Singapore's Central Business District has quietly become one of the island's densest specialty-coffee neighbourhoods, with roasters and third-wave cafes tucked into the heritage shophouses of Telok Ayer, Amoy Street, Club Street, Craig Road and Tanjong Pagar, plus a few hidden nooks around Raffles Place. Most open early for the office crowd, lean weekday-heavy, and pair single-origin espresso and pour-overs with brunch plates, pastries and increasingly popular cream-topped and matcha drinks. This guide covers cafes that are genuinely coffee-forward and within easy walking distance of Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar, Raffles Place or Outram Park MRT.
Last verified: September 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
The list
All Hands Cafe Cafe / Specialty Coffee & Brunch · $$
Top-rated (4.8) clean, unhurried Telok Ayer cafe pairing specialty coffee and matcha with Japanese milk-bread brunch plates.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Specialty Coffee & Brunch
- Price: $$ · ~$20-30/pax
- Must-try: Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) with toppings, Matcha latte, Sous vide egg brunch plates
- Where: 159 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore
- Area: Telok Ayer
- Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer MRT (Downtown Line)
- Hours: Opens 8am (from ~Sun); check latest — hours vary by day
Sarnies Cafe / Australian-style Specialty Coffee & Brunch · $$
Long-running Sydney-inspired shophouse cafe roasting its own beans, known for hearty sandwiches and a fruity Guatemalan house blend.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Australian-style Specialty Coffee & Brunch
- Price: $$ · ~$15-30/pax
- Must-try: Chicken schnitzel sandwich, Black sesame latte (~$7.50), Orange mocha (~$7.50)
- Where: 136 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068601
- Area: Telok Ayer
- Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer MRT (Downtown Line)
- Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30am–10pm; Sat–Sun 8am–3:30pm
- Halal: No
Maxi Coffee Bar Cafe / Specialty Coffee & Brunch · $$
High-energy specialty coffee bar that relocated to Club Street, well-regarded for its coffee and relaxed brunch.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Specialty Coffee & Brunch
- Price: $$ · ~$15-25/pax
- Must-try: Espresso-based coffee, Brunch plates
- Where: 64 Club Street, Singapore 069438
- Area: Club Street / Telok Ayer
- Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer MRT / Tanjong Pagar MRT
- Hours: Tue–Fri 8am–4pm; Sat–Sun 9am–4pm; closed Mon
Nylon Coffee Roasters Specialty Coffee Roaster · $
Established 2012 hole-in-the-wall roaster on the CBD's Everton Park fringe, widely regarded for some of the city's best beans.
- Cuisine: Specialty Coffee Roaster
- Price: $ · ~$5-12/pax
- Must-try: White (from ~$5), Single-origin filter coffee, Colombia Las Huertas (~$8.50)
- Where: 4 Everton Park, #01-04, Singapore 080004
- Area: Everton Park (Tanjong Pagar / Outram fringe)
- Nearest MRT: Outram Park MRT / Tanjong Pagar MRT
- Hours: Mon, Wed–Fri 8:30am–4:30pm; Sat–Sun 9am–4:30pm (closed Tue)
Five Oars Coffee Roasters Specialty Coffee Roaster / Cafe · $$
Industrial-styled roaster-cafe on Tanjong Pagar Road serving house-roasted coffee and all-day brunch.
- Cuisine: Specialty Coffee Roaster / Cafe
- Price: $$ · ~$20-30/pax
- Must-try: House-roasted espresso, Brunch plates
- Where: 43 Tanjong Pagar Road, #01-01, Singapore
- Area: Tanjong Pagar
- Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar MRT (East–West Line)
- Hours: Opens ~8am daily (verify latest)
Hellu Coffee Cafe / Specialty Coffee · $$
Cosy Far East Square cafe famous for cream-topped Einspanner-style drinks and stuffed croffles; expect queues.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Specialty Coffee
- Price: $$ · ~$10-18/pax
- Must-try: Iced matcha creamu (~$8.90), Maple bacon croffle (~$7.90), Cream-topped lattes
- Where: 135 Amoy Street, #01-05, Far East Square, Singapore 049965
- Area: Amoy Street / Telok Ayer
- Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer MRT (Downtown Line)
- Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–5pm; Sat 10am–4pm (verify latest)
- Halal: No
Strangers at Work Cafe / Specialty Coffee · $
Small weekday coffee nook in The Arcade serving espresso and filter brews to the Raffles Place office crowd.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Specialty Coffee
- Price: $ · ~$4-8.50/pax
- Must-try: Magic (~$5.50), Iced mocha (~$7-8.50), Filter brews
- Where: 11 Collyer Quay, The Arcade, #01-21, Singapore 049317
- Area: Raffles Place / Collyer Quay
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place MRT (North–South / East–West Line)
- Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–5pm; closed weekends
Snap Cafe Cafe / Specialty Coffee · $
Minimalist, calm 8-table cafe near Tanjong Pagar with thoughtfully crafted specialty drinks.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Specialty Coffee
- Price: $ · ~$5-10/pax
- Must-try: Iced pistachio espresso latte (~$8.50), Matcha latte (~$7.50)
- Where: 21 McCallum Street, #01-01/02, The Clift, Singapore 069047
- Area: Tanjong Pagar / McCallum Street
- Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar MRT (East–West Line)
- Hours: Mon–Fri 8am–4:30pm; Sat–Sun 9am–4:30pm
Equate Coffee Cafe / Specialty Coffee · $$
Aesthetic Tanjong Pagar Plaza cafe with an inventive drinks menu and house-baked pastries.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Specialty Coffee
- Price: $$ · ~$15-25/pax
- Must-try: 50's Brew (~$7.50), Dirty matcha latte (~$8.50), Freshly baked pastries
- Where: 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-25, Singapore 082001
- Area: Tanjong Pagar
- Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar MRT (East–West Line)
- Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm; Sat 8:30am–3pm
Alchemist Specialty Coffee · $
Homegrown multi-outlet specialty coffee brand pouring seasonal single-origin espresso and filter, popular with CBD workers.
- Cuisine: Specialty Coffee
- Price: $ · ~$8-15/pax
- Must-try: Espresso (from ~$4), Seasonal single-origin filter (from ~$8.50)
- Where: International Plaza, 10 Anson Road, Singapore 079903 (multiple outlets)
- Area: Tanjong Pagar / Anson Road
- Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar MRT (East–West Line)
- Hours: Weekday-focused; verify per outlet
Takagi Coffee Cafe / Japanese-style Coffee & Pancakes · $$
Japanese-style cafe at 100 AM mall pairing robust original-blend coffee with fluffy pancakes.
- Cuisine: Cafe / Japanese-style Coffee & Pancakes
- Price: $$ · ~$15-25/pax
- Must-try: Takagi original blend (from ~$4.90), Viennese coffee (~$5.90), Fluffy Japanese pancakes
- Where: 100 Tras Street, #01-14B, 100 AM, Singapore 079027
- Area: Tanjong Pagar
- Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar MRT (East–West Line)
- Hours: Daily ~8am–9pm (verify latest)
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Hands Cafe | Cafe / Specialty Coffee & Brunch | $$ | Telok Ayer | — |
| Sarnies | Cafe / Australian-style Specialty Coffee & Brunch | $$ | Telok Ayer | No |
| Maxi Coffee Bar | Cafe / Specialty Coffee & Brunch | $$ | Club Street / Telok Ayer | — |
| Nylon Coffee Roasters | Specialty Coffee Roaster | $ | Everton Park (Tanjong Pagar / Outram fringe) | — |
| Five Oars Coffee Roasters | Specialty Coffee Roaster / Cafe | $$ | Tanjong Pagar | — |
| Hellu Coffee | Cafe / Specialty Coffee | $$ | Amoy Street / Telok Ayer | No |
| Strangers at Work | Cafe / Specialty Coffee | $ | Raffles Place / Collyer Quay | — |
| Snap Cafe | Cafe / Specialty Coffee | $ | Tanjong Pagar / McCallum Street | — |
| Equate Coffee | Cafe / Specialty Coffee | $$ | Tanjong Pagar | — |
| Alchemist | Specialty Coffee | $ | Tanjong Pagar / Anson Road | — |
| Takagi Coffee | Cafe / Japanese-style Coffee & Pancakes | $$ | Tanjong Pagar | — |
Your questions answered
How much does a coffee cost in the CBD cafes?
Most specialty espresso drinks run about S$5-9, with cream-topped or matcha specials nearer S$7-9. A full brunch visit with a drink typically lands around S$15-30 per person, while grab-and-go filter nooks like Strangers at Work or Snap Cafe can keep it under S$10.
Which MRT should I use for CBD cafe-hopping?
Telok Ayer (Downtown Line) is best for Telok Ayer Street, Amoy Street, Far East Square and Club Street. Tanjong Pagar (East–West Line) serves Craig Road, Tras Street, Tanjong Pagar Plaza and 100 AM. Raffles Place (NSL/EWL) covers Collyer Quay, and Outram Park is closest to Nylon at Everton Park.
Are these cafes open on weekends?
Many CBD cafes are weekday-focused for the office crowd — Strangers at Work is closed weekends, and several close earlier or open later on Saturdays and Sundays. Places like All Hands, Sarnies, Maxi and Snap do open weekends, but hours shift, so check the venue's own page before going.
Do I need to book, and are these good for working?
Most are walk-in only and get busy at weekday breakfast and lunch peaks. Smaller nooks (Snap, Strangers at Work) have limited seats and are better for a quick cup than a long laptop session, while roomier spots like All Hands and Sarnies suit a longer sit — though many CBD cafes discourage laptops during peak hours.
Are any of these CBD cafes halal-certified?
None of the cafes listed here are confirmed halal-certified, and some (such as Sarnies and Hellu) serve pork or bacon. Muslim visitors should treat these as non-halal and always verify current certification or ingredients directly with the venue before dining.