I’m doing a month-long series on my Singapore trip back in September. It’s my 3rd time in the Lion City (I won’t get tired visiting it!) and I’ve been coming back for both personal development (gotta invest on myself!) and vacation (gotta get some break!). Hope you’ll enjoy this series!

Alibaba and Amazon have dominated the online shopping industry but these tech giants aren’t stopping. They are even revolutionizing brick-and-mortar stores by implementing cashless transactions and other technological innovations. Amazon Go, a chain of convenience stores in the U.S., has eliminated checkout counters so customers can leave the store without those annoying queues. Alibaba’s Hema, a grocery chain in China, has a restaurant run by robots, among many other innovations. These high-tech stores make me want to visit.

But I don’t have to go to China or the States to experience high-tech shopping and dining. Singapore’s honestbee, an online grocery and food delivery app, has opened its own high-tech, physical grocery store called habitat by honestbee. Housed in a 60,000 square feet space, habitat uses honestbee technology to give its customers a one-of-a-kind experience. Let me run through some of those unique experiences.

To enter habitat, customers should’ve downloaded the honestbee app and scan it at the turnstiles. If you forgot to download beforehand, they offer free WiFi at the entrance so you can do so.

habitat is known for sourcing their products directly from farmers and established producers from around the globe. So you know that you’re getting fresh and quality products!

habitat also eliminated those annoying queues by employing automated checkout. Just bring your pushcart to the checkout counter and the robots will take care of it.

At the Collection Point where customers are waiting for their groceries

But who are we kidding? I didn’t go to habitat to shop. I came there to eat! With over 15 food concepts, the high-tech grocery store is a foodie paradise. Here are some some that I tried:

Fish and Chips at Captain Snapper

Captain Snapper is said to serve one of the best fish and chips in all of Singapore. You can choose your fish (Atlantic cod, barramundi, dory, halibut, and snapper) and pair it with a dip. Options include Tartare for a classic taste and Thai Citrus Chilli for an Asian flare.

The fish and chips comes in a box, which I think adds to the experience:

A box of fish and chips from Captain Snapper

I got the halibut since it’s virtually inexistent in my country, let alone good fish and chips. The fish is nicely covered in Tiger Beer batter, which is crispy, airy, and nicely golden brown. The flesh is fresh and tender. I also got some deep-fried calamari, which is nicely crisp and flavored.

300g Halibut Fish and Chips with 100g Calamari (SGD23.80)

Steak at Campfire

I was supposed to eat at Char since I heard they serve amazing Cantonese roast meats. But when I saw that you can buy steak and have it cooked at either Campfire or Moss, I changed plans. (There’s Char in the Philippines anyway. I’ll eat there someday!)

What really made me change my mind is the ribeye steak on sale. I got a 230g for just SGD8.97. Granted, it’s not the most premium ribeye out there. But where can you find such a good deal?

I brought my steak to Campfire and they cooked it for me for just SGD8. I had it medium rare and cooked in red wine.

The steak is flavorful and tender, nicely seasoned with salt and pepper, though I really can’t tell the red wine taste.

Eat affordable steak in Singapore? Done!

Soufflé Pancakes at Poofy By Riz Labo

Of course, I wouldn’t miss on the fluffy pancakes at Poofy. This Japanese-inspired dessert is among the top reasons for visiting habitat.

I got the signature Poofy Pancakes, which is topped with cream and fresh berries. The pancakes are sooo fluffy and light that I could easily finish all of it in less than 5 minutes! It’s also not sweet which I’m not used to; I like my pancakes sweet. There’s also a hint of egg-iness to the taste.

Obviously, there are lots of food concepts to try at habitat. (That’s the challenge of exploring by myself. Even though I have a huge appetite, I still couldn’t do it alone.) This means I have to visit habitat again!

Have you tried shopping at the habitat? What food do you recommend that I try next? Comment them below!

Address: 34 Boon Leat Terrace, Singapore | Operating Hours: Daily, 10AM-10PM | Facebook | Website

Other entries in the SG Trip ‘19 series: Bedazzled by Jewel Changi Airport | Eating at Jewel Changi Airport | Little India Food Crawl Part 1 (Hawker Food at Tekka Centre) | Appreciating Singapore’s Transport System at the Singapore Mobility Gallery | Little India Food Crawl Part 2 (Biryani Rice, Fish Head Curry, and Indian Sweets) | Appreciating Singapore’s Religious Harmony at the Harmony in Diversity Gallery | The Amazing Hawker Food of Chinatown Complex Food Centre

SG Trip '19: High-Tech Shopping and Dining at habitat by honestbee

Fish and Chips at Captain Snapper

Steak at Campfire

Soufflé Pancakes at Poofy By Riz Labo