pret a manger is a chain of trendy sandwich bars from britain that make fresh sandwiches in-house daily. the name “pret a manger” is in french, which means “ready to eat”. some time last year, pret opened its first outlet in singapore.
strategically based in robinson road, pret is a hot spot for office workers that are too busy to sit down for a meal. people in a hurry can simply pop by and grab a sandwich to go. all sandwiches are pre-made early in the day. customers can then choose from the assortment of sandwiches that are placed neatly in racks of chillers. besides being fuss-free, pret also prides itself in using all-natural ingredients with absolutely no preservatives added.
but more importantly, are they any good?

i was there with a friend recently. we found that they had some very interesting fillings for their sandwiches, baguettes and wraps. i was especially keen to try out their crayfish & roquette sandwich. anything with crayfish is an instant favorite with me!

$3.90 for a two-inch-thick crayfish sandwich is a steal isn’t it? i had expected the price to be much steeper than this. the sandwich was good. wheat bread, nice. crayfish, yum. i didn’t even mind the roquette despite not being a fan of vegetables.

all sandwiches come in these cute triangular “pretboxes” with clear windows. pret really took pain to guarantee that all their food is fresh. at the end of each day, all unsold food is donated to the singapore council of women’s organisation’s star shelter, a home for abused women.

even though the pretboxes are labelled “pret petit” and the sandwiches are really half-size sandwiches, the portions are certainly not “petit”. i had trouble finishing mine!

my favorite was the tandoori chicken wrap. it had obviously been created to suit asian tastebuds. the wrap was huge and came in two smaller separate portions. i guess a person would have trouble finishing the whole thing alone. more people should get to enjoy this anyway. it’s very flavorful and very tasty! i loved it!

the drinks are the cutest of all. note how they had decorated our hot mocha with chocolate powdered stars. how very adorable!

then, my friend whipped out the new kenny g album (i am a huge fan) out of nowhere. the pret folks gamely played it for us as their background music! now, that’s good service for you! pret has definitely won me over.
one last interesting tidbit: pret works with well-known jewellers tiffany & co. to make solid silver stars. each star is used to reward a particular staff member whenever a customer writes or calls to commend him or her for good service. wow!
news updates
February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Runner-up for “Best Take-out”
January 2, 2008: I’m sad to note that as of today, the sole Pret outlet in Singapore has closed.

goes by the name veron (english) or wanting (chinese). a definitive leo born august 1, 1984. a solo traveler. loves cats, coffee, sensual music, yummy food and technology. when she's not at her job as an IS developer for the government, she's likely to be out dining, or visiting an interesting art gallery or event.







I have a weak spot for bread. Now if only they will open an outlet in NUS. View all comments by Aristocrat
Man Im a sandwich Junkie too… shame its a bit of a hike, to be a viable lunch option for me. *sigh*
That wont stop me swinging by soon though. Now Im having major cravings! YUMMY… View all comments by Fernando
Wow, I didn’t realise we have so many sandwich fans here. Delivery is an option you can consider by the way. View all comments by Veron
Oh man. I didn’t know Pret is in SG! Finally!
I’m a sucker for their super delicious and fresh and innovative gourmet sandwiches when they were in HK! Yes I was working there then, and an outlet opened just next to my office building. But comparitively, the price there seems much dearer than in SG.
Thanks Veron for bringing this info to us. Yay! LOL :D View all comments by Dating Specialist
Hi Veron,
Thanks for the nice info!
Btw, Pret is located at which building of Robinson road? View all comments by Carrie
:) I have the address and map up there dearie. Oh you should check with them for their opening hours too. Pret operates during office hours and they close rather early. View all comments by Veron
Totally agree, this place rocks! Great value for money, tasty sandwiches and cool dining environment.
You’ll be suprised (or maybe not) that Pret is under the same management as Fish & Co.
Anyway, the whole Robinson Rd - Telok Ayer/amoy St area is a goldmind waiting to be discovered by tourists and locals alike. Many novel F&B merchants in this part of town. Unique in that each lane and side-street provides a hidden suprise - an oasis of tranquility surrounded by the sky-scraping CBD buildings and rush-hour traffic.
For my current publication, i visited the newly opened The Javanese Spa. The massage was awesome. Anyway, i spoke with the management about your blog as they were exploring marketing options, and guess what Veron?? The spa owner actually is a reader and fan of yours! haha..
I mentioned that you may be able to drop by and visit, do a little write-up and they’ll be happy to offer a free 1hr spa/massage package for you..
The Javanese Spa
182 Telok Ayer St
Tel: 6220 8896
cheers
Edmund~ View all comments by Edmund
What? For real?? Javanese massage??? *erupts in girlish squeals* That is so awesome! Thanks Edmund, you are my hero! And I can’t believe the spa owner reads my tiny blog. What are the odds? This is so cool!
Oh I didn’t know Pret had anything to do with Fish & Co., but I do know that McDonald’s has a stake in it too! View all comments by Veron
haha.. you’re welcome! thought you might enjoy it. Was browsing through you blog for good reviews and leads for the publication i’m working on, and noticed there was a lack of reviews in the “wellness, beauty and lifestyle” category.
i’m in no way connected to the Javanese Spa, nor do i get any commission whatsoever. I just like to help those who help others. Anyway, many cool cafe’s and restaurants in the Telok Ayer St area. You’ll have a field day doing reviews! I also recommend the ‘lil gem of a restaurant called Nexus Gourmet.
p.s: your blog isn’t “tiny” judging by your Alexa site ranking.. its up there amongst the most-read in s’pore.
cheers! View all comments by Edmund
wow, the sandwiches look exactly like those in Pret London. However, I must warn you that after eating Pret foods for a while, you begin to notice this distinct “pret-a-manger” taste in all their sandwiches and wraps, no matter what flavour it is! View all comments by Serene
Now I’m intrigued! I wonder what that taste is like. View all comments by Veron
thanks veron for the info!
i was searching ALL OVER the web for the ‘how does the building looks like’ and your blog is a one-stop for all my questions ((:
i cant wait to try pret sandwiches out after the way you put it, it just makes me, a total sandwich lover, salivates!
thanks lovely (; View all comments by
No problem! I’m craving a second round at Pret too! View all comments by Veron
every time I visit London for work, Pret would definitely be lunch for me, was hoping that they would come to spore but thought it was impossible. Now that’s a dream come true. But just hope that they would branch out coz I don’t work in the CBD, nor do I live in the central districts, just have to keep waiting!!! View all comments by sarah tay
I’m so glad there is an outlet here in Singapore, I enjoy them the most in UK! View all comments by Yuwen
Oh dear, I’m so sorry to disappoint you, but this Pret outlet has closed early this year! View all comments by Veron
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