As December 2023 unfolds and we look forward to festive gathers, Singapore’s café scene continues to thrive with an exciting mix of new openings and bittersweet closures.
There is an emergence of both international and homegrown cafés, both segments offering unique flavours and experiences.
On a separate note, as we welcome these new establishments, it is also a poignant reminder to support our other favourite spots, as some indie coffee places such as LUCID are also bidding farewell.
This month, noteworthy openings include the famous Canadian chain Tim Hortons at VivoCity, Indonesia’s beloved Fore Coffee making its debut at Bugis Junction, and the charming Nickel for bakes and coffee near Bugis.
Additionally, aesthetically pleasing Moonchild opens its doors at Jalan Besar, while Keong Saik Bakery expands its presence to Jewel Changi Airport.
Not to be missed is Kaffa Bella, a hidden gem nestled in Gillman Barrack, waiting to be discovered by coffee enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.
Tim Hortons Singapore
VivoCity #01-207, 1 HarbourFront Walk, Singapore 098585
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Famous Canadian Coffee Shop Opens At VivoCity
Canada’s beloved coffee shop has opened in Singapore, with its first café at VivoCity Level 1. It is known to use 100% Premium Arabica beans that are responsibly sourced.
Look out for outlets in NEX (in December), Suntec City, and One Raffles Place in the coming months.
The Signature Lattes lineup includes flavours such as Belgian Chocolate Mocha, Salted Caramel, Roasted Hazelnut, Macadamia, and Espresso Chai – in both hot and iced offerings.
I chose the Maple Cinnamon Latte, because this reminded me most of Canada.
And it is not every day you find a latte in Singapore that combines maple with the warm spice of cinnamon.
Look out for the savoury Sourdough Melts, including Truffle Mushroom, Maple Glazed Chicken Ham & Cheese, Tuna Sriracha Cheese, and Pesto Chicken Mozzarella Melt.
Read more at: Tim Hortons (VivoCity)
Fore Coffee Singapore
Bugis Junction #01−14/14A, 200 Victoria Street, Singapore 188021
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Famous Indonesian Coffee Chain Opens At Bugis Junction
The popular Indonesian coffee chain Fore Coffee has opened at Bugis Junction.
And it is opened from 7am – good for early risers.
Sourced from the region of Aceh, Toraja, Java and Bali, Fore Coffee prides itself on transforming the traditional coffee experience with its unique offerings.
The three signatures are the Gula Aren Latte ($6.50), Pandan Oat Latte ($6.50), and Butterscotch Sea Salt Latte ($6.50).
The Gula Aren Latte is Fore Coffee’s Number 1 best-selling in Indonesia, and also my personal favourite.
It does intrigue with its exotic sweetness of Gula Aren – an Indonesian palm sugar known for its rich, caramel-like taste.
The Gula Aren is less sweet than processed white sugar but with a richer flavour profile. It brings a smoky sweetness with a molasses-like depth that can also have subtle undertones (would say somewhat like toffee and butterscotch).
Read more at: Fore Coffee (Bugis Junction)
Moonchild
351 Jalan Besar #01-01, Singapore 208988
Opening Hours: 9am – 10pm (Tues – Sat), 9am – 7pm (Sun), Closed Mon
Aesthetic Brunch & Coffee Place At Jalan Besar
One of the hottest new brunch place at Jalan Besar, Moonchild is opened by the same team behind Atlas, Columbus Coffee Co., Apollo Coffee Bar, Neptune, and Supernova.
Stepping into Moonchild, you would greeted by a stylish and contemporary ambiance, with a striking mature bottle tree feature in the middle.
The menu stands out with its creative twists on brunch classics which they call the “Morning Situation”.
You would find Banana Bread with Espresso Mascarpone ($12.60), Truffle Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($18.90), Hotcakes with Bacon & Chicken Sausage ($22), Rosti with Cheesy Frank & Eggs ($22.90), and Bestie Breakfast Burger ($20.90).
It was the Pork Dan Dan Scallion Noodles ($21) that stole the show for me.
Oh, not the usual pasta dishes, but they do have Aglio Olio, Carbonara, Cereal Prawn Spaghetti as well.
This bowl features Mala crisp pork, braised shiitake, grilled mushrooms, long beans, cucumbers, onsen egg, and scallion green sauce, all served with knife-cut noodles.
Read more at: Moonchild (Jalan Besar)
Nickel
258 Middle Road #01-01, Singapore 188987 (Bugis)
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Lee’s Confectionery Returns Near Bugis, With A NEW Name And Pastry Offerings
Lee’s Confectionery has found its new home on Middle Road, a comfortable stroll from Bugis MRT station. But it has been reborn as “Nickel Café”.
Baker-owner Lee has a diploma in French pastry from Ferrandi Paris, and has gathered other business partners to boost up its coffee and drinks selection.
The Pain Au Chocolat ($4.50), Croissant ($4), Almond Raisin ($5), and the Kouign Amann ($5) are the current stars of the menu.
A special mention must be given to their Chocolate Souffle, a limited offering that blurs the lines between cake and souffle.
Topped with ice cream, this dessert presented a fluffy texture that was moderately light and airy akin to a souffle, but with the substance of a chocolate cake.
Read more at: Nickel (Middle Road)
Kyuukei Coffee
121 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-06, Singapore 150121
Opening Hours: 8am – 4pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon
Coffee, Pastries and Toasties at Alexandra Village
Alexandra is fast becoming a hotspot for new cafes, especially indie coffee shops.
Found at Block 121 near Alexandra Village Food Centre, Kyuukei means “rest” in Japanese.
Coffee choices include Espresso ($4), Long Black ($4.50), Flat White ($5), Latte ($5.50), Cappuccino ($5.50), and Mocha ($6).
The house-baked pastries such as Canelé, Banana Bread, and Financiers rounded off the menu.
The café with its concept rooted in intermission and break, offers an environment that feels like a soothing pause amidst Singapore’s non-stop rhythm.
Read more at: Kyuukei Coffee (Alexandra Village)
Keong Saik Bakery
Jewel Changi Airport #01-K214, Singapore 819666
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm, Last dine-in order 8:45pm (Mon – Sun)
Homegrown Bakery Opens At Jewel Changi Airport, With Cereal Prawn Croissant And Pretty Cactus Tart
The Keong Saik Bakery has made its mark around the island, and now it has set up a location in Jewel Changi Airport – an apt spot, especially since the bakery café has often times fused contemporary baking with traditional local flavours.
Expect to find an array of baked goods that marry classic techniques with local tastes, not quite the usual found elsewhere.
Items like Sor Hei ($5.20) – inspired by Ma-jies of the old days, Otah Danish ($4.70), and Milo Crème Brulee Cruffin ($6.90) exemplify their commitment to blend the old with the new.
But should you be looking for something new, then the exclusive to the Jewel outlet is the Cereal Prawn Croissant Éclair ($7.50), a nod to the beloved local zi char dish of Cereal Prawn. Another item to try is the cute looking Cactus Tart ($8.80).
Whether you are looking for a quick bite before a flight or a local dessert experience, this new outlet promises to deliver its specially crafted bakes.
Read more at: Keong Saik Bakery (Jewel Changi Airport)
Kaffa Bella
47 Malan Road, Singapore 109444
Opening Hours: 8am – 5:30pm (Mon – Fri), 7am – 4pm (Sat – Sun)
Hidden Café Found At Gillman Barracks, With Pastries, Acai Bowls And Good Coffee
Kaffa Bella serves up a variety of coffee, Acai bowls and pastries all in the diverse and eclectic cacophony of Gillman Barracks.
The café intriguingly shares its space with a Triumph Motorcycle showroom, where you can also browse for motorcycle range, accessories and clothing.
The coffee menu at Kaffa Bella is straightforward, featuring staples like Espresso ($4), Long Black ($5), Piccolo ($5), White ($5.50), and Mocha ($6). There’s the Sor Hei ($5.60) danish pastry, and others like the Kouign-Amann ($4.80) and Ham & Cheese Danish ($5.80), which all looked tempting.
Kaffa Bella also showcases pastries from Buttermittens, a nod to local baking talents.
Read more at: Kaffa Bella (Gillman Barracks)
Glow
26 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249686
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
Wholesome Treats And Serene Ambiance, Quite A ‘Hidden’ Find At Dempsey
Located in Dempsey, the 6,500 sq ft café was interior designed by Paola Navone – with strong accents of orange dressing the café.
The menu at Glow is an embodiment of SuperNature’s commitment to healthy living, with a variety of salads, juices, soups, sandwiches, and cakes for your enjoyment.
Breakfast options consciously cater to a wide range of dietary needs. They also have wraps like the Chicken Avocado Wrap ($20) and Broccoli Quiche ($15). There are also dip selections ($14) if you come later in the day, such as the Chickpea Hummus, Muhammara, and Baba Ganoush.
Their dessert offerings looked the most enticing, like the Sweet Potato Muffin ($6), Banana Load ($7), Carrot and Raisin Loaf ($7), Apple Crumble Bar ($7), Vegan Cheesecake ($12), provide a sweet finish without straying from the health-conscious theme. Other pastries which looked inviting were the Orange Almond Cake ($7) and Chocolate Pumpkin Cake ($7) and Raspberry Pistachio Tart ($13).
The space holds an air of tranquility, and a wide selection of products for you to do some shopping.
Read more at: Glow Cafe at SuperNature (Dempsey Road)
Muted Gelato
221 Lavender Street, Singapore 338774
Opening Hours: 12pm – 12am (Mon – Sun)
Lavender Street Gelato Cafe Opens Till 12AM Everyday, With Earl Grey Sakura And Mojito Flavour
Similar to its name, Muted Gelato offers gelato that is true to its ingredients, without overpowering sweetness or artificial enhancements.
Pricing at Muted Gelato is fair, with single scoops priced at $5 and doubles at $9. The premium flavours are at a dollar extra. with options including Strawberry Cocao Nibs, Lychee Sorbet, Uji Matcha, Roasted Hojicha, Coco Mango, Hokkaido (Milk) Cookies, and Dark Chocolate Sorbert.
One of the stars of the menu is the Evergreen Sorbet – A fusion of mint, lime, and cucumber that may just give you the refreshing zest of citrus. Earl Grey Sakura is a flavour that I would recommend, which was creamy as it was aromatic.
Alongside gelato, the shop serves coffee sourced from Liberty Coffee.
Open from noon to midnight every day, it can be a lovely spot for anyone looking to indulge in freshly made gelato and coffee.
Read more at: Muted Gelato (Jalan Besar)
Patisserie CLÉ
415 River Valley Road Singapore 248314
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm (Mon, Wed – Sat), 9am – 5pm (Sun), Closed Tues
Range of Pretty Tarts, Entremets and Pastries
Patisserie CLÉ has opened at River Valley Road. While this more central location brings French pastry delights closer to its fans, note that this is still a takeaway store.
There is quite a range of classic entremets, tarts, pastries and bakes.
Behind the display, I saw the colourful arrangement include tarts of Orh Blanc, Mango Berry, Lemon Meringue, Strawberry, Blueberry Rose, Passion Sesame, to Chocolate Hazelnut.
The Apple Nutmeg Cake ($10.80) is the River Valley exclusive.
Turned out that River Valley was known for its nutmeg plantation history, and this was created solely for the store opening.
Therefore, this entremet encased a nutmeg-spiced apple confit filling within a lightly spiced nutmeg mousse, all resting on a buttery sable base.
Loved that delicate spice which is not the usual cinnamon, except that I wished that it was overall a tad less sweet.
Read more at: Pâtisserie CLÉ (River Valley)
All right, with this last NEW cafe listicle of the year, that’s at least 100 cafes introduced in 2023 (we personally visited each and every one of them). Hope they have been helpful. Remember to click on the links below.
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