Must-try Cafés

Located near Farrer Park MRT station, JINzakaya is a hip, new izakaya concept by the Les Amis group, and a more affordable alternative to its sister outlet, Sushi Jin. Sharing plates — think Sushi Jin's famed skewers — are the focus at dinner, but at lunch, the restaurant offers extremely value for money set lunches ($12.80 with a drink). Choose from 16 mains including rice bowls, sandwiches, ramens. Try the Kimchi Ramen or Jin Tori Ramen (the latter comes with shredded chargrilled chicken and an onsen egg) — both feature a very flavourful chicken broth — or go for one of the hearty salads like the Jin Tori Salad, which comes with homemade ginger dressing and moreish kawa ebi. To complete the meal, order a side dish like Fresh Handmade Gyoza ($15) or Ika Sugata ($15), whole grilled squid to share. Pro tip: There are only about 50 seats so make a reservation and come early, as the menu items run out quickly!

Made with a variety of cheeses, FIX's 3-Cheese Penne Gratin is a dish cheese-lovers will thoroughly enjoy. However, the light-speed waiting time for the dish to be served was a liiiiittle too quick - making me wonder if it was pre-made, frozen and re-heated. The dish would've definitely had that extra WOW-factor had it been oven baked on the spot. That said, FIX is definitely a cafe worth visiting.

Joining the eateries in Bukit Timah Plaza's new extension, Rise & Grind Coffee Co. offers both indoor and alfresco seating and serves coffee, brunch fare and a small selection of mains. With few cafes in this area, this is certainly a welcome addition. For brunch, go for the super photogenic and delightfully tasty Ocean's Thirteen ($17) — smoked salmon, poached eggs, asparagus, brioche toast, beetroot yogurt and yuzu hollandaise sauce. Massive trending points for having both beetroot and yuzu in one dish, and making it work well too! For lunch or dinner, go for the more substantial Shakshouka ($16) — lamb merguez sausage, baked egg in tomato sauce, feta cheese with wholemeal pita — or the Tom Yum Pasta ($16).

Opening their doors across from Butterscotch at Bukit Merah Central, Ice Cream Shack offers ice-cold relief from the unforgiving Singapore heat with their diverse selection of flavours. Expect familiar flavours like Cookies & Cream and Pistachio, and experimental ones such as Marmite and Avocado. Single scoops are priced at $3.80 for regular flavours, while premium flavours such as Lychee Rose or Speculoos are priced at $4.60. Have your ice cream with crispy waffles or in a waffle cone (an additional $4.70 and $0.50 respectively)!

Joining the popular Tiong Bahru estate is Cream & Custard, a cafe which serves coffee and a small selection of tarts, cakes and pastries. Gloriously spacious with a minimalist white aesthetic, Cream & Custard is a great spot if you are looking for sweet treats in that area. Go for the indulgent Triple Chocolate Devil ($6.80) or the well-balanced Passionfruit Meringue Tart ($5.60).

You'll never be bored at this newly opened, super quirky space. Extremely well decorated by owners Don and Selena, the walls are lined up with lots of interesting vintage art and pieces. Chill out with a good cup of coffee and desserts like yogurt cheese pudding and nonya coconut kueh.

Don't be alarmed if you find tiny, beautiful, edible flowers on your plate — it's Bridge Cafe's way of aesthetically sprucing up their dishes, and they taste pretty good too. Wildly popular is the Truffle Honey French Toast ($13): crisp on the outside, fluffy and eggy on the inside, and accompanied by vanilla creme fraiche, berries and truffle honey. Opt for the Eggs Benedict ($16) if you gotta have your eggs for brunch! Bridge adds a twist to this classic by using champagne hollandaise. The coffee here is pretty solid as well.

It's lack of a distinct shopfront doesn't stop the crowds from flocking to Ronin for excellent coffee and unpretentious food. Opened by the good folks behind The Plain and The Bravery, pop into this dimly-lit, no-nonsense cafe for some legit scrambled eggs on toast (add on that juicy portobello mushroom and bacon for good measure) and the well-loved Dirty Ronin sandwich. Do yourself a favour and get the decadent brioche French toast topped with braised apple, bacon, hazelnut butter and syrup -- you won't regret it. Of course, no brunch is complete without a kick of caffeine from their classic brews. If you feel like something different, go for their Matcha Latte, or cool down on a hot day with a Wicked!

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is the joyous result of a partnership between Oz Specialty Coffee and their coffee partners in Thailand, combining well-loved Pacamara blends alongside a sizeable menu of mains and cafe food. Expect great coffee, including options like Iced Thai Coffee, to be enjoyed with brunch items like their popular Truffle Benedict, Red Velvet Pancakes and Salted Caramel Banana French Toast. For a hearty lunch, get their oven-baked Mac & Cheese. With clean, white, bright interiors and dark wood tabletops, Pacamara is a great space for some chill out time with a good book.

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is the joyous result of a partnership between Oz Specialty Coffee and their coffee partners in Thailand, combining well-loved Pacamara blends alongside a sizeable menu of mains and cafe food. Expect great coffee, including options like Iced Thai Coffee, to be enjoyed with brunch items like their popular Truffle Benedict, Red Velvet Pancakes and Salted Caramel Banana French Toast. For a hearty lunch, get their oven-baked Mac & Cheese. With clean, white, bright interiors and dark wood tabletops, Pacamara is a great space for some chill out time with a good book.

Located a few steps away from Maxwell Food Centre, Monochrome Fusion Bistro's unique feature is their uber-stylish monochrome-themed decor and plating, as well as their meticulous attention to aesthetic. Not every item on the menu follows the colour scheme though, so to remain in-keeping with the theme and go for their Monochrome Aglio Olio ($25) -- a combination of normal and squid ink spaghetti served with edamame and a choice of either mussels or prawn -- or their Monochrome Squid Ink Risotto with pan-seared scallops and Parmesan cheese. A very attractively-priced $18.90++ lunch deal (soup + choice of a main + coffee/tea) is currently available on weekdays!

Taking over the space previously occupied by the legendary Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice at South Buona Vista Road, Australian-style Paddy Hills serves cafe food in the day, and Asian-inspired small plates after 5.30pm. There is a strong fusion aspect to their offerings which aim to surprise the tastebuds, as seen in their intriguing Cauliflower Fritters with paprika salt and masala yogurt ($12). For brunch, share their gorgeous Berry Ricotta Hotcake ($19) — a huge, fluffy, crisp cake that's topped with berries, mascarpone, berry sugar and beautiful edible flowers. Also go for their Squid Ink Tagliatelle ($23), a Japanese fusion dish topped with ever-so-lightly seared scallops. For dinner, select from their wide array of yakitoris and share their Golden Man Tou Sliders ($23)!