The best cafés in Lavender and Jalan Besar

This minimalist coffee bar and roastery has just the right laidback vibe to unwind with a book and freshly poured coffee. Treat your tastebuds to the rich flavours of roasted beans from Latin America, artisanal teas and chocolates from the likes of Fossa Chocolate. It goes without saying the coffees are made with care (from $4).

At halal brunch spot Missus, it’s not just another Instagrammable café – they also have a range of unique dishes to try. Since we’re all obvious fans of the grilled cheese, it’s the Missus Melt ($16.90) that we’d be ordering, for its signature four cheese blend that’s been generously smeared with a truffle paste. It also comes with a roasted tomato soup. 

It's yet another Scandi-inspired café, but newly-opened Kaeden in Aperia Mall does it with bicycle-themed decor. In terms of the menu, they do dole out regular eggs Benny (from $20) and smashed avo toast ($15), but they do step it up with more unique dishes. Give the mochi waffles ($17) a try, for its chewy but perfectly crisp texture – it comes with banana foster and a scoop of pandan ice cream. 

Sometimes, it's better to keep things simple. Lucid's interiors of grey and white – with its milky countertops, concrete floor and metallic accents – make for an Instagrammable spot. Pull up and settle down in an industrial-looking, matte-grey chair. Espresso-based drinks starts from $4, and there are choices of tea (from $5.80) – genmaicha, hojicha, and others – from local teahouse Hvala as well. Grab a cuppa for your caffeine fix, and dig into toasts topped with prosciutto ($16), avocado ($14), and more. 

If there’s one thing that Singaporeans love besides a solid dessert café, it’s late-night joints that open till 2am. At halal joint Lola Faye, you can satiate your midnight sweet tooth cravings with their range of waffles. Choose from the likes of a buttermilk Belgian waffle ($6) or charcoal black waffles ($7) – both pair perfectly with a scoop of gelato. They do also have an interesting gelato croissant ($9.80). 

As Japanese concept Haus217 is simultaneously a pop-up café and event venue, they only open on days that aren't booked for events – do check in directly with them before heading down. It’s worth the venture in any case, just to try the bakes and specialty coffee. Certain flavours are seasonal, but they’ve had cakes like matcha rolls, earl grey pound cake, and lychee cream cake in the past.

While the original Wimbly Lu stands in residential area Jalan Riang, the one over at Tyrwhitt Road also serves up stellar waffles. Here, choose between a savoury choice like the Chicken & Waffle ($16.80) or one of the dessert waffles (from $14.80), laden with fresh fruits. There's an obvious mix of Asian influence on the menu, with bites like a unique rendition of a scotch egg ($7) – featuring a century egg drizzled with truffle oil. 

Over at Glacier, it's a minimalist space with an all-white interior. There's even a mini garden where they grow herbs in-house. Try the Glacier French Toast ($16), which comes topped with seasonal berries and caramelised banana slices. Besides standard brunch fare, they also offer gelato and specialty coffee. 

With a name like The Tiramisu Hero, it's fairly obvious that the headlining dish here is...the tiramisu. This rum-soaked dessert comes in small mason jars, starting from $7.50. The original tiramisu is traditionally Italian, but they do also offer other flavours like kaya and hojicha. Besides tiramisu, this joint also does a range of savoury brunch items, from salted egg mac and cheese ($19.90) to squid ink pasta in lobster bisque ($23.80).

While Antea Social's range is simple – they mostly offer flavoured Oolongs – the process behind the making of each batch is careful and arduous. Their tea leaves are sourced directly from the producer whenever possible, and baked with essential oils (on a separate tray) for 12 hours. Currently, the Oolong range includes flavours like rose, vanilla, mint, peach and more ($10 each).

Buah keluak is a common ingredient found in Nonya recipes. But over at Asylum Coffeehouse, the flavours of the poisonous nut comes reimagined used to brew up cups of joe instead. The café takes cues from its location, on the first floor of a Peranakan shophouse at Jalan Besar. Enter the white-clad space, and sip on espresso-based drinks made using the house-special four-bean Keluak blend. Its full-bodied notes of nuttiness and chocolate are best brought out in a mocha ($6) to yield a rich, bold cuppa. 

This café along Hamilton Road is designed for one purpose: for people to unwind and connect with loved ones. The menu is also perfect for sharing. Besides the usual brunch fare of guacamole on toast ($18) and eggs Benedict ($16), For The People also whips up some special creations that are worth a try. And the best part, almost everything is under $20.

Fuel up at Habitat Coffee. While once along Upper Thomson Road, they've since shifted to King George's Avenue. The café serves all-day breakfast options including a slow-cooked pulled pork Benedict ($18) and a stuffed berries hotcake ($17). End your meal with a cup of roasted gourmet coffee, or get a bottle of cold-brewed coffee.

Follow the hipster past the huge covered metal gates and you’ll find Chye Seng Huat’s semi-secret (well, not so much anymore) compound in the Jalan Besar industrial zone. Headquarters of Third Wave coffee pioneers Papa Palheta, the two-storey coffee complex hides a coffee school and retail space on the second floor, while a full inventory of coffee gear dominates its ground floor café.

What started out as a small stall in NTU is now a humble bakery that creates picture-worthy pies. While you can pick up a whole pie starting from $47, it's the mini pies that you'll be craving for a mid-day snack. Try the earl grey rose or yuzu meringue – whichever it is, the main draw is the buttery, crumbly base, reminscent of a shortbread cookie.