Following my last visit to The Providore, I am totally looking forward to checking out the “warehouse” at Tan Boon Liat Building. Singapore is small but not that small, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that there is so much gem in this industrial building in Outram area.
This is the flagship store. But you will be disappointed if you expect an operational cafe here at this warehouse outlet. As of press time (and most likely in the near future), it is unlikely to be issued a cafe license.

Still, the vibe of The Providore warehouse is inviting. I like the industrial feel and the spacious retail size, which brings grocery shopping to a whole new level.
It is difficult not to be drawn to the full shelves of the home blended tea, all 15 flavours in total.
The main draw of this warehouse outlet to the cafe in Mandarin Gallery is that there is much more retail choices. Other than the home blend teas and coffee, there is also a specially imported selection of wines, ciders and beer for the alcohol junkies.
Coffee junkies rejoice corner! There is a different blend of coffee every week which you can sample from this coffee counter. I was lucky to try the single origin Costa Rica beans that day, roasted in Singapore by Toby’s Estate. It was a joy chatting with the friendly Barista, Wendy when I was there as she was very generous in sharing her knowledge of coffee with us, which I thoroughly enjoyed learning.

We opted to try the Latte, which was expectedly good. Coffee is strong and aromatic, smoothly blend and consistent.

Another must-try from the Providore store is the exclusive Pat and Stick’s ice-cream! The famous Aussie sandwich ice-cream has made it to our shores, exclusively brought in by the Providore. Of course, we can’t miss the opportunity to lay our mouths on it given our glutton nature!
I tried the most popular flavour in Aussie land, the Espresso Lace ($6.90). I must say it is a unique way to package ice-cream. The espresso ice-cream is literally sandwiched by two caramelised waffle biscuits, which complimented well with the flavourful espresso ice-cream.
The best way to market your products is to offer sampling, such as the Handmade Shortbread. We also spotted samples of The Providore’s home brand Extra virgin olive oil, jam, biscuits and cheese.
Overall Experience: 4.5/5
I can see the concept of blending food and grocery retail furiously invading the food scene in Singapore. The Providore probably epitomised it best at the moment, with the wide range of house brands and conscious efforts in creating the best food products and choices for consumers like us. I like such concepts and I think there is still room in the current market to accommodate more of such players. The location of the Providore warehouse is a little offbeat, but isn’t that also the charm of the place?
The Providore
315 Outram Road 05-03
Tan Boon Liat Building
Singapore 169074
Tel: +65 6221 7056