The Place A dining establishment with a history of over 40 years is hard to come by in fast-paced Singapore and it was only my first time recently to Prince Coffee House (太子咖啡座) along Beach Road. This beloved Hainanese Western cuisine restaurant was established in 1977, and stepping into Prince Coffee House feels like stepping back in time for me. Old school set up with a nostalgic dining vibe, Prince Coffee House is by owner Uncle Jimmy who is well over his 80s, and its interior is adorned with vintage posters of 1970s Taiwanese movie stars.

The brief history is that many of the old movie stars back in the old days used to head here for a meal, as its location is located near to the now-defunct Prince Cinema.  

The Food Old school Hainanese dishes as well as local Zichar dishes is the main highlights. The pies like chicken and apple pies are apparently quite famous too, which I did not manage to try this time. 

For each order or main dish you order, you can choose to add on S$5 to make it into a set which comes with soup, garlic bread and dessert which is typically a small fruit cup or grass jelly. Special mention to the garlic bread which reminds me of old-school coffeeshop style, reminiscent of my childhood days. I highly recommend going for the set if you are already planning to get the soup which is already S$5 on its own.  

I had the Soup Of The Day (S$5) which happened to be Mushroom Soup. Nothing fancy, it reminds me of a certain canned soup.  

Comparatively, I also had the French Onion Soup (S$5) which is not the particularly thick texture type of soup, but quite light and a tad salty.  

One of the main highlights at Prince Coffee House is the Prince Special Oxtail Stew (S$32) which is very delicious and tender. The stew tastes a tad peppery and boasts a rich flavour. A highly recommended dish. 

The Grilled Chicken Chop (S$15) is a generous portion which is well-grilled with an old-school flavour served along with mushroom sauce. The chicken meat is tender too. 

Alternatively, the Fried Beef Hor Fun (S$9.5) is a comforting choice which comes with a thick dark gravy and generous portions of sliced, tender beef.  

Rants The staff could come across as a tad overly friendly in trying to share or recommend dishes, but I guess this is their way of being passionate about the place.  

Will I Return Again? Prince Coffee House is more than just a place to eat; it is a living testament to Singapore’s culinary heritage. It is really rare to still have a piece of heritage restaurant like this, and I am definitely keen to head back for the Hainanese Pork Chop next time.  

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5 

Prince Coffee House 太子咖啡座 
249 Beach Road 
#01-249  
Singapore 189757 
Tel: +65 6468 2088 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 11am to 8.30pm 

Ranted by The Ranter