Singapore has two parallel coffee cultures. In hawker centres, kopi — traditional Southeast Asian coffee brewed with a sock filter and condensed milk — has been drunk for over a century. Alongside it, Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Nylon Coffee Roasters have built a world-class specialty scene that draws talent from across Asia.
Coffee neighborhoods
Singapore's traditional kopi is made with Robusta beans roasted with butter and sugar — a technique brought by Hainanese immigrants in the 19th century that bears no resemblance to what the specialty bars next door are serving.
1915 cafes