Serangoon Garden

Public transport and amenities in Serangoon Garden

One of the oldest areas in Singapore, Serangoon Garden was formerly a residential estate for British soldiers. Today, this bustling neighbourhood is a little city within itself, popular with local families, young couples and expats alike. With a plethora of restaurants, watering holes and the like to spend your evenings, Serangoon Garden is one of the nation's most-loved neighbourhoods, with many residential options including newly launched condominiums like The Garden Residence and Affinity at Serangoon. Its quaint shophouses, rich with history, are reminiscent of a vastly different time.

Summary

Serangoon Garden is one of Singapore's most vibrant enclaves, popular amongst a multi-generational crowd. It has been designated by URA as an “identity node”, one of the first five private residential estates handpicked for the government’s inaugural Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) in 2001. It is also one of Singapore’s oldest private residential estates comprising mainly landed properties, most with long histories stretching back six decades and counting. With decades of rich heritage, charming low-rise architecture and its multitude of quaint, diverse stores, including myVillage mall at Maju Avenue which opened in 2011, Serangoon Garden Neighbourhood is a refreshing medley of contemporary and historical.

Serangoon Garden - Stay

The Serangoon Garden Estate is a private residential estate in Singapore, that underwent upgrading in 2001 as part of the government's plan to revitalise older private housing estates. Today, the 'small village' feel of the neighbourhood has attracted Singaporean families and expats alike. The draw of the estate is its landed properties, a mix of modern and traditional, with plenty of porch space to house vehicles or for bigger families to enjoy.

If landed properties aren't your cup of tea, there are several famous new launch condominiums in the area such as The Garden Residence and Affinity At Serangoon, which are smack dab in the activity here in Serangoon Garden.

Serangoon Garden - Eat & Drink

From iconic hawker hotspot Chomp Chomp to laid-back bars, restaurants and dessert cafes, Serangoon Garden Neighbourhood offers something for everyone. 99.co had a hard time narrowing down our selection of eateries from the wide variety available in this neighbourhood but we've got some crowd favourites right here. Chomp Chomp food centre, for one, is a celebration of local cuisine and the Singaporean hawker culture, offering every local favourite from BBQ stingray and seafood barbecue to carrot cake and fried oyster egg, best accompanied by a sweet and refreshing jug (yes, jug!) of sugarcane juice. Most nights, its grounds are chaotic, packed and great for the heartiest meal you'll have - just what Singapore loves.

Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre is also on the list. It might not be as popular as Chomp Chomp, but it sure boasts some tasty eats. Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice stall offers some incredibly juicy, tender duck meat, while Garden Street Kway Chap serves up authentic Teochew-style braised pig offal dishes. Beyond local delights, Serangoon Garden's shophouses also offer tastes of different cuisines. Srisun Express is famous for its extensive menu of decadent Indian cuisine, while Chong Qing Grilled Fish, right opposite the small road, is known for its Chinese grilled fish with a variety of gravy flavours to choose from.

The Rebel Company Cafe & Bar is for the meat lovers. Here, you'll find every possible meat and seafood imaginable, from Angus ribeye to pork ribs to grilled salmon and duck confit. Besides the usual Western fare, there is also satay, prawn paste fried chicken, and Buddha bowls - an interesting fusion of Western and Asian under one roof.

Hanwoori Korean Restaurant has been serving up authentic Korean food since 2011, boasting the best classics like kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and spicy tofu stew. Last but not least, Plonk on Maju is a top-notch bar for locals and expats, inspired by the fresh produce and culinary traditions of the Mediterranean with a laid-back and friendly Australian vibe.

Serangoon Garden - Shop

The nearest shopping centre you can count on for daily necessities is myVillage. Located at the heart of the Serangoon Garden neighbourhood, it is a small but well-equipped shopping mall. Bakery, bank, dry-cleaner, grocery store, and more. The Fairprice Finest in the basement of myVillage is lavishly stocked for your weekend grocery runs. The accessibility of the mall means there's no need to drive, especially considering how limited underground and street parking are.

If you are looking for a bigger shopping centre and do not mind a short bus ride out of the neighbourhood, the perfect destination is NEX Shopping Mall. NEX is one of the largest suburban malls in the country and is integrated with Serangoon Bus Interchange and Serangoon MRT station, making it a convenient destination no matter where you converge from.

Positioned to be a vibrant, social and recreational hub for the Serangoon residents (or most of the North-East!), NEX features an eclectic mix of retail, entertainment and dining options, including retail giant Isetan, two 24-hour supermarkets, Cold Storage and FairPrice Xtra. There are also amenities like a 24-hour gym, Anytime Fitness, for the fitness junkie, as well as Shaw Theatres and the Serangoon Public Library. Try not to get lost though, it's a sprawling maze of bright lights and eye-catching store fronts - a one-stop shop for just about everything.

Serangoon Garden - Play

The Serangoon Garden neighbourhood is not scarce on entertainment options. JForte Sportainment Centre, for example, is the perfect spot for your next hangout. The centre operates till 11 pm, with two spacious levels to explore and even a themed bowling night on Saturdays. As for the kids, they'll enjoy the Bouncing Kids indoor playground!

For some engaging family play, Little Bear’s House might be the answer. Catered for a range of ages with its generous variety of toys and playground equipment, Little Bear's provides a safe and endlessly fun environment for children to explore and interaction with other kids.

Serangoon Gardens Country Club is a family-friendly favourite among residents in the neighbourhood, boasting a host of facilities for members of all ages including a competition-sized swimming pool, gym, bowling alley, Jackpot room, karaoke lounge and more. It houses five dining options within its compound with both local and international cuisine on the menus. For the kids, there's even Kiddieland, a Water Play Area and Cambridge Pre-school, offering childcare programmes at a discounted price for members.

Serangoon Garden - Learn

Serangoon Garden is a hotspot for families because of the many schools, of different levels, in the area. Maple Bear Serangoon Gardens is a unique preschool that believes in ample exposure to nature, play-based methods and the importance of a nurturing teacher. Maple Bear even lets the children tend the edible fruit garden and micro vegetable farm in their backyard!

As for the primary level, the top picks include Rosyth School, Yangzheng Primary School, and St. Gabriel’s Primary School. Rosyth School, for instance, is a well-known school providing innovative teaching and learning programmes for students' holistic development.

The school is working hard to maximize the students' potential through the development of mind, body and soul. Rosyth School also provides the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) for primary four, five, and six students. Another option, St. Gabriel's Primary School, also crafts programmes that cater to the students' cognitive needs and interests, including the Literature Programme, Innovation (IVP) Programme, Coding and Robotics lessons and E2K (Mathematics and Science).

For the secondary level, some of the popular options are Serangoon Garden Secondary School, Zhonghua Secondary School, and St. Gabriel's Secondary School. Serangoon Garden Secondary School, for starters, is a government-aided co-educational secondary school that aims to develop inquisitive minds that are passionate for excellence. Serangoon Garden school offers various co-curricular activities, namely clubs and societies, performing arts, sports and games, uniformed groups. As for St. Gabriel's Secondary School, it is an all-boys Roman Catholic secondary school whose mission is to shape lives for service to God and the nation. 

Serangoon Garden - Move

The neighbourhood is served by many public bus services. Service 317 covers the Serangoon Garden Estate internally. In addition, on weekday mornings from 7.30am to 9am, licensed private bus operators operate an express service connecting the estate directly with the city centre. The nearest MRT station is Serangoon MRT station on the North East and Circle lines on Upper Serangoon Road, just a short bus ride away. Lorong Chuan MRT station is another nearby option, especially for residents living further away from the central Serangoon Garden area.

Serangoon Garden - Parks and Gardens

For a daily dose of green, Tavistock Avenue Park is a slice of the beautiful outdoors, with a playground, play equipment for all ages, and plenty of grassy spaces for your kids to run wild. For joggers, cyclists, or those who simply love a stroll amidst nature, it's a blessing to have a park right in your backyard.

Other than Tavistock Avenue Park, you can also find Haus Linear Park along Serangoon Garden Way. It is an excellent place to take a leisure stroll with family and friends. Serangoon Community Park is also in the vicinity. The park offers recreational activities, outdoor activities and vast open fields for baseball or football. Serangoon Garden is, needless to say, a green neighbourhood. Going for a morning jog? You'll be spoilt for choice.

Serangoon Garden - Sports Facilities

One of the best squash and tennis facilities is in the area. Burghley Squash and Tennis Centre is a public centre managed by Sports Singapore, available for booking from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. daily. For amateurs or those looking to pick up a new sport, Singapore Tennis Association conducts classes for both kids and adults here. The public courts are well-maintained, well-lit, and are very popular so you're advised to book two weeks in advance when the court booking window opens. 

You can also find the nearby Serangoon Sports Centre at 33 Yio Chu Kang Road. Both the Serangoon Stadium and Swimming Complex are housed within and cater to athletes of all ages. Swim classes are also conducted here for various age groups.