Vernacular Coffee, a newly minted cafe gem on Guillemard Road, is a cosy haven for coffee enthusiasts and pastry lovers alike.
This cafe breathes new life into the historical 100 Guillemard Road, a building that once housed the Former Singapore Badminton Hall which echoed with the sounds of badminton matches.
The space is where Brawn & Brains Coffee used to be as well.
If you are not driving there, the nearest MRT station is Mountbatten, which is on the Circle Line (CC7).
Stepping inside, you would greeted by an interior that has strong use of dark green hues throughout the cafe.
This creates a serene, almost library-like atmosphere (though sometimes you do hear drilling sounds from nearby renovation works).
The true star of Vernacular Coffee is undoubtedly its array of single origin coffee beans – wider than what typical cafes in Singapore offer. So this kind of reminded me of those Bangkok cafes.
Not just two or three, but eight different types of Single Origin Coffees – mostly sourced from South-East Asian countries.
The beans are either roasted in-house or sourced from Humble Origins in Joo Chiat, offering a range from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar.
I decided to try the Aceh Gayo from Sumatra, Indonesia as I preferred something with more chocolatey notes.
This semi-washed coffee, boasting notes of red tea and chocolate, balanced richness with a subtle complexity.
The Kintamani from Bali, with its natural notes of dried fig, banana, and cacao, offered a fruity twist to the traditional coffee taste.
There was also the A Lel Chaung from Shan, Myanmar, with its natural process and notes of red apple, date, and caramel, was a sweet reminder of coffee’s versatile flavors.
To pair with the coffee, there is a small selection of pastries baked in-house, ranging from the classics, Breakfast Danish, Fruit Danish to Ice Cream Sandwiches.
I had the Cinnamon Pecan Bun ($6) with sweet, nutty flavors wrapped in a soft, buttery dough. Not too bad.
The Breakfast Danish range came with choices of Breakfast Danish of Scrambled Eggs & Spam ($10), Avocado & Sour Cream ($8) and Pulled Pork & Pickle ($12).
Of course I had to order the one with the egg.
However, despite its buttery and crisp exterior, I thought that the texture of the eggs was too custard-like and would prefer something more conventionally scrambled.
For those who prefer a sweet start to their day, the Fruit Danish options, like the Grape & Honey Camembert ($10) and the Blueberry & Vanilla Chantilly ($8), are possible choices.
A note of patience, though.
During my visit, there was a significant wait for the coffee of about 45 minutes. This delay, likely due to the cafe’s recent opening, was a minor hiccup and understandable.
Perhaps some communication from the staff to the waiting customers during these wait times would certainly go a long way in managing expectations.
While Vernacular Coffee navigates its opening phase jitters, the promise of quality coffee and a serene ambiance makes it a visit for anyone in the Guillemard area.
Vernacular Coffee
100 Guillemard Road #01-02, Singapore 399718
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Other Related Entries
Southside (Keppel Road)
Double Shot Coffee (Kampong Bahru)
Hey Slow Joe (Boon Keng)
Love, Joy & Coffee (Velocity @ Novena Square)
Pelle and Pepe (Joo Chiat Place)
* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
