We haven’t gotten the chance to explore many new cafes in Singapore recently but Vernacular Coffee caught our attention. The cafe in Guillemard Road specialises in unique roasts and hearty housemade pastries.
Minimalist Industrial Interior
The cafe is tucked into the Singapore Badminton Stadium, a little out of the way. It’s about a 12 minute walk from Mountbatten MRT.
The interior is bright and spacious with high ceilings, sporting a dark green colour.
Aside from communal tables, there are also some sofas and smaller tables to accommodate different group sizes. I noticed a few power plugs at select tables, making it a good place for work.
Vernacular Coffee Menu
Their speciality is the curated lineup of single-origin coffee beans. They are freshly roasted, with about 7 choices available daily. Check out the full menu on their Instagram.
You can enjoy your coffee as a Pourover (from $8) or Espresso-based ($4.50) both with and without milk. They even offer Flights (from $9.50) where you can sample 2 different beans. If you don’t fancy coffee, there are single-origin teas and chocolate.
They also offer a menu of house bakes and mains. Their bakes are largely croissant-based, with toppings like Blueberry & Vanilla Chantilly ($8) and Pulled Pork, Pickle & Mustard ($14).
Their mains include the Egg Royale ($16), a take on Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and the Full Breakfast ($28) with Kurobuta sausages, bacon and eggs.
Coffee
I tried the Sirinya Farm Chiang Rai in a hot White ($6). The notes are bourbon and fruity with hints of starfruit, green apple and plum.
I’m a new coffee drinker so I can’t give too many notes, but this was a good cup of coffee to me. It was smooth and rich, with a unique richness from the bourbon notes!
Their Honey Orchid Oolong ($7) was also refreshing, with a light floral flavour.
Mains
The Heritage Fish Curry ($16) came with crispy-skin barramundi and sourdough bread.
This curry was fragrant, creamy and rich but not too overbearing; which I really liked. I practically drank it like soup!
Their Avocado Croast ($16) was much bigger than anticipated. The creamy egg was the perfect addition with a glorious runny yolk.
It tasted just like its components: avocado, egg and croissant; which was nothing special. I think it’s substantial enough for a meal but might need salt or a sauce for more flavour.
My favourite was the Pengat Pisang French Toast ($16). This was served with sweet bananas and Apom Berkuah ice cream, a type of traditional dessert.
Side note: I liked how they incorporated different Southeast Asian flavours into their dishes!
Despite the sugary components, this was just right and not too sweet! The sweetness from the banana and coconut fragrance of the ice cream complemented each other perfectly. It was indulgent though and is best shared.
Bakes
Their bakes are equally impressive. Their Housemade Kaya Croast ($6) featured a custard-like topping of kaya with a pleasant pandan flavour. It might be too milky or creamy for some though.
I also tried the Shakshuka Danish ($12) with a hearty filling of meat and bell peppers. It tasted more like pizza to me though. I recommend the Chocolate Danish ($8) more!
Minimalist Cafe In Mountbatten
With good ambience, good coffee and good food, Vernacular Coffee ticks all the boxes of a proper cafe! I recommend it and would definitely revisit it in the future.
Check out more cafes to try in Singapore:
- Borderless Coffee Co: Cafe Located On The 2nd Floor in Tanjong Pagar with $4 Sticky Date Pudding
- Slow Boat: Singapore’s First Vinyl Listening Cafe Located in Tanjong Pagar
- Average Service: Not-So-Average Cafe in Jalan Besar With Amazing Maple Toast, Brunch Options & More
Vernacular Coffee
100 Guillemard Rd, #01-02, Singapore 399718
Open daily, 8.30am-5.30pm
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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