Aah, coffee… some people can’t stand the taste of it, while others simply can’t get enough. But love it or hate it, you got to admit — there’s just something about the wafting aroma of coffee beans in the morning that is just simply magical. Check out these brewtiful cafes for some of the best coffees in Singapore.
Calling themselves Geylang’s dopest coffee bar, Geylang Drip City is by the people behind Got Drip Coffee Company, a company that aims to make exceptional coffee experiences for everyone, everywhere, anytime. They believe in building a commercially & environmentally sustainable coffee business that makes specialty coffee memorable for all consumers, in store, at home & at work. Their coffee concepts are designed around the values of neighborhood, community & accessibility.
For serious coffee drinkers, they serve 3 different single origin coffee beans with V60 pour over coffee: El Salvador Santa Rosa, Bali Lakshana and Rwanda Izuba.
Dedicated to sustainable, traceable and transparent relationships across their coffee chain, Nylon Coffee Roasters is a roastery and coffee bar rolled into one. Situated just on the outskirts of the city central, Nylon Coffee Roaster’s coffee bar overlooks a school and quaint little park, perfect for you to slow down and relax as you sip that delicious cup of coffee. A firm believer in using ethically sourced products, Nylon Coffee Roasters source coffees based on seasonality, traceability and taste. This ensures that you’ll always have good quality green coffee whenever you buy their beans, or enjoy a cuppa at their bar.
4 Everton Park #01-40, Singapore 080004
Old Hen Coffee Bar‘s cold brews are their claim to fame – understandably so in Singapore’s hot weather, plus the velvety smooth texture is easy on the throat. Look out for limited edition flavours released during holiday seasons, like dark chocolate orange during Chinese New Year and dark cocoa peppermint over Christmas.
88 Rangoon Rd, #01-03, Singapore 218374
Melbourne coffee has taken the world by storm, and now Singapore is getting a taste. This light, spacious space brings Melbourne’s café culture to life with industrial elements, greenery, and a glass rooftop, but that’s just the start. One of the owners was the winner of the 2016 Singapore National Barista Championship, so you know the coffee is on point, and the food lives up to Melbourne brunch-hype with items like chia pudding, smashed avo, and pulled brisket sliders.
8 Craig Rd, Singapore 089668
Kick back with friends over Group Therapy’s aromatic, full-bodied lattes or flat whites, and don’t miss its hearty sandwiches and salads. Weekends tend to pull a late brunch crowd all the way until 4 p.m., but perhaps that’s just a result of the laid-back feel of Duxton, on a weekend, seeping into the cafe and slowing time down.
30 East Coast Road, Katong V, #01-01, Singapore 428751
181 South Bridge Road, #01-05 & #K1-04, Singapore 058743
Listed as one of the “25 coffee shops around the world you need to visit before you die”, this famous Hong Kong coffee chain uses specialty coffee beans and state-of-the-art equipment to concoct some discernably stellar brews. There’s even a custom blend concierge where you can explore your personal flavour profile to create a bespoke custom blend.
Several locations, check their website for more info.
A California dream come to life, this hip spot on Duxton Road specialises in barista-made coffee using beans from San Francisco’s Four Barrel Coffee. Bonus: Not only does the cafe use sustainable bamboo straws, it also houses a lifestyle concept store which sells global merchandise, with a specialty in men’s clothing. Expect to find brands like Katin and Alex Mill.
75 Duxton Rd, Singapore 089534
The cafe’s full name is Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar, and the emphasis is deserved. Nip around the shophouse facade, and what greets you upon entering the (literally) post-industrial space is a massive central bar. The hand-brews are presented with utmost seriousness: a generous serving in a glass flask, a pre-warmed ceramic cup from which to drink and an accompanying note with details ranging from supplier background and tasting notes to bean varietal, elevation and crop year.
150 Tyrwhitt Rd, Singapore 207563
Home of the World Siphon Coffee Champion and three-time Singapore National Barista & Latte Art Champion, Curious Palette makes some kicka** cold brew! While you’re there, go wild with all things coffee with its Espresso Beef Stew or, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, the Berry Ricotta Hotcakes.
64 Prinsep St, Singapore 188667
Formerly known as Pacamara Coffee Roasters, Knockhouse Cafe is a perk-me-up – from the natural light flooding into the beautiful white-washed interior to the indulgent brunch fare to their coffees that pack a punch. Office workers rejoice – the folks behind Knockhouse also run Alchemist, a hole-in-the-wall coffee joint in the CBD.
185 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574333
From the creators of Strangers’ Reunion and Curious Palette comes this rise-and-shine café. Destined to be the newest hotspot in the culture-laden Kampong Glam area, Wakey Wakey marries industrial fixtures, sleek grey walls and dark wood furnishings. Still relatively new, menu details are sparse, but expect espresso-based and filtered coffee and treats like speculoos cake and buttermilk waffles.
302 Beach Road, Concourse Skyline, #01-04/5, Singapore 199600
This cafe-restaurant has a wide variety of filtered coffee from around the world. With a laidback yet classy atmosphere, this would be a good place to go for anyone who fancies himself or herself a coffee connoisseur.
146 Neil Rd, Singapore 088875
A popular Australian café in Singapore – and you can tell upon first entering, for the vibes are distinctly Melbournian – the star of the show is definitely the coffee. Behind each coffee is a story – Toby, the man himself, travels the world from Costa Rica to Indonesia and many more exotic locations for the most unique and interesting coffee, bringing the inspiration back to his cafes.
8 Rodyk St, Singapore 238216
Each cup from this cafe’s substantial coffee menu is carefully crafted with their house blend. Alternatively, create your own coffee blend based on your personal preferences from the café’s range of single origin beans. Plus, bonus points for adorable latte art! Not a coffee drinker? We love the aromatic Earl Grey Lavender Latte as much, if not more, too.
273 Holland Ave, #02-01, Singapore 278992
Maison Ikkoku is renowned for having one of the best cold drip coffees in Singapore. Located at Kandahar Street, this quaint little cafe’s stylish decor boasts a super hipster vibe. Although $7 is a fair amount to pay for their Cold Brew coffee, it’s well worth it considering the amount of kick you get. This cafe is perfect for a cute Instagram and Snapchat story too, so smartphones at the ready!
If you’re a coffee drinker at all, Common Man Coffee Roasters must be no stranger to you. Their extensive coffee offering ranges from their signature CMCR Espresso Blend to a manual brew from their range of single origins and micro-lots.
Common Man Coffee Roasters has several locations, please check their website for more info.
Mellower Coffee has several centrally-located outlets in Singapore offering another convenient place to get your caffeine fix. Though it comes with a leaner menu, you’ll still find single origins, cold brews and espresso-based coffees, along with a range of sandwiches – think Turkey Bacon or Roast Chicken Salad – and pies, should you feel a bit peckish.
Mellower Coffee has several locations, please check their website for more info.
Amidst the bustle of Upper Thompson Road, this stylish new brunch concept pulls no punches. There’s a simple, elegant menu of delicate-yet-hearty dishes, and a strong selection of coffee made with beans roasted by Two Degrees North Coffee Co. Interiors are perfectly minimalist with bare concrete walls, white accents, and the occasional potted plant.
220 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574352220
Sure, the quality of coffee beans matters when making a good cup of coffee but did you know that the milk used plays an important role too? From its original outlet in Hokkaido to its branch here, Baristart Coffee is determined to teach customers about the quality of milk that comes from this Japanese region. More than half of the milk in Japan is produced in Hokkaido; its cool climate and vast farmland contributes to the uncompromising quality of milk. It’s also home to a variety of cows, in addition to the most common Holstein cows (the ones that are black and white), so the milk produced here includes rarer and richer types too.
Baristart also aims to ‘nurture professional baristas’, which is why its name is a combination of the words ‘barista’ and ‘start’. The high-quality beans staff there use come from roasters in Tokyo and Sapporo, which pair excellently with the refreshing Hokkaido milk. Apart from the usual coffee drinks, there are other fun coffee options in the form of desserts that are worth a try, such as the Baristart Coffee (with panna cotta, cream cheese mousse and espresso) from their Sweets Jar (a rich, creamy dessert served in a glass jar) list,and Shaved Ice (Shiro Kuma) with coffee-flavoured syrup, served in the shape of a bear. So cute, we (almost) can’t bear to eat it.
65 Tras Street, Singapore 079004
40 Siloso Beach Walk, Singapore 098996
Just stepping into this cafe will make you fall in love with it, thanks to its ‘industrial’ look. The minimalist decor and lush greenery make it a must-visit for anyone looking for a new Instagram-worthy location. Inspired by the vibrant cafe scene in Melbourne, you’ll get the type of coffee and food you’ll usually find in the Australian city – which also means you know the coffee will be good.
The minimalist theme stretches to its coffee menu too, as you won’t get a list of drinks like cappuccino or latte (although you can request for them from the baristas) — coffees are instead listed as black, white, iced or hot. The cafe has two house blends, which are rotated every two weeks or so, and seasonal single-origin beans are served too. And if you prefer filtered coffee, you can get it here as well, served using a pour-over process. Coffee beans are also available for purchase, for personal consumption. The cafe has an extensive brunch menu – served daily from 8.30am to 4.30pm – and the feasting continues in the evening too, with a different menu from 5pm to 9pm. Grab a seat, enjoy the coffee and the view and snap some gems for your Instagram feed.
6 Upper East Coast Rd, Singapore 455200
Mr Tan Tiong Hoe has devoted his life to coffee, starting a coffee business (Tiong Hoe & Co) in the 1960s, after a short apprenticeship in a Dutch firm, Mirandolle & Voute. He started out knocking on doors to sell his coffee but his business slowly expanded and he was soon supplying coffee to hotels, restaurants and ship chandlers. The company is still in operation today, as Fresh Cafe Distributors. In 2014, Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee was set up to sell mainly specialty coffee with quality scores of 80 points and above.
The store is currently run by the second generation: Mr Tan’s son, Jacob and his partner, Juliana. While it deals mostly in selling its freshly-roasted coffee beans and coffee-making accessories, it also has a very small area where you can sit and enjoy your cuppa. This is for serious coffee lovers only, or anyone who wants to be introduced to a gem of the local coffee scene. Tiong Hoe gets its coffee from renowned coffee traders, through direct farm purchase and at coffee auctions, and the beans come from Central/South America, Africa and Asia. You’ll enjoy the heady aroma of coffee as you walk in and it’s definitely worth multiple visits as the coffee blends are served on a rotational basis and they’re constantly experimenting with various brewing methods, so you’ll get to sample a variety of coffees just by being a regular customer here.
170 Stirling Road, #01-1133, Singapore, 140170
This cafe believes that every cup of coffee tells a story, from the type of variety to where it’s grown and the people behind the brew. Every detail contributes to the distinct characteristics of the coffee and Apartment Coffee hopes to share these extraordinary stories through their passion and craft. The type of coffee served depends on the time of year, based on the origins in season at the time. So, for example, March to June features roasts from Burundi, Rwanda, Colombia and Brazil, while July to October sees cups of java from Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and some Centrals.
Even though this is based on the estimated harvest every year, it could change depending on factors such as climate and shipping. But what this means is, there’s a different coffee on the menu every few weeks so coffee lovers have the opportunity to ‘travel’ around the world through their favourite drink. Another thing we love about the place? Its bright, clean and minimalist white-washed decor.
161 Lavender Street, #01-12, Singapore338750
A version of this article was first published in The Finder with additional reporting from the Her World Team.
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