Quiet Japanese-inspired Cafe at Chinatown🇯🇵🍛🍜
I recently visited Paaru cafe at Chinatown that I LOVED and had to share🤩
📍 Paaru Cafe
TLDR: 8/10
The cafe is tucked in a corner of Pearl's Hill Terrace (which is conveniently behind people's park complex BUT note that there is a flight of stairs to scale!) and is the perfect cafe for lunch or an afternoon respite from the bustle of Chinatown.
Reviews online said that the place tends to be crowded. When I visited around 3pm on a weekend it was bearable and didn't need to wait to be seated.
The menu is simple, with 3 types of Japanese breakfast sets, 1 soba set and 2 udon carbonara sets to pick from. They also serve matcha, coffee and drinks AND small pastries like financiers. French toast was an off-menu item but tasted amazing!
Overall food was good. Paaru comes off as a place that serves just a few dishes but puts in heart into each dish to ensure they do it right. It's also not a new cafe so the "new launch hype" has probably died down. The udon was a little small (but any bigger a serving would be too rich/jelak for enjoyment). The smaller serving is the perfect excuse to get a dessert too!
Did not get to try the matcha because I'm generally not a fan but I saw many people ordering (and they looked quite satisfied🤣).
Service was good too. Staff were friendly and despite the 1hr dining limit mentioned on the menu, they did not rush us (or any other patrons).
You can also book online for private experiences in a private room, which is a great group activity to do for matcha lovers.
It's a quiet ambient cafe with zen music, good food and drinks, making it the perfect spot to unwind.
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I highly recommend this cafe to people who are looking for:
- Cafes in SG (in general this is one of the better ones!)
- Cafes in Chinatown (very convenient if you are ok with a flight of stairs!)
- Date spots in chinatown (or date spots in SG in general)
- Hangout spot for the weekends
- Things to try/ things to do
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🔖 Hope you found this useful!
During my visit to Paaru Cafe, I was genuinely impressed by the thoughtful attention given to each dish despite the small menu. The bacon udon carbonara had a lovely balance in flavor and texture, and the portion size, though on the smaller side, felt perfect as it avoids overwhelming richness, inviting you to try a dessert too. One standout treat was the honeycomb French toast, which, although not on the regular menu, offered a brilliant combination of salty butter, sour jam, and sweet honeycomb that left a lasting impression. Even the iced mocha struck a nice balance—not too sweet, not too bitter—making it a refreshing complement to the food. What enhanced the overall experience was the cafe’s calm interior setting with a Japanese-inspired aesthetic and zen background music. It provided a genuine respite from Chinatown’s typical bustle and a suitable atmosphere for either a casual date or a solo relaxation spot. I appreciated the friendly service, especially how staff handled the dining time limits graciously without rushing guests. Moreover, Paaru’s option for booking private rooms for matcha tastings is a unique feature that makes it a perfect group activity for matcha enthusiasts. Note that the cafe is located behind People's Park Complex up a flight of stairs, which might be a consideration if mobility is a concern. Also, prices are slightly on the higher side, but the quality and ambience justify it. Overall, Paaru Cafe is highly recommended to anyone searching for a quiet, authentic Japanese cafe experience in Singapore’s Chinatown—ideal for food lovers seeking quality over quantity and a peaceful dining atmosphere.
