Coliva neighbourhood guide
Living in Jalan Besar, Singapore
Heritage shophouses, indie cafes and a 12-minute MRT ride to the CBD — one of Singapore’s most quietly creative neighbourhoods.
Jalan Besar sits on the northern edge of Singapore’s historic core, sandwiched between Little India, Lavender and Farrer Park. The streets here — Rowell Road, Petain Road, Tyrwhitt Road — are lined with two-storey shophouses that locals are quietly fixing up into bakeries, gyms, design studios and the kind of corner cafes that don’t bother with a sign. It’s walkable, it’s genuinely diverse, and it’s one of the rare central Singapore neighbourhoods where you can have a freehold-feel home life on a co-living budget.
Coliva runs two pet-friendly houses on Rowell Road — The Driftwood House and The Boho Den — both six minutes’ walk from Jalan Besar MRT (Downtown Line, DT22).
Transit at a glance
- Jalan Besar MRT DT22 · 6 min walk
- Bendemeer MRT DT23 · 10 min walk
- Lavender MRT EW11 · 12 min walk
- Singapore CBD ~12 min by MRT (Raffles Place)
Where to eat
Jalan Besar punches far above its weight on food. Within ten minutes’ walk you can have a $4 hawker plate, a tasting-menu izakaya, or a dosa — sometimes on the same block.
- Berseh Food Centre Old-school hawker centre with the much-loved Hong Kee Beef Noodle and a queue-worthy Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee.
- Lavender Food Square (Tekka Place area) Late-night supper spot for satay bee hoon, oyster omelette and zi char.
- Sin Lee Foods Brunch institution on Jalan Besar Road, famous for its truffle pasta and teh-tarik tiramisu.
- Two Bakers Modern Asian patisserie, closed Mondays. Don’t skip the pandan kaya cake.
- Tipo Pasta Bar Tiny shophouse pasta counter on Tyrwhitt Road; book ahead.
Cafes & coworking
The Tyrwhitt Road / Petain Road cluster is the densest specialty-coffee strip in central Singapore, and there are two reliable coworking options if you don’t feel like working from your desk every day.
- Chye Seng Huat Hardware (Papa Palheta) Long-time anchor of Singapore’s third-wave coffee scene; great for long Wi-Fi-friendly sessions.
- Maxi Coffee Bar Compact, no-laptop after lunch — perfect for a focus break.
- JustCo at City Square Mall Hot-desking and meeting rooms a 7-minute walk away.
- Hatch CoCoCity Quieter coworking option with day passes.
Parks & green spaces
You’re not in a forest reserve, but you have everything a city dog or weekend runner needs.
- Jalan Besar Stadium & track Public running track open most evenings — bring a glow band after dark.
- Kallang Riverside Park 15-minute walk; long flat paths along the Kallang River, dog-friendly.
- Farrer Park field Open green for casual fetch sessions; weekend cricket games are a local feature.
Getting around
Jalan Besar is one of the last central Singapore neighbourhoods where you can do most of life on foot. The MRT covers the rest.
- MRT — Downtown Line Jalan Besar (DT22) puts you in Bugis in 2 stops, Promenade/Bayfront in 4, and at Raffles Place via interchange in ~12 min.
- Buses Routes 23, 64, 65, 130, 139 along Serangoon Road get you to Orchard, Toa Payoh and the airport corridor.
- Cycling Park Connector Network links to Kallang and onward to East Coast Park.
Hidden gems
The things you find by accident after living here a month.
- Mustafa Centre 24-hour department store on Syed Alwi Road. Groceries, electronics, kitchenware, all hours.
- Sungei Road Thieves Market (legacy) Original flea market is gone but the vintage and independent shops along Jalan Besar continue the tradition.
- Petain Road shophouse row Some of the most photographed Peranakan facades in Singapore; quiet on weekday mornings.