When Time Out named Bencoolen Singapore’s coolest neighbourhood in 2025, most locals weren’t surprised. This compact stretch between Bugis and Bras Basah has long been edgy, creative and culturally layered in a way that resists trends.
What keeps Bencoolen relevant in 2026 is exactly this refusal to be polished. Murals on aging walls, students spilling out of art schools into thrift stores and cafés, vegan eateries thriving beside temples, second-hand bookstores next to electronics malls, comedy nights a few doors down from national museums.
If there’s one neighbourhood bookmarked for wandering on your visit to Singapore, Bencoolen should be it. For travellers from India, Bencoolen offers something especially meaningful: a mix of food, faith, arts and culture, and everyday life that feels both distinctly Singaporean and quietly familiar. To understand its tempo, we spoke to two insiders deeply embedded in Singapore’s cultural life: comedians Rishi Budhrani and Sharul Channa. Their memories and observations shape this itinerary, best explored slowly and spread over one un-hurried day.
One day in Bencoolen: From coffee to comedy
Morning: Art schools and quiet rituals
Start the morning at Kurasu, where Japanese brewing rituals slow the day down before it speeds up. Once you’ve got your coffee fix, step outside and walk.
Around you, students from LASALLE College of Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) drift between classes, cafés and studios, giving the streets a restless, creative energy. As Sharul puts it, “Bencoolen is a very artsy neighbourhood because of the art schools. When they moved in, the whole place took on a different vibe—thrift shops, old vinyl record stores, little shops.”
Rishi continues, “You have HDB [Housing Development Board] flats, rental apartments, a shopping mall, coffee shops where uncles drink beer, and at the same time, people dressed up for bars. You can’t really tell who belongs to which socio-economic status here—that mix is rare. Instead of rebuilding the neighbourhood, they got artists to paint murals, so the old walls now carry new art.”
Browse Knuckles & Notch for interesting risograph prints and small-batch merchandise, then wander toward Sunshine Plaza, an old-time mall filled with Japanese hobby shops, tailoring services and craft suppliers. Victor’s Kitchen at the mall draws steady queues for old-school Hong Kong dim sum, a long-time favourite with regulars.
Nearby, Objectifs, a non-profit visual arts space dedicated to film and photography, offers a thoughtful pause through exhibitions and screenings, while The Theatre Practice, one of Singapore’s oldest bilingual theatre companies, sits quietly along Waterloo Street.
Midday: Art, Fortune Centre and faith
A short walk away, sit the National Museum of Singapore and the National Design Centre. If you need a break from looking at the art, and walking, The Mind Café offers shelves of board games and a comfortable pause. Don’t miss Little Nonya’s Cookies at Fortune Centre, known for handmade kueh and traditional Peranakan sweets.
Inside Fortune Centre, Sharul often heads to Bodhi Deli for mock-meat Asian dishes, Herbivore for Japanese vegetarian sets and sushi, and Yat Ka Yan for traditional tong sui desserts. It’s the kind of place that you can return to over and over and still find something new to try.
Sharul’s connection to this stretch is personal: “There’s a very old Krishna temple there, and right next to it is a Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple. You’ll see Chinese devotees going into the Indian temple, and Indians going into the Chinese temple. That mix is very special.” She adds, “That Krishna temple is actually the reason I became vegetarian. Right next to it is the Fortune Centre, known for its vegetarian food. It’s like the universe prepared the area for me.”
There’s plenty for non-vegans and meat-lovers too. At Ume San 100, umeshu is treated with the seriousness of wine (they’re also known for their Garlic Chicken Karaage). A few doors away, Trevor Noah-approved Al Jilani serves roti prata and teh tarik that locals swear by.
Afternoon: Books, making and memory
Spend the afternoon at Albert Centre Market, where hawker stalls hum steadily with affordable favourites. Then lose track of time inside Basheer Graphic Books at Bras Basah Complex, its narrow aisles still crowded with art and design students hunting for rare titles and sketchbooks. A short walk away, Art Friend supplies everything from paint to paper, reinforcing the sense that making things still matters here.
Optional detour: A short walk away, Sim Lim Square, known across Singapore as the place for electronics, repairs and improbable tech finds, is maze-like and deeply nostalgic for locals who grew up bargaining here as teenagers. These places aren’t curated for visitors, and that’s part of Bencoolen’s character. Pop into Tom’s Palette on Middle Road, known for its playful, locally-inspired gelato flavours.
Evening: Wine, comedy and the city unfiltered
As evening settles in, Bencoolen becomes more social. Natural wine bars like Middle Child fill slowly, drawing a mix of students, creatives and regulars easing out of the workday. Pro tip: arrive just after opening to snag counter seating; it’s the easiest way to strike up a conversation or get thoughtful recommendations by the glass.
A few doors down, laughter spills out of The Lemon Stand Comedy Club, where open mics and curated line-ups bring together locals, visiting comics and first-timers. For Rishi, comedy remains the clearest lens on a city: “You learn the most about a city by attending an open mic or a comedy night. It’s not the polished version; it’s uncensored thoughts from people who live that reality.”
If you want to extend the night without shifting neighbourhoods, wander toward Bras Basah. The museums may be closed, but the streets stay alive with students, late diners and walkers on their way home.
Spend a day in Bencoolen and the “coolest neighbourhood” label needs little explanation. Within a few walkable streets, everyday Singapore comes into focus—secular, artistic, affordable, grounded. Go slow, pause often, eat generously, and let the neighbourhood reveal itself.
Sharul Channa will tour eight Indian cities from March 13 to April 5, 2026, presenting her show: Saree, These Are Just Jokes!, which brings a uniquely Singaporean sense of humour to audiences across the country. All details can be found on her Instagram handle.
