New in town: WhiteTree Café, Raffles Place — Singapore’s first organic herb tea café

Circular Road is a confusing row of shophouses which, without a keen eye for your destination, may just lead you to walk around in circles, literally. Food, booze, and bustle from eateries on the first level lend a convivial atmosphere to the whole area, with yoga studios and offices on the second for balance. All that separates the lively gallimaufry from WhiteTree Café, a newly opened 17-seater space with Eat Pray Love vibes and natural sunlight, is a flight of stairs.  

If you’re amazed by how this space that screams zen, peace, and minimalism exists in the bustle that is Circular Road, truth is, this café opens from 10am – 5.30pm from Mondays to Saturdays, closing in time before the joie de vivre begins. As Singapore’s first organic herb tree café, WhiteTree Café is a branch under WhiteTree, which also supports their own tea brand, a salon, and a retail section. 

Whether you’re a health enthusiast or a frustrated colleague, catch a breather and relish in hearty nosh. Their menu is wellness-centric, laden with fruits and vegetables—a friend to Mother Earth but a fiend for some. 

If you love fragrant and nutrient-dense drinks, their Wellness Tea (S$12 per pot) may just be your cup of tea. Nine options of organic herbal tea are available for you, be it for Beauty, Detox, Circulation or for Energy—all of them will calm your nerves and fill you with tranquillity.  

Even if you’re averse to vegetables, the Pink Vegetable Salad (S$18) has a face that is difficult to turn away from. Slices of beetroot and dragon fruit form a trail along the plate, with rocket leaves, purple cabbage, and cherry tomatoes strewn as fillers. Its vibrant colours fill your plate and refreshing flavours cleanse your palate, especially after a heavy meal the night before. If you’re more attuned to specks of green, opt for the WhiteTree Herbal Salad (S$18) instead, which also comes with generous chunks of avocado. 

As a carb lover, the notion of consuming purely vegetables scares me a little, so I was more than relieved when a plant-based sandwich rests on their menu. If you need a push to eat your veggies, the spicy soy meat and cheese packed in between fresh vegetables adds a savoury and spicy touch to this fresh and flavourful sarnie, which may just do the trick. 

Unlike the ones who reverently worship a no-sugar diet for health, if you’re craving a sweet treat, you can have your cake and eat it too. An Acai (S$7 for a small bowl, S$13 for a large bowl), topped with neat rows of berries, banana slices, and granola allows you to hit your fruit intake while having candies of the earth. Fancy pastries (S$3.90 – S$5)? Pair an almond croissant with their mellow coffee roasted with coffee beans from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Brazil. 

Be it the humdrum and bustle of life or gastronomic experiences that we partake in a tad too often, it’s always good to take our health up a notch—and what’s better than having healthy fare in a quiet and cosy space?  

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