Sometimes you outgrow a place. Or maybe, the place stays the same while the world moves on.
Lola’s Cafe, located near Simon Road Singapore, is less than a kilometer from my house. A simple five-minute drive. For years, it was a reliable, easy choice. I have been there more than twenty times. It was familiar. It was close.
I went back recently on a Saturday. It is always packed, with an unbearable waiting time if you don’t have reservations. The 10 a.m. reservation slots were full, so we had to book for an alternative timing at 9 a.m. The crowd is still there. The hype, it seems, remains.
But the food has fallen behind.
We ordered three mains, but did not go for the usual crab cake benedict, ultimate croissant or garden salad, with three sides and four coffees. The bill came to over $140. I don’t usually focus on the price, but here it felt disconnected from the quality. It was too much for what was served: eggs, sausage, sourdough, and a waffle.
Buttery eggs that is just actually average
Let’s talk about the food. The buttery scrambled eggs were average. The sausage and ham were standard. It was breakfast. It was functional. There was no craft, no special attention. It was food assembled to fill a plate.
The mushrooms were a particular disappointment. Instead of being pan-fried to bring out their earthy flavour, they were deep-fried in a thick, heavy batter. It was an unnecessary and lazy way to cook a simple ingredient. I didn’t touch them. The plate was already heavy with carbohydrates.
The waffle was just a waffle.
Freshly ground coffee the saving grace
The coffee was decent. They use freshly ground coffee beans. But an oat milk coffee cost almost $7. In a neighbourhood cafe, that price feels steep. The matcha was just bitter, lacking the smooth, grassy notes of a well-prepared bowl.
I used to love Lola’s. It was a pioneer in the neighbourhood cafe scene. But the scene has changed. Singapore is now filled with cafes that try harder, that cook with more intention. The kind of places that still respect craft, like The Dim Sum Place @ The Centrepoint’s halal dim sum take and they offer better food, often at a lower price.
Lola’s feels like it is running on its old reputation. It’s an established brand, and people will continue to go out of habit. The crowds prove that. The queue is long, especially on Sundays and Saturdays, making it necessary to accommodate party size and plan dining time carefully.
But for me, something has changed. After eating at so many other places, my standards have shifted. The food at Lola’s now feels mid. It does not make the cut anymore.
Delicious baked treats – Lacking this
Unlike its competitors, Lola Cafe is noticeably lacking a good bakery section. While other cafes in Singapore offer delicious baked treats such as fresh breads and sweet pastries that pop with flavor, Lola Cafe’s offerings fall short, missing that element that would truly make it a home for maximum enjoyment. The place no longer perpetually smells of fresh baking as it once did.
Maximum enjoyment no more
It is a sad thing to say about a place you have visited so many times. But a restaurant cannot survive on nostalgia alone. Not for me.
After more than twenty visits, I doubt I will be going back. For those who still want to visit, make sure to check the last order timing and contact the cafe to avoid any disappointment. Lola’s Cafe at Simon Road Singapore remains a place that matters to many, but for me, it no longer brings the happy memories it once did.
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