Have brunch, matcha lattes and cocktails at a car showroom: Meet the west’s latest social spot

The enticing aroma of seasonal coffee beans roasted on the spot. Calming stone and wood interiors with lots of natural light filtering through. And a menu with a tempting variety of brunch dishes, desserts, craft beers and cocktails.

The newest cafe to be seen at is not in town but in the west at IMM.

This is the latest lifestyle destination, BYD by 1826 IMM, the sixth integrated automotive-lifestyle hub by the authorised BYD dealer.

While most car lovers will know BYD for its best-selling electric vehicles (EVs), authorised dealer BYD by 1826 has sought to extend that experience beyond traditional showrooms. Always about going beyond the drive, it believes in welcoming you to a community-first, experiential lifestyle hub where the best of electric mobility, food, design and culture co-exist.

A first for the west: one space with two lifestyles

Besides BYD, the cafe will also showcase sister brand DENZA’s premium, design-forward electric luxury models.

But that is really as close as you will get to the conventional idea of a car showroom. While you can certainly test-drive certain models (and purchase them on the spot!) at this hub, it’s about catching up with your girlfriends.

From time to time, watch out for curated programmes and sessions featuring local creatives, musicians and small businesses.

If your best friends are the furry, four-legged ones, you’ll be pleased to know that the cafe is pet-friendly, the second in the chain to be so.

After all, BYD by 1826 has never been only about showcasing cars but about creating experiences that belong to Singaporeans, says Davin Ongsono, its CEO. “We are always thinking of the areas where our customers’ desires are not met. That’s when we realise that indoor pet-friendly spaces are really lacking in the west,” he explains.

“Our aim is to create spaces that people feel a sense of belonging to – not just somewhere to visit, but somewhere to return to.”

From Chilli Crab Shiok-Shuka to matcha lattes

Thanks to the extensive food and drinks menu, your tribe and you will never run out of something to eat and drink.

The brunch menu features the popular, perfectly crisped Ohaiyo Rosti and the adorably named Chilli Crab Shiok-Shuka which is the cafe’s take on, you guessed it, shakshouka. More good news: brunch items are available till 5pm so you can swing by for lunch or tea too.

There’s also an all-day menu with innovative dishes inspired by local cuisine, like Sambal Stingray Rice Plate, Tiger Prawn Risotto Pao Fan and an IMM-exclusive, Biscoff Kopi Pork Ribs. The last is exactly what it says: think juicy pork ribs marinated and glazed with an aromatic coffee reduction and biscoff crumble.

If your drinks are as important as your food, BYD by 1826 IMM takes its caffeine so seriously that it has an in-house roastery churning out seasonal beans. For matcha latte lovers, the matcha powder used here is also of ceremonial grade.

And if you are in the mood to celebrate or wind down after a long work week, the cocktail list leans into familiar flavours with a twist – from BYD’s Sealion Serenity, which pairs spiced rum with floral and citrus notes, to DENZA’s D9 Twilight Ember, a whisky-based drink lifted with ginger and chrysanthemum.

These sit alongside a selection of in-house Sevendaze craft beers, including Where I Belong, a SG60 special brew with a fuller-bodied profile.

Michelle Ho, chief brand officer and chief culinary officer at BYD by 1826 says: “The idea is also to pay homage to Singapore by introducing local flavours, fusion food, and curate different F&B choices seasonally according to customer feedback and taste profiles. Everything we do here, we try to contribute back to the local community.”

BYD by 1826 at IMM (Unit #03-07) is open from 10am to 10pm daily. Find out more via BYD by 1826’s website.