A Foodie Guide to Singapore’s Best Cafes in the East
Many East Singapore cafes engage with their communities by hosting art exhibitions, live music performances, and workshops. They serve as creative hubs for locals and visitors to share ideas and collaborate (aside from serving good brews and food!).
Together, let’s discover the best cafes in the East and see why it’s a haven for coffee enthusiasts and culinary adventurers alike.
Apiary
Address: 84 Neil Rd, Singapore 088844 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6564937273
Hours: Daily, noon – 10 PM
Price: $
The Apiary is a cosy hideout with an almost rustic interior featuring wooden accents and ample natural lighting. Its current menu is simple to the point of starkness, featuring ice cream, waffles, tea, coffee, and tarts.
Simple is fine with us as long as the quality is there (thankfully, it is). The yuzu (East Asian fruit) pear blossom tea was aromatic and piping hot, while the waffle was freshly made, crispy on the outside, and chewy yet soft inside.
Pro-tip: A cosy upstairs spot has air conditioning for hot summer days.
Bloom Cafe and Wine Bar
Address: 118 Killiney Rd, #01-01, Singapore 239555 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6564448130
Hours: Daily, 8 AM – 9.30 PM
Price: $$
Bloom Café has diverse seating options, from intimate corners for quiet moments to communal tables for social gatherings. It’s a great place for all-day breakfast and lunch options.
We were in the mood for both pasta and pizza, so we had the carbonara pizza, which had a delightfully thin crust and was wonderfully creamy. There’s also a tasty Turkish dish with poached eggs over Greek yoghurt, topped with dill, red pepper, and ghee.
Pro-tip: High chairs are available for little diners.
The Brewing Ground
Address: 406 Joo Chiat Pl, #01-24 The Yards, Singapore 428084 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6583136092
Hours: Daily, 8.30 AM – 5 PM
Price: $$
The Brewing Ground is located at The Yards in Joo Chiat, a vibrant space dedicated to arts, dance, and drama. It’s become a go-to among families in the area.
A great way to start the day would be via its Brewers Breakfast. It features a generous platter with eggs, maple-seared bacon, cheese sausage, hash browns, spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and perfectly toasted sourdough bread.
Pro-tip: The Brewing Ground is a pet-friendly place, so bring your furbabies along.
Hundred Acre Creamery
Address: Block 824 Tampines Street 81, #01-24, Singapore 520824 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6597649107
Hours: Daily, noon – 11 PM
Price: $$
Hundred Acre Creamery is a Winnie the Pooh-themed café run by friendly Vietnamese owners. It’s known for hand-churned artisanal ice cream, Vietnamese desserts, and coffee.
We’re all over its Dalat, made from butter avocados imported from Vietnam and topped with coconut sorbet. The Belgian waffle was also delicious—crispy outside, soft inside, and served warm.
Pro-tip: Staff permits gelato taste testing before ordering.
Hello Arigato
Address: 314 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427565 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6588895657
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10 AM – 5.30 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 9 AM – 5.30 PM
Price: $$
Hello Arigato is known for its delicious sando (Japanese sandwich) offerings.
The Gyu Sando offers the option to cook it to medium-rare. It features Angus beef sirloin, sweet caramelised onion jam, and Japanese milk bread.
For something more basic, the cafe also has Shibuya toast, which is crispy outside and perfectly soft inside. The mac and cheese croquette was a surprise hit, featuring curry mac and cheese inside.
Pro-tip: The place is on the small side and can get easily crowded during lunchtime.
Kings Cart Coffee Factory
Address: 328 Joo Chiat Rd, #01-05, Singapore 427585 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6588148445
Hours: Daily, 9 AM – 5 PM
Price: $$
It’s no coincidence that there are several cafes along Joo Chiat in this post because there’s no shortage of good ones in the area.
Kings Cart Coffee offers unique items like its yuzu cloud coffee, which was surprisingly un-sour and quite refreshing. The cafe blends coffee flavours seamlessly with other ingredients.
And if you’re hungry, you’ll love offerings like the fresh smoked salmon with eggs Benedict on sourdough, accompanied by avocado and crispy rice puff.
Pro-tip: There’s street parking and an open-air car park nearby.
Breakfast Grill
Address: 380 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428986 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6586128807
Hours: Daily, 8 AM – 4 PM
Price: $$
If you’re like us and are a fan of overstuffed sandwiches, head on over to Breakfast Grill. Its menu is simple, featuring nine All Day Sammies, assorted sides, and Bites available after 11 AM.
What are the sandwiches stuffed with, you ask? For starters, expect thick squidgy bread to be filled with scrambled eggs, a chicken thigh, and even snack fave Cheetos!
The tender five-spiced deep-fried chicken thigh is balanced perfectly with scrambled eggs. It’s practically a full meal on bread!
Pro-tip: The restaurant offers children’s plates and utensils for families with little diners.
Bread & Hearth
Address: 30 E Coast Rd, #02-27 Katong V, Singapore 428751 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6563488068
Hours: Daily, 7.30 AM – 6.30 PM
Price: $$
Bread & Hearth Katong V features contemporary rustic décor with a cosy atmosphere using lots of wood. It’s a relaxed and down-to-earth spot, ideal for work nomads.
While no bread is baked on-site, freshly made croissants and pastries are still available.
The tuna sandwich is reliably crispy and crusty, a popular brunch choice.
Pro-tip: It opens at 7.30 AM, so you can enjoy having the cafe to yourself if you’re an early bird.
Refuel Cafe
Address: 744 Bedok Reservoir Rd, #01-3029 Reservoir Village, Singapore 470744 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6564480015
Hours: Daily, 9 AM – 9 PM
Price: $$
Refuel Cafe excels in offering consistently delicious food at affordable prices. Its service is pretty no-nonsense (no hipster systems here!): orders are made at the counter with upfront payment.
Its interior seems to be inspired by American gas stations with petrol signs and oil barrels. Going with the “refuelling” theme, the Full Tank offers a hearty breakfast with creamy peppered scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, and juicy bratwurst sausages.
Also, we’re happy to report that its BBQ ribs are sticky, tender, and perfectly balanced in flavour.
Pro-tip: Iced water refills and use of utensils are self-service.
The Garden Slug
Address: 55 Lor L Telok Kurau, #01-59/61, Singapore 425500 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6588959059
Hours: Monday to Friday, 11.30 AM – 9 PM; Saturday to Sunday, 9.30 AM – 9.30 PM
Price: $$
We believe that a good cafe shouldn’t just be for people; pets should also enjoy the experience. Luckily, The Garden Slug is one of them.
Established in 2006, it’s one of Singapore’s oldest cafes. Its cosy atmosphere resembles dining in a beloved garden with outdoor seating providing a refreshing sea breeze from nearby East Coast Park.
The cafe serves generous American-sized portions with a focus on healthier options, featuring dishes abundant in vegetables and wholemeal bread.
Pro-tip: The puppy menu includes options like vegan pancakes.
Supernova
Address: 266 Tanjong Katong Rd, Singapore 437053 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6565189600
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 8 AM – 10 PM; Sundays, 8 AM – 7 PM
Price: $$
Supernova is a stylish, contemporary cafe with ample natural light. Occupying the lower half of an old conservation building along Tanjong Katong, it offers spacious indoor and outdoor dining areas.
A must-try is its fried chicken French toast. It features perfectly crispy chicken and heavenly pillow-like bread, especially when doused with syrup.
Pro-tip: The outdoor area is pet-friendly with plenty of tables.
Knots Cafe and Living
Address: 160 Paya Lebar Rd, #01-07, Orion@PayaLebar 409022 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6568170383
Hours: Daily (except Mondays), 9 AM – 9 PM
Price: $$
Knots Cafe And Living is a café within a furniture shop that also sells plants (talk about versatile!). This strange sort of hybrid fusion also shines in its cuisine such as with its truffle parma spaghetti.
It features prosciutto parma ham atop truffle-infused cream sauce pasta with mushrooms and spinach. There’s a delightful sweet-salty balance in the dish, much like in the restaurant’s enchantingly lush surroundings.
Pro-tip: The cafe has partnered with Wine Connection to offer a good wine selection (the Cornerstone Chardonnay is quite good).