Cafe Nesuto brings laidback vibe and comfort food to Marina Bay Sands — with pretty al fresco seating

Cafe Nesuto, the brunchy sister of beloved patisserie Nesuto, has unveiled its latest outpost in a prime spot — on the first floor of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, right opposite the ArtScience Museum.

This is the cafe’s second outlet, after launching its maiden store in August at Ion Orchard. It had signalled the start of the brand’s latest chapter — a move from speciality in sweets into savoury territory. 

We’d visited the cafe shortly after it opened and left with happy, thoroughly satisfied stomachs.

Located along a waterfront stretch dominated by bars, Cafe Nesuto at Marina Bay Sands stands out by offering more substantial bites. 

Here, you’ll find proper meals and shareable bites alongside coffee, tea, juices, and a curated selection of wines.

One of the first things that struck us was just how pretty the space is. We spoke to Alicia Wong, founder of Nesuto, who told us that she and her team personally oversaw and considered many of the interior details.

What really caught our eye, though, was the al fresco dining area. There’s an easy, welcoming charm to it that is casual, yet elegant. After a long morning or afternoon of walking around Marina Bay, it makes complete sense to settle in here — for a leisurely meal and some prime people-watching.

A menu expansion with outlet-exclusives

The new Marina Bay Sands spot also introduces a handful of outlet-exclusive dishes. Alicia says that if these dishes receive enough love, they may eventually make their way onto the menu at Ion Orchard, too.

The dishes we tried were personally recommended by Alicia herself — and we love seeing that sort of connection between the chef and the menu.

One of the biggest additions is an expanded snacks and starters section. It’s a thoughtful move for this location, says Alicia. She’d envisioned guests dropping by Cafe Nesuto to escape the heat, after a day around Marina Bay Sands, to share small — but no less delicious — plates over drinks.

From this section, we tried the citrus ponzu prawns with lemon crema (S$26). The dish features pan-fried prawns tossed in ponzu butter, served with lemon yoghurt crema and topped with shio kombu.

The prawns were thick and soft, with a savoury, umami-salty hit from the shio kombu that cuts through the prawns’ natural brininess. Bright citrus notes from the ponzu tied everything together. It was an easy dish to polish off.

The vongole linguine (S$30), made with fresh clams, linguine, guanciale, garlic, white wine and parsley, is one of Alicia’s personal favourites.

It’s easy to see why. The pasta was silky and well-coated, with brininess from the clams and richness from the guanciale, and lifted by white wine and garlic. Once again, we had no trouble clearing the plate.

If you’re visiting for brunch, there’s plenty to choose from and it’s available all day — fitting, given the laid-back, brunch-friendly vibe of the space.

The maple bacon & scrambled eggs on sourdough toast (S$24) is a classic done right, featuring sourdough toast, mixed greens, softly scrambled eggs, and maple-glazed bacon.

What stood out most was the bacon — cut into thick, generous strips for easy, satisfying bites. The sweet maple glaze paired beautifully with the tender and savoury bacon. The sourdough toast, too, was dense without being tough. It made for a filling, well-balanced dish.

Must-try desserts

What is Cafe Nesuto without trying its desserts? After all, this is where the brand first made its name.

While the savoury offerings easily hold their own, this dessert dish was, hands down, the highlight for me — the outlet-exclusive pandan coconut kaya butter French toast (S$19). The dish features brioche toast topped with housemade caramelised coconut jam, shredded cold butter and sea-salt flakes.

The French toast was spot-on: Sweet, soft, rich and buttery. The pandan-coconut-kaya combination delivered a flavour bomb that is familiar, comforting, and deeply indulgent. Even with our stomachs already full, this was impossible to resist.

Alicia also recommended the creme fraiche cheesecake (S$16), made with a housemade spiced digestive crust, creme fraiche, cream cheese, and strawberries.

She told us that while she had always wanted to put a cheesecake on the menu, the patisserie previously focused on introducing new, less conventional creations. Now that she’s had the chance to include one, she’s excited about it.

The cheesecake is rich, yet balanced, with a housemade spiced crust that adds depth beneath the creamy filling. The strawberries lend a bright, sweet-tart contrast that keeps the dessert from feeling heavy.

A wide range of drinks

The drinks menu is extensive — after all, it is the type of space you’ll want to linger in.

Wine-lovers, in particular, will appreciate the broad selection available at the MBS outlet. Pick a bottle, settle into the al fresco seating, and watch the sun set — it makes for a lovely date spot.

However, we opted for the specialty Kyoto Uji matcha latte (S$9.50) — smooth, earthy, and just right for the afternoon.

We also tried one of the cold-pressed juices, which Alicia says went through multiple rounds of testing before the final combinations were decided. 

We chose the pineapple Glow (S$10.50), made with red apple, pineapple, lime, and mint — bright, refreshing and incredibly easy to drink.

Cafe Nesuto’s second outlet sits in a truly enviable spot — it’s ideal for a lunch pitstop, a midday break, or a pretty dinner by the bay.

With a space and menu designed in sync with its surroundings, it’s definitely a place I’d return to for a reliably satisfying meal (and, of course, the desserts!).

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read on the new Golden Chopsticks in Tampines and Fernweh, the aesthetic cafe in Chinatown serving brunch. And if you’re in the area, check out the ongoing Togetherland by World Christmas Market in front of MBS!