Singapore – The cafe scene is fairly saturated in Singapore, so here is our take on some of the best cafes around in Singapore. There are three main categories – Coffeeshops which primarily only serve coffee, Bakeries which specialises fresh bakes and pastries, and lastly, Cafes which offer a good mix of food and coffee.

Let us know if there are any ones which we have missed out!

Coffeeshops

Nylon Coffee
One of the OGs of the third wave coffee scene in Singapore is no doubt Nylon Coffee, one of the most well-known coffeeshops in Singapore. Opened since 2012, it is started by a couple who has worked in New York and London previously, and hence the name “Ny” “Lon”. The Everton Park space has a nice indie vibe, with an orderly queue system along with limited indoor seats and outdoor seats. The brand is best known for their single origin coffee where prices are kept very reasonable over the years.

Address: 4 Everton Park, #01-40, Singapore 080004

Apartment Coffee Roastery
The most beautiful coffeeshop in Singapore? At least it is for me at the moment. So much to love about the minimalistic and Nordic-inspired space at the newly owned Apartment Coffee Roastery in Jalan Riang, it feels like we are out of town. I am also proud that this Singaporean coffee shop has been ranked sixth in the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2025 list! This roastery space is only opened on weekends for now, else head to their Selegie space which is opened on weekdays too.

Address:  Jalan Riang, #15-9, Singapore 358987 

Maxi Coffee Bar  
Brand new space for one of our favourite coffee shops in Singapore. Maxi Coffee Bar is now at 64 Club Street where it takes on a back-alley spot with three sections: a foyer area at the entrance for ordering, a filter coffee room with bar seats and tables; and an outdoor pet-friendly space. Coffee is as good as I remember it to be, and the good thing is that the savoury menu has expanded too. Expect the likes of sandwiches, toasts and bakes like banana bread with butter to go with your coffee.  

Address: 64 Club Street, Singapore 069438 

Humble Origins Coffee Roasters 
Taking over what used to be the space of Homeground Coffee Roaster, Humble Origins Coffee Roasters is a popular spot for coffee in the heart of Katong. The space is a simple and minimalist interior design with wooden and rattan furniture, where there is a limited food menu in its soft launch phase. The coffee uses beans from Shan Hills, Myanmar, where this is probably the only café I know in Singapore which uses coffee from Myanmar.    

Address: 475 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427682

Abseil
A minimalist coffeeshop in Shenton Way, Abseil is one of those coffeeshop to retreat into on a weekend if you want a quiet space to enjoy your drink. The interior is sleek, and the signature drink is the Abseil, an Einspanner with espresso and cream primarily.

Address: 70 Shenton Way, #01-14 Eon Shenton, Singapore 079118

Hideout Coffee Bar
A back alley coffeeshop vibe tucked away at Mackenzie Road, Hideout Coffee Bar is a hipster spot where you sip coffee and grab a sandwich and chill on a picnic chair. There are very few spots in Singapore like this where it is so relaxed, with options like espresso ale on its menu.

Address: 122 Mackenzie Road, Singapore 228711

Bakeries

Petit Pain 
After a hiatus from its previous location at Joo Chiat Road, one of our favourite bakeries in Singapore Petit Pain has reopened at 17 Joo Chiat Place. It is still the same minimalist shop with no dine-in seats and is purely for takeaways. That said, it is a more extensive array of bakes with new items at the counter such as brioche with hazelnut and financiers to name a few. The pro tip is to head here before its opening hours as most items are sold out fast.

Address: 17 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427747

174 Bingo 
One of the best bakeries along Joo Chiat Road is174 Bingo. I love the rustic wooden industrial vibes with a pet-friendly outdoor seating area, where the indoor space has a communal wooden table as the centrepiece. The range of pastries and bread are on full display at the counter, with options like Plain Croissant, Cardamom Bun, Chicken Pie, Pistachio Tart, and more. Coffee is equally good.  [Read more here…]

Address: 174 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427445

Baker’s Bench Bakery 
A popular bakery cafe in Bukit Pasoh opened since 2020, Baker’s Bench sees a constant stream of regulars and serves up handcrafted 100% sourdough bakes in small batches (including their croissant range too), along with sandwiches and panini, and other pastries. It is also one of the few cafes in Singapore which uses Allpress Espresso beans.

Address: 6 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089820

Mother Dough Bakery 
What started out in 2017 as a one-woman pop-up project has grown into one of the most popular bakeries in town. It occupies a charming two-storey shophouse space along Jalan Kledek in the colourful Kampong Glam enclave, with a wide range of pastries and bakes (savoury and sweet) to enjoy for dine-in on level two or simply for takeaways. Their almond croissant is one of the best in town.

Address: 3 Jalan Kledek, Singapore 199259

Lean & Rich Bakery 
This relatively new bakery cafe has brought in the crowd to UE Square in the morning. Lean & Rich Bakery is run by a Korean trainer baker who used to front Tartine Bakery in Seoul. The menu is concise with lean offerings (sourdough mainly) and rich offerings (mainly pastries like plain croissants, pistachio pastry, etc). I will be back for its delicious croissants.  [Read more here…]

Address: 81 Clemenceau Avenue, #01-14, Singapore 239917 

Kwaasong Bakehouse (Lor Telok) 
A relatively new bakery in the scene, Kwaasong Bakehouse only started in December 2023 and is known for their artisanal french parties such as buttery flaky croissants, fresh batons and savoury folds. The Lor Telok outlet is a cosy size with limited indoor seats and a couple of outdoor seats. Go for the Kaya fold and Ham & Cheese Toastie if you can. 

Address: 13 Lor Telok, Singapore 049026

Bakery Brera & Fine Foods
One of the most well-known bakeries in the west is Bakery Brera located at the void deck of a HDB block in Empress Road. It is an established name which offers freshly baked artisan breads (sourdough, preferment, wholemeal, and more) made with fine flours from France and Japan. Pastries, tarts and cakes are also available, and you can’t go wrong with their croissants and Kouign-amann. Limited outdoor table is available as it is largely a takeaway concept.  In addition, it also has a dine-in concept in National Musuem, Café Brera at Reunion.

Address: #01-05, 8 Empress Road, Singapore 260008

Tiong Bahru Bakery 
I can’t leave out TBB as this is probably the most famous bakery chain in Singapore. It started out in 2012 in Tiong Bahru estate and today it has grown to a chain of more than ten outlets islandwide. Each outlet carries their signature pastries like croissant and Kouign-amann, with the foothills outlet at Fort Canning being one of the most spacious around.

Address: Various outlets across Singapore

Cafes

The Brewing Ground
Located at The Yard in Joo Chiat Place, The Brewing Ground is located in a former primary school premise, and I love just how standalone the cafe is. There is outdoor seating for bigger groups which is pet friendly as well, while the indoor space is cosy and the cafe serves a good variety of brunch and pasta dishes. The coffee is robust for a good start to the day, and the Breakfast Burger is simply one of the best brunch dishes around.

Address: 406 Joo Chiat Place, #01-24 The Yards, Singapore 428084

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