Old school charm

[SPONSORED] Sims Drive sits on the cusp of several neighborhoods, including Geylang, Paya Lebar and Kallang, and there’s no lack of old school charm around the area. Plus, you can find some of the nation’s best food around here. Geylang’s delights need no introduction—we’re talking about iconic eateries like Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow, Wen Dao Shi Dim Sum and Yong He Eating House, of course—while nearby hawker center Sims Vista Market & Food Centre has been in the news lately for its authentic, affordable hawker fare. For Malay fare and an amazing festive vibe during Hari Raya, the distinctive Geylang Serai Market can’t be beat.

The Tuckshop

Hot new restaurants

More and more new eateries are setting up shop around these historical neighborhoods. Roast meats specialist Char and hipster beer bar The Tuckshop are just two of the “new wave” of locally-inspired eateries that are making Geylang cool again, and cult favorites Spicy Thai Thai Cafe and Kin Kin Pan Mee draw crowds from across the island. There’s sexy, sophisticated Kilo and La Barca Ristorante & Wine Bar for date nights. And if you want to kick back with drinks after, you won’t have to travel far—boutique liquor kiosk The Papa Shop, craft beer bar Brewerkz and multi-concept watering hole Bar Bar Black Sheep are just nearby.

It just might be the next hipster central

Sims is proving to be quite a magnet for young entrepreneurs and hipster types; over 10 new businesses, from design firms to co-working spaces, have popped up here within the last year. And with hipsters come third wave coffee and eggs benedict, which the brunch crowds flock to Café Melba and Loysel’s Toy for each weekend. Those who are too cool to jostle with fellow café-hoppers can frequent hidden gems like Brawn & Brains (just off Geylang) and Backstage Café (in an industrial estate), or the growing cluster of dessert cafés along the up-and-coming Cassia Crescent.

Fitness options galore

Staying fit comes naturally when you live in Sims, as there’s a plethora of sporting facilities and outdoor spaces for you to choose from. From kayaking down Kallang River to rock climbing at Onsight Climbing to sweating it out at the Sports Hub, residents pretty much have no excuse not to get moving on weekends. Fans of green spaces can also enjoy the nearby park connectors (which link runners and cyclists to Gardens by the Bay, East Coast Park and even Potong Pasir) and, come 2019, a new 10-hectare park in the beautifully untouched Bidadari up north.

Exciting urban developments

According to the URA, Paya Lebar Central is slated to be transformed into a fully-integrated commercial center in the next five years—visitors then can expect a bustling cluster of office buildings, retail offerings and public spaces. There will also be a new civic center at Geylang Serai, Workforce Development Authority’s adult education campus, the expanded campus for James Cook University, as well as a host of shopping malls around Lavender, old Kallang Airport and along Tanjong Katong Road.

A stunning new condominium

Discover Sims

Want to find out more? We created this neighborhood guide with GuocoLand, and it gives you the lowdown on all the new developments, cafés, restaurants and sports facilities that make it an all-round cool place to live in. Get it for free with I-S and Where Singapore at selected pick-up points, or download the PDF here.

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