Canberra Plaza – Singapore

The highly-anticipated opening of Canberra Plaza means more food, shopping and activity options for us Northies. From a famous bubble tea stall and halal food court to a free-to-access Water Play Park, here’s what Canberra Plaza has to offer:

Canberra Plaza food – dining options including A&W & bubble tea

Whether you’re hankering for a feast or in need of a quick refuel, Canberra Plaza is home to numerous restaurants, cafes, snack and drink stalls, plus a sprawling halal food court.

For over a decade, Singaporeans were left pining for A&W’s signature root beer floats, curly fries and hot dogs following their 2003 departure. 

Throughout this period, we could only satisfy our cravings across the causeway – which just so happens to be associated with the North due to Woodlands’ proximity to the JB border. But we’ve now come full circle, with an A&W branch (#01-04/26/27) opening at Canberra Plaza. 

For bubble tea lovers in search of something new and different from run-of-the-mill chain brands, give YiFang Taiwan Fruit Tea (#01-10 to 12) a try. This wildly popular BBT brand has a whopping 1,500+ outlets worldwide, including Australia, the United States, and even France.

They specialise in fruity concoctions made out of 100% real fruit jam made in Taiwan, so you can sip on natural sweetness and tang without any artificial flavouring.

When you’re dining out with family and friends, it can be tough to settle on just one cuisine. Head to Cantine food court (#01-21 to 23) and your new struggle will be that you’re spoilt for choice, with options spanning mala hotpot, ban mian fish soup, Western grill sets and chicken rice.

The best part is, Cantine is a halal dining destination which means our Muslim friends will be able to savour good food without worrying about dietary restrictions.

Other dining options include international cuisine like Niigata Bento and Pho Street (#01-07) plus Nam Kee Pau and Hong Kong Egglet (#01-24/24A), Gerill Bab (#B1-K4/K5/K7) which serves up halal Korean grilled meat rice bowls, and Swee Heng 1989’s (#B1-11) selection of freshly baked buns, cakes and pastries.

Shopping – supermarket, pharmacy & lifestyle shopping

Situated at Basement 1 of Canberra Plaza is an NTUC FairPrice supermarket (#B1-03/04), where Northies can get all their grocery needs sorted. 

From fresh local produce and exotic imported food to household items to keep your abode spick and span, you can expect to find competitive prices and frequent promos.

Bargain hunters will rejoice in the fact that there’s also a Daiso Japanese mart (#B1-01/02), with shelves upon shelves of $2 treasure finds. 

Fill your pantry up with Daiso snacks, or prepare some Daiso travel essentials ahead of time – with fingers crossed that we’ll get to venture overseas in 2021.

There’s also a Guardian pharmacy (#01-17/18) should you require toiletries, beauty products or over-the-counter meds. Visit Gadget Mix (#02-17) for tech staples such as USB cables, audio equipment and phone accessories, and SKP (#02-18) for stationery, toys and party essentials like balloons and goodie bags.

Beauty & wellness services plus fitness & enrichment centres

When it comes to swinging by beauty and wellness establishments to keep yourself looking and feeling good, Canberra Plaza has them all under one roof. 

You’ll be able to patronise hair salons and barber shops, as well as nail parlours and even a massage joint to have you looking polished, poised and rejuvenated.

To keep your health in check as well, medical facilities such as MyDoc (#03-10/11) and Viva Medical (#02-14) will be at your service.

Parents will be able to conveniently drop their littles ones off for tuition classes and enrichment sessions alike, with establishments like The Eton Academy (#03-09), The Ballet School (#03-01) and CMA Mental Arithmetics Centre (#03-13) lined up on Level 3.

Keep yourself in tip-top shape with a Gymmboxx (#03-04 to 07) membership. The spacious 5,000 square feet facility is open 24 hours, and offers personal training sessions so you can realise your new year’s resolution to get fit.

Water Play Park – free-to-access outdoor water playground

Note: As of 23rd December 2020, the Water Play Park is closed until further notice. Stay tuned to the Canberra Plaza Facebook page for more updates.

The Northside is home to quite a few next-level playgrounds, and Canberra Plaza’s Water Play Park is the latest addition. 

The outdoor playspace situated on Level 3 is free to enter. All you have to do is ensure you pack a swimsuit, towel and dry clothes for your kiddos – because they’re about to have a splashin’ ball of a time.

Canberra Plaza opening – new mall connected to Canberra MRT 

As if you could ever run out of things to do in the North, the new opening of Canberra Plaza spells even more shopping, dining and activity options for Northside-dwellers. 

Linked to Canberra MRT station, the mall is accessible to all, come rain or shine. The fitness and enrichment classes will also come in handy for those practising an upcoming “new year, new me” mantra.

Stay up to date on Northside news with Sayang Sembawang

Whether you’re a true-blue Northie or a non-Northsider who’s keen on staying abreast of all the latest developments within the region, Sayang Sembawang is a go-to resource. 

You’ll find frequently updated guides from superfood tips to productivity hacks, profile pieces on notable members within the community, and neighbourhood bulletins for donation and recycling runs.

Make sure to follow the Sayang Sembawang Facebook page as well, so you can get instant updates on what to do, see and eat within the North.

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*Article courtesy of TheSmartLocal.com Singapore, By Locals For Locals. 

Extracted from this article originally written by Renae Cheng for TheSmartLocal.com and republished with permission. Photography by Edmund Wong.*