Pantler

Pantler is a Japanese patisserie and bakery at 474 River Valley Road. It sells Japanese-style cakes and pastries, many based on French classics, along with bread and baked goods. The team uses flour from Japan and AOC butter from France. Come for a slice of cake in the shop, or pick up a box to take away.

Pantler first opened on Telok Ayer Street in 2014. It moved to a larger space in River Valley in February 2021. Tomoharu Morita is the head chef and a co-founder. Both founders made pastries at Joël Robuchon Singapore and the Grand Hyatt Tokyo before they started Pantler.

What to order

The counter usually holds more than 20 kinds of cakes and pastries, and the range changes over time. Items that reviewers mention again and again include:

• Yatsura: one of the best sellers, layering hazelnut, dark chocolate and a crunchy hazelnut base.
• Chou à la crème: a cream puff filled with fresh custard and almond nougatine.
• Strawberry shortcake: made with Isigny cream from France.
• Figaro: Pantler's take on a strawberry tiramisu, with mascarpone and berries.
• Other cakes: the Pantler cheesecake, passion fruit tart, opera and mille-feuille have all featured.

The bakery side offers croissants and other bread. There are also smaller treats such as financiers, pound cake, cookies and mini doughnuts, in flavours like matcha, earl grey and cinnamon.

The setting

The River Valley shop is much roomier than the old narrow shophouse on Telok Ayer Street. You walk in to an island counter where the cakes are on display. Seating is split between a bright, courtyard-like area and a cosier corner. The furnishing is simple, so the pastries stay the focus.

Good to know before you go

• Order ahead online: Pantler runs an online shop for whole cakes, pastries, cookies and candles, with delivery.
• Celebrations: a whole cake from the online shop is a handy option for a birthday during your stay.
• Good for gifts: cookies and baked items travel better than cream cakes if you are carrying them around.

Nearby

River Valley sits next to the shops of Orchard Road, so a cake stop fits well into a shopping day. For a meal in the area, try Rosso Vino for Italian food or Signs A Taste of Vietnam Pho for a bowl of pho.

You can also browse more cafés and bakeries, other Japanese restaurants, or all the places to eat in Orchard and River Valley. If you are looking for a base nearby, see our hotels in Orchard and River Valley. Contact details are on the official website.