Where to Find the Best Specialty Coffee in Singapore
Singapore’s culinary landscape is renowned, but its coffee scene is undergoing a quiet, yet powerful, revolution. However, a new wave of passionate roasters, skilled baristas, and aesthetic cafes has cemented Singapore as a major player in the global specialty coffee map. This comprehensive guide cuts through the noise to bring you the definitive list of the best specialty coffee cafes in Singapore.
Nylon Coffee Roasters
Nylon Coffee Roasters is consistently ranked among Singapore's best specialty coffee spots due to its pure focus on the coffee itself, excluding food or extensive menus to maintain an intimate, bean-to-cup experience. This micro-roastery is celebrated for its dedication to ethical, traceable, and transparent sourcing, traveling yearly to build direct relationships with farmers and ensure high-quality, lightly roasted single-origin beans. Customers rave about the clean, aromatic, and perfectly balanced flavor profiles of their signature white and black coffees.
Nylon Coffee Roasters
4 Everton Prk, #01-40, Singapore 080004
Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee
Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee stands out in Singapore’s coffee scene by seamlessly blending deep, fifty-year-old local heritage with modern third-wave excellence. Originating from a family-run traditional coffee roasting business established in the 1960s, this Queenstown heartland gem is now helmed by the second generation who are licensed Q Graders, ensuring the absolute highest quality. They are renowned for their vast selection of single-origin beans (often over 15 varieties), which are roasted on-site and expertly brewed, delivering a clean, complex cup that appeals to both seasoned enthusiasts and those new to specialty coffee.
Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee
170 Stirling Rd, #01-1133, Singapore 140170
Apartment Coffee
Apartment Coffee is an internationally recognized specialty coffee studio, recently crowned as the Best Coffee Shop in Asia and ranked among the top 10 globally, a testament to its world-class quality. Run by a Singapore Brewers Cup Champion, the cafe is defined by its striking, minimalist, home-like aesthetic and a menu that predominantly focuses on meticulously brewed pour-overs using seasonal, high-quality, and traceable single-origin beans.
Apartment Coffee
139 Selegie Rd, #01-01, Singapore 188309
Zerah Coffee Roasters
Zerah Coffee Roasters is a hidden gem celebrated for its science-driven and meticulous approach to specialty coffee, living up to its name, which is inspired by the Hebrew word for "seed." This micro-roastery focuses intensely on transparency, quality, and maximizing the sweetness and vibrancy of its beans, which are roasted in-house in small, precise batches. Known for its selection of fruity and unconventional single-origin profiles and its minimalist, calm aesthetic.
Zerah Coffee Roasters
465 N Bridge Rd, #02-5063, Singapore 191465
Asylum Coffeehouse
Asylum Coffeehouse is a cozy, community-focused specialty cafe bringing high-quality coffee to a quieter residential neighborhood. Known for its friendly atmosphere and delicious bakes, Asylum dedicates itself to serving consistently excellent, uncomplicated specialty coffee, often featuring a well-curated selection of local and regional roasters.
Asylum Coffeehouse
311 Jln Besar, Singapore 208970
Grey Area Coffee Roasters
Grey Area Coffee Roasters is a niche, quality-focused micro-roastery that deliberately operates within the ambiguous "grey area" between conventional and specialty coffee, aiming to make complex flavors accessible to everyone. They are known for their dedication to precise, small-batch roasting, showcasing a frequently rotating selection of unique and nuanced single-origin beans alongside their signature house blends.
Grey Area Coffee Roasters
13 Kampong Bahru Rd, Singapore 169345
Narrative Coffee Stand
Narrative Coffee Stand is a beloved, tiny specialty coffee spot celebrated for its minimalist, fuss-free approach to exceptional coffee, often operating out of compact, functional spaces like a small counter or kiosk. Despite its size, it draws a loyal following due to its commitment to sourcing and brewing high-quality, nuanced single-origin beans and a constantly rotating seasonal menu.
Narrative Coffee Stand
Blk 231 Bain St, #01-05, Complex 180231
Butler Koffee
Butler Koffee is a popular specialty coffee kiosk and bar that has garnered a strong following, primarily for its convenient location and unwavering consistency in serving high-quality coffee focused on a smooth, comforting experience. They distinguish themselves with their signature "Butler’s Latte," which is often praised for its perfect balance between rich espresso and creamy milk, delivering a satisfying, well-rounded flavor profile.
Butler Koffee
The Adelphi, Coleman St, B1-09, Singapore 179803
Highlander Coffee Espresso Bar
Highlander Coffee Espresso Bar holds a significant place in Singapore’s specialty coffee history as one of the original local pioneers in roasting and supplying high-quality beans, having been established in 2004. This veteran roastery and café is known for its deep commitment to quality control and for producing its signature "Highlander Blend," which is favored by many cafes and offices across the island for its consistent, well-balanced profile.
Highlander Coffee Espresso Bar
49 Kampong Bahru Rd, Singapore 169362
Round Boy Roasters
Round Boy Roasters is a popular specialty roastery and cafe created by friends who turned their passion for coffee complexity into a full-fledged business. They are celebrated for their commitment to sourcing and roasting high-quality, specialty-grade beans in-house to maximize freshness and flavor, offering a constantly rotating and extensive selection of origins for both their espresso bar and home brewing enthusiasts.
Round Boy Roasters
146 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-1092, Singapore 160146
The Coffee Folks SG
The Coffee Folks SG is primarily a specialty coffee equipment and bean curation platform rather than a traditional cafe, but it earns its spot by making high-quality coffee accessible for home brewers. It acts as a trusted intermediary, offering a meticulously curated selection of premium brewing equipment (like Option-O grinders and OREA drippers) and providing coffee subscription services that feature fresh beans from some of Singapore's best local roasters (like Nylon Coffee and Round Boy Roasters).
The Coffee Folks SG
91 Bencoolen St, #06-07 Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652
My Awesome Cafe
My Awesome Cafe is less a pure specialty coffee roaster and more a popular Telok Ayer institution renowned for its distinct, vintage-industrial aesthetic—housed in a former Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital—and its vibrant, friendly atmosphere. While the menu focuses heavily on generous portions of fresh, wholesome food, including massive salads and sandwiches, the cafe provides reliably good quality coffee sourced from a low-profile local roaster, offering a blend that is often noted for its balanced, slightly darker roast profile.
My Awesome Cafe
202 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068639
Compound Coffee Co.
Compound Coffee Co. is a distinctive Singaporean specialty roastery, highly regarded for its rigorous, scientific, and experimental approach to coffee, often described as having a "geeky" focus on palette training and acidity. Operating out of a spacious, industrial-chic location in Kaki Bukit, it functions not just as a café but as a co-roasting space and training academy, emphasizing transparency and knowledge in the bean-to-cup process. They are celebrated for their meticulously sourced, rare single-origin beans and unique filter options.
Compound Coffee Co.
31 Kaki Bukit Rd 3, #01-02C, Singapore 417818
Little Big Coffee Roasters
Little Big Coffee Roasters is a beloved specialty roastery and café highly regarded as a hidden gem for its commitment to both quality and affordability. Operating primarily on weekdays, the small-batch roastery focuses on sourcing and in-house roasting a constantly changing selection of seasonal single-origin beans, with clear guidance for both espresso and filter preparation to bring out the complexity and clarity of the flavors.
Little Big Coffee Roasters
8 Biomedical Grv, #01-06, Singapore 138665
pull.in Coffee
pull.in Coffee stands out in the Singapore coffee scene as a no-frills, quality-focused spot dedicated to delivering meticulously crafted specialty brews without the high price tag. pull.in maintains a simple and well-executed menu, with a house blend that is often praised for its consistency and a focus on friendly, knowledgeable baristas.
pull.in Coffee
121 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428807
22 Grams Coffee
22 Grams Coffee stands out in Singapore's competitive CBD scene (with key outlets like Frasers Tower) due to its strict focus on precision and consistency, reflected directly in its name, which is based on the exact amount of coffee used for a double ristretto shot. Founded by passionate professional baristas, the kiosk-style cafe uses premium specialty-grade beans, often a well-balanced blend like Brazilian and Panama Caturra, ensuring a smooth, full-bodied cup with appealing nutty and chocolate notes and a hint of bright acidity.
22 Grams Coffee
182 Cecil St, #01-K1 Frasers Tower, Singapore 069547
Agora Coffee
Agora Coffee is a beloved, cozy "hole-in-the-wall" specialty coffee spot known for creating a strong sense of community that reflects its Greek-inspired name, meaning "gathering place." It operates as a dedicated micro-roastery, ensuring freshness and quality by roasting its own meticulously sourced beans and offering both classic espresso drinks and vibrant filter options.
Agora Coffee
31 Club St, #01-02, Singapore 069468
Ji Yue Coffee
Ji Yue Coffee is an acclaimed hidden gem celebrated for its exquisitely cozy, Japanese-meets-Taiwanese aesthetic and deeply knowledgeable, friendly owners. Though small, this café has earned a fervent following for serving meticulously crafted specialty coffee, utilizing single-origin beans—often sourced from quality partners like Sweet Blossom Coffee Roasters—to a lighter roast profile that highlights the natural sweetness and fruity complexity of the bean.
Ji Yue Coffee
3 South Buona Vista Rd, #01-13/14 Viva Vista, Singapore 118136
Maxi Coffee Bar
Maxi Coffee Bar is a tiny, brightly colored, and immensely popular cult favorite tucked away on a small street in the city center, known for its creative approach to specialty coffee and its limited counter seating. They distinguish themselves by pairing meticulously sourced, high-quality beans with innovative, fun, and often unique beverage concepts that go beyond the standard menu.
Maxi Coffee Bar
64 Club St, Back Entrance, Singapore 069438
Bee Hoe Coffee
Bee Hoe Coffee is a unique, hidden specialty cafe, distinguishing itself by bringing authentic Vietnamese coffee culture to Singapore. Sourcing beans directly from a co-owner's family farm in Vietnam, they serve a rich, robust, and distinctively flavorful brew that underpins both their standard espresso drinks and their signature creations. The café is particularly renowned for its Honey Egg Coffee, a rare find in Singapore.
Bee Hoe Coffee
55 Joo Chiat Pl, Singapore 427779
The Better Half
The Better Half is highly regarded for its perfect marriage of specialty coffee and exquisite artisan bakes, reflecting the passion of the couple who run it. While their cakes, featuring unique flavor combinations like Rose Raspberry and Chocolate Banana Lime, often steal the spotlight, their coffee is consistently praised as smooth, balanced, and velvety, with options often featuring seasonal, high-quality Ethiopian beans for a fragrant cup.
The Better Half
1 Everton Prk, #01-43, Singapore 081001
The Nourish Co.
The Nourish Co. is less a dedicated specialty roaster and more a highly popular, health-conscious deli that provides excellent, reliable coffee as a perfect accompaniment to its core offering of wholesome, premium salad bowls. While celebrated for its nourishing and customized food, the cafe serves consistently well-made white and black coffee, alongside creative cold brew options like Fruity Peach, ensuring that discerning professionals can easily find a high-quality, balanced, and flavorful cup without compromising their health-focused lunch or breakfast routine.
The Nourish Co.
45 Maxwell Rd, #01-02, Singapore 069118
Zeppelin & Co.
Zeppelin & Co. is Singapore's highly unique and first-ever "audio café," cleverly blending a specialty coffee experience with a high-end retail space for headphones, earphones, and audiophile equipment. While its primary draw is the ability to test expensive audio gear in a quiet, non-pressuring environment, the café component provides consistently good quality coffee (often featuring a smooth, balanced blend) and artisan bakes from local partners, establishing a comfortable, minimalist haven.
Zeppelin & Co.
1 Rochor Canal Rd, #02-78 Sim Lim Square, Singapore 188504
Musketeers Coffee
Musketeers Coffee is highly regarded in the Singapore coffee scene, not just for serving a consistently smooth and affordable specialty brew (often featuring a balanced three-bean blend) but primarily for its strong emphasis on coffee education through private and group workshops.
Musketeers Coffee
164 Kallang Way Solaris @ Kallang 164 West Wing, Lobby, #02-K1, Singapore 349248
Kyuukei Coffee
Kyuukei Coffee, whose name means "rest" or "break" in Japanese, is a well-regarded specialty café with multiple outlets known for offering a calm, minimalist, Japanese-inspired aesthetic that provides a much-needed retreat from the city's fast pace. They focus on delivering a meticulously crafted and consistent specialty coffee experience, often giving patrons a choice between a chocolatey/nutty house blend and a more floral/fruity single-origin filter option, showcasing their commitment to bean quality and diverse flavor profiles.
Kyuukei Coffee
121 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-06, Singapore 150121
Fangko House
Fangko House (formerly Fangko Coffee) is a unique, cozy Indonesian-inspired cafe that earns its spot among great coffee purveyors by successfully fusing robust, specialty coffee with authentic Indonesian comfort food in a relaxed setting. They stand out particularly for their signature Fangko Melaka Coffee, which uses a rich blend of 100% Arabica beans sweetened with homemade gula melaka (palm sugar) to create a distinctive, caramel-like richness and smooth profile that perfectly balances bitterness with natural sweetness.
Fangko House
68 S Bridge Rd, #01-01, Singapore 058698
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