Just Brew it! Cafés and Coffee Shops in Singapore

A cosy café is a home away from home. Like a good friend, it’s always there when you need it. Singapore’s café scene has it all. From cosy retreats to some serious third-wave coffee meccas, cafés and coffee shops in Singapore offer something for everyone.

Our list reflects this variety. As such, you’ll find speciality coffee shops light on food options as well as chic cafés with outstanding brunch and even all-day dining.

If you’re mostly interested in the food, perhaps take a look at our favourite cafes for food in Singapore. Or, if you want your next caffeine hit to come from some of Singapore’s best coffee, read on.

From affordable cafés, cafés to chill in or your next favourite brunch spot, give our list of the best cafés and coffee shops in Singapore a go – your instagram feed will thank you for it.

The Best Cafés and Coffee Shops in Singapore

Common Man Stan

This one’s a looker! The marble bar and wooden furniture are tied together by a gold motif that gives a touch of class to proceedings. Food is pretty fancy too. The all-day breakfast – with sweet options like fluffy pancakes and french toast – gets our vote, but there are plenty of healthy lunch options too.

Common Man Stan is the latest from the Common Man Coffee Group (CMCG), so you know that the coffee will be great. Despite the fancy decor the place remains relatively relaxed, so you can quite happily wile away a few hours here. Sit at the bar and watch the baristas at work or grab a booth and relax.

Best for: An indulgent brunch with friends

Price: £££Address: 11 – 12 Stanley Street, Singapore 068730Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 7.30 – 5.30pmContact: +65 6877 4855 / stanley@cmroasters.com

See the menu at Common Man Stan

Afterglow

Afterglow is a cosy café that stands out on our list for its plant-based menu. That’s impressive in itself, but if you see the size of the menu, you’ll be blown away! There are sharing plates, appetisers, burgers and loads more. The food looks as good as it tastes and Afterglow has definitely succeeded in its mission to “bring sexy back to vegetables”.

The place itself is relatively small and consequently cosy. It’s open all day and can get busy, but there are also tables outside. Like any good café, Afterglow has great coffee, but locals love the freshly pressed juices. A community hub, Afterglow also offers workshops to educate and inspire you to make your own vegan and vegetarian recipes at home. We love Afterglow – it even made our list of the best vegan places earlier this year.

Best for: Vegetarians and vegans looking for their new favourite place

Price: £££Address: 24 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089131Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 12pm – 10pm / Sun: ClosedContact: +65 6224 8921

Book a table at Afterglow with Quandoo!

Symmetry

Aussie café culture in a rustic setting? Yes please! Symmetry is more of an all-day restaurant and bar than a café, but its laid-back vibe gives it that café feel. The space itself adds to this. Modern yet rustic, industrial yet sleek, Symmetry is hard to define. Unassuming from the front, the inside is effortlessly hip, while the backyard terrace is an inner-city paradise.

Foodwise, you can expect a modern spin on classic Aussie brunch offerings. The flat whites are as good as anywhere in Sydney, but there are loads of other drink options, since, you know, there’s also a bar. There are thirsty hour deals on beers, wines and house cocktails throughout the week if you fancy something a little stronger. We promise not to judge.

Best for: Aussie café cuisine and vibe in a restaurant setting

Price: £££Address: 9 Jalan Kubor, #01-01, Singapore 199206Opening hours: Mon: 10.30 – 9pm / Tues – Thu: 10.30 – 11pm / Fri: 10.30 – 12 / Sat: 9 – 12 / Sun: 9 – 7pmContact: +65 6291 9901 / info@symmetry.com.sg

Check out the menu at Symmetry

Wired Monkey

Somewhat hidden on Dunlop Street is Wired Monkey, a relative newcomer in the Singapore speciality coffee scene. The small coffee shop has an interesting seating lay out, apparently to make the best of its slim shape. It might be small, but it makes an impression. Exposed concrete, in-your-face murals on the walls and the two-tiered seating area all make for a pretty unique café.

Wired Monkey serves some of the best coffee in Singapore with beans sourced from Tiong Hoe. Owner Has is super knowledgeable and puts love into every coffee poured. As a result, you can expect great coffee here. Foodwise, the falafel burger and banana cake are a hit with the locals.

Best for: Getting some work done with your laptop or reading your favourite book

Price: ££Address: 5 Dunlop Street, #01-00, Singapore 209335Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 9 – 6pm / Sun: 9 – 2pmContact: +65 9069 4569 / askmonkey@outlook.com

Learn more about Wired Monkey

Enchanted Café

Step inside the fantasy-themed Enchanted café for a magical experience. The attention to detail and commitment to creating a magical, fairy-like interior makes for a lovely quaint ambience that is difficult to find anywhere else in Singapore. It’s really like being in a fairy tale!

This creativity extends to the food and drinks. The Sorcerer’s Elixir drink is made from secret ingredients and changes colour before your eyes. Foodwise there are some twists upon both local dishes and classic café food, like avocado toast. There’s no GST or service charge, so the Enchanted café could have a magical effect on your wallet too.

Best for: Hearty food in a magical setting

Price: £££Address: 88 Rangoon Rd, #01-04, Singapore 218374Opening hours: Mon – Thu: 9 – 9pm / Fri – Sat: 9 – 10.30pm / Sun: 9 – 9pmContact: +65 8813 1086

Book with Quandoo at The Enchanted Café

Tiong hoe

Tiong Hoe owner Mr Han has 50 years experience in the coffee industry. You’ll be welcomed by the aroma of freshly brewed and freshly roasted coffee as soon as you enter. Staff are experts and will give you advice on what beans are available and how best they should be prepared. Tiong Hoe is like a coffee museum; however you like your coffee prepared, they will have the gadgets and skills to do it properly.

A small selection of cakes are served but this place is all about the coffee. As a result, many of Singapore’s coffee geeks come here to get their coffee fix and also to purchase freshly roasted beans to take away. The place is popular and can be busy, especially on weekends. But for those lucky enough to get a seat, the traditional shop is the perfect place to drink a cup of the best coffee in Singapore while people watching.

Best for: A pit-stop for coffee and cake or a catch up with a friend

Price: ££Address: 170 Stirling Rd, #01-1133, Singapore 140170Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 8.30 – 5.30pm / Sat – Sun: 9 – 4pmContact: +65 6474 5442 / hello@tionghoe.com

Visit the Tiong Hoe website

Nylon Coffee Roasters

Long-time friends Dennis Tang and Jia Min Lee opened Nylon back in 2012. Since then it has become an important figure in Singapore’s coffee scene. The two are serious about coffee and spend time travelling to farms across the world to source beans which they then roast at the café. But the atmosphere is much more laid-back. There’s loads of natural light thanks to the glass facade while the minimal interior also caters to the relaxed vibe.

The room centres on a communal standing table, although there are a couple of seats at the back and outside. Nylon is based in a residential area of apartment blocks which adds to its community feel. The menu is split into black and white drinks, but it’s filter coffee that Nylon specialises in. Baristas brew up filter coffee loads of different ways and are always on hand to offer advice on home brewing or to talk you through their current coffees on offer. A coffee geek’s paradise!

Best for: A quick coffee in a relaxed environment or one to go

Price: ££Address: Block 4, Everton Park, #01-40, Singapore 080004Opening hours: Mon: 8.30 – 5.30pm / Tue: Closed / Wed – Fri: 8.30 – 5.30pm / Sat – Sun: 9 – 6pmContact: +65 6220 2330 / hello@nyloncoffee.sg

Visit the Nylon website

Ronin

Bringing a New York industrial loft style vibe to Clarke Quay, Ronin oozes cool. Despite being somewhat hidden (look for a lamp adorned with the logo on Hong Kong Street), Ronin is a very popular place. The walls are grey, lighting dim and decor minimal. This creates a moody ambience that is different to any other café in Singapore. As we said – Ronin is cool!

We love everything about Ronin, but we especially love the french toast. It’s seriously some of the best we’ve had in Singapore! Pair it with the house speciality wicked mocha, a mint-infused coffee served either hot or iced. The rest of the menu is split into grains & toasts, sandwiches and sides, while the young baristas serve damn good coffee. What’s not to love?

Best for: Epic coffee and brunch in a hipster heaven

Price: £££Address: 17 Hongkong St, Singapore 059660Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 8 – 6pm

Read the menu at Ronin here

Chye Seng Huat Hardware

Chye Seng Huat Hardware (or CSHH for short) is the flagship shop of PPP coffee – one of the pioneers of speciality coffee in Singapore – in Jalan Besar. There’s lots going on here. CSHH is simultaneously a café, roastery, a coffee school and there is even a private coffee tasting room.

We like the rustic and somewhat traditional design. There’s food available, including an all-day menu and some baked treats, but the focus is definitely on coffee. Beans are roasted onsite and sold at the adjoining shop. The standout feature is the circular concept bar where you can watch and learn from the expert baristas. Spots there are coveted, as is inside seating in general, but there’s plenty of seating outside too. This place is super popular and fills up quickly on weekends.

Best for: Coffee and a pastry in a bustling atmosphere

Price: ££Address: 150 Tyrwhitt Rd, Singapore 207563Opening hours: Mon: Closed / Tue – Thu: 9 – 10pm / Fri – Sat: 9 – 12 / Sun: 9 – 10pmContact: +65 6396 0609 / hello@cshhcoffee.com

See the menu at CSHH here!

Dutch Colony Coffee

Dutch Colony Coffee has been roasting speciality coffee in Singapore since 2013. The group is well-known to Singapore’s coffee community, and now has three locations across the city, plus a roastery. Head to their Frankel Avenue outlet for the most homely café experience.

Despite being serious coffee geeks, Dutch Colony Coffee have struck a balance with offering great food. Presentation is beautiful and certainly insta’ worthy! The french toast or house pancakes are our recommendation, but there are plenty of healthy options which are just as tasty.

Best for: Great coffee and great food in a cool setting

Price: ££Address: 113 Frankel Ave, Singapore 458230Opening hours: Mon – Thu: 8 – 6pm / Fri – Sun: 8 – 8pmContact: +65 6448 5852

Book now with Dutch Colony Coffee at Quandoo!

Strangers Reunion

Modern food meets a homely café at Strangers Reunion. There are now three locations (each with different names) but its spiritual home is the Kampong Bahru café. The café is no stranger to brunch and coffee fans. It has been around since 2012, and some of Singapore’s best-known baristas have graced its bar over the years (multiple national Singapore barista champion Ryan Tan is the owner).

The group revamped their menu earlier this year and it is now a bit more brunch friendly. But don’t worry – the buttermilk waffles are still there! There are now a few more flavours available, which is even more reason to head down. It’s rare to find a coffee shop that offers both true speciality coffee and excellent food, which is why Strangers Reunion has remained popular over the years.

Best for: A perfect brunch of waffles and speciality coffee

Price: ££Address: 35 Kampong Bahru Rd, Singapore 169356Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 9 – 6pmContact: +65 6222 4869 / enquiries@strangersreunion.com

Reserve your table at Strangers Reunion with Quandoo