It took us a while to visit The Bravery Cafe because we have heard mixed reviews about it. Some people mentioned that the seats are uncomfortable (which is true to an extent), while others commented that there is nothing outstanding and it is just another new cafe.

However, after our first visit to this cafe in the Lavender neighbourhood, we find ourselves returning whenever we are in the vicinity and in need of a caffeine boast.

The Bravery Cafe is opened by the folks who are behind the The Plain at Craig Road, which has been widely recognised as one of the better coffee places in Singapore.

But if we had to choose, we actually preferred The Bravery Cafe to The Plain because of the vibe of the place – it feels a lot more welcoming.

Other than the slightly uncomfortable furniture, it has all the factors that we look out for in a cafe. There is free wifi for those who are working on the go. The baristas make exceptional coffee, in particular, the lavender latte (S$5.50) is something that we will order every time.

Also, the food offering – which is somewhat similar to The Plain’s menu – is uncomplicated and affordable. Start your day off with a Crostini (S$7.50), or Eggs on Toast (S$8). The Pancakes Stack (S$15) – with bananas, ricotta cheese, honey and crusted pistachio – is also noteworthy. For those who want to do some reading, there is a small selection of good magazines. Parking is not expensive and relatively easy, with ample parking lots in the area.

The Bravery Cafe
66 Horne Road
Daily (except Tue): 8am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Lavender

For more recommendations, read our guide to the best cafes in Singapore

The Plain is a Melbourne-style Cafe located at Craig road and it has been building up a strong following who go there regularly for their poached eggs and coffee.

It has an all day breakfast menu that serves simple food like toasts ($5), eggs ($5 – $11.5), ciabattas ($8.5) and sandwiches ($9). Occasionally, they also have home baked sweets like tarts and mini cakes.

The interior of The Plain Coffee House is causal and unassuming, with grey-scale wall and simple furniture. It is a nice place to sit down and read a book, whilst having sandwich with a cup of Genovese coffee. The place is not very big and it can probably accommodate around 30-40 people.

The Plain’s Pastrami Ciabatta ($8.5) was more than good – it was excellent. I am not sure if it was because we were too hungry, but everyone agreed that it was a winner. Definitely will try out the other two Ciabatta (Salami & Antipasto) the next time round.

There was barely anything to the Darling’s Eggs ($6.50 for 1/$11.5 for 2): just sourdough toast, roma tomatoes, cheese and poached eggs. But it was an extremely satisfying breakfast.

The key, I think, is the Roma tomato. I’ve told you about the benefits of eating tomatoes before. Needless to say, the idea of having the sweet and juicy tomatoes with the poached eggs was the clincher.

On the other hand, my friends preferred the simple taste of the Plain Eggs ($5 for 1/$8 for 2) – poached eggs on buttered sourdough toast without tomatoes and cheese.

Out of curiosity, we ordered the Dean’s Breakfast ($6.0 for 1/$10.5 for 2) which came with Vegemite spread. The dark brown Australian food paste on the sourdough toast was surprisingly pleasant. If you like Vegemite, there’s also the Humpty Dumpty & Vegemite soldiers (dippy eggs on buttered toast sticks) on The Plain Cafe’s menu.

Considering that The Plain Coffee Shop was not very crowded when we were there for brunch, service was slow and the staff made a mistake with two of our orders.

It was quite puzzling to see that there was no proper billing system at The Plain Cafe. The staff do not record down the items when taking the order, so you have to repeat your order when paying at the counter.

I asked the owner the rationale for this and he explained that most cafes in Melbourne operate this way. Most importantly, he wants The Plain to be a place where you feel the familiarity of having dinner at a friend’s house. Whilst I think it is very admirable to charge based on a system of trust, it can get quite messy if there are many too orders. Furthermore, it increases the waiting time during payment.

Having said that, I like the fact that The Plain Cafe is not commercialised. It is refreshing to see cool cafes like these in the local scene.

The Plain Cafe
50 Craig Road #01-01 Singapore
(Near the intersection with Duxton road)
Tel: +65 6225 4387
Daily 7.30am – 7.30pm