The relentless obsession with Melbourne cafes is such a worldwide phenomenon to the extent where virtually every cosmopolitan city is jumping on the bandwagon of serving Melburnian-inspired brunch, alongside aromatic Australian flat whites. From Two Hands, and Little Collins in New York City, to Lantana Cafe and Kaffeine in London, Melbourne-style cafes can be found in many cities around the World today.
Needless to say, Singapore is too unspared from this global trend. Will these cafes continue to become a part of our daily lives, or will the bulk of these establishments disappear like the Bubble Tea fad? Only time will tell.
According to National Population and Talent Division, approximately 50,000 Singaporeans live in Australia. Most of them return to Singapore after graduation and/or a few years of work, only to find themselves sorely missing Down Under’s handcrafted coffee. The demand for artisanal coffees is high, especially when Singaporeans today are increasingly well-travelled too. Spurred by a group of young ambitious entrepreneurs and expats, a cafe culture was born.
It has only been but five years since the café bug bit us. 40 Hands was one of the pioneer specialty coffee cafes that emerged in 2010 – where it has transformed the previously sleepy Tiong Bahru neighbourhood forever. Today, there are hundreds of similar specialty coffee shops catered for affluent yuppies. Judging from our Instagram feeds, consumers are clearly craving for more. Here, we look deeper into Singapore’s cafe scene and where it is headed to!
