One thing I love about Singapore’s café scene right now is how the tides are shifting – from buzzy destination cafés in town with long queues, to quieter neighbourhood spots that serve the local community. Sure, many of these smaller specialty joints still stick to the usual line-up of espresso-based drinks and pastries, but that’s not a bad thing if it means a solid cuppa is just a 10-minute walk away. That said, some still manage to stand out by going beyond the basics, whether it's with inventive bakes or just sheer dedication to perfecting your brew. Here are five new neighbourhood cafés in Singapore worth checking out now.
For more recommendations, check out Time Out's guide to the 50 best cafés in Singapore.
1. Beth
Helmed by ex-MasterChef Singapore contestant Amanda and her partner Alex, Beth is a cosy addition to the Upper Thomson neighbourhood. But no, it's not located along the prominent Upper Thomson café stretch that's home to Hello Arigato, Oaks Coffee Co. and the like, but rather, further up north and nearer to the entrance of Lower Peirce Reservoir. On weekends, crowds pack the place after their morning hike for a taste of Amanda and Alex's Italian-European fare – think hearty, refined creations that go beyond your typical café food. The pistachio and mortadella sandwich ($18) is a bestseller, with generous fillings of ham and a creamy layer of cheese, but if you like a sweet-and-savoury combo, it's the signature hotcake with homemade jam ($17) that you should be eyeing. Fluffy, thick and drenched in soy maple honey, it's everything you want a hotcake to be.
Address: 134 Casuarina Rd, Singapore 579522
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-9pm; Sat-Sun 9am-9pm
2. Komunal
Just a 10-minute walk from Eunos MRT will take you to this pocket-sized café serving up some lovely brews and bakes. Komunal offers two kinds of beans for its espresso-based drinks (from $4) – the Vanta, which is milky and chocolatey, and the El Libano, which is silky with notes of peach milk tea. The filter coffee changes depending on what's available that day, so do check in with the barista. And if you want to get extra serious about coffee, there's a tasting flight that includes a white, espresso shot and a palate cleanser (from $9). Specialty chocolate and matcha are available too (from $7), but a must-try is the warm, buttery scone with honey butter, jam and clotted cream ($8.50). Komunal works with a neurodivergent crew, so a little patience and love during your visit will go a long way.
Address: 116 Changi Rd, #01-11, Singapore 419718
Opening hours: Mon 8am-4pm, Tue-Sun 8am-7pm
3. Neighbourly
Yes, it's located within the Pandan Valley Condominium Complex, but this new spot is actually open to the public with plenty of parking spaces nearby – simply let the security guard know you're visiting the café. Neighbourly takes up a unique two-storey space, with a pet-friendly alfresco area and a spiral staircase indoors that leads up to a second dining room. The bakery-café is run by the familiar local brand Carpenter and Cook, so expect fail-proof cakes and bakes here. The earl grey passionfruit pastry and asparagus egg pastry are the more unique finds on the menu, with flaky, buttery crusts that go well with coffee. But arguably, the best part of the café is the open grass patch right outside, which is prime real estate for your furbabies to frolic about in the sun.
Address: 2 Pandan Valley, Pandan Valley Condominium, #01-213, Singapore 597626
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 8am-5pm
4. Vicbakery
Vicbakery started as an online business in 2015 – its Instagram page is a catalogue of some of the prettiest cakes you'll see on the internet, from towering castles with intricate details to adorable cartoon characters. Its brick-and-mortar café opened a couple of months ago right next door to the viral Wheathead Bakery, and it's giving cottagecore and English countryside charm. Enjoy freshly baked fruit cakes in nine flavours like peach oolong ($11.90), jasmine grape ($8.90) and guava jasmine ($8.90) – though do note that the selection varies daily. Other than cakes, you can snack on sweet treats like colourful shell macarons with generous fillings ($5.90), dainty dacquoise ($4.90) and mochi ($7.90) shaped like Jellycat characters. Make sure to arrive early as the sitting area isn't big and items can run out fast on busy days.
Address: 8 Slim Barracks Rise, One-North Eden, #01-02, Singapore 138492
Opening hours: Daily noon-7pm
5. The Weirdoughs
Serangoon is already home to several well-loved spots like Lola's, Joji's Diner, Chu And Co and more, but the neighbourhood welcomes a new bakery-café this month – The Weirdoughs. The bright yellow store takes over the moody Japanese hideout that was once Jane Provision Shop. The popular caipoh sourdough with sambal butter might only be around till the end of August as part of an SG60 menu (fingers crossed they'll bring it back though), but you can still try plenty of other stellar creations on the menu. Like the kimchi sausage bun, for example, loaded with cheese, kimchi and gochujang mayo. Or the onion leek pastry and key lime pie. For a neighbourhood café, the menu is surprisingly wide, with unique items olive oil madeleines with Taiwanese peppers and even bombolinis in flavours like coffee sesame and mango vanilla. Pro-tip: don't leave without buying home a loaf of fluffy shokupan.
Address: 211 Serangoon Ave 4, #01-10, Singapore 550211
Opening hours: Mon, Thu & Fri 10am-7.30pm; Sat-Sun 8am-3pm
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