It’s not often you get to experience an authentic vibe in Singapore, but this new café hidden within a park gives you just that—complete with dining in actual tents with mess tins too!
Nomads is the latest dining addition tucked away within Seletar Aerospace park: a location that’s pretty out of the way for most, but worth the trip down especially if you’re looking for a quiet and tranquil getaway that’s further from the bustling city noise.
The sprawling 2-storey café occupies a standalone bungalow-esque space, with actual camping tents, tables and chairs setup on the lawn and patio areas for you to dine in. The camping set-up is actually super vibey, and we’d imagine the place will look pretty stunning at night with all the lamps lit up. We visited Nomads on a slightly gloomy weekday afternoon, and the light drizzle of rain only added to the calming ambience, making the experience much more soothing and relaxing.
Beef & Asparagus Mess Tin, $25
Scout Skillet Hash, $23
Lamb Skewers, $16
To add on to the authentic camping vibe, the food at Nomads is also served in camping dishware like mess tins and steel plates; along with steel camping cups for drinks. We enjoyed the Beef & Asparagus Mess Tin ($25), a hearty rice box topped with a slab of steak that’s cooked to a tender medium. The Scout Skillet Hash ($23) is also a great option for breakfast or brunch, kind of like a rösti but much thinner, with finely shredded potatoes that are pan-fried till golden and crispy.
Shrimp Boil Foil, $32
Garlic Glow Prawn Pasta, $28
Beef Cubes with Mustard, $16
Seafood lovers will also enjoy the Shrimp Boil Foil ($32), featuring generous servings of prawn, mussels, clams, corn, and potatoes piled high, with a briny and flavourful seafood broth. The Garlic Glow Prawn Pasta ($28)—essentially an aglio olio—was also well done, with a slightly spicy kick and extra richness from the sous vide egg.
Espressonut, $9
Peach Bliss, $5
They’ve also got a pretty extensive drink menu: from coffee, specialty tea, cocktails, smoothies, beer and more. The Espressonut ($9) is a refreshing option for those who like coconut coffees, and it comes with a whole coconut and a shot of espresso on the side. The Aerocano ($5) is a twist on the classic americano, made extra foamy with lots of crema on top.
The outdoor areas are also pet-friendly, so feel free to bring along your furry or feathered friends along! We’re told that the outdoor areas are usually packed with pets (especially dogs) during the weekends, so if you’re looking to meet new furry companions, that’s when you should head down. If it gets too hot or in the event of heavy rain, you can head indoors to the first level or second level where there are more seats available for dine-in. Soon, there will also be live bands and music acts playing on the second level from 8pm onwards from Fridays to Mondays.
Would we be coming to Nomads again? Given that the location is pretty out of the way especially for those who don’t drive, it’s probably not a café we’ll be visiting often. But for a leisurely weekend affair, Nomads is a great place to be—with chill vibes, good food to share, open spaces to roam around—and we can definitely see this place growing in popularity, particularly for pet-owners.
Taste: 8/10
Price: $$; ~$20-40 per person
Favourite item(s): Scout Skillet Hash, Garlic Glow Prawn Pasta
Would we come back: Yes if we’re driving or looking for some real camping vibes!
Nomads
Address: 2 The Oval, Singapore 797860
Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11am-11pm; Friday-Saturday, 8.30am-12am; Sunday, 8.30am-11pm (closed on Tuesday)
