There are only a few things that Singaporeans love more than kicking back at a kopitiam (coffee shops) with a cup of the old-school kopi (coffee). The kopitiams (tiam being the Hokkien word for shop) are often open shopfront cafes, usually lined with a handful of other stalls, with a couple of uncles and aunties taking the orders. The coffee beans in Singapore are roasted with sugar and margarine, rendering a distinctive aroma and taste. The coffee from Singapore, is thus, dark and strong with smooth caramel and butter aftertaste. This kopi is either drunk blank or mixed with evaporated or condensed milk.
For the people whose birthstone is coffee beans, the Lion City has some of the best cafes and roasteries. We have collated a list of 15 best coffee shops in Singapore to enjoy a cup of the authentic kopi.
Known for the freshly brewed coffee from its uniquely perfect blend of seasonal coffee beans, Nylon Coffee Roasters is a micro coffee roastery located in Tanjong Pagar along Everton Park. From exquisite coffees to mouth-watering Danish pastries, its extensive menu transforms the coffee experience into an exemplary one. The café lacks wifi-in order to make coffee one's primary focus rather than their smartphone. The name Nylon comes from NY- New York and LON -London that is in reference to the places from where the founder-duo of this café belongs. With the staff taking regular trips to visit their farms, they're focused on the model of green coffee sourcing with their Probat roaster set up in a small room adjoining the café.
Address: #01-40, 4 Everton Park, Singapore 080004 Nearest MRT: Outram Park, Tanjong Pagar Timings: Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Wednesday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Saturday - Sunday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Specialities: Espresso Shots, Long blacks, Flat whites, special coffee beans
Located along Martin road, Common Man Coffee Roasters is coffee-centric despite numerous interesting and tasty food options that it has got to offer. Being near Robertson Quay, this place is known for its consistency in drawing crowd since its opening in 2013. The name of the café is in tribute to the belief- 'Coffee is grown and drunk by the common man'. The focus of this coffee roaster is to make craft coffee accessible to the common man, along with hosting free public cupping every Wednesday from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. From crafting lattes at the wide Synesso Espresso machine to perfecting a vast range of different drip methods for their guests, friendly baristas are kept quite busy. The place is spacious with a modern seating both inside and outside. Roasting their own beans, this place does some roasting at the site itself with a Giesen roaster, as well as at other locations.
Address: #01-00, 22 Martin Road, Singapore 239058 Nearest MRT: Fort Canning Timings: Daily - 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Specialities: 22 Martin Espresso Blend, Double chocolate cone, Milo Dinosaur, Cherry cheesecake, Gachika AA
The place aims at offering its guests kicking-taste coffees apart from the graceful and relaxed setting that it is known for. With the look usually referred to as 'Clean state of white', it is something that augments its beauty. Apart from the elegance that one can witness in their latte art, Roadster blend is a forever favourite with nutty notes of roasted nuts along with chocolates, caramel and butterscotch. The place is an ideal one for get-togethers and reunions.
Address: Yew Lian Park, 185 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574333 Nearest MRT: Marymount MRT Station Timings: Daily: 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM Specialities: Truffle Benedict, The Brazilian Roast Cold Brew of the Day, Barista Breakfast, Red Velvet Pancakes, Pacamara Hawks House Roasts
4. Little Big Coffee Roasters
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Reflecting the seasonal change in their coffee offerings, Little Big Coffee Roasters is a small roaster located in Biopolis. They serve a special roast of Miravelle coffee sourced from El Salvador - a complex flavor profile with a sweeter and deeper body.
Address: #01-06, 8 Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138665 Nearest MRT: Buona Vista Timings: Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Closed on Saturday & Sunday Specialities: Affogato
Dutch Colony is a casual, open-concept café space where one can spot the racks of coffee beans, brewing accessories and equipments. This coffee chain is popular for its bottled cold brew coffees that come in sweetened and unsweetened states. Using advanced filter brewing techniques, their Dutch blend ristretto has a citrus-like acidity - slightly nutty and has a smooth, velvety finish.
Using coffee that is certified by the Rainforest Alliance for sustainability in coffee farm management, Spinelli Coffee Company is a San Francisco based coffee chain that serves coffee roasted at its own plant. Signature beverages range from freshly roasted coffee beverages to icy frost blended treats known as Spins & Twists. Give a great start to your day with its fresh range of delicious and tasty gourmet fare.
Address: #B2-01 One Raffles Quay, 1 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048583 Nearest MRT: Downtown Timings: Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Specialities: Caffe Latte, Ebony & Ivory Cheesecake, Mocha, Original San Francisco Spin
Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee was set up in 2014 with the hope to set the standard of speciality coffee in Singapore. With no specifically defined menu, this place offers brews from the rotational range of single-origin coffee beans that is roasted, grounded and brewed in-house. Famous for its signature lemon honey coffee that took Tan Tiong three days to prepare the beans for, the cafe is also known for its authentic black brews coming out from the vintage Elektra Espresso machine in a redefined reddish-brown colour.
Yahava Koffeeworks is run by a bunch of caffeine-fuelled adventurers who often travel to places discovering amazing coffees including Arabic coffee and tasty teas. They bring these stories and best coffee beans home with the roasters and baristas working their magic to take every of its customer on a personal tasting adventure. This Aussie coffee House certainly knows what a perfect cup of coffee tastes like and never leaves a chance to elevate someone's love for coffee due to its dynamic nature. This gem of a café is located behind Sembawang Hills Food Centre where they roast those Arabica beans in-house.
Address: 4 Jalan Gelenggang, Singapore 578188 Nearest MRT: Ang Mo kio Timings: Daily - 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Specialities: Ciabatta & Iced Signature Mocha, Cappuccino
Be it a cup of hot espresso beverages or ice blended coffee drink, Highlander Coffee Espresso Bar is a place for freshly brewed authentic yet economical coffees. Sharing the passion for gourmet coffee, casual and professional coffee appreciation courses are often hosted in the café. Quattro, a mix of Brazilian, Ethiopian, Columbian and Sumatra evenly roasted beans is used for making a perfect coffee when paired with milk and nutty smooth with a sweet malt finish. From their self-sourced supply of beans to the well-trained baristas making the coffee, Highlander in Singapore is operating successfully for the last few years.
Address: 49 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore 169362 Nearest MRT: Outram Park Timings: Monday - Saturday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays Specialities: Piccolo Latte, Aeropress, Quattro blend
Home to perennial Singaporean national barista champion, this coffee roaster is located in Central Business District of Singapore. It serves their renowned craft coffee roasts in numerous styles from drip to syphon technique to espresso on a Synesso machine. With a dynamic coffee menu varying with seasons, it regularly features coffee from a farm in Thailand apart from its common origins including Ethiopia and Colombia. The place always seems crowded despite being spacious enough - inviting tall ceilings and a cool breeze indeed makes it a go-to.
Address: Blair Plain Conservation Area, 35 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore 169356 Nearest MRT: Outram Park Timings: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Closed on Tuesday Specialities: Cold Iced Brew, Salmon & Kale
Founded with a mission to deliver positive energy and nourishment to their guests, The Coffee Roaster's concept of serving speciality coffee with great service standard at affordable rates has served as a key to its success over the past few years. Located in NUS, other than offering quality coffee, the coffee roaster is also known for its house-baked pastries and handcrafted biscotti.
Address: #01-02 Block AS8, National University of Singapore, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260 Nearest MRT: Kent Ridge MRT Station Timings: Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM, Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays Specialities: Cuppa Honey Latte, Handcrafted Biscotti
Papa Palheta -an independent coffee specialist as supplier, Chye Seng Huat Hardware is the well-known Indie Café in this city-state. Seating provides a 360-degree view of the bar making the coffee experience one of a kind. Baristas seem to be skilled enough as they meticulously prepare one's beverage considerate of bean varieties and brewing methods customizable to one's preference. If you are specific about your favorite flavors, this is indeed a place to be. Even the minute details are given utmost attention during roasting and brewing - calibrating according to seasonality and bean type to bring out nothing but the best.
Address: 150 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207563 Nearest MRT: Bendemeer MRT Station Timings: Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Saturday - Sunday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Closed on Monday Specialities: Micro Espresso with Milk, Nitro Black Matter, Linguine Carbonara, One Nite Only
Toby's Estate is a renowned Australian brand known for its exceptional taste in coffee especially the Broadway Blend and the quality-presentation. Their belief of using dry processed unwashed-natural coffee that lifts up the aroma without stripping off the flavors has made Toby's Estate one of the most sought-after cafes in Singapore. The house-blend is a mix of five that include beans from Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Uganda and Ethiopia. Café Mocha tops the list of favorites made using real Ghana red chocolate, the intensity of lattes, espressos and cappuccinos increased with a double ristretto shot. This cosy little place is situated at the riverside in central Singapore surrounded by greenery which makes it an ideal one to sip your morning coffee whilst relaxing and breathing fresh air.
Address: #01-03/04, Robertson Quay, 8 Rodyk Street, Singapore 238216 Nearest MRT: Fort Canning Timings: Sunday - Thursday: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM, Friday - Saturday: 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM Specialities: Cocoa nutty Colombian Roast, Toby's Rosa Moka
Homeground Coffee Roasters is a haven for coffee lovers and enthusiasts alike. This authentic coffee brand started in 2017 as a pop-up show and is now transformed into a physical store at Joo Chiat. The coffee shop's clean, comfortable and contemporary decor focuses on sharing a better communal experience and therefore has made an expanded dining area, enabling sharing among each other. From the rich and intense espresso to the smooth and velvety latte, every cup is a sensory journey crafted with utmost precision and care. Every coffee is made with either the immersion method or percolation method using Origami and Kalita drippers. Apart from coffee, you can also find special dishes like Wagyu, Quinoa Tofu Fritters, Charcoal Grilled Chicken, and more. The special is the Homeground on Loop, a coffee subscription program where you can customize your delivery schedule as per your preference.
Address: 13 15 Teo Hong Road, Singapore 088328 Nearest MRT: Outram Park Timings: Opening Hours: 8:30am – 6pm (Thurs – Mon), Closed Tues, Wed Specialities: In Filter Coffee, you can try Mukurwe AB Kenya and Santuario Sul Brazil. In Espresso, you can try Vanta and the famous Glow in the Dark. You can also shop for Home Brewer’s Accessories.
Are you looking for 100% fresh crop Arabica coffees sourced from world-renowned farms? Then Cowpresso Coffee Roasters is the right place. Cowpresso's coffee beans are sourced from the finest farms worldwide, focusing on sustainability and ethical farming practices. The beans are then roasted to perfection, resulting in a flavor profile that is second to none. It is not just about coffee here; in the coffee house in Kilat, you can see Roasted Specialty Coffee Beans, Commercial & Home Espresso Machines, Coffee Grinders, Brewing Gears, and more. The monotone white of the coffee shop adds to the charm. There are freshly baked croissants, tarts, and cakes are also available. At night, the showstopper is the neo-lights and the crafted wine served at Cowpresso. Unique gift sets with drip bags, ground, and whole beans are also there.
Address: 21 Lor Kilat, #01-07, Singapore 598123 Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok Timings: Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Specialties: Buy the Sumatra Lintong Roaster Special, the Guatemala l Bosque Seasonal Special and the Brazil Santos. If you are searching for green coffee beans, try the Indonesian Aged Mandheling.
With a mission to increase the value of coffee in their community, Zerah Coffee Roasters are making a mark in Singapore and all around. They focus on specialty coffee, which they believe can be genuinely elevated through scientific principles. The methods used by Zehra are an amalgamation of thermodynamics, chemistry, data analysis, and sensory evaluations to craft roast profiles. Once you taste Zehra coffee, you can readily understand the coffee’s unique sweetness and acidity. They also conduct special brewing workshops and classes to make the entire community aware of how coffee is made and how the craft of coffee should be practiced. El Venado Costa Rice, Villa Betulia Colombia, and Gargari Gutity Ethiopia are in filter coffee. You can also try the Omni coffee selection for a different flavor in Zehra. The minimalist Zehra Coffee Roasters cafe is calm, quiet, and peaceful place to enjoy your filtered coffee.
Address: 465 North Bridge Rd, #02-5063, Singapore 191465 Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson Timings: Daily 10am-5pm, Last Orders at 4.45pm Specialities: El Venado Costa Rice, Villa Betulia Colombia and Gargari Gutity Ethiopia
Kopi Primer - How to Talk Coffee in Singapore?
The Singapore coffee-hopers, try this coffee primer and order your cuppa like a true local!Kopi: Coffe with condensed milk and no sugar. The condensed milk makes the coffee a little sweet to taste.
Kopi-O: Black coffee served with sugar.
Kopi-O Kosong: Black coffee served without sugar.
Kopi-C: Coffee with evaporated milk and sugar.
Kopi-C Kosong: Coffee with evaporated milk and no sugar.
Kopi Peng: Iced coffee served with condensed milk.
Kopi Gao: Thick concoction made with a double espresso.
Kopi Poh: A mild coffee
Kopi O Siew Dai: Coffee served with less sugar.
Kopi Gah Dai: Black coffee with extra condensed milk.
Kopi Ta Bao: Coffee To-go.
With this caffeine-fueled article and the new-found knowledge about the Singapore kopi culture, get ready to be charged by a big cuppa, because coffee is always a good idea! Isn't it? Have you been to any of these coffee shops in Singapore? How was the experience? Let us know in the comment section below!
