Words: Ellfian Rahim
Image: Dior Cafe.
As of late, many luxury brands have been branching out into the food and beverage industry with their own iterations of chic restaurants and luxury cafes. Apart from it being an opportunity to create lifestyle spaces that translate their identities in a visually compelling way, the higher footfall of customers also translates to increased brand visibility and wider exposure across a range of potential customers.
The broader consumer market can now indulge in pleasant, luxurious settings courtesy of their favourite brands and buy into the associated lifestyle for literally a price of a cup of coffee. This is a strategy that brands are investing in to create a new holistic experience that takes what such consumers might see online, into the realm of reality.
Keen on taking a bite out of high fashion? These exciting regional gastronomic endeavours, spearheaded by some outstanding high-end brands will surely satisfy. Here are some luxury cafes in Southeast Asia you should consider for a bite.
AP Café
Photos: AP Cafe.
1 Beach Road, Singapore
This marks the luxury watch brand’s first foray into the cafe scene and it’s certainly an impressive debut. The AP Café reflects the brand’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the guest experience in an environment that celebrates the island nation’s deep culinary roots.
The menu reimagines several Swiss dishes through a distinctly Singaporean lens, with each creation paying tribute to the creativity, precision and meticulous innovation that define Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking. Open to the public, the AP Café serves as an inviting gateway to the world of Audemars Piguet, providing an introduction to the brand for those who are keen to discover its rich heritage.
Café Dior
Images: Dior Cafe.
1029 Phloen Chit Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
Combining gourmet pleasures with the French art of entertaining, Café Dior offers a delicate pause suffused with delectable elegance, extending one’s journey to the main Dior Gold House in Bangkok into a veritable voyage of the senses. Noted Thai designer Korakot Aromdee reinterprets enchanting flora and fauna in bamboo for its walls. The trees, flowers and birds that populate this dreamlike print seem to come to life, while this poetic oasis is enhanced by furniture by Saran Yen Panya of 56th Studio – a local multidisciplinary design house that explores the communicative aspects of objects.
It’s an exceptional setting for three-Michelin-star Chef Mauro Colagreco, whose delicious score for a dessert menu reflects Christian Dior’s fervent love of gardens and botany. The rose, the bee, and the iconic Provençal estate of La Colle Noire, for example, translate into gourmet desserts and sumptuous pastries. A series of cocktails encapsulate the essence of flowers like neroli, jasmine and lavender.
Prada Caffè
Images: Prada Caffe.
2 Orchard Turn, #02-15 ION Orchard
Southeast Asia’s first ever Prada Caffè, located within the Prada store in the landmark ION Orchard, showcases pastries and treats from Marchesi 1824, a renowned Italian pastry shop with a proud 200-year history. Its interior design draws inspiration from Prada’s historic boutique on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, with pastel green hues and checkered flooring like its London counterpart at Harrods. Its curved pastry counter serves as the centrepiece, presenting a selection of cakes and chocolates embossed with the Prada logo.
Guests are greeted with a display of two mannequins dressed in the luxury brand’s chic pieces and depicted as sharing a good meal in the coffee shop. Meanwhile, a diverse menu takes care of everything from breakfast to evening cocktails, blending modernity with traditional Italian flavour. The beverage selection also features classic Italian aperitifs like Spritz and Negroni-based cocktails, all served in pale-blue Japanese porcelain tableware.
Ralph’s Coffee
Images: Ralph’s Cafe.
Lot 3.55.00 & 3.56.00, Level 3, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Ralph Lauren’s very own coffee house was creating as a space where people can enjoy the timeless American spirit of the brand a more relaxed pace. It serves light fare and a selection of coffee made with a handpicked blend of Ralph’s Roast featuring organic beans grown sustainably in Central America, South America and Africa — all roasted locally in Malaysia.
There’s even a special drink exclusive to the KL store: Iced Palm Coconut Latte, a balanced beverage made from palm syrup, coconut milk and espresso. Of course, outside of coffee and tea, the café serves up some of Ralph Lauren’s favourite sweet treats, including its signature brownie, The Polo Bar’s New York Cheesecake, and a crowd favourite – Ralph’s Coffee Soft Serve in a crisp waffle cone.
Coach Restaurant & Café
Images: Coach Cafe.
Grand Indonesia West Mall Arjuna Lobby, Jakarta
With the concept of ‘Expressive Luxury’, Coach’s eatery has a central seating area with individual alcoves that provide a private setting for small groups. A bar set against an illuminated glass block wall further completes the New York glamour. Seating here features buttery-soft leather upholstery, driving home its insistence on American luxury.
Meanwhile, the menu offers classic Americana diner staples such as pizza, iconic New York steakhouse favourites of strip steak, lamb chops, and shrimp cocktail, with a side of a wedge salad and the timeless martini. Simply perfect for a drop by right after you’ve done your shopping around the mall…
Le Café Louis Vuitton
Images: LV Cafe Bangkok.
496 Gaysorn Amarin, Unit GF-S01-B, 502 Phloen Chit Road, Bangkok
Unobstructed spaces is the theme here, with plenty of room for patrons to relax and move around comfortably, while enjoy their time without feeling overwhelmed by crowds. The café’s interior has lush greenery in every corner, while the service counter there is built with a monochromatic backdrop accented with botanical motifs, showcasing a chic aesthetic.
The handcrafted pastries include a selection of cakes like the Flower Blossom, Star Blossom, Monogram and Strawberry Vanilla Cheesecake. While diners who need to cool off from the heat can go for ice cream sandwiches and parfaits. There’s also a wide selection of signature drinks like the Mango Sticky Rice Fizz and the Blueberry Lavender Fizz.
