Coffee is always a good idea, that’s why hipster cafés in Singapore have so much to offer! From all-day brunch classics to freshly ground coffee and even wines and beers, you name it, they have it all. Coffee junkies who are tired of the usual run-of-the-mill cafes are in for a lovely treat with this list of unique hipster cafes that will surely awaken your senses.
Numerous coffee shops have been popping up here and there and it could be hard to keep track of the noteworthy ones. In no particular order, discover the 10 of my top 50 best hipster cafes in Singapore.
My Awesome Café
True to its name, My Awesome Café is full of all things awesome. From the vintage façade of a former traditional Chinese clinic mixed with thrifted industrial interiors to the wide array of food selections and service packed with love, each element of this café will truly bring out the awesomeness in everyone. My Awesome Café takes pride in the quality of their source ingredients to provide a fun and nourishing gastronomic experience in every bite.
Their Awesome Salad was probably one of the best I have ever had. Not only was it packed with a generous amount of meats, it was also served with half an avocado and topped with cheese and very fresh ingredients. Everything on the plate was perfect and the staff were very friendly. The overall vibe of the My Awesome Café takes you back in time and gives a unique and cozy experience! Whether you want something healthy like salads or protein shakes or want to get stuffed with flavorful mains, platters, pastries and desserts, their full menu is available all day long from breakfast, lunch, dinner and even up to midnight. Vegetarian choices are available and they even offer a great selection of wines and spirits if you just want to chill out and have an awesome time with friends.
Location
202 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore, 068639
+65 6222 2007
Operating Hours
Weekdays 8:45 morning till 12:00 midnight
Weekends 8:00 morning till 12:00 midnight
Stamping Ground Coffee
“Good vibes only” –the one thing you’ll catch on this little chic cafe in the Siglap neighbourhood. Brought together by the love of coffee, the purveyors of Stamping Ground revel in with this tagline and for all the right reasons. With great enthusiasm, the staff ensures that you find the goodness and pleasure of coffee in every cup. Fascinatingly, inside the coffee shop, you will also find a quaint flower shop, a delightful addition to freshening up your mid-morning or afternoon coffee break.
Stamping Ground offers a great variety of drinks from coffee, teas, chocolate, fresh juice drinks and even beer. Their quality beans are from Papa Palheta and the coffee is impeccably served in the right temperature, that it’s really hard to say no to their latte! The food selection also have an interesting touch to it and will surely satisfy any cravings for a reasonable price. What really caught my attention are the stylish indoor décor and hospitable atmosphere that makes this café perfect for a quick recharge for your day. When the weather is cold enough, they also have outdoor seating so you can enjoy a nice fresh breeze at every sip!
Location
87 Upper East Coast Road
Singapore 455223
+65 90707610
hello@stampinggroundcoffee.com
Operating Hours
Tue-Fri: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat-Sun: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Last order for food at 4:45 pm, drinks at 5:45 pm
Chye Seng Huat Hardware
Known in the past for the multitude of hardware stores and workshops lining its streets, Singapore’s Jalan Besar district has gradually transformed into a bustling hipster neighbourhood, with several coffee shops and art galleries showcasing the hardware heritage of the area. One of these is Chye Seng Huat Hardware (CSHH), a roastery, coffee bar and roastery located on a building that was formerly home to hardware companies.
Don’t be fooled by its building and exteriors! It might look like a hardware store from the outside (complete with an unassuming sign saying it’s a hardware store) but CSHH’s interiors tell a different story. CSHH has four sections – the Roastery, the CSHH Coffee Bar, the Annex and the C-Platform, each with their own story to tell about coffee from roasting beans to coffee machines.
CSHH is a joint project of the building’s landlord and Papa Palheta (now known as PPP Coffee), a coffee boutique that sources, roasts and prepares their own specialty coffee. The taste of CSHH’s coffee is sublime – strong, fragrant and creamy – which forms a concoction every Singaporean will love.
Location
150 Tyrwhitt Road
Singapore 207563
Nearest MRT: Lavender
Nearest Carpark: Jalan Besar Stadium
Operation Hours
Tuesday to Thursday & Sunday 9:00 am to 10:00 pm
Last order for food - 9:30 pm | drinks - 9:45 pm
Friday & Saturday 9:00 am to Midnight
Last order for food - 10:30 pm | drinks - 11:45 pm
Closed on Monday
Sarnies
Founded by an Aussie chef, Sarnies prides itself on the passionate commitment of the purveyors to provide the best ingredients available. For a daily dose of the freshest coffee, this café is a perfect go-to as they roast their beans in-house to keep that top-quality concoction. Although ‘Sarnies’ is slang for a sandwich, avid brunch fans would be delighted to know that Sarnies offers a wide assortment of sandwich masterpieces and so much more!
My pursuit for the best combination of a hearty meal and a damn good cuppa have led me to conclude that Sarnies is definitely a frontrunner. Aside from the approachable staff, the best thing about this place are the generous servings—enough to satisfy a big eater like me! Also, the quality of their roast profiles are so spot on, it will make you come back for more. Nestled in the center of the city, this is the ideal place to get a boost after a tiring day at work or catch-up with friends and family.
Location
136 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068601
Operating Hours
Mon & Tues: 07:30 to 22:30
Wed to Fri: 07:30 to 00:00
Sat & Sun: 08:30 to 16:00
Whisk and Paddle
Is there anything more satisfying than sipping a nice invigorating brew or an iced cold beer after a long day of hustle and bustle? Turns out that there actually is! Imagine enjoying your favorite drink coupled with a sumptuous meal while enjoying a tranquil ambience by the river. Luckily for us coffee lovers, we can have this whole new level of relaxing experience at Whisk and Paddle. During the day, marvel at the scenic riverside view or have a romantic evening under the stars at night.
Whisk and Paddle boast of their all-day breakfast menu, their freshly ground coffee and homemade pastries and desserts that you can enjoy as you connect with nature. Their waffles are really hard to miss as they are crispy and had the right consistency and texture topped with probably one of the tastiest vanilla ice creams I have ever had.
And what could make your experience a whole lot better? Good service of course! At Whisk and Paddle, expect quality service from the staff as they were all very attentive and accommodating. This place could really be a precious find for people who are looking for a change of scenery and escape the busy city once in a while. Also, a perfect place for a quick family getaway.
Location
10 Tebing Lane, #01-01,
Singapore 828836
+65 6242 4617
enquiry@whiskandpaddle.com.sg
Operating Hours
Monday – Friday 3:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Saturday/Sunday/PH 9:30 am – 10:30 pm
*Last order at 9:45 pm daily.*
Tiong Bahru Bakery @ Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru Bakery is one of the more ‘mainstream’ hipster cafes with multiple locations across Singapore. Celebrity baker Gontran Cherrier, the brains behind the project, started the bakery in Tiong Bahru, a neighbourhood that has since then transformed into one of the hippest locations in Singapore.
It’s most famous for their baked pastries, especially their croissants, which patrons confidently tell us are the best around Singapore. I especially loved their Almond Croissant, which was very moist and dense, and as a personal recommendation, their Kouign Amann, a Breton cake layered with so much butter and caramel is a must-try. I felt guilty eating it but was worth every bite. Want to feel like you’re in Paris? Then this hipster café-slash-bakery is one place you have to visit.
Location
56 Eng Hoon Street
#01-70, Singapore 160056
+65 62203430
Operation Hours
Open Daily, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Boufé Boutique Café @ Phoenix Park
Cakes are my guilty pleasure. Imagine my happiness when I saw the lineup of cakes at Boufé, a café known for their fancy, fashionable cakes and pastries. Boufé gets its name from a portmanteau of the words ‘boutique’ and ‘café’, which is frankly a perfect name for them as the place does feel like a boutique sometimes, the only difference is that instead of choosing from a wide assortment of clothes and apparel, they instead have a collection of aesthetically designed cakes. The interiors were planned with minimalism in mind, with simple white chairs and tables giving a cozy, warm feeling to anyone who enters.
Although Boufé’s coffee was surprisingly good, the real reason you come to Boufé is for their cakes and pastries. I tried all of their cakes, and my favorites were The Rock, a chocolate mousse blended with some rum syrup, and Milky Way, their signature galaxy cake. Overall, Boufé was a unique, satisfying treat that every sweet tooth should try at least once when in Singapore.
Location
308 Tanglin Road
#01-01 Phoenix Park, S 247974
+65 6734 7656
Operating Hours
Daily: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
PS Café @ Raffles Place
What started in 1999 as a small and unassuming café inside the Projectshop clothing store has now blossomed into PS Café, a chain of brunch spots and cafés all around Singapore. Since then, they’ve also opened stores in Shanghai and Seoul, a testament to its appeal.
I visited their branch at Raffles Place on a whim, as I was drawn to it by its stunning aesthetics that will catch the attention of anyone looking for someplace to chill and hang out. The design of the café’s exteriors was definitely inspired by greenhouses, with the glass panels allowing natural sunlight to enter and radiate along with the whole establishment as well as the presence of plants and flowers inside.
PS Café boasts a wide range of menu items, each of which can definitely satisfy not just your mouth but your eyes as well. The food and coffee are prepared beautifully and are a sight to behold with. My top choices were the Florida Key Lime Pie and their Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which were both worth the money. If you’re looking for a place that is cozy, distinctive and in an accessible location, you can’t go wrong visiting the PS Café at Raffles Place. Be sure to make reservations during peak hours!
Location
Raffles City S.C
252 North Bridge Road
#03-37, S 179103
+65 8858 8728
Operating Hours
Daily: 9:30 am - 10:00 pm
Wild Honey @ Mandarin Gallery
When I was younger, my parents often told me that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Whatever you’re doing, wherever you’re going, always sit down and eat breakfast before you go. I’ve followed these instructions until now, and breakfast is a part of my daily morning routine I will never miss.
With Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery, I can now enjoy my favourite breakfast foods all day long! Wild Honey offers a wide variety of breakfasts from all over the world. What really captured my breakfast-loving self is their I Love NY breakfast, served with creamy scrambled eggs combined with delicious amounts of smoked salmon and sturgeon. Paired up with a cup of their coffee, this dish never fails to satisfy my inner cravings.
Wild Honey’s rustic design gives off a cool, relaxing ambience that makes you want to sit down, drink coffee and read a book. It’s an experience that makes you feel safe and ready to take on the day ahead, right after you’ve finished a plate of your favourite breakfast meal.
Location
#03-01/02 Mandarin Gallery,
333A Orchard Rd, 238897
+65 6235 3900
Operating Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Oriole Coffee + Bar at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard
Coffee shop by day and a chill bar by dusk, Oriole Coffee + Bar have become one of the most sought-after hang-out destinations in the middle of a hectic city. With their skilled chefs and baristas, the purveyors are grounded in the three foundations that hold Oriole Coffee + Bar together: coffee, food and community. Serving top-notch gourmet coffee and delectable café selections that are available from breakfast till dinner, a hearty meal from this place is always a guarantee.
The Taisho Coffee, their in-house signature cold brew is a rich blend of strong and creamy coffee that gives a delightful combination of a kick and warmth, truly a personal favourite! Everything on their menu is fairly priced too, which was a great plus compared to their competitions. At night, the place transforms into a relaxing bar where you can sit back and relax with a cold one in hand or enjoy the Happy Hours with friends. With a wide selection of speciality coffee and house-pour beer, wine and spirits, Oriole Coffee + Bar is a perfect place to jumpstart your mornings or cap the day off.
Location
96 Somerset Road #01-01, Pan Pacific
Serviced Suites Orchard, Singapore 238163
+65 6238 8348
enquiry.pp@oriole.com.sg
Operating Hours
Sun to Thu & PH, 8:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri, Sat & Eve of PH, 8:00 am to 12:00 am