Channelling the timeless elegance of a classic 19th-century European cafe, Berthold Delikatessen, with its dark wood panelled walls, black-and-white tiled floors, marble-topped tables, smartly-aproned staff, and gleaming glass-fronted counters piled high with sandwiches, pies, cakes, quiches and tarts, is the ideal pitstop for a fuss-free lunch or coffee break.

Update: Nov 2021

The all-day breakfast set has increased to $9 nett. We tried the cinnamon roll with cream cheese this time round and even though it does not look appealing at first sight, but the taste of the bun was satisfactory. The cinnamon taste lingered in our mouths and the cream cheese filling at the top complimented the tiny bits of apple inside the bun. It was a good choice. The other pastry that we selected is the Walnut croissant, which we had tried the previous time.

A perfect bistro meal here would commence with a Waldorf or beetroot salad, followed by either the black brioche bun with chicken or smoked salmon, or the rye sourdough bread with pastrami rye, and a decadent fruit tart or slice of Black Forest cake. Lastly, a cup of long black or flat white to end off the delicious meal. For a place to people-watch, head upstairs or choose a table under the sheltered alfresco area, with a row of soaring palm trees.

We would prefer to linger here for a chat with a friend, or even alone with our laptops. But if you’re in a rush, you can always grab something to go. Sitting at the top of the verdana, it offers a nice view of the shopping mall and the surrounding restaurants.

We went on a Saturday afternoon and the cafe was relatively crowded. Someone had just left, so we managed to snag a table at the mezzanine level to enjoy our afternoon tea.

The all-day breakfast set is priced at $8 nett, which includes a drink (coffee or tea) and a pastry. I had the walnut cinnamon roll while my friend had the walnut croissant. The pastries were not overly sweet and the texture of the dough was soft yet moist. It lives up to its German-style bakery name and the generous spread of chopped walnuts provided an extra crunch to the pastry.

As for the drinks, we had an earl grey tea and a cappuccino. The earl grey tea was served in a teapot, while the coffee art for the cappuccino was questionable because the froth contained specks of black stuff, probably due to the leftover coffee grounds.

On my second visit to Berthold exactly one week later, I had almost the same breakfast set. This time, I tried the peach Danish pastry and also had a cappuccino. My friend is vegan, so for the coffee, he requested for oats milk instead and had to top up $1.

Overall, I really enjoyed the ambience at Berthold Delikatessen. At Capitol Theatre, it has a much more relaxed vibe and it is quieter compared to Raffles City. It is just an underpass walk away from City Hall MRT station, so do head over to Capitol Kempinski building for your afternoon tea next time!

Here is the exterior of Capitol Theatre, formerly Shaws Building and Namazie Mansions. It is a historic building at the junction of North Bridge Road and Stamford Road.

Today, the Capitol Theatre has become a venue for dance and theatrical productions, film screenings and red-carpet movie premieres, with its original architectural details kept intact.