The dining scene in Singapore has been slowly but surely revving up again following the end of the circuit breaker period. While plenty of dining spots have opened up offering everything from pizzas and European cuisine to steak, sushi and gelato, we’re sharing a list of breakfast and brunch haunts in particular to celebrate the most important – but sometimes overlooked – meal of the day. Fuel up at these new cafés and restaurants that will give early risers a good head start.
1. KARA Café & Dessert Bar
The usual morning favourites are given a creative twist in this new breakfast menu by KARA Café & Dessert Bar, which also specialises in desserts such as self-served frozen yogurt and waffles and all-day meals. Comprising six savoury and three sweet offerings, you’ll get to enjoy the new dishes in the Bukit Timah café with an expanded space, as it recently opened up its second storey loft space to accommodate more people, while keeping to its principle of having a cosy and warm ambience. Try the nasi lemak sandwich – a hearty option with crispy fried chicken slathered with sambal and topped with coconut flakes, cucumber pickles, and a soft-boiled egg between fluffy buttered buns; or the Dakgalbi Baked Eggs, which presents a pair of eggs poached in a spicy Korean-style chicken stew served with crispy sourdough. Even the good old Avo toast has been given a face-lift, with smashed avocado and melted cheese atop crispy sourdough bread and topped with a fried sunny-side up egg and sprinkling of kale chips.
2. Butter Bean
A new concept introduced by the BreadTalk Group, Butter Bean is a modern café that is giving the traditional kopitiam breakfast of toast and eggs a run for its money. The menu is a list of reimagined local favourites, such as thick toasts with various toppings – there’s the PB&J with house-made peanut butter and jam and Say Cheese with buttercream and shredded cheddar – that you can get a set with eggs and a drink. The coffee here has also been given a boost, with the use of a custom blend of Arabica and Robusta beans that have been coated with a layer of caramelised sugar before roasting. Try the signature Brûlée Kopi Latte made with fresh milk, Nanyang coffee and salted-cream foam that’s sprinkled with sugar and subsequently torched. The first outlet opened at Funan Mall in August 2020, with another slated to debut at VivoCity on the 10th this month.
3. SLATE
An Australian-style café by day and a modern Asian restaurant by night, the dishes churned out by this new dual-concept eatery are a breath of fresh air. Many of the ingredients are made in-house – from butter and bread to condiments such as mayonnaise, jams and finishing sauces. Try the deep-fried G&G, a sandwich with black truffle cheese sauce, gammon ham and an optional sunny side-up egg, or the fascinating Choccoquin that’s inspired by a Filipino chocolate-flavoured rice porridge called champorado. The rendition here comprises tricolour quinoa cooked in fragrant coconut milk and cocoa powder, topped with diced seasonal fruits and candied cocoa nibs. Meanwhile, the seasonal tartine is a crusty sourdough slice topped with house-made ricotta, crisp caramelised apple cubes and drizzled with Filipino wildflower honey and flash-fried sage leaves.
4. Fluff Stack
This Japanese soufflé pancake café first opened in Suntec City in mid-2019 and has since appeared in many Instagram Boomerang videos, thanks to its photogenic stack of light, fluffy and jiggly pancakes topped with visually appealing ingredients such as fruits, ice cream and nuts. Fluff Stack opened a second outlet in the heartlands – Yishun’s Northpoint City, to be exact – just last month, much to the excitement of northerners. If you prefer your pancakes simple with no-frills for breakfast, try the classic soufflé pancakes that come with honey butter and Canadian maple syrup. For something more eye-catching, go for the Black Forest Pancakes, which are topped with cherry compote, chocolate ganache, chocolate shavings, feuiletine and chantilly cream.
5. Café Kreams
Walking into this autumn-themed café will make you feel like you’re stepping right into a whimsical wonderland, or perhaps even a Korean drama set. Foliage of red, yellow, orange and green decorate the ceiling of this charming enclave at Maxwell Chambers, creating a romantic canopy under which you can enjoy aromatic brews. For your morning cuppa, try the Dalgona Latte topped with homemade Korean honeycomb malt candy or opt for the intriguing Dry Cappuccino that comes with extra dense, thick foam and is topped with Valrhona cocoa powder. Accompany your tasty drinks with a selection of freshly baked scones and cakes. The scones come in interesting flavours such as matcha, chocolate and yuzu and are served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of whipped cream.
6. Kizuna
This new café in Potong Pasir occupies the space formerly occupied by the Shangri-La Confectionary and Delicatessen, a beloved old-school bakery that operated for roughly 30 years before it closed. Thankfully, Kizuna is no stranger to the neighbourhood – it’s run by the third generation of the family behind Shangri-La Confectionary. While the circuit breaker delayed its opening date, it’s now up and running, serving comfort bakes such as croissant sandwiches and banana breads alongside artisanal coffee from Paradise Coffee Roasters. The welcoming, rustic interior of worn tiles, cement walls and wooden tables made from salvaged offcuts makes this a great spot for a relaxing morning read.
7. Burger+
This trendy Korean burger joint first opened in Wisma Atria around mid-2019, but its second outlet at Clarke Quay Central (opened in December of the same year) is particularly worth a visit. Neon lights and youthful vibe aside, this outlet is three times bigger than the first, with a seating capacity of 200 and extended hours. They’ve also started serving breakfast toasts that feature fluffy scrambled eggs nestled between warm brioche buns, which are freshly made upon order and can be ordered between 8am to 5pm every day. The signature egg toast, which comes with cheese and a choice of either ham or bacon, is a hearty choice (vegetarians can get it with avocado instead) that you can wash down with a cup of black coffee.
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking and seating requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
SEE ALSO: 7 of Singapore’s stellar barbecue restaurants
This article was first published on 9 September 2020.