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If Singapore has Tiong Bahru Bakery, PS.Cafe and Common Man Coffee Roasters, then Hong Kong has Elephant Grounds. Founded in 2013, the café offers freshly-baked pastries, all-day brunch, and craft coffee. What started as a humble kiosk has since turned into a full-fledged chain, with not just a loyal local following in Hong Kong, but also branches in Manila and Jakarta. And now, 13 years later, the brand finds itself in Singapore, smack dab between office towers at the recently opened Guoco Midtown development.
We arrive at Elephant Grounds Singapore at around 3pm on a weekday. Despite the midday lull, the café is relatively crowded compared to its neighbouring F&B outlets, with groups of office workers chatting over coffee at the alfresco seating area, laptops open. A short line forms at the counter for takeaway coffee, served in bright orange cups with the chain's iconic elephant logo. There are also ample indoor tables for those who prefer to stay away from the heat.
Inside, the space is brightly lit and relatively conducive for working if you don't mind a bit of clamour and the regular churn of the coffee machine – free WiFi is provided as well. There's also a dedicated merchandise counter with lifestyle items and the brand's merchandise. Think reusable tumblers created in collaboration with MiiR, adult and children's apparel, tote bags, and Elephant Grounds' original espresso blend, for you to take home and craft your own cuppa.
There is a fairly wide selection of brunch dishes, ranging from pancakes (from $14) and grain bowls to classics like avocado toast ($18) and smoked salmon eggs benny ($20). We heard good things about Mr. Shakshuka ($20, available from 8am onwards), and true enough, the tomatoey dip hits the spot. The base is a spicy tomato salsa studded with chunks of chorizo for even more heat. Feta, cilantro and baked eggs complete the medley, and of course, there are toasted sourdough slices on the side. Our only gripe would be the portion size – $20 for two slices of bread and the mid-sized pan of salsa seems a tad steep.
The menu is split into three categories: Good Morning & Chill runs from 8am to 11am on weekdays, All-Day from 11am to 8pm daily, and Brunch & Chill on weekends and holidays, from 8am to 5pm. Look out for other highlights like the acai yoghurt bowl ($18) made with small batch rolled oats, PB&J toast on milk bread ($14) – harking back to the Hong Kong cha chaan teng breakfast toast – and mango coconut overnight oats ($15). We'd have loaded up on the pancakes as well, if only they weren't sold out by the time we arrived. Two kinds are available, the original with fresh whipped cream and maple syrup ($14), and the crowd-favourite wildberry stacks with a maple syrup coulis ($16).
If you're stopping by for lunch and want something more substantial, order one of the donburis (from $20), with easy pairings like torched salmon with mixed greens ($20), tuna poke with avocado ($20) and the hearty steak gyudon with Angus beef and chimichurri sauce ($24). Else, load up on carbs with anything under the 'Carb Loading' section of the menu – plates of chicken parm ($20), linguine carbonara ($22) and rigatoni bolognese ($22) are more than enough to induce a food coma. Meanwhile, those craving a healthy meal can opt for the Buddha Bowl ($18), with a whole host of nutrient-rich ingredients, nuts, fruits and greens, drizzled with roasted sesame dressing.
Come April to June, the café will also be introducing its popular ice cream sandwiches, a nostalgic childhood dessert sandwiched between gooey chocolate chip cookies. Here's hoping that the signature Peanut Gallery or peanut butter-flavoured ice cream from the Hong Kong stores makes its way here too. Another item that's unfortunately sold out during our visit: churros. Elephant Grounds has just two dip choices – caramel and Nutella ($8 each), and they happen to be extremely popular, so make sure to reach early for first dibs.
Thankfully, some of the house-made pastries are still available. These are handmade and baked on-site daily for maximum freshness. Of course, we can't resist getting the plain ol' croissant ($3.80). While buttery, flavourful and shatteringly crisp when you bite in, we find it to be a tad oily for a croissant, and lacking that ideal honeycomb structure at its cross-section.
The banoffee-flavoured croissant, however, is a pleasant surprise ($6), oozing with caramelised bananas in the middle and generously topped with chocolate cookie crumbs. The stuffed doughnuts ($5) are equally good, though limited in flavours. We enjoy the subtle fragrance of the earl grey cream over the sweetness of the Valrhona chocolate and vanilla raspberry fillings. Also worth trying are the Danish pastries, in flavours like apple, blueberry and the more interesting and savoury bacon-mustard combo ($6 each).
Elephant Grounds' house blend hails from Ijen Lestari in East Java, then roasted in-house to create signature blends and single-origin coffees. All your staples are here: espresso ($4.50), long black ($5), flat white, cappuccino, lattes ($6.50) and the like. The joint also serves up macchiatos, piccolos, Valrhona chocolate mochas ($8), and dirty coffee ($5.50) – or a double shot espresso over cold milk.
But we're more interested in the chain's special drinks, which can all be found under the section EG Exclusive. The Bulletproof ($8.50) is a keto-friendly alternative to coffee with coconut oil and butter, said to replace carbs and fuel you up for the day. Think kopi gu you, but with the distinct fragrance of coconut and completely unsweetened. Each sip also leaves a thin sheen of oil on your lips. This one's definitely an acquired taste.
The Americano Air ($6.50) and iced French vanilla latte ($8) don't fare too well in our books either. While the former is touted as a milk-free, micro-aerated Americano with steamed espresso and ice, we find the concoction to be way too mild for our liking, without that familiar, roasted aroma of coffee. If you're game, you could give the other drinks on the menu a shot. The café offers hojicha, matcha and salted caramel lattes, its own version of a Vietnamese Coffee – the Black Tie – and a range of teas.
Our overall rating of Elephant Grounds: 3/5
Elephant Grounds is a solid pick if you're looking for unpretentious brunch fare or a fuss-free spot in town for a casual catch-up. Those strapped for time can also pop in easily for a quick power brekkie, brunch, or even early dinner, since the café stays open till 8pm. Plus points go to the freshly baked pastries and sweets that are comfortably above average, and the extensive beverage list with plenty of options. Despite some beverages falling below expectations in our experience, the decent post-lunch crowd and constant stream of takeaway orders for regular coffee should speak for itself. Do note that popular items like the pancakes and churros tend to sell out around lunchtime, so make sure to plan your visit accordingly.
Elephant Grounds is open daily from 8am to 8pm at 124 Beach Road, Guoco Midtown II, #01-04, Singapore 189771.
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