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No café hopping experience is complete without the Instagram shot. From delectable avocado toasts to bohemian chic and artsy decor, these cafés are some of the most picturesque locations in Singapore for your weekend hangouts.
Cafe-hopping never really went away, and in these travel-restricted times, it’s a perfectly adventurous undertaking to fill up your weekends and your tummies. If you’re on the prowl for the best cafes in Singapore to take selfies in, look no further than the East side! Pack your monopod along with you - you won’t want to miss snapping your best shots at these gorgeous cafés.
Put on your best outfits and get your hashtags ready for these Instagram-worthy cafes that your well-curated grid will thank you for.
1. % Arabica Jewel Changi Airport
For fans of Muji aesthetics
For coffee and design lovers, % Arabica is one not to be missed!
The words “clean” and “bold” describe the taste of % Arabica coffee, but they absolutely fit the look of the café’s outlet at Jewel Changi Airport as well. The famous Kyoto café’s fourth outlet in Singapore is also its first-ever outlet in an airport, and it fits perfectly within the nature-inspired interiors of Jewel.
The Japanese adherence to minimalist design is obvious here, as displayed by the clean, all-white structures that will spark joy among any KonMari devotees. The pops of colour come from the lush green plants at the café’s entrance and, of course, the brown hues of your coffee.
A trip to % Arabica isn’t complete without the obligatory shot of your cuppa (printed with the café’s iconic percent sign logo) among the minimalist decor. Oh, and it helps that the coffee is really, really good too.
Address: Jewel Changi Airport #01, K208
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday – 11:00am to 10:00pm, Friday, Saturday and Eve of Public Holiday – 10:00am to 10:00pm
2. La Fez Café & Bakery
For fans of: Wes Anderson’s whimsical style
Travel yonder to the not-so-distant locale of Siglap in the East of Singapore, where you’ll find a legitimately exotic slice of Morocco in La Fez Café & Bakery. Covered in rosy golden hues, this Muslim-owned café offers a touch of Marrakesh in both food and aesthetics.
This spot takes its exotic influences seriously. We’re talking shakshouka, lamb tagine, mint tea, and everything that would give you a wholesome Moroccan-inspired dining experience.
After topping off your meal with Nous Nous (a Moroccan half-espresso), it’s time to whip out your camera. Dreamy pastel vibes permeate everything at La Fez, from the pretty teapots to the dainty desserts, rustic rattan chairs and the gorgeous Arabesque knick-knacks. Truly, a breath of fresh air fit for your ‘gram, a break from the usual spate of industrial café spaces and tropical themes.
Address: 907 East Coast Road, #01-03A
Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday - 11:30am to 9:00pm, Friday - 11:30am to 10:00pm, Saturday – 9:00am to 10:00pm, Sunday – 9:00am to 9:00pm. Closed on Mondays.
3. PAZZION Café
For fans of: Posh shoes and posher views
Well, technically, PAZZION sells footwear and bags for ladies. In Jewel, however, the homegrown shoe label offers all that and so much more by way of a multi-concept outlet that also serves as a bistro.
Next to its boutique outlet sits a chic 45-seater café that offers freshly-brewed coffee alongside an array of classy fares like burgers, pasta, pastry and desserts. The true selling point of this Jewel Changi café, though? An outdoor seating area right next to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.
Position yourself in a seat near the railings, where you can enjoy a plate of King Prawn Linguine and a cup of cold brew coffee as you snap a picture of your new heels with the HSBC Rain Vortex in the background. If that’s not an Insta-worthy flex, we don’t know what is.
Complete your day at Jewel with our guide on shop, eat, and play activities for a family day out!
Address: Jewel Changi Airport #B1-243
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday – 11:00am to 10:00pm, Friday, Saturday and Eve of Public Holiday – 10:00am to 10:00pm.
4. Café de Nicole’s Flower
For fans of: Cottagecore
For a dose of dreamy floral-themed aesthetics, drop by Café De Nicole’s Flower for the opportunity to inhale an unlikely fusion of scents: coffee, desserts and blossoms.
Originally a flower shop opened by professional florist Nicole Chen, her establishment has since bloomed into a full-fledged east side café with vibrant flora adorning every nook and cranny. The love for all things floral has taken root in the entrées as well—pastries, cakes and drinks are garnished with flowers for maximum Instagram appeal. As if things aren’t charming enough already, the café has a resident cat aptly named “lao ban” (“boss” in Mandarin) who’s down to get pictures snapped anytime.
Otherwise, the interiors of the café would be picturesque enough for any cottagecore diehards who love plants as much as Nicole does. And yes, you absolutely can purchase the flowers as well. It is a flower shop, after all.
Address: 224 Telok Kurau Road, #01-01
Opening hours: Opens daily from 9:00am to 11:00pm
5. Sinpopo Brand
For fans of: Vintage heritage
Go back in time and feast your eyes on the vintage decor of Sinpopo Brand! Image credit: Sinpopo Brand
Sinpopo Brand is all about taking traditional Peranakan cuisine to decadent, Instagram-worthy heights. Unlike other cafés in Katong, this spot serves authentic traditional fare, rendered with a modern filter.
Here is where you’ll find atas versions of old classics like the rojak slaw, beef short rib hor fun and har jeong kai wings. But really, Sinpopo Brand desserts are the real clincher. You can’t go wrong with durian pengat, chilled pandan soufflé or any of the gorgeous cakes, including the pandan kaya cake and the best-selling gula melaka cake. Even your finicky Peranakan relatives won’t find much to complain about.
As for Insta-worthiness, nostalgia meets modern in this bistro — the place is meant to be photographed. Fashioning itself after a traditional Katong shophouse, the decor is very much like the food it serves: retro in spirit but contemporary in execution.
Address: 458 Joo Chiat Rd
Opening hours: Opens daily from 12:00pm to 9:00pm
6. Five Oars Coffee Roasters
For fans of: That classic Melbourne café vibe
If this place sounds familiar, it should be—Five Oars Coffee Roasters used to be located along the Tanjong Pagar Road stretch. It was probably for the best too because the café has undergone a seriously gorgeous upgrade for its new digs at East Coast.
The millennial aesthetics (you know what it is; industrial vibes with lots of green plants) have taken on a bigger stage this time around. Shrubbery hangs from the ceilings where baristas work their magic on your coffee, while patrons get to sit among concrete and brick walls. Très chic.
Of course, Five Oars still does excellent brunch fare that’d make your Instagram followers drool with FOMO. Take the Summer Fruits Waffles, for example; a lofty platter of sourdough waffles topped with vanilla ice cream and jam-packed with strawberries, blueberries, cherries, granola and a caramelised fig. For those looking for something heartier for the stomach (and the Instagram likes), there’s the Crab Scramble, a decadent pile of scrambled eggs, crab meat, avocado, ebiko, feta cheese and togarashi on house-made sourdough. Sit back, plug your earphones in, and relax with a book - there’s nothing quite like a relaxing afternoon out.
Address: 6 Upper East Coast Road
Opening hours: Opens daily from 8:00am to 9:00pm
Who says you can’t snap travel selfies anymore these days? Spend a day at these east side cafés in Singapore for an Insta-worthy trip that spans from Morocco to Melbourne without even flying abroad! Looking for more unique spots to unwind at with your friends? Check out multi-concept cafés in Singapore worth curating your feed around.
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