Thrive
nana & bird (Chay Yan)
What started out as a pop-up concept store is now a regular haunt for trendy, clued-in shoppers. Look out for one-off accessories by local brand By Invite Only and ready-to-wear items by emerging Guangzhou label aijek.
Bhutan Shop
Dedicated to all things Bhutan, this space carries a small selection of contemporary works by Bhutanese artists (with 20 percent of sales donated to transport children books to Bhutan’s rural schools), organic teas, handmade bags and other lifestyle products. They also organize specially curated tours of the country.
Drips
This old-school-styled café and bakery is one of the newer additions to the area, dedicated to whipping up sweet and savory treats as well as coffee.
The Broers Café
A welcome outpost in the wilderness of Farrer Road, run by two ex-Starbucks baristas, brothers Kiat and Han (the name is a play on both “brewers” and the Dutch word for brothers). “Starbucks taught us how to appreciate coffee properly,” says Kiat. “They opened the doors for everybody.” The coffee here honest and smooth, plus […]
Coffeesmith
A cramped but cute little space on the OUE Link bridge, with superb cappuccinos (and banana bread). The fact that most of the clientele have to stand could work against them, but the staff, including owner Hanna Kim, are so personable it’s more like being at a fun house party. Their regular beans come from […]
Maison Ikkoku | Review
A hip 4,000 sq. ft. café/fashion boutique around Arab Street, set up by a pair of husband-and-wife owners Thomas Ho/Janice Ong and Franz Chua/Shanie Teoh, that boasts Brazilian and Ethiopian beans roasted in-house on a weekly basis by baristas trained by Japanese celebrity barista Hiroshi Sawada. Aside from espresso-based cuppas, you can also expect brewing […]
Loysel’s Toy
The second venture from Papa Palheta is a delightful, airy space right on the Kallang riverfront. (It’s named after Edward Loysel de Santais, inventor of the world’s first commercial coffee machine.) Aside from an array of coffee sets such as an espresso duo (house and single origin espresso on the Synesso machine), drip drop drink […]
Oriole Coffee Roasters
The recently opened third Oriole outlet is rather different from its cousins. Oriole Coffee Roasters features a dedicated roasting facility, a research laboratory for experimenting with new beans and new methods, and a training lab. And while this is mostly off limits to the public, there is also a boutique café on site. For owner Keith […]
Yahava KoffeeWorks
A ten-year-old Australian brand, now tucked away from the hustle and bustle of town in Upper Thomson. The folk here know their stuff: They stock award-winning goods (such as organic Monte Cristo from the Dominican Republic and Romeo No. 5, even fair trade Mexican Chiapas and PNG Purosa), do their own roasting (but of course), […]