Sandwich fans, go crazy: Iconic Park Bench Deli returns as a three-month pop-up!
We’re starting off 2026 on a great note: The much-missed Park Bench Deli is back!
Well, kinda.
Park Bench Deli will be popping up at Dempsey for three months, starting from tomorrow (January 10).
Anyone who was a huge foodie in the 2010s will remember the good times at the iconic Telok Ayer sandwich deli — when it was said to serve the absolute best sandwiches in Singapore — and the subsequent despair felt when it announced its closure abruptly in March 2023.
Time really flies, and it’s been almost three years since!
If you’re one of the die-hard groupies who have been pining for its ultra indulgent sandwiches, your prayers have been answered.
Park Bench Deli will be popping up at The Pantry’s Dempsey location — a much bigger space that comes with a spacious outdoor area that allows the use of a smoker.
Does this mean there will be plans for a permanent Park Bench Deli return?
No promises. Time will tell, but we can only encourage you to vote with your wallet, if you want to give the team a shot of confidence.
Best sandwiches in Singapore?
Given the long almost three-year break, many sandwich lovers will surely be wondering which of their favourites will land on the pop-up menu.
The answer? “Almost everything.”
That sinful hot chicken sandwich? Here. The monstrous pastrami? Also back.
Heck, even some specials that have been off Park Bench Deli’s menu from way before its closure — the Philly cheesesteak and PB&J, for example — have been granted cameos.
This three-month Dempsey sojourn will be chock-full of iconic crowd-pleasers and nostalgia.
But being massive fans of the hot fried chicken (S$26), we cannot overstate how excited we were.
Returning in its full glory is Park Bench Deli’s hunk of a Southern fried chicken, sexily spiced up and bookended by pillowy soft potato buns.
It’s not just your regular McSpicy patty — this fried chicken is outrageously satisfying, clad in crackle-prone batter and loaded up with paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic fragrance.
The dill pickles and saucy old-school slaw also sneaks in just the right amount of sweetness and acidity to contrast against those lusty flavours.
We admit the sizzle might just be a bit too much for some — it’s worth the burn, though — and the spice-intolerant would probably be just as happy with another talismanic Park Bench Deli offering.
We’re talking about the Park Bench Deli pastrami Reuben ($34) — new and improved, this PBD icon is jazzed up with pastrami that’s painstakingly smoked in the outdoor smoker, and requires a 15-day prep time. (The team used to oven smoke, instead.)
Not many words need to be articulated on the degree of decadence. Meat super tender. Meat super smoky. Meat super rich.
Sandwich super good — why waste time say lot word when few do trick? (*cue The Office meme*)
Early bird catches the Park Bench Deli
So far, we’ve listed two PBD icons that are only available from 11am, but if you’re an early bird, there are other juicy worms available.
If you find yourself in the area at 9am, Park Bench Deli also has a breakfast menu that includes the PBD big breakfast (S$32) that’s loaded up with scrambled eggs, sausages, ricotta pancakes, and more.
One very unique one that can, and will, entrance everyone’s inner child is the sausage egg muffin (S$15).
An atas (upmarket) McMuffin? Heck yeah. This one is a hell of a treat, stuffed with fluffy omelette, breakfast sandwich, and hashbrowns.
The richness. The textures. The comfort. This is what the term “breakfast of champions” is reserved for.
On the flip side, Park Bench Deli’s breakfast menu also offers a breakfast banh mi (S$24), which is its deli-style take on the Vietnamese staple.
It’s packed with all the good stuff: Pork floss, chicken liver pate, scrambled eggs, spam, mayo, and pickled veggies.
Instead of the usual airy, crunchy baguette, this one uses a hoagie roll instead, which is softer and chewier.
Even though it’s loaded (and not just with veggies like at some places), Park Bench Deli finds the right balance between bread and filling, so you get satisfying bites without needing to unhinge your jaw.
We’ll say this: Park Bench Deli is not letting its fans down after its long hiatus.
Want good, hearty sandwiches? Prices are understandably on the higher side due to location and quality ingredients, this still one of the best places to go.
Park Bench’s back, alright!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on KFC’s red-hot new CNY offering and Fortuna’s third Singapore concept that serves Roman cuisine!
Tue 9am - 4pm
Thu 9am - 4pm
Fri 9am - 4pm
Sat 9am - 4pm
Sun 9am - 4pm
- Napier
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
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