Exploring cafes in Singapore for brunch is one of our favorite pastimes. If we are not traveling (true especially in current quarantine times, thanks 2020!) you will find us exploring cafes for brunch in the lion city. Below we have curated a list of 6 of our favorite brunch places so far. Hope you’re as egg-cited as we are to explore and give them a try!
Nassim Hill Bistro Bakery Bar
Located at the Tanglin Post office, just a stone’s throw away the hustle and bustle of Orchard road. When you walk in you are greeted by the delicious aroma of fresh bread. Nassim Hill is one of our perennial favorites and we usually hit it up when we have friends visiting. I’ve heard that they have a night menu as well (starting from 3pm!), but we have been so impressed with the brunch, that we haven’t tried it so far.
So far our favorites have been the eggs benedict, spicy huevos benedict (when you crave that mexican kick) and the skillet eggs (a.k.a shakshouka).
Website: https://nassimhill.com.sg/
Find them here: 56 Tanglin Rd, #01-03, Singapore, maps link here
Tolido’s Espresso Nook
It’s a blink and you will miss kind of place, a true hidden gem located in a HDB complex. The snaking lines outside it are hard to miss though! The trick is to get there early or be prepared for an hour’s wait. I’ve heard they do take reservations now, so that is your best bet!
This place has a hipster vibe which reminds me of Portland and its brunch scene (one of the most underrated cities for food IMO!) and it definitely lives up to the hype. Certified by Madhu as having the best espresso based drinks on the island, we are frequent visitors here. Their food is also great, with our favorites being the smoked salmon scrambled eggs and the baked eggs royale (their take on the ‘shakshouka’ which I feel has become a peer pressure add on for any self respecting cafe these days).
The real kicker is their superb coffee, whether you have the regular cappuccino (Madhu’s go-to drink), their affogato (espresso is top notch, I feel they should switch to a better gelato) and my favorite the sea salt caramel latte. You really can’t go wrong, so order whatever catches your fancy from their coffee menu!
Find them here: 462 Crawford Ln, #01-63, Singapore 190462, maps link here!
The Populus Cafe
Apparently brunch is big in Australia and when we visited Sydney in 2019, we certainly felt the same and had some amazing brunches there! With the big Aussie community in Singapore, it’s no surprise that there are quite a few takes on the Aussie cafe culture here as well. The Populus is definitely on of the frontrunners.
We went there after the circuit breaker had lifted recently and were surprised to see they have a second floor, so seating with social distancing is very easily done. The quality of meat on offer is second to none, and we shared a populus scramble between the two of us. The pulled pork is some of the best I’ve tasted in a long while! We also got a dark chocolate sundae, which was delightfully sinful and a great way to finish an excellent brunch.
Find them here: 146 Neil Rd, Singapore 088875, maps link here!
Brunches Cafe
Located a stone’s throw away from Little India, this is definitely not the neighborhood you expect to find cafes serving brunch. But you will be in for a pleasant surprise when you visit!
The decor is unexpected but has a unique old world charm, with the prime seating spot being a mini cooper converted into a table! The bruch fare is hearty and tasty, with good coffee to boot. We tried the eggs benedict and the eggs royale (a salmon substituted benedict in essence) and they were pretty good, not the best, but not bad either. Their collection of fruit sodas is particularly good as well.
We really enjoyed the relaxed vibe and the quirky decor, and along with hearty food it makes for an excellent brunch spot.
Find them here: 96 Rangoon Rd, Singapore 218381, maps link here!
PUNCH!
Situated in the CBD, opposite from Hong Lim Park and with great views of the green facade of Park Royale on Pickering, this hole in the wall cafe packs a punch (pun intended!).
They have a short but well rounded all day breakfast menu, with very fresh ingredients and everything made to order. We had the avocado toast with poached eggs and the weekender eggs (salmon on poached eggs), both were tasty, fresh and full of flavors. The coffee is excellent as well, and the star of the show was their excellent tiramisu, with a kick of excellent espresso and rum (top tip: they offer it to go as well!).
Find them here: 32 N Canal Rd, Singapore 059288, maps link here!
Atlas Coffeehouse
Atlas is the first outpost of a now excellent chain of coffeehouses, all with outer space names (Columbus, Apollo & Lunar). Atlas is located close to the Botanic Gardens and is extremely popular. Get there early or be prepared for a bit of wait.
The food is distinctly fusion, with asian twist on classic western brunch dishes as well as an excellent selection of noodle bowls. We tried the salmon soba noodles with a sous vide egg, as well as the prawn aglio olio which had a nice spicy kick to it. They also make a great cold brew, highly recommended! Once you are stuffed, you can take a walk around the lovely botanic gardens to walk off those calories!
Find them here: 6 Duke’s Road, Singapore 268886, maps link here!
A top tip, there are a lot of boutique bakeries and dessert shops in the vicinity, and we would highly recommend you stop by one of them for your dessert fix. Our pick would be the Affogato bar (501 Bukit Timah Rd, #01-04B Cluny Court) for their excellent Affogato (what else!).
