15 cafes in the west of Singapore that are worth the trip

Oh My Mango

Credit: Oh My Mango

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As you can guess from its name, this cafe is all about mangoes — well, almost. Aside from its signature mango drinks, there’s also toast, Thai Milk Tea and Bingsu (Korean shaved ice) desserts. But if you must go mango, there’s also Mango Sticky Rice, Mango Bingsu and Mango Sticky Rice Toast to be had.

For those who want to try something else good but different here, the Thai Milk Toast is a sweet-beast of a dessert — the thick loaf comes with Thai milk ice cream, cookie crumbles, sliced almonds and drizzled with Thai milk tea sauce.

Gek Poh Shopping Centre, 762 Jurong West Street 75, #01-334, Singapore 640762

W39 Bistro And Bakery

Credit: W39 Bistro And Bakery

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With its colourful vintage aesthetic and adorned with sentimental knick-knacks from yesteryear, stepping into this charming neighborhood gem is like entering the familiar cottage of your childhood.


The menu reads well, from a healthy Quinoa Salad to a more indulgent and cheeky W39 C.C.B (Charcoal Chicken Burger), but most people are here for their homemade cakes – our favourites are the Red Velvet and Rainbow.


39 Jln Mas Puteh, Singapore 128637

w39bistro.com

Swee Lee Social Club

Credit: Swee Lee Social Club

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Some of you might recognise Swee Lee as a homegrown music instrument supplier brand, but betcha ya didn’t know that its flagship store at The Star Vista is also home to an in-house cafe called Swee Lee Social Club (a clever play on Buena Vista Social Club if it’s intended).

It’s a cosy set-up (all blonde wood furniture), with a simple menu – think dessert waffles and scrambled egg on toasts – featuring the usual spin of coffee drinks such as lattes, espressos and mochas; its coffees are brewed with beans from local beans specialist Common Man Coffee Roasters.

The Star Vista, #01- 07/10, Singapore 138617

sweeleesocialclub.com/

Jimmy Monkey Cafe

Credit: Jimmy Monkey Cafe

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Set up by a true blood native Melbournian (and we all know how much they love their coffee), Jimmy Monkey promises the ultimate coffee experience, with amazing coffees made with beans roasted on-site from some of the best Independent and Rainforest Alliance farms. On the food front, expect comforting breakfast fare like piping hot shakshukas, cheesy vegemite soldiers, and a roasted pumpkin tartine.

9 One-North Gateway, One-North Residences, #01-51, Singapore 138643

jimmymonkey.com/

Boyle's Coffee Cafe

Credit: Boyle's Coffee Cafe

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Nestled inside Bukit Timah Plaza, Boyle’s Coffee Cafe is an artisanal coffee boutique that has been serving cups of joe to the public since 2014. As the focus here is entirely on coffee, caffeine connoisseurs will be delighted with the many varieties available ranging from hot cups of Dutch Latte to the new-fangled Cold Brew Nitro Coffee with a rich, creamy head.

If you’re lucky, you may also get to watch them roast their beans in-house as you sip, as the roasting happens daily and only in tiny lots to bring out the best in the beans.

Bukit Timah Plaza, #L1-CS1, Singapore 588996

boylescoffee.com.sg

Located across the road from Bukit Timah Community Club stands this non-descript café with a homely feel. Mix and match your favourite brunch items, or choose from their mouth-watering list of hearty mains, such as the Chicken Parmigiana or Prawns & Chorizo Mac & Cheese.

106 Jalan Jurong Kechil, Singapore 598604

facebook.com/FlagWhite-1919364824824863/

Bok's Kitchen by Hidden Chefs

Credit: Bok's Kitchen by Hidden Chefs

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Nestled along Boon Lay Avenue, Bok’s Kitchen by Hidden Chefs is a homey, industrial-style cafe that’s situated out-of-sight under a block of flats. The menu features rice bowls, pastas and burgers, accompanied by a selection of coffee, tea and dessert options.

Our picks are the Pork Loin Aglio Olio, which is a slab of pan-fried pork loin on al dente spaghetti, as well as the Char Siew Rice Bowl – one of the most popular dishes on the menu we hear – where succulent char siew is served on Italian spiced rice with a 63-degree egg.

216 Boon Lay Ave, #01-01, Singapore 640216

facebook.com/BoksKitchenbyHiddenChefs/

This mobile coffee company that offers their brewing services at events and weddings, and operates coffee bars for companies, now has a permanent home in Sunset Way. The brightly-lit space offers a section of coffee, teas and chocolate drinks, where the coffee beans are sourced and roasted by Nylon Coffee Roasters. The menu also features light meals such as brioche toasts, breakfast burgers and Shakshouka Baked Eggs with Toast.

109 Clementi Street 11, #01-03, Singapore 120109

www.ollacoffee.com/

Coffee Connoisseurs should make a pilgrimage west just for this tranquil, Japanese-inspired café. The wood-clad interiors take after a serene Japanese teahouse, complete with lattice sliding doors, as well as a water feature (shishi-odoshi) commonly found in Japanese gardens.

Their menu focuses on lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites, all of which are brewed from single origin Arabica coffee beans that are freshly roasted next door; Suzuki also supplies to commercial businesses. For non-coffee drinkers, you won’t go wrong with either their matcha or hojicha latte, where the powder has been imported from Uji, Kyoto.

8 Chin Bee Ave, Singapore 619932

suzukicoffee.com.sg

 This humble joint was started by two friends who were exposed to several types of fried chicken while studying in the States. Back home on this little island, they want to share their love for American-inspired fried chicken with a little twist of Asian flavours.

Their signature dish is the Fried Tenderthighs, comprising a fried boneless thigh fillet that has been brined for more than 12 hours, served with oregano fries and garden greens. They also have rice options (with more fried chicken of course!), as well as thinly-battered Winglets, perfect for drenching them in one of the three sauces provided – Teriyaki, Goma Chilli and Hot Devil.

1 West Coast Drive, #01-75 NEWest, Singapore 128020

birdfolks.sg

Tucked away on the eight floor of an industrial building in Hillview is Coexist Coffee Co. What’s most eye-catching about this nook is its highly Instagrammable duo-coloured room, where one side is minimalist white, while the other looks like it was plunged into a tub of terracotta red paint.

Customers can get their caffeine fix easily here. We requested for a Magic (a double ristretto with milk) instead of the plain ole whites or espressos on the menu, and the staff cheerily obliged. While the food menu is concise, their items aren’t run-off-the-mill; standouts include a chilli crab shakshuka, and squid ink fried rice.

48 Hillview Terrace, #08-00, Singapore 669269

facebook.com/coexistcoffee/

Get a taste of France and its gorgeous pastries at this minimalist patisserie that sits nonchalantly under a HDB block. The eponymous “Lee” is Lee Yin Quan, who spent a two-year pastry-making stint in Paris, where he learnt from renowned pastry chef Nina Métayer at two-Michelin-star restaurant Jean-François Piège, as well as François Perret, the pastry maestro behind Ritz Paris Le Comptoir.

A lean menu of pastries is available at any one time (items change seasonally), where its various components are assembled meticulously upon order. Current creations include the Madu (Horlicks Mascarpone Cream, Honey Caramel, Honey Cornflakes Base), and the Dale (Matcha Yuzu Cake).

343 Jurong East Street 31, #01-59, Singapore 600343

leesconfectionery.com

Cuppafield Café

Credit: Facebook/Cuppafield Café

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Fusion cuisine is the name of the game at Cuppafield Café, a homely neighbourhood café in the Bukit Batok area. Here, regular brunch items stand alongside Asian-inspired pastas such a Curry Cremoso (curry chicken served with pasta), as well as a Sambal Marinara (pasta tossed in the chef’s speciality sambal and topped with juicy prawns).

Prices are also affordable, where nothing is above $20 with the exception of the grilled ribeye steak. They even have seasonal specials such as an Oriental Omurice – rice in a tomato-herb reduction with onion, chicken, mushrooms encased in an omelette – if you happen to visit on a lucky day!

446 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8, #01-01, Singapore 650446

facebook.com/cuppafield

This 100-per-cent vegan café takes away all notions that vegan food is boring, by serving up delicious plates of pasta, made-to-order pizzas, and sweet treats. Mushroom lovers should definitely try the Truffle Porcini Funghi pizza – crisp pizza base topped with porcini and king oyster mushrooms, Smoocht’s signature Nut Cheese, and drizzled with white truffle oil.

Other delightful options include a Sesame Citrus Soba, Classic Lasagna, and Classic Cong You (scallion pancake). Be sure to leave some space for dessert, for the Classic Chocolate Brownie topped with a scoop of ice cream is pure vegan bliss.

319 Jurong East Street 31 #01-58, Singapore 600319

facebook.com/smoocht

Wanting nothing more than to bring quality bakes to the masses, Alfred Chan set about to open a brightly-lit corner bakery in Sunset Way. Here, he and his team churn out handmade creations daily, where items range from savoury items such as bacon quiches and egg mayo croissants, to passionfruit lemon tarts and whole mango flan cakes.

Note that there’s no indoor seating available, and outdoor seats are limited. Regardless, it’s still a perfect, quaint spot to slowly savour a delicious slice of cake or crumbly pastry, enjoyed slowly with a cup of tea or coffee.

109 Clementi Street 11, #01-05, Singapore 120109

fredosbaker.com.sg

Nestled in the Faber Heights residential area, and sharing the same space as Gelato Labo and Glass Roasters Coffee, is Faber Brunch Club. Hearty and quality mains are available from 10.30am, and include Mussels & Fries, Big Bass Chips, and Seafood Mentaiko Linguine.

There’s even a more decadent white miso-aged 150g tenderloin, served with Miyazaki A5 beef fat egg fried rice. Aside from filling up at Faber Brunch Club, drop by minimalist Glass Roasters for a hot cup of java, or indulge in a scoop of strawberry & basil ice cream from Gelato Labo.

108 Faber Drive, Singapore 129418

A version of this article was first published in The Finder, and subsequently updated by Her World Singapore.