While Tanjong Pagar is heralded as a haven for cafe hoppers, not all cafes serve good coffee.
So before we recommend the best cup of coffee to get at Tanjong Pagar, let’s break down what makes a good cup of coffee.
It’s not as simple as how premium the coffee beans are. Frankly, not everyone is interested in paying $8 for a cup of filter single origin.
Hence, we’ll be filtering out the best coffees in Tanjong Pagar based on its quality, uniqueness, and most importantly, whether it’s reasonably priced.
Where to find the best coffee in Tanjong Pagar
1. Good Egg by Bearded Bella — unique single origins on rotation
2. Huggs Coffee — the perfect lounge to relax in
3. Baristart Coffee SG — best Iced Latte with premium Hokkaido milk
4. Equate Coffee — nutty coffee
5. Acoustics Coffee Bar — house-roasted Brazil single origin
6. Cafe Kreams — Autumn-inspired Korean cafe
7. The Populus Coffee and Co. — the best cold brew
8. Alchemist — signature Dark Matter blend
9. Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee — traditional claypot coffee
10. Luckin Coffee — most affordable
1. Good Egg by Bearded Bella
You can always trust Good Egg for a solid cup of good coffee, since they are the sister brand of award-winning cafe Bearded Bella.
Their Guatemala single origin blew my mind with its earthy and floral aftertaste. It’s probably on rotation and might not be available by the time you visit, but it just goes to show just how interesting and unique their single origin selection is, and how adept their barista is at extracting those tasting notes.
But even if you’re not a pretentious coffee snob, you can enjoy speciality coffee concoctions like their signature Coffee Slushie ($8) and Citrus Coffee Spritz ($6.5).
Good Egg by Beaded Bella menu
- Espresso ($4.5)
- Black ($5.5)
- White ($6)
- Coffee Slushie ($8)
Location: 160 Robinson Rd, #01-01 SBF Center, Singapore 068914
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5:30pm
Sat-Sun: Closed
2. Huggs Coffee
Coffee chains have a bad reputation for serving mediocre coffee, but Huggs is one brand that we can get behind.
Despite having three outlets scattered around Tanjong Pagar, they are still able to consistently delivery a solid cup of joe. Their Signature H-Blend delivers rich chocolate-y tones that coats your tongue.
If you’re looking for a conducive cafe to get some work done, head down to their Maxwell outlet, with “study pods” available.
Huggs Coffee menu
- Espresso ($4.5)
- Americano ($5.5)
- Latte ($6.5)
- Cold Brew ($6)
- +$1 for ice
Location: 30 Maxwell Road #01-03, Singapore 069114
Opening hours: 9am-5pm
3. Baristart Coffee SG
If you only drink iced latte, you should drink it with the best milk possible, and there’s no milk that’s more premium than one the BIEI Jersey Milk imported directly from Hokkaido.
Baristart Coffee best-seller, the Iced Latte ($6.7), features a creamy and rich latte. It’s also very reasonably priced, considering there are other cafes on this list that charges $6-7 for an Iced Latte as well.
While they do offer black coffee, we recommend ordering their best-seller since you can’t easily find this Hokkaido milk at other cafes. But, if you’re dragged here by a friend, and you really don’t like milky coffees, you could try other interesting drinks like the Lemonade Espresso ($7.5) or Coconut Americano ($7.5).
Baristart Coffee SG menu
- Espresso ($3.5)
- Americano ($3.5)
- Latte ($6.7)
- White Cold Brew ($8)
- Lemonade Espresso ($7.5)
- Coconut Americano ($7.5)
Location: 65 Tras St, Singapore 079004
Opening hours: 9am-10pm
4. Acoustics Coffee Bar
Acoustics Coffee Bar might be a slight walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, but what sets it apart from other coffee houses is their house-roasted Brazil single origin.
On the hopper is their Fazenda Santa Cruz, which offers a touch of acidity and sweetness — a very different profile from the nutty and chocolatey ones on this list.
We recommend the Iced Black ($5) for the best experience.
This cafe also serves a mean selection of brunch dishes, like their latest Blueberry French Toast ($16) and signature Acoustics Breakfast ($24).
Acoustics Coffee Bar menu
- Espresso ($3.5)
- Black ($4.5)
- White ($5.5)
- Honey Black ($7)
- +$1 for iced
Location: 61 Neil Rd, Singapore 088895
Opening hours: 8:30am-5:30pm
5. Equate Coffee
For an intensely nutty cup of coffee, head down to Equate Coffee.
The Iced Latte ($7) was light-bodied and had a potent nutty undertone with a touch of chocolate in the background. Meanwhile, the Iced Mocha ($7.5) had a generous topping of chocolate drizzled at the base, accentuating the richness of the drink.
They also serve a small selection of bakes like croissants and cakes.
Equate Coffee menu
- Espresso ($3.5)
- Black ($5.5)
- White ($6)
- Mocha ($6.5)
- 50’s Brew ($7.5)
- +$1 for ice
Location: 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-25, Singapore 0820013
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 8:30am-5:30pm
Saturday: 8:30am-3pm
Sunday: Closed
6. The Populus Coffee and Co.
The Populus Coffee and Co., also known as Populus Cafe, uses beans from local roastery Two Degrees North Coffee Co.
Their Cold Brew ($8) features a roasted, nutty flavour. For those who have tried, it’s similar to Brawn & Brains rendition, but this has a lighter coffee aroma.
They also serve an extensive menu from western dishes to all-day breakfast. Pancake lovers can opt for their Buckwheat Pancakes ($23) which is cooked in a cast-iron pan for a rustic, crispy surface.
The Populus Coffee and Co. menu
- Black ($5)
- White ($6)
- Cold White Brew ($8)
- Filter Coffee (from $7)
Location: 146 Neil Rd, Singapore 088875
Opening hours: 9am-6:30pm
7. Cafe Kreams
Known as the “Korean autumn leaves cafe” Cafe Kreams might be the most aesthetic cafe in Tanjong Pagar. But, beyond their pretty face, they also serve a pretty good cup of coffee.
They do roast their own coffee beans, which is a good indicator of how good the coffee’s going to be. Execution-wise, it was great the three times I visited.
The Iced Long Black ($6.5) was acidic and recommended with their special blend, utilising beans from Kenya and Colombia, for their fruity undertones. Meanwhile, the Iced Latte ($7.5) brewed with the house blend had a rich chocolate note and nutty finish.
For something sweet and Instagrammable, the Iced Dalgona Latte ($11) is topped with house-made honeycomb chips, which added just a touch of syrupy goodness in the coffee.
Cafe Kreams
- Espresso ($5.5)
- Black ($5.5)
- White ($6.5)
- Dalgona Latte ($10)
- +$1 for ice
Location: 32 Maxwell Rd, #01-07 Maxwell Chambers, Singapore 069115
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5pm
Saturday: 9:30am-2pm
Sunday: Closed
8. Alchemist
I’ll be honest. Alchemist has fallen short since we first had it in 2020, but it still remains as one of the best coffees in Tanjong Pagar.
Their own locally-roasted Dark Matter blend is full-bodied, with a nutty and chocolatey profile. Most Singaporeans prefer this type of profile compared to the fruitier, acidic kind.
For those who have always bought their coffee from International Plaza, which is a takeaway kiosk, you’ll be delighted to know that they have recently opened new outlets with seats at Hong Leong Building and 71 Robinson Road.
Alchemist menu
- Espresso ($3.5)
- Black ($5)
- White ($5.5)
- +$1 for ice
Location: 10 Anson Road, #01-34 International Plaza, 079903
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm
Sat-Sun: Closed
9. Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee
For an interesting way to start your day, considering getting your morning coffee brewed in a claypot.
Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee brews all their kopi with claypots. You’ll find dozens of them lined up in the store.
This is the most affordable cup of coffee on this list: Kopi O ($2), Kopi C ($2.8), and Kopi ($2.5). But what I like about this is, compared to typical nanyang coffee at hawker centres, this has a smoother mouthfeel and less punchy flavours. It’s almost like a strongly-brewed cup of tea.
You can also get interesting drinks like Iced Coconut Coffee ($6.5) and Iced Yuan Yang ($4.5).
Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee menu
- Kopi O ($2)
- Kopi ($2.5)
- Kopi C ($2.8)
- Iced Coconut Coffee ($6.5)
- Iced Yuan Yang ($4.5)
Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee
Location: 10 Anson Rd, #01-03 International Plaza, Singapore 079903
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5pm
Saturday: 9:30am-2pm
Sunday: Closed
10. Luckin Coffee
You’ve gotta admit that Luckin Coffee makes a pretty decent cup of coffee for the price. This outlet is also conveniently located right beside Tanjong Pagar MRT Station.
I’m a fan of their Gesha single origin which is a little jammy, a little fruity — and let’s face it, who’s not a fan of huge discounts.
It’s almost always 20% off, and if you’re a frequent buyer, you’ll even get exclusive discount codes sent to you every now and then.
Location: 7 Wallich St, #B1 – 24 Guoco Tower, Singapore 078884
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-8:30pm
Sat-Sun: 9am-7pm
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