Bakery Brera & Fine Foods – Homegrown Artisan Bakery You Must Try!

Singapore is no stranger to local bakeries, with many scattered all around neighbourhoods. Many of them sell simple buns and breads that we grew up eating. We all know the nostalgic classics such as sausage rolls, ham and cheese bun, butter sugar bread and more. However, European or specialty bakeries are less common, and mostly are brands brought in from overseas.

This is what makes Bakery Brera & Fine Foods so special — it’s a completely local artisan brand. Started by husband-and-wife duo, Thrina Low and Jacky Chan, the humble bakery churns out amazing European bakes, comparable to those in Europe! Their breads are so good, they even supply to popular establishments such as Wolfgang Puck and The Alley Luxe.

Most people probably know of their Insta-famous cruffins, but do you know that they serve up amazing breads as well? All their breads are made with premium ingredients from France and Japan, with no preservatives at all. Unlike quick breads which do not require much proofing, Bakery Brera proofs their dough for 16 to 18 hours before baking. Despite the laborious process, Thrina explained that they do not want to take shortcuts. You can tell the quality of the bread in just one bite! They have options suitable for people of all ages, and even offer vegan and sugar-free breads.

There’s a good variety of sweet and savoury options, and we were lucky enough to try them both. I’m an avid bread fan, so this was basically heaven to me! I was blown away by their Nutty Salted Caramel and Lemon Curd Cruffin which hid a delicious filling within. The caramel was perfectly browned with nutty bits that provided a contrast in texture, while the lemon curd was smooth and refreshing. Amazing looking and delectable — no wonder they’re so popular! I love a good croissant, and both the Regular and Pain Au Chocolat were perfect too. Flaky, pillowy, and buttery, they ticked all the boxes!

I also tried their Raspberry Brioche bun. Brioche is an enriched dough that contains a higher density of butter and eggs, making it a more indulgent treat. The dough was slightly sweet, while the tart raspberries provided a pop of flavour. I really enjoyed the savoury Ham and Cheese roll. It was a nice ode to the traditional bun seen in Chinese bakeries and a reminder of my childhood. It uses a brioche dough instead of the regular dough, but biting into it still transported me back to my younger days where I tucked into one of these on the way to school.

There are also classic European choices such as Baguettes, Ciabattas, and Sourdough. These are sugarless options which are also suitable for vegans! You can tell a good loaf from its crust and crumb, and they definitely got that right here! The crust was perfectly browned, and had a nice chew to it without being too tough. I’ve often been disappointed by loaves which took so much effort to chew through that I felt as though my teeth were about to fall out. Great with just some olive oil and vinegar, or butter, these breads taste good even on their own.

I was also impressed by Thrina’s passion for the community. She tries to give back to society and spread positivity with the bakery. We were only there for a while, but we loved the friendly and cozy atmosphere in the store. A few patrons who live nearby even told us that they visit the store every other day! I’ll definitely be back to try the rest of their delicious goodies!