If there is one thing to be envious about those who live in the East, it is their close proximity to some of the best cafes in Singapore.
As much as the rest of the population would hate to admit it, there is nowhere in Singapore where you are able to find such an extensive range of independent cafes, brew bars, ice cream parlours and dessert studios. In summary, the cafe scene in the east is nothing short of exciting—with new F&B projects and initiatives popping up every once in a while.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite cafes in the east of Singapore and they range from artisanal cafes with deliciously bespoke blends and delectable brunches to casual hangout spots where eastsiders can drop by for their daily coffee run. Do let us know how many on the list you have been to!
One Halal cafe in the east of Singapore to look out for is Badoque, a café with a piquant menu boasting of Asian, Greek and Mediterranean fare. Among the highlights are beef ribs, spaghetti, and donburi.
298 Bedok Road
Bedok Shopping Complex
Singapore 469454
Tel: +65 6446 6928
Sat to Thu: 12pm – 11pm
Fri: 3pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bedok
Situated along East Coast Road, Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique is a delightful ice cream paradise that is highly popular on social media for its extremely photogenic interior and of course, its amazing ice cream.
Two flavours that got our attention were the Spiced Pear and Strawberry Basil. The former is a heavenly combination of William pears, cinnamon and star anise; the latter is a tarty melange of farmed and wild strawberries rounded off with the mellow tones of an organic basil infusion.
63 East Coast Road #01-05
Singapore 428776
Tel: +65 9678 6092
Sun, Tue to Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Dakota
How’s it if you can D.I.Y your own coffee and bread buns (like Shibuya toasts) with wooden blocks equipped with RFID tags?
Blocs Inc. is one cafe to look out for—the wooden blocks (or ‘blocs’ as they are called here) are all tagged and you can create your own coffee by placing the wooden blocks through a metal holder.
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60 Paya Lebar Road, #01-71
Paya Lebar Square
Singapore 409051
Mon to Thu: 7.30am – 8pm
Fri: 7.30am- 10pm
Sat & Sun: 9.30am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar
Tucked away in the iconic former Singapore Badminton Hall, Brawn & Brains’s clean interior allows for ample natural light to stream in—making great Insta-worthy moments. Visitors can look forward to fresh bakes, coffee as well as savoury lunch options there.
As of 03 July 2017, the cafe has opened a new coffee kiosk at Guillemard Road so those who work in the neighbourhood has another option for their morning cuppa.
100 Guillemard Road
#01-02, Singpore Badminton Hall
Singapore 399718
Tel: +65 6348 8892
Tue to Fri: 8.30am – 6pm
Sat & Sun: 9.30am – 6pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar
We cannot get the taste of the fresh croissants at Bread & Hearth out of our minds after we had it for the first time. The pastry was so crisp on the outside with just the right amount of buttery taste when bit into.
Other options that you can pick from artisanal bakery Bread & Hearth are brioche buns, cream cheese sesame buns and more.
Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.
Katong V Level 2
30 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428751
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar
Opened by the good folks behind Penny University, Brothers In Fine Food sits in the heart of the Tampines West residential cluster. The cafe mixes quality, creative interpretations of dishes with amazingly affordable prices, making it the perfect recipe for a tantalising yet comforting meal in neighbourhood spaces.
When you are there, do not forget to try their signature Beef with Beetroot Thyme Puree (S$15)—the meat was succulent, juicy, and cooked to the perfect tenderness.
5 Tampines Avenue 3
#02-07, Tampines West Community Club
Singapore 529705
Tue to Fri: 12pm – 10.30pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 10.30pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Tampines
Housed in a beautiful glass building, Cafe Melba is chic and stylish, without being overly pretentious. Their weekend brunch is very popular; they do not take reservations, so make sure you go early to get a table.
90 Goodman Road
#01-56, Block N
Singapore 439053
Tel +65 6440 6068
Mon to Fri: 10am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 8.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Aljunied
Photo Credit: Carry On Facebook
CARRY ON
Looking for a cafe to have afternoon tea with your girlfriends? Your squad will be spoilt for choice at Carry On. Specialising in pastries and desserts, Carry On makes a decent brunch spot with signature items such as French butter croissant and pan au chocolat and bagels as part of the menu.
If you are thinking of getting lunch there, your tummy should feel satisfied with their range of grill pressed wraps & sandwiches.
348 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 437115
Tel: +65 6348 2495
Mon to Fri: 8am – 6pm
Sat: 9am – 6pm
Sun: Closed
Nearest Station: Dakota
CHOCK FULL OF BEANS
A café that serves adorable 3D latte art, how cute is that? We found Chock Full of Beans sitting in a quiet corner of Changi Village (right next to the hawker centre), and were drawn towards the latte art that was on display.
If you’re there for a meal, Chock Full of Beans serves mains and desserts, too.
Blk 4 Changi Village Road, #01-2090
Tel: +65 6214 8839
Tue to Fri: 11.30am – 10.15pm
Sat & Sun: 9.30am – 10.15pm
Nearest Station: Pasir Ris
CRAFTSMEN SPECIALTY COFFEE
One of the more popular cafes in the East, Craftsmen Speciality Coffee at Siglap V has already garnered a strong following among locals and expats who reside in the hood.
The food menu is simple and it is made up of mainly all-day breakfast and brunch items like Croissant Sandwiches (S$15), Toast (S$5 – S$15), Pies (S$9.50 – S$12.50), as well as sweet and savoury Waffles (S$15).
2 First Street
Siglap #01-01
Sun to Thu: 8.30am – 9pm
Fri & Sat: 8.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Kembangan
A coffee shop that started with a humble beginning at PasarBella, Dutch Colony Coffee Co. now has its own coffee roastery and academy at Defu Lane, as well as its new full-fledged cafe at Frankel Avenue.
Other than coffee, Dutch Colony Coffee Co. also serves a small selection of breakfast (S$5.50 – S$10), sandwiches (S$8 – S$14) and cakes on its menu.
113 Frankel Avenue
Singapore 458230
Tel: +65 6448 5852
Sun to Thu: 8am – 6pm
Fri & Sat: 8am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Kembangan
If you’re looking for a café to grab Instagram-worthy pictures, Fart Tartz’s probably it.
The café first grabbed our attention with the rows of adorable-looking mudpies ($5.50 each) that look like potted plants and cakes in old-school glass jars, but there’s definitely more to it.
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#02-04, Hall 2
1 Expo Drive
Singapore 486150
Mon to Thu: 9am – 6pm
Fri to Sun: 9am – 8pm
Nearest station: Expo
FATCAT Ice Cream Bar isn’t just known for their perfect mojito spheres and range of artisanal ice cream, they also serve a mean plate of Charcoal Waffles with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce and salted caramel sauce (S$11.50 with a scoop of premium ice cream).
FATCAT Ice Cream Bar is also listed in our guide to the 12 Most Unique Waffles in Singapore.
Bedok North Avenue 2
#01-25, Block 416
Singapore 460416
Tel: +65 8201 1201
Mon, Wed to Thu: 1pm – 10pm
Fri: 1pm – 11pm
Sat: 12pm – 11pm
Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Tue: Closed
Nearest Station: Bedok
No surprises here—Fresh Fruits Lab (FFL) is our favourite cafe in the east of Singapore. This has never changed since our first visit in 2015.
The themed cafe has seen a revamp recently and it is nothing short of amazing. Still keeping their core laboratory theme and incorporating fruits into their menu, FFL now boasts a colourful, pastel interior that is both whimsical and photogenic.
It has also become a kids-friendly dining outlet with a play corner for your little ones as well as a low-salt kids menu that is so reasonably priced.
351 Changi Rd, Singapore 419818
Tel: +65 6677 6741
Tue to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Eunos/ Kembangan
Fans of Group Therapy Coffee will no longer have to travel to the CBD area for their Roasted Almond Latte, for it now has a second outlet in the east of Singapore at Katong V.
The menu is slightly different from the original outlet at Duxton Road, but the idea is the same—good comfort food at affordable prices for the masses.
30 East Coast Road
Katong V #01-11
Singapore 428751
Daily: 10am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Eunos/ Paya Lebar
Quite possibly the first cafe to open in a community club, Nom Bistro & Bakery is a simple and no-frills cafe that serves homemade fare at inexpensive prices. Main courses include Beer Battered Fish & Chips (S$16.90) and The Ultimate Burger (S$14.90).
Nom is also known for its rainbow cakes which are available in oreo, salted caramel and chocolate flavours.
Level 1, Macpherson Community Club
400 Paya Lebar Way
Singapore 379131
Tel: +65 6747 3839
Mon, Wed to Sun: 11am – 11pm
Tue: Closed
Nearest Station: Macpherson/ Paya Lebar
PENNY UNIVERSITY
With an aesthetically pleasing interior, an all-encompassing menu and sumptuous cafe fare, Penny University is a must-visit cafe in the east of Singapore.
The cafe sources its own beans from local coffee roasters. The menu features a simple lineup of breakfast items and sandwiches.
402 East Coast Road
Singapore 428997
Tel: +65 6345 9055
Tue to Thu: 8.30am – 6pm
Fri & Sat: 8.30am – 10.30pm
Sun: 8.30am – 7pm
Nearest Station: Eunos/ Kembangan
Established in March 2014, Percolate Coffee is a speciality coffee shop in the east of Singapore. Nothing overly pretentious or chi-chi about Percolate Coffee, it is a humble and cosy space for you to unwind over a cuppa and light music.
They do pretty decent latte art, and we love how the white cups sit against its wooden furnishing.
136 Bedok North Avenue 3, #01-152B
Singapore 460136
Tel: +65 8259 0316
Monto Fri: 10.30am – 9.30pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Bedok
With a tongue-in-cheek name like Rabbit Carrot Gun, it is hard to not do a double take when you walk past this watering hole along East Coast Road.
Like its name suggests, Rabbit Carrot Gun does not take things too seriously. The menu is full of quirky dishes that fortunately turns out fairly well.
49 East Coast Road
Singapore 428768
Tel: +65 6348 8568
Mon: 11am – 4.30pm, 6pm – 9.45pm
Tue to Sun: 9am – 4.30pm, 6pm – 9.45pm
Nearest Station: Eunos/ Paya Lebar
Established in October 2014, Refuel Cafe provides residents in Bedok with another option for brunch and brew. With a simple but welcoming space, Refuel offers a comprehensive menu that is unpretentious and affordable.
The brew is pretty decent, and we’d do that stack of banana pancakes (S$9.90) anytime.
Blk 744 Bedok Reservoir Road, #01-3029
Singapore 470744
Tel: +65 6448 0015
Mon, Wed to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 10pm
Tue: Closed
Nearest Station: Bedok
Joining the bustling cafe scene in the east is Routesixtysix, a newly opened neighbourhood cafe that serves mainly delectable waffles, ice cream of many interesting flavours and a range of house brews.
The small yet cosy cafe is less than 10 minutes walk from Bedok MRT Station and is situated just across the street from FATCAT Ice Cream Bar.
#01-122
412 Bedok North Ave 2
Singapore 460412
Tel: +65 6241 4705
Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 11pm
Wed: Closed
Nearest Station: Bedok
Scoop Therapy is a dessert-only spinoff of Group Therapy, serving mainly ice cream and ice cream-centric desserts in the east side of Singapore.
Located on the first floor of The Odeon Katong, there are two photogenic desserts that are worth traveling to the cafe for—S’mores, an imitation of the world-famous Frozen S’mores from Dominique Ansel Bakery and The Ice Cream Bomb which features two layers of choux puff sandwiching a generous scoop of Earl Grey Ice Cream.
11 East Coast Road
The Odeon Katong
Singapore 428722
Tel: +65 6247 9335
Tue to Thu: 2pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12 Midnight
Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Dakota
Photo Credit: Second Storey Cafe & Bar Facebook
SECOND STOREY CAFE & BAR
Tucked away on the second floor of a shophouse, Second Storey Cafe & Bar is a casual dining establishment with a welcoming interior that is suitable for family gatherings, couples going on a date and a meal with friends.
They have an excellent all-day brunch menu but you can also drop by for their pizzas and other western mains during dinner as well. Diners do not have to pay for service charge and GST over here!
Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn 2 miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.
19 East Coast Road, #02-01
Singapore 428746
Tel: +65 6346 0042
Tue to Thu, Sun: 10am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 10am – 1am
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Eunos
Run by the folks behind Awfully Chocolate, Sinpopo Brand is a nostalgic café along Joo Chiat Road and it encompasses everything a good cafe should be—welcoming and cosy, comforting local food with a twist, and exceptionally interesting desserts and drinks.
What Sinpopo Brand impressed us with the most is the attention to details and all its subtle nostalgic touches – evident from the interior and dishes.
458 Joo Chiat Rd
Singapore 427671
Tel: +65 6345 5034
Tue to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Dakota
Situated just a stone’s throw away from the ever-so-popular Blk 85 Fengshan Food Centre at Bedok North is a newly-opened carnival-themed café, Sir Stamford Waffles, which serves waffles, ice cream, coffee and more.
Do not be confused by the name of this café—Sir Stamford Raffles did not open this café—but rather, the people behind Hatter Street Bakehouse and Café did.
Blk 89 Bedok North Street 4 #01-91
Singapore 460089
Mon to Thu: 1pm – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 1pm – 12am
Tel: 97428895
Nearest Station: Bedok/ Bedok Reservoir
Photo Credit: South Union Park Facebook
SOUTH UNION PARK
Replacing a French restaurant by the name of ‘Vis-à-Vis’, South Union Park at Kembangan has made a name for itself among residents in the east. The cafe takes pride in making their pasta and burgers in-house on a daily basis and portions are generous, to say the least.
Some crowd pleasers not to skip are the Poached Salmon, Carrot Risotto and Chicken Liver Pate.
101 Jalan Kembangan
Singapore 419139
Tel: +65 9061 8703
Tue to Thu: 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri: 11.30am – 10pm
Sat: 10am – 10pm
Sun: 10am – 9pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Kembangan
Located along Upper East Coast Road, Stamping Ground Coffee shares the same space with a florist—Dawn Q Floral Design. The end result was unexpected; two inherently different businesses co-existing harmoniously in a single venue.
Stamping Ground Coffee’s all-day menu features 11 dishes and each dish costs no more than S$15 nett. Their Bacon Jam (S$14) features a thick fluffy brioche topped with candied bacon, rocket leaves and balsamic dressing. Knife the soft toast and unveil a baked egg.
87 Upper East Coast Road
Singapore 455223
Tel: +65 9070 7610
Tue to Fri: 8am to 6pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 6pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Bedok
The Coastal Settlement has been a favourite dining destination amongst hipster cafe hoppers and families alike.
The far-flung restaurant, located in the old barracks of Changi Beach, has drawn a crowd of regulars with its delicious food and attractive vintage furniture.
200 Netheravon Road
Singapore 508529
Tel: +65 6475 0200
Tue to Fri: 10.30am – 11pm
Sat & Sun: 8.30am – 12 Midnight
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Pasir Ris
THE ROYALS CAFE
This Halal-certified cafe is where you can find both Western and Asian cultures at one destination so do not be surprised to see Mee Siam, Braised Beef Cheek, Braised Lamb Shank & All-Day Breakfast options on the same menu.
On top of that, parents will also be keen to know that there is a lego play corner for kids so you get to take a well-deserved break and enjoy your meal in peace.
Crescendo Building
19 Upper East Coast Road
Singapore 455209
Tel: +65 6445 6457
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bedok
Previously located at the old Dakota estate, Tian Kee & Co has reopened a new takeaway outlet at 46 Siglap Drive, serving popular cakes such as Ugly Nutella and Rainbow Cheesecake once again.
New gelato flavours include French Vanilla & Rose, Earl Grey Raspberry and Sea Salt Honey Lavender.
46 Siglap Drive
Singapore 456171
Tel: +65 6581 1580
Tue – Thu: 11am – 8pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 10pm
Sun: 11am – 8pm
Mon: Closed
Nearest Station: Kembangan
Walk into To-gather cafe and you will notice that cursive writings of inspirational quotes and song lyrics fill up the walls in the most elegant manner. There is also a wall featuring post-it notes with messages and compliments penned down personally by customers.
The best part? Most of the main courses are affordably priced under S$12. To-gather Cafe is one place where you can have a good meal without breaking the bank.
Blk 84 Bedok North Street 4, #01-25/27
Singapore 460084
Tel: +65 6445 1011
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest stations: Tanah Merah/ Bedok
Read: the ultimate guide to 40 Cafes In The West Of Singapore You Must Visit.