Neighbourhood guides: Uncovering the best-kept secrets of Bishan

When you think of Bishan, what do you think of? Schools, tuition centres, really expensive resale flats… that’s about it? Delve a little deeper into the neighbourhood with us and you might just be surprised. We bet you’ve never been to (or even heard of) these places in Bishan before!

Unique places in Bishan worth checking out

• A Scout Discovery Centre that houses opium artefacts from the 1930s
• An old school mosaic clock playground that will bring you down memory lane
• A dog-friendly cafe located in the midst of Bishan Park
• A cafe that serves cakes in a jar and ice cream slider buns
• A diner serving American ‘soul food’ and the most scrumptious looking cakes, bread puddings, pies for $3.50 apiece 
• A Scout Discovery Centre that houses opium artefacts from the 1930s

The Scout Discovery Centre is the first ever centre in the Asia-Pacific region, and the memorabilia they’ve amassed and put on display is way more interesting than that of your typical museum. Think Scout uniforms, warrants, and even opium artefacts from the 1930s.

The Scout Discovery is located at 1 Bishan Street 12, Ee Peng Liang Building. Call 62592858 for more information.

• An old school mosaic clock playground that will bring you down memory lane

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We don’t know if it’s just us, but there’s something about a good old mosaic playground that makes all those childhood memories come rushing back. The clock playground, located at the bus interchange at Bishan, was built in the 1980s and is actually one of the newer mosaic playgrounds. Time to unleash your inner child!

• A dog-friendly cafe located in the midst of Bishan Park

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If you can spare the time, we’d recommend starting every weekend with a lazy brunch at Canopy Dining, along with your pooch in tow. This dog-friendly restaurants serves up some pretty delicious Western food (try their Crab Aglio Olio and Cereal Crusted Cinnamon French Toast) and has chill vibes for days. If you’re visiting later in the evening for dinner and drinks, they also have a fully stocked bar!

• A cafe that serves cakes in a jar and ice cream slider buns

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Grin Affair started off with their signature cakes in a jar, but have since expanded their offerings to also include waffles and their newest addition, gelato sliders. The latter (pictured) features two scoops of creamy, almost silky gelato, browned marshmallows, and a light toasted bun that’s dusted with icing sugar. Definitely a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth!

• A diner serving American ‘soul food’ and the most scrumptious looking cakes, bread puddings, pies for $3.50 apiece

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We get it, times are tough. And as much as we’d like to, we can’t afford to go cafe-hunting every other day and drop $30 on a plate of mediocre Eggs Benedict. Well, our next recommendation, Soul Kitchen, is perfect for foodies on a budget – they push out new cakes everyday (updates via their Facebook page!), and a slice will set you back by a very affordable $3.50!

Take your pick from flavours such as Blackberry Red Velvet, Peppermint Chocolate, Cookies N Cream, and Guinness Cake (pictured here). They also serve pies and bread puddings at the same price.

A closer look at properties in Bishan

Imagine being able to stroll down to Canopy Dining with your dog on the weekends, or even popping down to Soul Kitchen a few times a week to get a sweet fix. If you’re thinking of getting a resale flat in Bishan, check out our table of average flat prices in the past!

Want to get a condo instead? Here are some great options in Bishan:

Bishan Loft – $1,131 average psf

Rafflesia – $1,137 average psf

Bishan 8 – $1,144 average psf

Sky Vue – $1,646 average psf