The Shophouse Edition: Things to Do from Craig Rd to Duxton Rd – Singapore

A Lifestyle & Wellness Guide curated by Dentalis at 52 Craig Rd

Duxton Rd is character on its own

Introduction

Tucked between Tanjong Pagar and Chinatown, the Craig and Duxton enclave hums with quiet character — a neighbourhood where art, architecture, and wellness intertwine. Each shophouse here tells a story: facades washed in morning light, slow espresso rituals behind open windows, laughter spilling from bars as evening descends.

By day, design-led cafés, Michelin-starred kitchens, and independent ateliers fill the streets with purpose and personality. By night, discreet cocktail rooms and vinyl lounges glow softly under heritage lamps.

In this edition of The Shophouse Edition by Dentalis, we wander through the neighbourhood we call home — from coffee to calm, from movement to mindful indulgence — and rediscover the quiet poetry of Craig and Duxton.

The Ice Bath Club standing right at the corner of Duxton Rd

Morning Rituals – Begin with Movement, End with Meaning

Start your morning grounded. A cold plunge at The Ice Bath Club (68 Duxton Rd) or Cold Plunge SG (89 Neil Rd) awakens both body and mind — a baptism of focus and renewal. For those who prefer slower alignment, Ziva Yoga (59B Duxton Rd) and Wunderbody Pilates (8 Craig Rd) offer calm, mindful spaces to reconnect breath with balance.

From there, drift naturally toward your first cup of coffee.

Cafés & Breakfast Corners

Morning in Duxton has its own rhythm — the gentle hum of espresso machines, the perfume of freshly baked pastries, sunlight slipping through timber shutters.

At Bonjour by Ma Cuisine (39 Craig Rd), the day begins the French way: buttery croque madames, soft omelettes, and the refined warmth of a Michelin-star kitchen. Down the road, Bearded Bella (8 Craig Rd) channels Melbourne brunch culture — hearty, generous, quietly joyful.

Over at Monument Café (75 Duxton Rd), single-origin brews meet warm wood interiors — and if you know where to look, there’s a hidden bar behind it: Cat Bit Club. Cococean (73 Duxton Rd) feels like a sunlit holiday with its dessert-inspired menu, while Book Bar (57 Duxton Rd) merges literature and latte culture in contemplative calm.

Upstairs, Butter tgt (76A Duxton Rd) is a quiet hideaway for bakes and journaling, while Koki Bakery & Brew Bar (60A Duxton Rd) serves matcha strawberry muffins that taste like nostalgia.

🌸 Local Tip: Begin at 8 Craig Rd, loop towards Duxton Hill, and you’ll pass nearly a dozen coffee sanctuaries within five minutes on foot.

Slow Fashion & Independent Design

Beyond its cafés, Duxton-Craig hides an atelier culture — slow, deliberate, crafted with care.

Discover Why & Co (46A Craig Rd) for fine men’s shoes, Made Suits (45B Craig Rd) and Edit Suits & Co (35A Duxton Rd) for bespoke tailoring, and Eden + Elie (77 Duxton Rd) for handcrafted artisanal jewellery that celebrates modern heritage. Palola (68 Duxton Rd) refines the craftsmanship of footwear, while Pierre Frey (36A Craig Rd) fills a shophouse with the tactile beauty of Parisian textiles.

These boutiques echo what makes Duxton different — thoughtful, personal, quietly assured. Every piece feels chosen, not consumed. The complete directory guide here >>>

Beauty, Wellness & Calm Spaces – Where the Day Slows Down

Between caffeine and cocktails, Duxton offers something more restorative: stillness.

🦷 Dentalis (52 Craig Rd) – Calm, Art-Led Dental Rituals

At Dentalis, dentistry becomes design — a sensory experience where care feels human, not clinical. Within a restored shophouse, curated art, soft light, and gentle music invite you to exhale.

Guided by the philosophy that “care is an art form,” every treatment blends clinical precision with quiet hospitality. From full check-ups and whitening to smile design, Dentalis transforms routine maintenance into a mindful ritual — a moment to reset in the heart of the city.

📍 Visit us at 52 Craig Rd — a short walk from Maxwell, Tanjong Pagar, or Outram MRT. Book Your $98 Dental Essentials Visit →

Nearby, Creature of Habit (61A Duxton Rd) and Sankakkei Hair & Scalp (75A Duxton Rd) complete the self-care circuit, while Dr Lynette Tay Psychological Health (77A Duxton Rd) offers wellness in serene stillness.

Together, they form the Duxton Wellness Triangle — a pocket of calm amidst the hum of city life.

Midday & Evenings – Eat, Sip & Savour

As daylight softens, Duxton shifts from ritual to revelry.

Rappu Handroll Bar (52/53 Duxton Rd) delivers precision and intimacy in six seats. Marcy’s (39–40 Duxton Rd) serves coastal refinement in a shophouse glowing amber at dusk. Etna (49/50 Duxton Rd), an enduring Italian favourite, pairs handmade pasta with Tuscan generosity.

Down the street, The House Chung Dam (70–72 Duxton Rd) reinvents Korean fine dining with artful restraint. Sool Café & Bar (41 Duxton Rd) brings Asian comfort and cocktails under one roof, while Club Rangoon (76 Duxton Rd) hums with Burmese flavours and warm hospitality.

Fortuna Terrazza (10 Craig Rd) charms with Mediterranean ease, perfect for golden-hour aperitifs. For date nights, Ma Cuisine (39 Craig Rd) and Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen (37 Craig Rd) remain timeless — elegant, atmospheric, effortless.

Nightfall & Conversations – Hidden Bars & Lounges

When night falls, Duxton feels cinematic — puddles reflecting neon, music drifting between open doors.

Casper.sg (59 Duxton Rd) blends art, sound, and cocktails in ever-changing moods. RPM D.Spoke Music Lounge (16 Duxton Rd) hides a Japanese vinyl bar where shochu meets Miles Davis. Behind the Green Door (97 Duxton Rd) comes alive with live jazz, while Goodbye, Alibi (53A Duxton Rd) pairs humour with highball confessions.

Here, curiosity is rewarded — the more you explore, the more the neighbourhood reveals.

Art, Architecture & Heritage

Duxton’s beauty lies not just in what you can do, but in what you can notice. The conservation façades, terracotta roofs and ornate shutters evoke another era — yet each doorway opens into something new.

Wander along Craig Road and step into Tong Mern Sern Antiques Arts & Crafts (51 Craig Rd), a time-capsule of curiosities. Visit COSPACE Gallery (26 Duxton Rd) for contemporary works in a conserved shophouse.

Singapore’s First Vinyl Listening Café

At 45A Craig Rd you’ll find Slowboat Vinyl Cafe / Fotomat — Singapore’s first dedicated vinyl-listening café. For about S$30 you gain an hour of listening time plus a drink, exploring a collection of nearly 600 records spanning pop, rock, jazz, blues, hip-hop and even Cantonese, Japanese and Chinese vinyls. Of late in Nov 2025, their viral -86 °C coffee stirred social-media queues and became an unexpected cultural moment in Duxton.

Every corner here holds the same duality Dentalis celebrates — heritage and modernity, precision and art.

💡 Local Tip: Spot different graffitis, sculpture and wall art as you stroll between the streets

Stay a While – Boutique Hotels at Duxton

For those who linger, Duxton Reserve (83–88 Duxton Rd) offers colonial romance with a contemporary edge, while Mondrian Singapore Duxton (16A Duxton Hill) houses a constellation of restaurants and bars beneath striking modern art.

Highlights include:

• Jungle Ballroom – lush, immersive cocktails

• Bottega di Carna – Italian craft dining

• Araya (★) – refined omakase minimalism

• Firebird by Suetomi, Temper. Wine Room & Lounge, and Canyon Club (Rooftop Bar)

💡 Local Tip: End the night with a foot reflexology session at Le Kaki Wellness (Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza #01-07) — the quiet reset locals swear by.

Duxton Walking Map

Plan your route with this interactive map of Duxton & Craig Rd, curated by the Dentalis team.Each pin marks a discovery — cafés, galleries, wellness spaces — guiding you through a morning or evening of calm exploration.

📍 Start at Dentalis, 52 Craig Rd — your sanctuary between coffee, culture, and cocktails.

Related Reads from The Shophouse Edition

• From Duxton Hill to Neil Road – A Creative Walk (Coming Soon)

• Things to Do in Chinatown – Singapore (Coming Soon)

• The Duxton Wellness Edit – Calm Spaces for Self-Care & Beauty (Coming Soon)

• Cafés & Coffee Trails – Duxton • Craig Rd • Bukit Pasoh • Keong Saik (Coming Soon)

• Retail Therapy Edition – Boutique Design & Style in the Shophouse District (Coming Soon)

Closing

Duxton isn’t just a neighbourhood — it’s a mood, a rhythm, a quiet confidence.Here, heritage coexists with creativity, and the simplest rituals — a walk, a meal, a moment of care — become artful.

At the heart of it all, Dentalis remains a gentle reminder that self-care, like art, belongs to everyday life.

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About the Author: Jennifer Choi (Also known as Jenn Choi)

Marketing Director, Dentalis | Real Estate Agent, Propnex & Neighbourhood Resident

I wrote this not just as someone who markets Dentalis, but as someone who lives and works in these shophouses daily. Every café, gallery, and hidden bar here tells a story — and I’m proud to call this corner of Craig and Duxton my canvas.