The hype: Find the freshest of bakes at Origin + Bloom by Marina Bay Sands. Helmed by expert pastry chef Antonio Benites, the cafe presents a selection of sweets and sandwiches to be enjoyed alongside artisanal coffee concoctions made with top quality arabica beans.
The vibe: Situated at the lobby of the luxurious hotel’s third tower, the cafe is a comfortable 11-seater space that effortlessly combines industrial design elements like matte black frames with the natural allure of lush greenery.
The food: The specialities here are desserts, bread and coffee, with each getting their own glass display case. Also find sandwiches stuffed with deli meats, like The Parisian ($14), a simple, buttered baguette packed with French ham. Or, just play roulette and choose whatever catches your eye from the bread display.
Really leave room for desserts. The Mango ($10) is a favourite, and we can see why. The pastry resembles a miniature mango fruit, filled with fresh nam doc mai mango mousse and passionfruit-lychee jelly, for a fresh, satisfying bite with each mouthful.
Yet, our vote ultimately goes to the Mont Blanc ($9). It’s the classic Italian/French dessert that chef Benites gets (very) right. The chestnut paste is light and fluffy, and so is the almond cream.
The drinks: A must-try is the Origin + Bloom Mazagran ($6), an iced, citrus-coffee blend that allows the added lemon juice to bring out the taste of the cafe’s signature cold drip coffee. It’s refreshing and a little sweet, and we can’t gush enough about it.
There’s also the Esotonic ($6), which has the concept of an americano, but made better using tonic water instead. Even if you hate watery coffee, still give this a shot.
Why you’ll be back: To pick up impressive desserts and some of the best coffee in the area.
