From coasters that look like Peranakan tile, to reprints of vintage maps, to notebooks, notecards, scented candles, and washi tape, stepping into a Cat Socrates is like entering a hidden store run by a magical Studio Ghibli character. If you swing by the Yong Siak Street location in Tiong Bahru, you might meet the shop cat, who is majestic, not very friendly, and under no circumstances is allowed to exit the shop. We think he might actually be the owner, but no one will confirm nor deny the rumor.
Address 1: 78 Yong Siak Street #01-14, Singapore 163078.
Address 2: 448 Joo Chiat road, Singapore 427661.
Little Nyonya Batik
Della Ong, the owner of Little Nyonya Batik, is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Her passion for preserving traditional Peranakan culture is evident in the way she shares her knowledge of and love for batik and kebaya. The nyonya kebaya is a traditional Peranakan outfit comprising an embroidered or lace blouse and a slim batik sarong.
Tucked away in The Adelphi, which is an old school mall that specializes in audio-visual equipment for home theaters, Little Nyonya Batik seems a little out of place but maybe that’s why stepping inside feels like having found a hidden treasure. Ms. Della, who has the patience of angels, will help you sort through the piles and piles of colorful batik fabrics to help you find the perfect outfit. If you’re an experienced sarong aficionado, you can get a regular sarong. Or, if you’re clumsy like me, you can get a pre-stitched sarong that zips up so you don’t have to fuss with tying and belting on your own.
If getting a full on Peranakan kebaya is not for you, you can also find batik bandanas, men’s batik shirts, little Peranakan spoons, and other accessories and souvenirs. On my list for my next purchase is a pair of traditional hand-beaded slippers, just like the ones my grandmother had.
After shopping, pop over to Tian Xin Wanton Noodle on the second floor (#02-07) to refuel with delicious and affordable noodles after your exertions!
Address: 1 Coleman Street The Adelphi #02-01, Singapore 179803.
Little Dröm Store
Founded by two graphic designers, Little Dröm Store is a pioneer in whimsical, modern Singaporean design that playfully shows you the joy in everyday Singaporean things. They’ve shuttered their brick and mortar stores in favor of an online-only operation, but you’ll find their products at Cat Socrates or Takashimaya. Their aesthetic is kawaii zakka meets Nordic crispness, wrapped in a bright pastel palette. Think Moomin at a dinner party with miniature kewpie dolls, and they’re all snacking on rainbow kueh.
Naiise
Naiise (pronounced “nice”) began as a online store offering stationery, small home goods, apparel, and even snacks/tea. With multiple brick and mortar locations today, Naiise is a great place to shop for accessible, well-designed, everyday items. Their “Go Local” section covers a broad range of Singaporean designers and makers
Edibles
Takashimaya Food Hall
In the basement of the Ngee Ann City mall, this food hall is a great destination to browse and purchase consumable gifts to bring home. We don’t actually recommend the food court itself for a meal, but there’s an amazing density of stalls selling a wide range of souvenir chocolates, teas, pastries, and all manner of Asian snacks and dried goods. There are also a number of excellent dessert stalls.
Notable kiosks include TWG Tea, Shiseido Parlour, and Bankaku Crackers.
TWG Tea
Despite the 1837 (the year the Singapore Chamber of Commerce was established) imprint on their logo, TWG Tea was created in 2008. Fashioning themselves as a turn of the century tea lounge, this luxury brand aims to bring you “the finest teas of the world”. They carry a broad range of teas, tea-flavored snacks, and teaware, all packaged in beautiful boxes and tins, making gift-giving easy. They’ll even gift-wrap items with their signature wrapping paper and ribbon. Multiple locations islandwide, including a kiosk in the Takashimaya Food Hall. If you’re flying out of Changi Airport, you can save a few dollars by shopping tax-free at the TWG locations there – there’s one in each terminal.
Sunny Hills
Sunny Hills isn’t a local Singaporean business, it’s a famous Taiwanese farm and bakery that produces delicious pineapple cakes and other yummy treats. Their Singapore outposts (multiple locations) offer unique durian-flavored snacks under a tantalizing brand name called “Forbidden”! The D24 durian rolls are langue du chat durian cookies rolled into light and crispy cigars, perfectly packaged for gift-giving.
Kele
During the Lunar New Year in Singapore, it’s customary to serve or gift family and friends with sweet treats like pineapple tarts. Kele (multiple locations), which has been around since 1983, makes some of the best traditional pineapple tarts in Singapore. They also have more modern and quirky flavors like black sesame or matcha, but we’re pineapple tart traditionalists so we go for the regular kind. Pineapple tarts transport fairly well if carried in hand luggage, but you have to be gentle as the pastry can be delicate.
They also make Japanese style roll cakes in unique flavors like ondeh ondeh, lychee martini, black sesame, and pandan, but unfortunately these are for immediate consumption and won’t make it through a plane ride home. If you’d like to try the roll cakes, you’ll also have to order them online for pickup at either their Chinatown or VivoCity location.
Wang San Yang Tea Merchant
Tea lovers take note: Wang San Yang is the place to go if you’re looking for tea leaves, tea sets, and other tea brewing paraphernalia. This traditional tea shop has been around since the 1950s, and the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Not sure what kind of tea you’d like? They’ll help you figure that out and narrow down your choices based on what they have in-store. If you’re spending time in Chinatown, Wang San Yang is definitely worth a stop for gifts.
Bookstores
Kinokuniya Flagship
The flagship Singapore bookstore of this Japanese chain is one of the most well-stocked bookshops in the world, and worth a visit just to lose yourself in the immense inventory of English and non-English books, magazines, graphic novels/manga, gifts, stationery, and more. Great collection of fiction and nonfiction by Singaporean and Southeast Asian writers. Many of the English language books are UK editions that can’t be found in the United States.
Located in the Ngee Ann City mall, it also combines nicely with a visit to the Takashimaya Food Hall downstairs for gift shopping.
Address: 391 Orchard Road #04-20/20A/20B/20C/21 Takashimaya S.C., Ngee Ann City, Singapore 238872.
BooksActually
BooksActually is a delightful independent bookstore that used to have a brick and mortar presence (complete with bookstore cats and a book vending machine out front) in the Tiong Bahru neighborhood. They’ve since moved out and operate online only. They carry lots of Singaporean titles, some published under their in-house imprint Math Paper Press, that may be hard to find elsewhere.
Even as an online store, BooksActually is a treasure trove of lovely books, and continues to be a significant supporter of the local literary community. We hope someday they bring back this very special space to the neighborhood.
Website: booksactuallyshop.com