Wild Honey Pie: Hawker bakery Cat in the Hat’s new weekend-only alter-ego, with naturally leavened bread & bakes
For those who are always on the lookout for freshly launched bakeries in Singapore, you’ll want to make a stop at Wild Honey Pie.
The new Hougang bakery churns out naturally leavened bread — a form of sourdough — alongside an array of atas patisserie bakes, all at surprisingly wallet-friendly prices!
It’s helmed by the folks behind Cat in the Hat at Golden Mile Food Centre — yes, that hawker bakery that went TikTok-famous when it opened in March 2023 and is known for its seriously good financiers.
Wild Honey Pie is its new offshoot at The Promenade @ Pelikat, and opens on weekends only — for now, anyway. Though prices here run a little higher than its OG stall at Golden Mile, Wild Honey Pie offers a fairly different selection and bigger portions for some of its bakes.
You might be thinking: “It’s such an ulu spot, though.”
Wild Honey Pie’s 36-year-old ladyboss, Ellis Ng, explains that the space previously served as Cat in the Hat’s production kitchen for the past two years. She then decided to renovate it into a new take-and-go shop, with its interior drawing inspiration from warm, minimalist Japanese bakeries.
In many ways, Wild Honey Pie embodies everything Ellis holds close to her heart. The bakery is named after the eponymous track by her favourite band, The Beatles.
“I thought it’s a really cute name to go with a bakery,” she adds.
Ellis and her partner Jesper, 25, love bread, too. This includes shokupan and hard bread — baguettes, as well as sourdough.
Wild Honey Pie prides itself on naturally leavened bread made using natural yeast water.
Fruits such as apples and raisins are left to ferment in water for a few days, creating a starter in place of commercial yeast. This natural form of leaven is used for all of its breads, except for the croissants.
The result? Loaves that are more fragrant and chewy on the inside, with a much gentler tang than what most sourdoughs are known for.
You’ll also notice some are labelled with its corresponding sourdough hydration, which refers to how much water is used — ultimately affecting the loaf’s texture and fluffiness.
“We find 77% to 80% hydration to be the sweet spot for our sourdoughs here,” Ellis says.
Flavour also plays an essential role. “We want to highlight the natural flavours instead of going for something trendy or gimmicky,” the duo explains.
Much like its Golden Mile sibling, Wild Honey Pie serves up reliable combinations, alongside Cat in the Hat’s beloved bakes, including scones, madeleines, financiers, and even caneles, all while keeping prices reassuringly affordable.
That said, these carefully crafted processes mean limited quantities each time the bakery opens. So your best bet is to swing by early to snag its treats, or secure your loot by pre-ordering via Instagram DMs.
For now, Ellis hopes to roll out a refreshed selection every month.
Good and affordable exclusives at Wild Honey Pie
We couldn’t resist the red wine baguette with cranberry, walnut, and cream cheese. At just S$4, we were pleasantly shocked — it’s a surprisingly affordable treat for such an artisanal creation.
Sure, red wine, nuts, cheese, and baguette are a classic pairing. But this loaf brings everything together into one cohesive, power-packed bite.
And true to its reputation as a hard bread, the baguette is armed with a crisp crust and a mildly chewy interior — a texture that might be a hit-or-miss for some. Personally, I enjoyed the mouthfeel and the pleasant, doughy aroma that comes with freshly baked bread.
The addition of red wine also brings a gentle fruity sweetness that plays nicely with the rest of its elements without stealing the spotlight.
The ham & cheese jalapeno pain suisse (S$4.80) was another standout.
I’ll admit — ham and cheese croissants can sometimes feel a little jelak. But Wild Honey Pie’s version comes with a clever twist: A small slice of jalapeno tucked inside, which really helps to cut through the richness.
I was honestly blown away. The pastry’s buttery notes and flakiness were spot-on, while the jalapeno added just the right punch, rounding out the filling in a deeply addictive way.
And at S$4.80? Say less.
We also got the umeshu apple tart (S$5.50) and the pecan tart (S$5).
Between the two, I gravitated toward the former — the natural sweetness of the fruit shines through, while the addition of umeshu (Japanese plum liquor) gives it a gentle, well-balanced finish.
It’s a lovely medley of textures as well: The fairly crunchy apple slices paired with the slightly crumbly tart shell make every mouthful so satisfying, without coming off overly sweet.
The pecan tart, on the other hand, was a touch too candied for my palate. I would have loved a bolder, nutty flavour, but that’s really just personal preference — it might hit the sweet spot for other dessert lovers.
Cat in the Hat fan-faves
Moving on to Cat in the Hat’s classics, we couldn’t miss out on the classic financier (S$2.80 each) and its decadent counterpart, the chocolate sea salt baton financier (S$3.80 each).
Though I hadn’t tried the OG version before, these financiers were everything I was hoping for in one bite: Rich, buttery, with that signature slightly crisp exterior and subtle almond notes, all perfectly balanced without being overly sugary.
The chocolate sea salt baton version is just as impressive, packing intense chocolate notes that remind me so much of a fudgy brownie.
PS: The financiers may look a little darker than usual, but don’t worry — they are well-baked, not burnt.
The vanilla madeleine (S$1.70 each) did not disappoint, too.
Light and buttery, its texture nails the delightful balance between a moist sponge cake and a slightly crisp cookie, particularly around the edges.
Honestly, we can easily see ourselves finishing a few more at one go — and judging by the customers we saw making repeat trips for more, we clearly weren’t the only ones thinking that.
As Wild Honey Pie continues to find its footing, it’s steadily catching people’s attention, drawing both loyal Cat in the Hat supporters and curious residents in the neighbourhood.
If you love well-crafted bakes and appreciate good prices, this is the spot where you truly get the best of both worlds!
Hungry for more eats? Read more about Hong Kong’s famous cafe chain Elephant Ground’s debut at Bugis and Park Bench Deli’s comeback as a three-month pop-up.
Sun 10am - 3pm (or till sold out)
- Hougang
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
Read more stories from this writer.
