Mama Diam is a retro bar at Prinsep hidden behind a mama shop shelf

by Evan Mua

A “Mama Diam”, or Mama Shop, is a huge part of many of our childhoods. It’s where we got all our favourite old-school snacks and candies and where we spent a lot of time with our friends — places with sweet unforgettable memories.

Even now when we’re grown up, the sight of an iconic mama shop can still make us light up with nostalgia. If you’re one of the nostalgic old souls, you’d be charmed by the new Mama Diam hidden bar down at Prinsep.

mama diam bar singapore
Photos: Mama Diam Singapore

Walking past it, you’d mistake it as a bunch of old-school blue-tiled HDB tables and wooden kopitiam tables laid out in front of a mama shop. However, once you waltz past the alfresco area to the unmanned shopfront, you might realise that the magazine shelf of the lifelike mama shop facade looks a bit wrong.

Not because of all the risque magazines stuffed into it, but because it’s actually a sliding door that you can pry open to enter Mama Diam’s actual space. Nothing more exciting than a stylish hidden bar that you need to go on a hunt for.

mama diam bar singapore
Photos: Mama Diam Singapore

Now, here’s where the fun starts because the retro Singaporean theme extends to the food as well. You can find many local-inspired dishes created by the same people behind the cosy Asian-fusion skewer bar A Sticky Situation.

Some quirky ideas that Mama Diam came up with include a Herbal Bak Kut Teh Udon (S$15) which features udon soaked in a comforting pool of the classic local soup and Crab Kueh Pai Tee (S$13) which is a spin on the Peranakan tartlets using crab meat and a punchy gochujang sauce.

Other interesting items include the Pork Belly Char Siu Tacos (S$13/3pcs), Drunken Chicken Roulade (S$13/6pcs), and Zha Jiang Mian Linguine (S$13).

mama diam bar singapore
Photos: Mama Diam Singapore

If you’re an indecisive person like me though, get their 9 Bites of Wonder (S$38), which lets you sample some of Mama Diam’s best offerings before committing to an order. Hey, some of us have commitment issues too.

And if you’re having trouble over those commitment issues, then you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone and drown your sorrows with their alcoholic creations, which playfully invoke memories of childhood.

mama diam bar singapore
Photos: Mama Diam Singapore

Here, you can enjoy your favourite snacks in the form of sweet garnishes to boozy drinks like Rosie (S$16), now that you have a bit more pocket money. Or if you need to spill some tea on your scumbag ex, Mama Diam’s Is It Tea You’re Looking For? (S$19/glass, S$28/a pot) lets you choose between Oolong or Lychee.

Or you can just blitz your lights out with their charming local-inspired Shooters (S$10/shot, S$48/6 shots) including Paddle Pop, Milo, and Kaya Toast. Either way, we can foresee everyone having great fun, reminiscing like overaged kids in the nostalgic fittings of this charming speakeasy.

Mama Diam Bar
Website | Facebook | Instagram
???? 38 Prinsep Street, #01-01, Singapore 188665
????️ 4pm–10:30pm (Mon–Sat)

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The guy who will go on a 30 minute monologue about artisan coffee when you ask if they want Starbucks.

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