Review: Cafe Dough by That’s My Pizza serves up 72-hour Neapolitan pizzas and solid bakes in Alexandra

I’ve always been a fan of the homegrown brand stories. You know, the type which starts out small, builds a following through word-of-mouth, and then grows into something genuinely interesting. It’s heartening to hear of these local success stories, especially in this era where foreign brands tend to dominate the headlines.

That’s My Pizza is one of those with such beginnings. It was started by two first-time hawkers in 2022 at Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre, as an experimental F&B venture. 

They must have been doing right in these three years, because the duo now have two other outlets in Newton and Serangoon, as well as a brand new concept: Cafe Dough at Alexandra.

It’s a small but proper sit-down cafe that serves more than just pizza, that’s been operating since January.

The backstory

Not to be confused with a similar-sounding cafe in Chijmes, Cafe Dough takes over the ground-floor unit at the Alexis condominium on Alexandra Road previously occupied by Eg Coffee, which unfortunately closed down since our visit last year.

The small space is usually a one-woman show led by Christina Chan, one of the co-founders behind That’s My Pizza, and I suppose it makes sense for a compact space like this. 

Cafe Dough still bears some semblance of its former occupants — warm wooden cabinetry, a functional counter, and even some of the same decorations (including a cheeky cat-inspired artwork at the side).

The menu is simply split into three lanes: Pizza, pastries, and drinks, with the latter two available all day. If you want to try its pizzas (and you should!), they are only available from 11am onwards. 

Timings might change down the road given that the cafe is still in its opening days. It’s also worth noting that Cafe Dough is currently only open from Fridays to Sundays while the team juggle with the opening of their newest and third That’s My Pizza stall at Chomp Chomp Food Centre. 

Our verdict

For a largely one-woman operation, what Christina has put together here is impressive. 

There’s a plethora of food and drinks to choose from, the food is well-made, and there’s a clear sense of what the place is trying to be: A weekend neighbourhood hangout for quality bakes and pizza.

That said, wait times for pizza are not always consistent. Christina only bakes one pizza pie at a time — while the actual pizza takes only around two minutes to cook, getting the stone oven up to the right temperature between each pizza can take some time (anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes). 

That said, pre-ordering on That’s My Pizza’s website is a good idea to minimise waiting time, especially if you’re ordering several pizzas to try.

The drinks menu is large, with classic coffee, flavoured coffees (anything from butterscotch and black sesame to pandan coconut), matcha lattes, chocolate drinks, fruit teas, and lemonades, but not everything I tried hits the mark. 

Go for the bakes, too — they hold up well on their own — and are good for the times you find yourself there at a time with no pizzas, or don’t really want to wait.

What it’s good for

Like at That’s My Pizza hawker stalls, there are more than 30 pizzas (including dessert ones, too) to choose from, but if you’re only planning on having one, then the Japanese chashu kurobuta pizza (S$30) is one of the signatures I’d recommend.

If you’re familiar with That’s My Pizza, you’ll know it proves its Neapolitan-style dough (using only top-quality Italian 00 flour, of course) for 72 hours for a deeper sourdough-like flavour and consistency.

True enough, the resulting crust is puffy and airy, with nicely leopard-spotted edges that signal proper oven heat (and Christina’s confident hand with the dough).

This pizza showcases balance at its best: The marinated black pork — done pulled-pork style — is deeply savoury and meaty, and is layered with delicate fior di latte mozzarella for a mild, slightly sweet cheesiness, as well as with sharp parmesan. There’s also a slight chewiness to the crust that prevents the whole thing from feeling too light.

The Asian-Italian crossover continues with the mala smoked duck pizza (S$22), which is just delish. 

The mala tomato base has a gentle kick to it — not overly spicy, but with the numbing warmth of Sichuan peppercorn building pleasantly alongside the salty sauce. 

Could there be more pieces of smoked duck? Yes, but it’s tender and juicy enough, adding a smoky meatiness that plays off the spice well.

The bakes at Cafe Dough include croissants and sourdough bagels with savoury and sweet fillings, as well as tarts. 

For something sweet, consider the zesty lemon meringue tart (S$8.90), where lemon curd sits on a buttery, firm tart part and is properly tangy without tipping into overly sour.

Here, Cafe Dough uses a dense but smooth Italian-style meringue (which is also lightly toasted for a nutty fragrance) that has a bit of sweet marshmallow texture and taste. 

If you’re looking for a mid-day treat, this isn’t too cloying even if you’ve downed a pizza or two before this.

Another bake that caught our eye, though it isn’t the most fancy-looking one on the counter, would be the fig croissant (S$5). 

It might not have the shatteringly crisp and flaky texture of a croissant from a proper French bakery, but it is quietly satisfying — it’s buttery, soft, and comes with a generous amount of fig jam inside.

The jam has a bit of chunky compote texture, and is rich and honey-like with a soft berry undertone and is just the kind of thing you’d want with a morning coffee.

Christina tells me the bagels are one of the newer items here, fermented just like its pizza dough for a more complex flavour. 

The tuna bagel (S$7.90) makes for a solid breakfast or satisfying snack stop, lightly slathered with sour cream and baked tuna flakes that don’t taste fishy at all. 

The freshness of the bagel makes a clear difference, particularly its lightness and soft tanginess.

It’ll go well with a regular coffee, which you can get here, but I say give the black sesame cafe latte (S$7.90) a shot.

Cafe Dough blends a flat white with roasted black sesame for a nutty, aromatic coffee that’s also earthy and warming. 

It’s not an extremely novel drink in Singapore’s cafe scene, it’s one that’s definitely rewarding.

What it could improve on

The strawberry matcha latte is having its moment right now, and while I’ve seen it in so many cafe menus, I must admit I don’t quite get the hype.

Cafe Dough’s iced strawberry matcha latte (S$9.50) is fruity and jammy enough, but the matcha quantity (and possibly quality) doesn’t quite justify its “matcha latte” price tag.

It comes across more as a fruity green milk tea than a true matcha drink, given how milky and sweet this tastes. It’s not unpleasant on a whole, and would work if you’re alright with this flavour profile, but it’s not for me.

While it’s not a critique of the concept per se, it bears remembering that Cafe Dough is largely a one-woman show for now, which means the logistics are tight.  

Aside from a longer wait overall, opening hours (they’ve now switched to just three days a week from Fridays to Sundays) and pizza hours might be inconsistent, so I’d strongly suggest checking its socials before you go. Or you could also place a pre-order through Cafe Dough’s website if its pizzas are the main reason you’re heading down.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Only for brief conversations — the space is small after all. 

Is a reservation necessary? Walk-ins only, but you can pre-order your food through Cafe Dough’s website for pickup.

How to get there? Cafe Dough is a 7-minute walk from Queenstown Station Exit A.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For other new eats around town, check out Karii, a new Okinawan street food concept by En Group, as well as Jumbo’s newest large-scale food hall.