Forget the mango pomelo sago and shaved ice that defined the 2010s. A new wave of Chinese desserts is sweeping Singapore, blending traditional medicine ingredients, nutty pastes, claypot teas, and chewy mochi balls intoInstagram-worthy creations. Three spots—a TCM-inspired ice cream bar, a bustling Orchard café, and a viral claypot tea house—are leading the charge, offering locals and visitors fresh ways to satisfy a sweet tooth without boarding a plane.
A TCM-Inspired Ice Cream Bar in Suntec City
Hidden in plain sight outside Exit C of Promenade MRT Station, Synthesis looks like an 1980s Chinese medicine hall, complete with jars of dried roots and medicinal herbs. But the shelves hold something far more refreshing: ten ice cream and sorbet flavors infused with familiar TCM ingredients. Cups start at $6, with two scoops ranging from $10 to $12.
The five signature flavors include red date longan, hawthorn acai berry, chrysanthemum tea with candied ginseng, wintermelon barley, and orange peel vanilla. Staff allow sampling, but the seasonal honey osmanthus with candied ginseng sorbet ($7) stands out—icy, mildly sweet, and refreshing. The wintermelon barley ($7) blends two nostalgic drinks into one dessert, while the hawthorn acai berry ($7) evokes childhood haw flakes mixed into an acai bowl, though it can become cloying.
Behind the TCM facade, a neon-lit restaurant and bar serves modern Chinese dishes and cocktails made with medicinal ingredients—worth exploring after the ice cream.
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Tower 4, #01-643
Hours: Daily 11:30am-2pm; 4pm-10:30pm
Chan Susu: A Late-Night Dessert Haven on Orchard Road
Tired of the queues at Molly Tea or Yochi? Chan Susu at Orchard Gateway offers a quieter alternative, open until 11pm—later than most nearby dessert spots. The menu lists over 40 items, from traditional warm nut pastes to modern shaved ice bowls, plus six mains like scallion oil noodles ($4.90) and fried noodles with shrimp ($8.90).
The desserts steal the show. The signature handmade lava taro balls grand bowl ($8.90) arrives cold (though warm or room temperature is available) with black glutinous rice, grass jelly, red beans, peach gum, and chewy taro balls stuffed with taro paste. Pour fresh milk over the mix and dig in. The mango pomelo sago ($7.60) comes loaded with mango paste, fresh cubed mangoes, pomelo, and grapefruit pulp. Other crowd-pleasers include pistachio paste ($8.60), durian chendol ($7.80), pandan lava French toast ($7.60), and a sea salt mango and green grape milky snow bowl ($12.80).
Address: 277 Orchard Road, Orchard Gateway, #01-10
Hours: Daily 11am-11pm
Claypot Tea and Soufflé Pancakes in Farrer Park
The claypot milk tea trend that saturated China’s walking streets has landed in Singapore at Lantine, a cozy café on Rangoon Road that opened in January 2024. Its rock tea roasted milk tea ($13.90)—served in a claypot kept warm over a flame—has already gone viral on social media. The drink, ideal for two to three people, features roasted oolong from the Wuyi mountains infused with flowers, red dates, and nourishing ingredients. Smoky and robust, it has a lighter counterpart in peach oolong for those who prefer a softer profile.
Lantine’s taro mochi ($6.90) offers unsweetened taro paste topped with freshly made soft mochi balls, mini taro balls, and sweet potato balls. But the real draw is the soufflé pancakes, made to order in flavors like strawberry ($16), taro ($15), and matcha red bean—allow 20 to 30 minutes. The café’s outdoor seating is pet-friendly.
Address: 103 Rangoon Rd, Rangoon Court, #01-01
Hours: Sun-Thu noon-10:30pm; Fri-Sat noon-11pm
These three spots represent a broader shift: Chinese desserts are no longer limited to old-school shops. By reimagining heritage ingredients with modern techniques and aesthetics, they’re making traditional flavors accessible to a new generation—one scoop, bowl, and claypot at a time.