With a name derived from cycling terminology, The Autobus may seem like a typical cafe but it is in fact, a unique bicycle-themed cafe that caters to cyclists passing through the CBD.
Located at the Downtown Gallery, the establishment serves everything from rice bowls and in-house brews, to bar bites and alcoholic beverages at night.
The perks of stopping by the cafe for a meal is that you’ll get to park your bikes outside for free and collect them once you’re done. However, note that the parking lot can only hold up to 30 bicycles at once.
The most charming aspect about the cafe is the laid-back atmosphere and super spacey interior. Cycling enthusiasts will also be pleased to know that several collector’s bicycles are displayed throughout the space to add on to the thematic ambience.
If you’re here for a quick lunch break, the best thing to order would be the DIY Protein Bowls that can be customised according to your personal preference. Each standard bowl consists of a single protein cut, a carb base, three sides and finally, a dressing of your choice.
For DIY Rice Bowl #1 ($14), we opted for the penne pasta as carbs, teriyaki grilled squid and BBQ pulled pork as proteins and the stellar combination of edamame, broccoli and spa egg as our sides. All this is drenched with a good amount of soy sesame for added flavour.
As for DIY Rice Bowl #2 ($19), we had brown rice as carbs and went all out with the more premium protein cuts by selecting slow cooked seabass (+$2) as well as grilled sirloin steak (+$2), which were both incredibly tender.
To top it all off, we added on sweet corn, bell pepper and a serving of avocado (+$1). As before, we ended it off with the same soy sesame dressing because it was just that good.
For an absolutely addictive bar bite, I would highly recommend the Kale Chips ($5). Most of you might be turned off by the fact that this looks like salad but it’s actually just as crispy and crunchy as regular potato chips. Plus, it would go great with some beer!
Here for a weekend brunch? Have at the Wagyu Burger ($24) that features a 140gm housemade wagyu patty that’s sandwiched in between two sesame burger buns and paired with the classic condiments of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and melted cheese.
If the juicy wagyu patty isn’t enough to satisfy your appetite, fret not because this is also accompanied by a side of truffle fries with dipping sauces such as ketchup and mayonnaise.
The Chai Latte ($5 for hot, $6 for iced) here is to die for. Unlike the regular chai teas you’ll find in other cafes, their rendition is two times spicier and deeply aromatic since the chai spices are all roasted in-house before being infused with some Ceylon tea.
If you fancy something more chocolatey, order the Mocha ($5 for hot, $6 for iced) that’s blended in with a good amount of Valrhona chocolate. This one’s guaranteed to be the perfect beverage on a hot and sweltering day.
Putting out new specials every month, customers can also expect to find new additions to the beverage menu every now and again. When we visited, we found that the Peanut Butter Latte ($6 for hot, $7 for cold) was the pick for August.
You’d find that the pink hue isn’t concocted with artificial flavouring, but is in fact, a smooth blend of beetroot and ground nuts. The baristas have really gone all out with the flavour and presentation of this cup and we were certainly impressed by the result.
You can’t go cafe hopping without ordering some dessert so we had the Waffle Maffle ($12) to round up our meal. The waffles come with a combination of caramelised apples, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, and is topped off nicely with a dollop of yogurt before being doused in some honey.
For only $2 per scoop, you also can add on any ice cream flavour of your choice. We had pistachio and hojicha that paired nicely with the array of fruits and nuts. Since the ice cream comes directly from Apiary, you know you’re guaranteed great quality.
With a wide selection of bicycle equipment and apparel on sale within the premises, The Autobus is more than your average bike cafe and is truly every cyclist’s dream come true.
What’s more, this is a great way to promote the cycling lifestyle to the public and maybe even bring bikers in the community closer together.
Expected Damage: $20 per pax
The Autobus: 6A Shenton Way, Downtown Gallery #01-01, Singapore 068 815 | Monday – Friday (7am – 10pm), Saturdays & Sundays (7am – 3pm)| Tel: 9690 7507 | Facebook
The post The Autobus: Grab Brunch At This Bicycle-Themed Cafe & Park Your Bicycle Outside For Free At Downtown Gallery appeared first on SETHLUI.com.