If your East Coast plan is to venture to some hipster cafes, you are in luck.
Stretching from Joo Chiat, Katong, East Coast Park, to Siglap, there are so many quaint shophouses housing charming cafes and colourful eateries.
People always say that the East has better food. Agree?
Some of the other cafes you can find in that whole stretch include Rabbit Carrot Gun (49 East Coast Road), 2Six Cafe (88 East Coast Road, Katong Square), Project Acai (217 East Coast Road), Bread & Hearth (Katong V), An Acai Affair (101 East Coast Road), Ninethirty (131 East Coast Road), The Communal Place (465 Joo Chiat Road), Second Storey Cafe Bar (19 East Coast Road), St Marc Bakery and Bar (920 East Coast Parkway Parkland Green), 1110 PS. Cafe (East Coast Parkway), and Dutch Colony Coffee Co (Frankel Ave).
Here are 14 more cafes you can include in your East Coast plan:
Birds Of Paradise Gelato Boutique
63 East Coast Road #01-05 (Opposite Katong I12 and Roxy Square) Singapore 428776
Tel: +65 9678 6092
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Gelato Of Natural, Delicate Flavours With Michelin Recommendation
Have to include BOP, right? Birds of Paradise is so named because the shop creates gelato inspired by the botanical flavours of nature. That means fruits, flowers, pods, herbs, and spices.
Not many may know that the Michelin Guide Singapore actually recommended this ice cream café with a “Michelin Plate”.
The owner was inspired to make ice cream since more than a decade ago, experimenting with all types of flavours, till he wanted to settle for something more natural, unique and healthy at the same time.
Some of its signature flavours include Basil, Lychee Raspberry, Spiced Pear, Mint Cacao, Strawberry Basil, Pandan and White Chrysanthemum.
The accompanying Thyme Cone (additional $1) which was made fresh on-the-spot, was absolutely the best thing. Especially when the scent fills up the entire space. Birds Of Paradise (East Coast Road)
Micro Bakery & Kitchen – Red House
63 East Coast Road #01-06 Singapore 428776
Opening Hours: 8:30pm – 4pm Last Order 3pm (Wed – Fri), 8:30pm – 5pm, Last Order 4:30pm (Sat – Sun)
Bakery Café With Delicious Breads Hidden Within The Iconic Red House
The Red House is an iconic fixture along East Coast Building, now housed by Micro Bakery & Kitchen.
Their breads are naturally leavened using organic and sustainable flour, using natural ingredients and no additives.
Its brunch menu includes Big Breakfast ($18), Granola ($8), Smoked Salmon on Sourdough English Muffin ($18), Micro Club Sandwich ($14), Grilled 3 Cheese Sandwich ($12), Ricotta Tartine ($12), Smashed Avocado Tartine ($14) and Scrambled Free Range Egg Tartine ($14).
The Brownies ($5, $6 each) here are not to be missed – chocolatey, dense and moist, sometimes coming with interesting flavours such as cookies and cream, Bischof, and even miso with coconut flakes suitable for vegans. Micro Bakery & Kitchen Red House (East Coast)
Kings Cart Coffee Factory
328 Joo Chiat Road #01-05, Singapore 427585
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm (Sun – Thu), 9am – 10:30pm (Fri, Sat)
For Devilish Chocolate Cake And Coconut Affogato
Showcasing a series of coffee-centric food, bakes and desserts, they focus on specially crafted recipes using coffee as a key ingredient.
Customers may also find food pairings which can further complement or enhance the taste profile of specialty coffee.
I was recommended to their Coconut Cold Brew ($9) which features an espresso shot into fresh coconut juice with chunky coconut flesh.
The concoction came light and refreshing, which coupled well with occasional fruity and floral notes from the dosage of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe single origin beans espresso.
Some of the bakes and desserts available were such as Devilish Chocolate Cake ($15), Coconut Affogato ($7) and Thyme Buttermilk Scones ($5). Kings Cart Coffee Factory (Joo Chiat)
Sinpopo Brand
458 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427671
Tel: +65 6345 5034
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Popular Cakes With Heritage Twist
Sinpopo Brand is a familiar restaurant-café located at Katong known for its heritage menu with a twist.
Also look forward to traditional kueh recipes with modern presentations.
Think Pandan Kaya Cake, Gula Melaka Cake, Pulut Hitam Cake, Dar Dar Mille Crepe and Putu Piring Cake – familiar nostalgic treats of well-loved local flavours made into cake forms.
The Pandan Kaya Cake is the best-seller. Inspired by the tiered dessert kueh salat, the cake is tinged with a beautiful natural blue from Blue Pea flowers, often used in Peranakan cuisine.
In between the cake layers is the luscious slow-cooked slow-stirred pandan kaya spread and fresh coconut cream.
What I really like about this cake is that you get a bit of that fluffy chiffon and creamy nostalgic kaya coming together – a blend of two favourite cakes coming together. Good to go with black coffee. Sinpopo Brand (Katong)
Homeground Coffee Roasters
475 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427682
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
Artisanal Coffee Place At Joo Chiat
Homeground Coffee Roasters is a cafe with a retail space and coffee beans roastery within.
The menu is short and concise, with coffee such as Black ($4.50), White ($4.50/$5.50), Filter Coffee ($6), Cold Brew ($5), Mocha ($6.50) and Hot Chocolate ($6).
An extra espresso shot or the Iced version is available at an additional $0.50.
2 options for the coffee beans are available: Vanta (blend of 50% Brazil, 50% Colombia) recommended for espresso-based drinks and Las Esperanza, Cacua Valley (single origin from Colombia) for filtered coffee.
Food wise, they have a concise menu (items rotating) with mains such as Level Up Kaya Toast ($8), Chicken’s Party ($12), B Experience ($13) which is lemon avocado mash on sour dough, It’s A Wrap ($14) of Italian pork sausage, scrambled egg and hash sticks in tortilla wrap, and What A Chick ($16) of flame-grilled whole chicken leg in sundried tomato cream sauce served with sourdough.
There used to be an art gallery space, though it was removed to make space for additional seating area. Homeground Coffee Roasters (Katong)
C Cafe
477 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427683
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Thurs, Sun), 8am – 10pm (Fri – Sat)
Brunch & Magic Tricks Cafe
At C Cafe, the “C” refers to Cards, Choices and Connections.
The 40-seater space is white and minimalist, with a Magic Table in the middle of the cafe for the magic-enthusiast owners to pull a magic trick or two to interact with the diners.
Their menu is specially designed to look like a deck of cards, with brunch items such as Avocado on Sourdough Toast ($18), Breakfast for Champions ($24), Toasties – Chicken/ Leg Ham/ Smoked Salmon ($18) and Chicken on Waffle ($18).
Unlike most dessert menu featuring cakes and ice cream, C Cafe offers healthier options such as Chia Seed Pudini ($8), Greek Yogurt ($8) and Tropical Acai Bowl ($12). C Café (Joo Chiat)
Group Therapy Cafe – Katong
30 East Coast Road, Katong V, Singapore 428751
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
Group Therapy Café which has been around since 2011 first started at Duxton Road, and found another home at Katong V (the former Paramount Hotel) in 2013.
The good thing is there is no service charge here.
You can head for their hearty brunch items such as Poached Eggs Salmon ($16), Sunnyside Ups & Smoked Ham ($16), Croque Madame ($15) to Pull Pork Focaccia ($17).
Group Therapy Coffee’s 4 Layer Carrot Cake ($7.50, $45 for 8 inch) has some online reviews claiming it is “the best in Singapore”.
While it looked deceptively simple, the cake studded with raisins, walnuts and pineapple had a pleasing wet texture – in fact the wettest I had tasted, at a cold temperature which surprisingly worked.
If not, there is always a less indulgent Pandan Sponge Cake ($5.50) with fluffy texture, gula melaka sauce and coconut flakes sprinkled over.
Forty Hands – East Coast
226 East Coast Road Singapore 428923
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
From Tiong Bahru To 2nd Outlet at East Coast
The café was named 40 Hands because 20 people are required in the production of its coffee, from plant to cup.
Other than coffee, the café at East Coast serves up brunch items such as Smashed Avo on Toast, Eggs Benedict, Homemade Granola, Banana Bacon French Toast and Eggs Cocotte.
People do go for the Tau Sar Pau – not cheap, but somehow extra fluffy, not too sweet, and goes well with a Cold Brew. Forty Hands (East Coast)
Brawn & Brains Coffee
218 East Coast Road Singapore 428916
Opening Hours: 8am – 5:30pm (Tues – Fri), 8:30am – 6pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Mon
Quality Coffee With Minimalist Vibes
While the coffee place is seldom in-your-face and not often in the radar, it has gathered quite a loyal fan-base over the years who vouch for their quality of coffee.
The Easties should like this space, it has natural light, minimalist decor and this easy-going calm vibes.
In terms of food, you can look forward to the Crispy Fried Chicken Burger ($16.50), Eggs and Bacon Cheeseburger ($14.90), Juicy Grilled Bratwurst with Poached Eggs, Hash and Mesclun Salad ($18.80), Crispy Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($15.80), Scrambled Eggs on Sourdough with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms ($16) and Good Ol’ Classic Pancake ($13.90).
As for coffee, a house blend of “Pen & Pencil” is used, with beans from Brazil, Columbia, Ethopia, offering black, white, mocha, and iced versions. Brawn & Brains Coffee (East Coast Road)
Mod Cafe
1A Kuo Chuan Avenue Singapore 426888
Tel: +65 9816 1877
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 6:30pm (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sun), 10:30am – 8:30pm (Fri – Sat), Closed Tues
Hidden Café Serving Delicious Cheesecakes
Unless you specifically knew that there is a café within this single storey long house along East Coast Road, chances of you entering it would be low.
Mod Café is situated in refurnished pink-coloured single storey detached house (with ample outdoor parking space), right next to a hair salon.
There was a revamp after Bill Ho (from Eight Cafe & Bar) was brought in.
For mains, there are items House Special Crispy Brown Rice Risotto (vegetarian) ($16.90), Simply Breakfast with Portobello Mushroom ($16.90), Asian Truffle Soba with Mushroom ($15.90), ‘ChongYouBing’ Waffle ($7.90, $12.90), Gratin Potatoes with melts burn cheese ($10.90).
Moving to the desserts, expect Earl Grey Waffle With Maple Syrup, Stawberry & Banana ($7.90), Coconut Waffle With Gula Melaka Sauce & Grated Coconut ($790) and Chocolate Banana Waffle w/ Melted Chocolate Chips & Fruits ($7.90).
A highlight is that they also serve up Cheesecakes ($7.90, $8.90 a slice) from The Cheesecake Factory, in flavours of original, key lime and caramel.
Mad Nest
378/380 East Coast Road Singapore 428986
Opening Hours: 4pm – 1am (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 1am (Sat), 12pm – 12am (Sun)
Multi-Cuisine Space With Food from Japan, North India, Thailand and China
Mad Nest is a restobar-cafe which offers an eclectic and colourful array of cuisines, from Japanese, Thai-Chinese, Western to North Indian.
Each cuisine is helmed by individual head chefs with years of experience.
With such an interesting mix of backgrounds, look forward to tapas items from Gambas Al Ajiilo ($14), Mini Chicken Quesadillas ($8), Chicken & Mushroom with Black Truffles Vol Au Vent ($12), Beef Sliders ($13), to Truffle Fries with Parmesan ($13).
The signature dish is Tortilla chips “Mad Nest” ($14) of crispy tortilla chips topped with spicy minced beef with melted cheese, tomato salsa, avocado salsa, cheese sauce, mayonnaise and fresh herbs.
Penny University
402 East Coast Road, Singapore 428997
Tel: +65 6345 9055
Opening Hours: 8am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)
All-Day Brunch, Cakes And Halal Food
Penny University is one of the longest standing hipster café along East Coast, having been around since 2012.
They source specialty beans from local roasters, freshly baked bread, and artisanal cakes by local bakers.
Prices of the brunch items have been kept relatively inexpensive, with popular items including French Toast ($11.90), Turkish Eggs ($9.50), Eggs Benedict ($15), Turkey Ham and Cheese Croissant ($5.80), Mediterranean Breakfast ($17), Penny’s Mac & Cheese ($14.80), Moroccan Baked Egg ($14.50), and Folded Eggs with Crab & Chillies ($10.50).
Cafe De Nicole’s Flower
224 Telok Kurau Road, #01-01, Singapore 423836
Opening Hours: 9am – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Floral-Themed Café With Soufflé Pancakes
While many new cafes in Singapore has gone for a minimalist or industrial concept, Cafe De Nicole’s Flower focuses on a garden theme.
And this is not just about the aesthetical aspect but also through its presentation and scent.
Something that caught my attention is the addition of flowers, be it dried or fresh flowers, in all the desserts and drinks that I ordered.
Even though the souffle pancakes may not seem as tall, wobbly or bouncy (worthy for a Boomerang shot), this plate of soufflé pancakes is a piece of art on its own, with sauces, fruits and flowers used for plating. Cafe De Nicole’s Flower (Telok Kurau Road)
Stamping Ground Coffee
87 Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 455223
Tel: +65 9070 7610
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Wed), 8am – 19:30pm (Thurs – Fri), 9am – 10:30pm (Sat), 9am – 6pm (Sun)
Good Coffee, Good Vibes, and Good Conversations
Stamping Ground Coffee is a great place in the east to chill the afternoon away with friends, provided the space does not get too crowded.
The name “Stamping ground” mean a habitual or favourite gathering place, and the choice of name for chic-contemporary coffee place is quite appropriate.
Items on the menu include Avocado & Smoked Salmon Toast, Creamy Truffle Mushroom Toast, Bacon Jam Sandwich, Roast Beef Burger, Hawaiian Pulled Pork Burger and Umami Egg Croissant.
The Bacon Jam ($13) is one of its most popular item, with sweetish-savoury bacon jam tasting like soft ang-moh version bak kwa spreaded on soft, lightly toasted brioche.
Cutting it through would reveal oozy baked egg in the middle.
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* Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary, Nicholas Tan @stormscape and Lewis Tan @juicyfingers.
