Orchard Central

I always end up a bit confused when in Orchard Central and it is partly the same as Gary M mentions that is not entirely clear where one mall stops and the other starts as it is connected to 313@Somerset and Orchard Gateway. Another cause for confusion and occasional annoyance on my side is the lack of coordinated opening hours, perhaps it is my structured nature but if a mall advertises that shops open at for example 12 then I expect all or almost all to open at that time but I have on several occassions come to Orchard Central when it is more like one shop open at the time listed (and that even goes for shops that themselves advertise that they should be open). That said there are some fairly nice clothes stores and some stores carrying cool accessories but much of it is a bit over priced compared to the quality.
On the F&B side there are several interesting outlets, my real favorite is Kilo@Pact but there are several of the Japanese ones that are also pretty good. A hidden gem is the small wine store Emily’s Fine Wines. They specialize in bringing some really good Australian wines to Singapore and they are doing a really nice job.
For some reason it does however appear as if there is never ending rebuilding and construction going on inside the mall and it does not really add to the nice experience of shopping here. It is however still a decent place to go, and for men’s clothes and accessories the fourth floor is better than many others in Singapore.

There is no shortage of malls in this city and OC is another one to check out.
My main and only gripe is that OC, 311 and Orchard Gateway are all connected but not in an obvious way. It’s a little like being in the matrix. Open the wrong door, walk down the wrong path and who knows which mall you will end up in, or even which mall you just left!
There is a host of mid-​level retail stores, nothing too fancy.
Worth visiting, even if it is just to enter the matrix.

I used to patronise this mall in the past for 2 places. First, the Airbus A320 flight simulator at one of the floors — do check it out! Secondly, for the top floor view of the city on the 11^th and 12^th level. A getaway from crowded Orchard while appreciating the view and some light snacks — an activity which I used to do with my close friends. These days I am quite a busy man and on a rare occasion, I return here to enjoy it.
There are lots of choices for fine dining, especially on the higher level, of course one have to dig deeper in his or her pocket to enjoy the meals. Personally, I don’t see the need to pay more $$ for them especially I can get equally as good or even better food quality else where. However for special occasion, I close one eye to that. The ambiance is not bad especially if you are in a big group.
What I like about this mall is the ability to take the escalator that skips several levels and that is available for going up only. Not as glamorous or as interesting as those 12 stories shopping malls in Japan, I still enjoy coming here for a walk.

Very quiet mall, probably the quietest in all of Orchard Road. Could be due to the lack of a movie theater or a missing foodcourt. Or it could be due to the insane mall design. You have escalators going up 2 or 3 floors at a time, and you have hidden corridors, leading to even more shops which nobody knew existed. The place is like a labyrinth. Someone should make a mobile game on this, because clearly it takes a bit of a learning curve to get to places in this mall. In short, the mall design is horrible.
However, if you can somehow navigate your way through the maze, you can find some pretty good establishments. You have Cold Stone Creamery, EwF which serves the best garlic fries and you have Kiseki restaurant. Also, my little boy’s favorite store FunzCentre is up on the 5^th floor. There are some really decent looking indie fashion boutiques around the mall, which is a breath of fresh air from the usual run out of the mill chain stores you can find in almost every mall in Orchard Road.
Overall, I absolutely love the shops, but I really dislike the mall design.

This place has a terrible layout. I ended up in here twice during my Singapore stay, trying to find my way to various stores or restaurants. I went up and around and tried to follow maps and directions, but the sum total of the matter is that it looks pretty and has some nice stores, but is nearly inaccessible because of the design. Too bad.

Orchard Central has changed a lot since I’ve last reviewed! And for the better, too.
There are less temporary walls now, as the new Orchard Gateway has opened– now the two are directly connected by hallways, and at the lower levels, they basically merge together. It can be hard to determine whether a store is in Orchard Central or Orchard Gateway.
A whole bunch of food and beverage outlets have opened up in the higher levels as well. The Tony Roma’s which used to be at the Orchard Hotel is now on the 7^th floor. Other newer restaurants include Burgers vs Wings Bar and TungLok Seafood on the 11^th floor. And for those who like Lady M, they have a huge, fancy looking outlet on the first floor.
In terms of retail, I haven’t noticed much else… but the plentiful F&B options are definitely something to check out!

Honestly, if you’re Unilocaling, and you’re at Orchard, you should be allowed to be a ‘tiger’ and Unilocal should just let you pounce on every check-​in spot there is.
Right a few steps from Orchard Gateway is the entrance to Orchard Central. Then with a few more walks, it’s 313, Takashimaya, Wisma, ION… well, you get the gist. So trying to Unilocal with the app as you walk can be quite a challenge.
I have to agree with the previous reviewers. This place is pretty quiet. I can’t really figure what the mall lacks. I think it’s been bestowed with everything a mall in Orchard area should have. Some high-​end eateries, clothes and etc. In a way, I actually love it. Never loved crowds.
But I have to point out on their long escalators. I always enjoy taking a trip up and down of them. Haha! Kiddish, I know. But hey! You don’t easily get extra long escalators everywhere.
Yes, the layout of the mall is quite confusing; especially if it’s your first time here. I remember getting so confused on how to get down to the main ground floor when I went to UrbanWrite store. It might be fun if time is by your side, but if it’s not, you do feel like whipping out your magic wand and just apparate back to wherever you came from.

Much has been said about the horrendous design of this mall. And to this day, every time I come here, it’s pretty much empty. Let this be a lesson to architects and designers of the future: no matter how awesome your location and what’s offered by your retail outlets, if you don’t offer a good shopping experience then people won’t come.
And the offerings are pretty decent. I’m not a fan of Dean & DeLuca but there are some great shops in here. Shame about the labyrinth.

Love this mall — and it’s always full of new surprises and hidden finds!
Every time I’m here, I always check out my favourite fashion/​apparel stores Blackmarket, Reckless Erica, and Sabrina Goh, before dipping into some delicious authentically Singapore desserts at Jewels Artisan, or having major fun with friends at Genki Sushi… sad thing is that the Spinelli and Burger King that used to be on the second floor has since vacated the building (always sad to see them go), but Flam’s is a step up from BK in my opinion, and I hope a café of the same calibre of Spinelli opens in its place. The beautiful balcony overlooking the hustle & bustle of Orchard Road is a definitely one not to pass up on.

Orchard Central (OC) has the unfortunately distinction as being 313 Somerset’s poorer cousin. It actually opened just before 313 yet had its thunder stolen thanks to 313’s marketing and the MRT.
Which is a pity. Most people are quick to dismiss OC as a confusing mall with weird layouts. Yet, I feel OC should be applauded for being different. Even the retail mix is different from the typical run-​of-​the-​mill, boring, Capland malls.
Another cool OC feature most people too superficial to appreciate is the escalators on its façade. Easily the longest among the Orchard Road malls, it takes you straight up to the roof garden.
On your way up, you get great views of Orchard Road as the neon lights disappear. Once on the roof garden, you get a bird’s eye view of the surroundings. Its a nice respite from the noise and crowds below.
Alas, if things continue, it may suffer the same fate as iluma, which recently been transformed into Bugis+, another Capland clone.

I used to dislike Orchard Central for its confusing lay-​out and lack of interesting stores. However, I have recently been discovering new establishments within the building that are pretty cool and definitely worth visiting. I’m loving the Editor’s Market and Dean & DeLuca that is right next to it, chic and classy, it is a great place to spend a lazy afternoon having brunch and browsing through the racks of the Editor’s Market later.
I like the fact that it doesn’t draw in the throngs of people that seem to swarm every empty space along Orchard Road and I am able to enjoy some sort of peace and quiet in the heart of the city.

Orchard Central is located along the prime Somerset belt but weirdly it has not attracted the crowd that trawls 313 Somerset. Perhaps it’s the weird design of the building. There are pockets of open space and then there are those that are almost claustrophobic. In general, I wouldn’t say it’s very shopper friendly and it’s easy to skip levels or to simply visit 1 store and scoot off.
That said, what’s great about it is that there are quite a couple of decent dining establishments. Dean and Deluca has just opened not too long ago and they do a mean French toast. Other noteworthy restaurants include Kuriya Penthouse, Ootoya, Medz, Everything With Fries etc. There are a variety of cuisine offerings as well as meals that suit every budget.
What’s more, it’s runway heaven with Editors Market, Reckless Erica and other fashion stores located from Level 2 to Level 4. I like that it’s quiet and not too crowded.
If all the malls around town are too packed, why not hang out at Orchard Central?