Hotel delis occupy a strange and wonderful space in the food world—they combine institutional reliability with surprising creativity, and The Deli at Goodwood Park Hotel nails this balance beautifully. Open from 11am to 7pm, this quaint takeaway counter has built a devoted following around its signature cakes, particularly the Royal Chocolate Crunchy Hazelnut Cake (which lives up to every word of its ambitious name) and the Strawberry Shortcake that manages to taste both classic and celebratory.

The pastry selection leans European, with flaky croissants, delicate tarts, and the kind of butter-heavy confections that make you grateful Singapore’s public transport means you’ll walk off at least some of the calories. But it’s not all sweet—the hot savoury pies provide a nice counterpoint, offering the kind of handheld comfort food that works equally well for lunch or a late afternoon pick-me-up when you need something more substantial than a cookie.

There’s something delightfully old-school about the whole setup, a reminder that before every café was Instagram-optimised and serving deconstructed everything, hotel delis were quietly turning out quality baked goods with zero fuss and maximum flavour. They also offer baby shower and full month cupcakes in pink or blue (chocolate or vanilla), because sometimes life’s milestones require specifically colour-coded buttercream.

While you’re there, you can browse the gift and souvenir section, though let’s be honest—the real souvenir is whatever cake you’re carrying out in that box, and whether it actually makes it home uneaten is between you and your conscience.