Commonwealth Concepts’ Oriole Coffee + Bar says goodbye on September 29

If you’ve been to the Somerset area, chances are you’ll have walked past Oriole Coffee + Bar.

Opened in 2008, the popular dining spot at 313@Somerset is known for its freshly brewed specialty coffee and savoury western grub such as pasta and burgers.

Unfortunately, the 16 year-old cafe mainstay will be closing its doors on September 29.

According to parent company Commonwealth Concepts (CWC), the closure is part of a strategic business consolidation. The group also manages other F&B concepts such as PastaMania, Fat Cow, The Marmalade Pantry, and Oriole’s neighbour, Bedrock Bar & Grill.

What to enjoy before Oriole closes

Cafe-goers can say goodbye to Oriole Coffee + Bar with its ongoing deals: One-for-one deals on all full-pint beers, all day, every day from until September 29.

There will also be live music by local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Wayne Sandz on September 11, 18 and 25 at 7pm.

Of course, do head down to try the menu signatures before they’re all gone. In particular, its in-house signature cold brew, the Taisho coffee (from $7.50), which is steeped overnight.

On the food front, one popular menu item is the sweet soy pork ribs ($34), with chilli relish, sweet potato fries and purple cabbage slaw. Also, the spicy crabmeat capellini ($28), done alio olio-style with roasted capsicum and chilli, and the bacon truffle mac & cheese ($26).

What’s next for Commonwealth Concepts

HungryGoWhere understands that Oriole’s closure is in part due to the prevailing F&B climate.

As Oriole bids farewell, CWC is gearing its business expansion towards more casual and easy dining concepts, noting a shift in consumer preferences.

For example, it embarked on a refresh of its existing PastaMania stores, which began with its Tampines Mall store earlier this year in February.

Featuring a more vibrant and contemporary vibe, PastaMania’s new revamped stores now sport splashes of bright colours, such as yellow, red and orange, as well as bright open spaces and large colourful mural walls.

The fresh look is intended to embody a modern Italian trattoria, for a welcoming and informal dining experience.

Plans to refurbish all other existing outlets are also in the works.

In August, PastaMania also opened two new outlets at Toa Payoh and Changi Airport Terminal 2, with plans for a to-be-announced new outlet by the end of this year.

For more eats, check out our latest story on Meat & Rice, run by two young hawkers, and our take on the new Tims Signature at Somerset.

Oriole Coffee + Bar is on the GrabFood delivery service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited.

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals. 

You can also book a ride to try Oriole Coffee + Bar at Somerset before it closes.