Shoon Kou Cafe occupies a unique position on Bugis Street's bustling dining scene, situated on the third floor where it offers authentic culinary experiences and traditional flavors that represent the rich heritage of Asian cafe culture within Singapore's most dynamic food destination. This elevated dining establishment provides customers with both literal and figurative elevation from the street-level shopping energy, creating a more intimate, relaxed atmosphere where diners can enjoy carefully prepared dishes and beverages that reflect traditional cooking methods and authentic flavor profiles. Located above the vibrant marketplace activity, Shoon Kou Cafe serves as a culinary sanctuary where customers can experience the depth and complexity of traditional Asian cuisine while maintaining convenient access to all the shopping and cultural activities that make Bugis Street an essential Singapore destination.
The cafe specializes in authentic Asian cuisine and traditional beverages that likely include time-honored recipes, regional specialties, and classic comfort foods that reflect the diverse culinary heritage of Southeast Asia and Chinese cooking traditions that have shaped Singapore's food culture. Shoon Kou Cafe probably features dishes prepared using traditional techniques and authentic ingredients that create the complex flavors and satisfying textures that define genuine Asian cafe experiences, ensuring customers taste authentic flavors that connect them with cultural traditions and culinary history. The establishment's commitment to maintaining traditional cooking methods while adapting to contemporary dining preferences creates a unique dining experience that serves both nostalgia for traditional flavors and curiosity for authentic Asian culinary exploration among diverse customer populations.
Strategically positioned on the third floor of Bugis Street's multi-level dining and shopping complex, Shoon Kou Cafe benefits from a more peaceful dining environment while maintaining easy access to the vibrant street-level activities that define this iconic Singapore destination. The cafe's elevated location provides customers with a respite from the energetic shopping atmosphere while ensuring convenient connectivity to public transportation via Bugis MRT station and proximity to hundreds of other retailers, entertainment options, and cultural attractions. Whether customers seek traditional comfort foods that remind them of home, authentic Asian flavors for cultural exploration, or simply a peaceful dining environment above Singapore's most celebrated street market, Shoon Kou Cafe delivers genuine culinary experiences that contribute to the rich gastronomic diversity that makes Bugis Street an essential destination for both shopping and authentic Asian dining in the heart of multicultural Singapore.
My friend and I ordered 2 bowls of beef pho for lunch. When I was nearly finished with my meal, I found a dead baby cockroach in my bowl. I was too shocked to take a picture of it. (Still very grossed out by the image.)
I went to show the lady boss the situation, and she offered to cook me another bowl. I didn’t accept, as I was too disgusted by what I had just seen. That was the only service recovery offered. I paid $10 per bowl for a bowl of nightmare.
Nham Toh
Here's an edited version:
I ordered only one portion of Bun Bo Hue, but waited up to 20 minutes for it to come out. There was nobody queueing. Then, one group came in to order after me, but their order came first before mine!
The soup is too oily and tasteless, as you can see in the picture. Fake Vietnamese restaurant.
Mei Low
Corner shop with limited seating, serving Vietnamese food prepared by a Vietnamese lady. We have to collect the food, but there’s a helper who clears tables. The Banh Mi was lightly toasted and tasted okay; it could do with a little more vegetables though.
Heng Yi Lee
If I could give 0 stars, I would have.
The place is so dirty. I found two insects in my chicken pho. So disgusting! Their food isn't cheap, and I'm not sure this kind of hawker food is worth paying $8.
The owner is very stingy about the portion. They served less than seven mouthfuls of noodles and added a lot of vegetables. Such a cheap place. I would never recommend it.
Positive Reviews
Gu Yu
Best Bhan Mi I’ve tried in Singapore. Very similar to my favourite one from Vietnam. Staff are always friendly.
Nerys Low
The BBQ pork rice noodles (Bun thit nuong) were very nice. Authentic Vietnamese cafe, run by Vietnamese. Reasonable prices, in air-conditioned comfort.
Andy Lu
I absolutely love this place! It’s definitely a hidden gem. They have a variety of dishes that I enjoy, but my go-to is the bún riêu. I order it at least twice a week besides getting their bánh mì and bánh ướt for takeaway. Of course, you can’t stop here without ordering their cà phê sữa đá. You can’t get a glass of Vietnamese coffee anywhere else for $2!
Jaden
This is a simple, small restaurant located on the 3rd floor of Bugis Street. The Banh Mi bread is not too hard to bite; its texture is softer than most similar bread. There's quite a variety of dishes for a small shop, and the staff is friendly too. No GST or service charge.
Valerie Koh
Moved to Albert Street Food Centre. I asked for no pâté and no chili for my takeaway chicken banh mi, but it still had both. The chili padi was spicy, but the bread was crispy enough.
They have more banh mi on the laminated menu on the right wall of the stall, compared to the main overhead signboard.
I might come back to try other banh mi. They also have Thai food as well.
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Shoon Kou Cafe
Located at the back of Bugis Street, facing Albert Court food centre.
Along 269B Queens Street
Looks just like a street food vendor selling Banh Mi (Vietnamese baguette sandwich) in Vietnam! We stopped to try the Banh Mi.
The Banh Mi was toasted. Fillings were pork, pate, MAYO?! fish sauce, chilies, carrots, onions, etc.
It tasted so good but was quite expensive at $6.
It's really authentic and reminds me of the Banh Mi I ate in Vietnam, especially those popular in Hoi An.
At least try it once! 😋😋😋😋
奔马
A very simple setup, handled by one lady because I didn't see anyone else. So, don't expect much service. Tables are also not wiped properly, as I don't think she can cope with cooking and cleaning. It's self-service, meaning you order and pick up your food yourself, without table service.
I ordered BBQ pork with rice noodles. A very generous portion of noodles, vegetables, and pork. The bowl is surprisingly good and appetizing. The pork is flavorful with the fragrance of BBQ charcoal grill. The sauce in the noodles gets tastier as I get through the bowl. Vegetables are fresh too. It was a surprise find. I hope she can have enough business to be able to employ one helper to level up!
Zihan Yeo
Looks a little dingy, but the BBQ pork rice noodles were delicious. Fresh, balanced; the BBQ pork was tender and well marinated; and the spring rolls were tasty and still crunchy. They also bothered to toast their peanuts, which added a smoky taste.
Do note that it's actually $10. They still use their old banners that state $6. That said, I feel it's reasonable, and the portion was substantial.
Celia Lek
I want to give this humble little cafe a big shout-out for its delicious food. The lady owner ran the place pretty much by herself. She is super friendly and whipped up an amazing bowl of noodles and avocado smoothie for me! The cafe is hidden amongst the nail parlors and clothing stores close to the escalators.
Dian Low
One of the best bowls of bun bo hue I had in Singapore. It was $11, but the portion was huge. It wasn't spicy, so you could add your own preferred level of spice. The broth, beef ball, beef shank, and beef slices were all super flavorful. It's a hidden gem, unassuming, and a no-frills kind of place.
Raymond Tan
Definitely authentic Vietnamese food. You can smell a distinctive Vietnamese food smell when you approach the stall. The Vietnamese lady preparing the food can speak limited English but can speak broken Mandarin.
I ordered item No. 4 from their menu.
What came was a bowl of soup with thick bee hoon, a whole slice of fish, a big prawn, and plenty of vegetables like kangkong, bean sprouts, and brinjal.
The soup tasted a little too sweet for my liking. Upon adding some chili and lime, it tasted pretty savoury.
I ended up finishing everything.
Not a bad place to catch some authentic Vietnamese food. The place has air-con and a dozen tables.
Oh, and they sell Vietnamese snacks like fried cashew nuts, dried mango, crackers, etc.
Recommended!
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Our Menu
Menu Images
Menu Highlights
BBQ PORK RICE WITH EGG
$6
Cơm Sườn Trứng
BBQ PORK RICE WITH NOODLE
$6
Bún Thịt Nướng
CRAB NOODLE SOUP
$8
Bún Rêu Cua
NOODLE WITH SAUCE FISH
$8
Bún Mắm
HUE BEEF NOODLE
$8
Bún Bò Huế
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
$8
Phở Gà
BEEF NOODLE
$8
Phở Bò
FRIED CHICKEN WING
$8
Cánh Gà Chiên Mắm
SWEET AND SOUR FISH SUOP
$8
Canh Chua Cá Hú
BREAD
$6
Bánh Mì
PATIN FISH COOK WITH PINEAPPLE
$6
Cá Hủ Kho Tô
BRAISED PORK WITH EGG
$6
Thịt Kho Trứng
BITTER GOURP STUFFED MINCED PORK
$6
Canh Khô Qua
SPRING ROLL
$6
Gỏi Cuốn
VIETNAMESE HAM RICE ROLL
$7
Bánh Ướt Chả Lua
FISH SAUCE HOT POT
$18
Lẩu Mắm Mini
Menu Highlights
Rice Dishes
CƠM TẤM SƯƠN CHẢ TRỨNG
$6 $8
BBQ PORK RICE W EGG
Noodle Dishes
BÚN THỊT NƯỚNG
$6 $8
BBQ PORK W RICE NOODLE
Rice Rolls
BÁNH ƯỚT CHẢ LỤA
$6 $8
VIETNAMESE HAM RICE ROLL
Soups
BÚN RIÊU
$6 $8
CRAB NOODLE SOUP
CANH CHUA CÁ
$6 $8
SWEET N SOUR FISH SOUP
Stews
BỘ KHO
$6 $8
BEEF STEW W BREAD RICE NOODLE
Menu Highlights
CƠM PHẦN / RICE
CơM SườN TRứNG ốP LA/ BBQ PORK RICE WITH EGG
$5-$6
THịT KHO TRứNG/BRAISED PORK WITH EGG WITH RICE
$5-$6
TôM RAM THịT/ FRIED SHRIMP WITH PORK
$6
Cá Hú KHO Tộ/ PATIN FISH COOK WITH BACK SAUCE
$5-$6
Cá CHIêN / FISH FRY
$5-$6
Cá NGừ KHO THơM/ BRAISED TUNA WITH PINEAPPLE
$5-$6
Cá SAPA KHO Cà/ SAPA FISH WITH TOMATO
$5-$6
Cá Rô đồNG KHO TIêU/ TITR PEPPER
$6-$7
Cá KèO KHO TIêU/ FISH WITH PEPPER
$7
CANH CHUA Cá Hú/ SWEET AND SOUR FISH SOUP
$6-$7-$8
CANH CHUA TôM/ SWEET AND SOUR SHRIMP SOUP
$6-$7-$8
CANH KHổ QUA/ BITTER GOURD STUFFED MINCED PORK AND RICE
$5-$6
CANH KHOAI Mỡ/ POTATO SOUP
$5-$6
CơM CHIêN THậP CẩM/ CRIED RICE
$7
CơM CHIêN HảI SảN/ SEAFOOD FRIED RICE
$5-$6
CáNH Gà CHIêN MắM/ FRIED CHICKEN WING SAUCE
$5-$6
VịT KHO GừNG/ DUCK MEAT GINGER SAUCE WITH RICE
$5-$6
Gà KHO Xả ớT/ CHICKEN WAREHOUSE WITH CHILI
$7-$8
ẾCH KHO Xả/ FROG WAREHOUSE WITH CHILI
$7-$8
MÓN BÚN / NOODLE
BúN RIêU CUA/ CRAB NOODLE SOUP
$6-$8
BúN MắM/ NOODLE WITH SAUCE FISH
$8
BúN THịT NướNG/ BBQ PORK WITH RICE NOODLE
$5-$7
BáNH CANH / BREAD SOUP
$6-$8
Hủ TIếU NAM VANG/ NAM VANG NOODLES
$6-$8
BáNH ướT CHả LụA/ VIETNAMESE HAM RICE ROLL
$5-$8
MÓN ĐẤU / HOT POT
LấU Cá DIêU HồNG/ PINK FISH HOTPOT
$30
LấU Cá Hú/ PATIN FISH HOTPOT
$30
LẩU Cá KèO/FISH HOTPOT
$38
LẩU MắM/ FISH SAUCE HOTPOT
$38
LẩU THậP CẩM/ POTTED HOTPOT
$38
NƯỚC UỐNG / DRINK
CAFE đEN NóNG/ COFFE O
$1.5
CAFE SữA NóNG/ HOT COFFE
$1.5
CAFE đá/ COFFE ICE
$2
CAFE SữA đá/ MILK COFFE WITH ICE
$2
RAU Má đậU XANH/ PENNYWORT WITH GREEN BEANS
$2.8
RAU Má NướC DìRA/ PENNYWORT WITH COCONUT
$4
Đá ME/ ICE TAMARIN
$2.8
DìRA TươI/COCONUT WATER
$3
MIKLLO
$3
Xì TIN DâU
$2
DR THANH
$2
C2
$2
TRà XANH KO độ/VIETNAMESE GREEN TEA
$2
TRà XANH/GREEN TEA
$2
Bò CụNG/REDBULL
$1.5
100PLUS/100 PLUS
$1.5
TRà Đá/ VIETNAMESE ICE TEA
$2
Menu Highlights
BúN NướNG
$9
RICE WITH NOODLE
BúN RêU CUA
$9
CRAB NOODLE SOUP
BúN MắM
$9
NOODLE WITH SAUCE FISH
BúN Bò HUế
$9
HUE BEEF NOODLE
BáNH Mì
$6
Cá Hú KHO Tộ
$6
PATIN FISH COOK WITH PINEAPPLE
THịT KHO TRứNG
$6
BRAISED PORK WITH EGG
CANH KHổ QUA
BITTER GOURP STUFFED MING
Menu Highlights
CƠM TẤM SƯỜN CHẢ TRỨNG - BBQ PORK RICE W EGG
$5.86
BÚN THỊT NƯỚNG - BBQ PORK W RICE NOODLE
$5.86
BÁNH ƯỚT CHẢ LỤA - VIETNAMESE HAM RICE ROLL
$5.86
Menu Highlights
Vietnamese Food
CƠM TẤM SƯỜN CHẢ TRỨNG
$5.50
BBQ PORK RICE W EGG
BÚN THỊT NƯỚNG
$5
BBQ PORK W RICE NOODLE
BÁNH ƯỚT CHẢ LỤA
$5-$6
VIETNAMESE HAM RICE ROLL
BÚN RIÊU
$5-$6
CRAB NOODLE SOUP
BÒ KHO
$5-$6
BEEF STEW W BREAD RICE NOODLE
CANH CHUA CÁ
SWEET N SOUR FISH SOUP
CÁ KHO TÔ
$5-$6
FISHCOOK W PARON SAUCE
Menu Highlights
Soups
PHở Bò
$9
Beef Noodle Soup
CANH CHUA Cá Hú
$8
Sweet And Sour Fish Soup
BáNH Mì SOUP
Appetizers/Mains
CáNH Gà CHIêN NướC MắM
$8
Fried Chicken Wing
Mains
THịT KHO TRứNG
$6
Braised Pork With Egg
CANH KHổ QUA
$6
Bitter Gourd Stuffed Minced Pork
BáNH ƯớT CHả LụA
$7
Vietnamese Ham Rice Roll
LẩU MắM MINI
$6
Fish Sauce Hot Pot
Appetizers
GỏI CUốN
$7
Spring Roll
Drinks
RAU Má ĐậU XANH
$4
Pennywort With Green Bean
TRà ĐàO
$4
Peach Ice
Đá ME
$4
Ice Tamarind
NướC DừA TươI
$4
Coconut Water
TRà Đá VIệT NAM
Vietnam Green Tea
Menu Highlights
CƠM PHẦN / RICE
CơM SườN TRứNG ốP LA / BBQ PORK RICE WITH EGG
$5-$6
THịT KHO TRứNG / BRAISED PORK WITH EGG WITH RICE
$5-$6
TôM RAM THịT / FRIED SHRIMP WITH PORK
$6
Cá Hú KHO Tộ / PATIN FISH COOK WITH BACK SAUCE
$6
Cá CHIêN / FISH FRY
$5-$6
Cá NGừ KHO THơM / BRAISED TUNA WITH PINEAPPLE
$5-$6
Cá SAPA KHO Cả / SAPA FISH WITH TOMATO
$5-$6
Cá Rô đồNG KHO TIêU / TITR PEPPER
$6-$7
Cá KèO KHO TIêU / FISH WITH PEPPER
$7
CANH CHUA Cá Hú / SWEET AND SOUR FISH SOUP
$5-$6
CANH CHUA TôM / SWEET AND SOUR SHRIMP SOUP
$5-$6
CANH KHổ QUA / BITTER GOURD STUFFED MINCED PORK AND RICE
$5-$6
CANH KHOAI Mỡ / POTATO SOUP
$5-$6
CơM CHIêN THậP CẩM / CRIED RICE
$7
CơM CHIêN HảI SảN / SEAFOOD FRIED RICE
$7
CáNH Gà CHIêN MắM / FRIED CHICKEN WING SAUCE
$5-$6
VịT KHO GừNG / DUCK MEAT GINGER SAUCE WITH RICE
$5-$6
Gà KHO Xả ớT / CHICKEN WAREHOUSE WITH CHILI
$7-$8
ẾCH KHO Xả / FROG WAREHOUSE WITH CHILI
$7-$8
HẢI SẢN / SEAFOOD
TôM NướNG MUốI ớT / GRILLED SHRIMP WITH SALT AND CHILI