Beloved Gelato Brand Tom's Palette To Close In Oct After 21 Years Of Operations

Dessert fans, here’s some heartbreaking news: Tom’s Palette, a popular homegrown gelato cafe with outlets in Bugis and Kovan, is closing down in mid-to-late October. The brand announced the closure on their Instagram page, marking the end of their 21-year run in Singapore.

The team explained that running a dessert business has become financially unsustainable. They noted that dessert shops typically see good business for only three hours a day, which is insufficient to cover the operating costs of the remaining 21 hours.

If you didn’t know, Tom’s Palette was touted to be one of the OG ice cream cafes in Singapore. Not too long ago, they reopened their Bugis outlet in September 2023 with a spacious dine-in cafe, and branched out to Kovan in 2024 with a beautifully decorated space. If you want to grab your favorite scoops before they close, Tom’s Palette is currently running an Encore Collection, where they will release a lineup of returning crowd-favorites every Tuesday at 6pm.

You can look forward to fan-favourite options such as Mao Shan Wang, Taiwanese Sesame Brittle, and Soya Bean Youtiao! The brand has built a strong reputation over the last two decades for creating very unique gelato flavors. Fans frequently visit for interesting scoops like Pi Pa Gao, Kueh Bangkit, and the Singapore Breakfast, which mixes kaya gelato with white chocolate toast.

The owners mentioned they are open to letting someone else take over the business to continue their legacy, though this might be difficult in the currently gruelling state of the F&B industry. The Bugis outlet faced a two-week suspension in October 2024 by the Singapore Food Agency due to accumulated demerit points.

However, the team clarified that the current closure is a result of the challenging financial climate in the food and beverage industry. The closure of Tom’s Palette follows a spate of exits by famous brands in the industry.

Designer cake brand Lady M shuttered all outlets earlier in January, while mainstay sushi chain Itacho Sushi left Singapore after 17 years in the country. In other, more positive news, Japan-famous THE CITY BAKERY has opened at Mandarin Gallery.

Popular Thai milk tea brand BlackTree from China has also opened at 313@Somerset.

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