Prince Coffee House in Kampong Glam area to close after nearly 50 years

Prince Coffee House, located along Beach Road in the Kampong Glam area, is closing down in mid-2026 after nearly 50 years.

The lease of the premises occupied by the Hainanese cuisine eatery runs out in July 2026.

The owner, Jimmy Lim, who is in his late 80s, told Straits Times that he is done with the 12-hour days and is tired.

His children are not taking over the business as they have their own jobs and the vocation is not attractive, he added.

Legacy

Lim hails from Hainan, China, Lianhe Zaobao reported in 2024.

He came to Singapore by boat with his parents when he was a child and started working in his teens.

After working in a hotel for a few years, he learned how to cook Western food by "learning on the job", he said.

He then founded Prince Cafe.

Opened at now-defunct Shaw Towers

The eatery operated in the now-defunct Shaw Towers along Beach Road after opening there in 1977 and remained there for 13 years.

The iconic building, with its brutalist architecture, housed Prince Cinema.

Lim's food shop, with its movie memorabilia decorations, is a nod to the cinema.

Prince Coffee House then moved to Coronation Plaza in Bukit Timah and operated there for 21 years.

It subsequently moved again and has been at its present location for nearly 15 years.

The eatery is known for its Hainanese cuisine cuisine, such as oxtail stew (S$34+) and beef hor fun (S$10+).

News of the impending closure was met with sadness online, with many commenting that they will miss the old school charm of the eatery.

Top photos via Google Maps