Cafés that serve good coffee in Singapore

It's hard to put this delicately without offending a few groups of people. (Case in point: our fashion editor who sips on chai lattes on the regular is giving me the stink eye as I'm typing this out.) But for the better good of the coffee cognoscenti or the folks who care about where their beans come from, this snob list had to be done.

Visiting a café doesn't mean you are warranted a good cup of coffee in Singapore. It means you're floored with egg benedict options, epic toppings on your waffles and that illustrious brunch content for your weekly IG update. So what's the benchmark here? In my humble opinion, a well-balanced body, nailing the foam difference between a cap and a flat white, and last but never least, overall consistency that won't let you down even on your umpteenth visit.

Some cafés you go to for food, some you go for a decent cuppa. If the latter matters more to you, head to these spots below. 

The Glasshouse

This beautiful space hidden in the glorious Chijmes is rooted on light-filled windows, the right amount of foliage and bangin' cups of coffee.

30 Victoria St, Chijmes #01-03
Opening hours: (Mon-Fri) 8am-5pm, (Sat-Sun) 9am-6pm

Percolate

At Percolate, it always feels like home. The neighbourhood gem (Easties be proud) unveils an inviting café with attentive staff, simple grub and quality cups of coffee procured from local and international roasters.

 136 Bedok North Ave 3 #01-152, Tel: 8259 0316
Opening hours: (Mon-Fri) 10.30am-9.30pm, (Sat-Sun) 9am-9.30pm

Mavrx Coffee Apothecary 

You won't find a food/pastry menu or a spacious table for a decent flat lay here, but what you can find is a decent cup brimming with rich caramel notes. In our opinion, that's more than what we can ever ask for. The friendly folks at Mavrx will take care of that. 

1A Duxton Hill, Tel: 6805 0700
Opening hours: (Mon-Fri) 8.30am-4.30pm, (Sat) 10.30am-4.30pm

Nylon Coffee Roasters

Touted as one of the pioneer coffee roasters since the third wave landed in Singapore, always expect a quality cup albeit the lack of seating and hearty brunch options. It's clear as day that you come to Nylon for a solid cup and nothing else. Did we also mention that they stock up on sustainable straws?

4 Everton Park, #01-40, Tel: 6220 2330
Opening hours: (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri) 8.30am-5.30pm, (Sat-Sun) 9am-6pm

Kurasu Singapore

The Singapore outpost of Kurasu (which helms from Kyoto) is as cool and understated as you would imagine it to be. Planted in the center of district6, a co-working space, their coffees reprise specialty blends and single origins of their own as well as roasters around Japan.

331 North Bridge Road, Odeon Towers #02-01
Opening hours: (Mon-Fri) 9am-6pm, (Sat-Sun) 12pm-6pm

Chye Seng Huat Hardware

Whether you're a coffee purist or not, Papa Palheta's café should be a renowned name amongst many. You either fancy its old industrial aesthetic, collective crowd or even its occasional music collabs. But if our city had an academy to where your induction to coffee should begin, this place sounds about right. 

150 Tyrwhitt Rd, Tel: 6396 0609
Opening hours: (Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sun) 9am-10pm, (Fri-Sat) 9am-12am

Click here to find out more about Singapore's burgeoning coffee scene.