Singapore has well-developed café culture, which includes not only its historical kopitiams, but also modern artisan varieties. The cultural diversity of the city significantly contributes to this. The cafes here often have lovely design and ambience.
I love visiting beautiful cafes wherever I travel, so while researching for the trip to Singapore I made a huge list. We visited at list a couple of cafes a day and enjoyed it a lot. Below is the list of recommendations according to the districts, which will make it easier for you to incorporate this in your itinerary. I should mention that most of these have more than one branch around the city, however, some are more unique. Many of them are actually inside malls, as this is somehow a norm in Singapore.
Cafes in Bugis, Kampong Glam and Kallang
PS Café Raffles City – PS is a chain of beautifully decorated fancy cafes, which you can find in Katong, Ochard Road, Tiong Bahru, near the promenade, etc. Each of them has lovely design and atmosphere. This particular café is located inside Raffles City Mall. It has beautiful green decorations, and definitely worth a visit. By the way, I heard, they may have queues, however, on the afternoon we visited, they found us a seat easily. We tried only coffee here, which was good. Of course, it’s on the expensive side, as anything in the city.
Nasty cookie – this is a chain with a wide selection of cookies, which are priced at 5.50 SGD each. Even if you don’t buy anything, definitely check out this cute interior.
Other Lovely Cafes in the Area
Great Mischief – this is a gorgeous old style café definitely worth checking out.
Pancake Boss – a popular local pancake place. These pancakes are more bready than the ones we are usually used to.
Café Monochrome – we didn’t visit it here but visited similarly themed 2D café in Seoul. It’s a really lovely idea and a lot of fun.
Chye Seng Huat Hardware – this is a very popular coffee place located in a former hardware store. It was a bit out of the way, so I didn’t get a chance to check it out, even though I really wanted to.
Pancake café Belle-ville Bugis – didn’t get a chance to try but their pancakes looked delicious.
Cafes around Orchard Road
Lady M orchard Central – this cafe is located inside the shopping mall, as most other cafes. It has a beautiful interior, but the main thing you should come here for are their crepe cakes, which was really delicious. When we visited, there were very few people, so I doubt you would have to book in advance any day.
Other Cafes in the Area
PS Palais Renaissance coffee – as usual, the PS café chain has beautiful branches.
Nasty cookie – another cute branch with tasty cookies.
Wild honey Mandarin gallery – this café has a gorgeous interior and definitely worth checking out.
Hvala – well-known for Macha cakes
Plain Vanilla Ion Orchard – this café was nothing special, coffee was all right, so I don’t much recommend it.
Cafes in Chinatown
Nanyang Old Coffee – this is a traditional Singaporean coffee house existing from the 1970s. Their Kopi was strong and actually cheap by Singaporean standards. The atmosphere also is old local style. So you should definitely try it out.
My Awesome café – this is more of a food place, than coffee place. The environment is nice and the interior is very colorful.
Other Cafes in the Area
Baristart – one of the branches of a very popular chain
Café Kream – this café looks gorgeous with green interior and definitely worth checking out.
Café Monochrom Chinatown – a newly opened branch of the 2D café.
Cafés in Katong and East Coast Park
Soul Coffee – café with beautiful decorations
Nicole’s flower (called Nico Café on Google maps)
Cafes around Robertson Quay
Carrotsticks and Cravings – cute café where you should try cakes
Common Man Coffee Roasters – a branch of the chain with lovely ambience
Laurent’s café and chocolate bar – I will definitely try these lovely chocolatey sweets next time.
Cafes around Southern Ridges and Sentosa
Gram café and pancakes – I believe this is a chain, which has branches at least in Japan for sure. Their pancakes were absolutely delicious, I couldn’t get enough. Plus, the café is very cute.
Tiong hoe specialty coffee – this is not a café but a coffee stand at the FairPrice supermarket. However, this is a local specialty chain with good coffee, so it’s definitely worth checking out. We got coffee to go, when we were heading to Sentosa.
Other Cafes in the Area
Café Q – a lovely purple flower themed cafe.
Cafes Elsewhere around the City
Old Town White Coffee – a Malaysian coffee place with Ipoh specialty white coffee.
Do you have any other suggestions for lovely cafes in Singapore?
See also:
Always been going to Singapore since 1993 every year or two. Lived there from 1966 to 1968.