The first time I came across Kafe Utu on social media, I told myself I had to visit this place one day. In the blink of an eye, nearly 6 years have passed, and I’ve finally managed to pay a visit to this unique spot in Singapore.
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African Cafe in Singapore
While cafes are aplenty in Singapore, an African concept cafe has definitely shaken things up in the saturated cafe scene.
However, over the past 4 years, I don’t think Kafe Utu has been a frequently mentioned place, but I’m sure they have been working hard silently behind the scenes, which is probably one of the reasons it has been able to last this long in Singapore’s F&B scene.
The cafe spans three floors in a shophouse along Jiak Chuan Road, conveniently located near Maxwell and Outram Park MRT.
The first floor resembles a typical restaurant, featuring numerous tables and chairs, as well as a bar counter with an espresso machine that complements the interior. On the 2nd and 3rd floors, we think the magic happens, as it feels cosy, almost like someone’s home, with lots of couches and cute, design-driven corners.
Kafe Utu Review
The cafe has recently revamped its entire brunch and dinner menu, introducing new and exciting dishes. While you will still find African-inspired dishes like Zanzibar Curry Goat ($32), a Fiery Peppered Pork Stew ($36) and more, the menu is said to be more acceptable for diners now.
I tried the Mayai Kali ($27), which is similar to their version of Eggs Benedict from their Brunch menu. It featured poached eggs paired with smoked pork belly and pan-fried Moroccan bread. There’s a smoked pepper sauce that’s spicy, but still bearable.
Instead of the usual English muffins, the pan-fried Moroccan bread was a nice change, and I enjoyed the crispiness, which paired well with the pork belly and poached eggs.
For sides, there were quite a few items that stood out to me, like Fried Plantain ($18), and Lamb Samosas ($20), but I settled with the Spiced Lamb Rice Cake ($18), an item from their dinner menu.
The texture reminded me of something like Bindaetteok, a street food from South Korea primarily made with mung beans. However, the “pancake” here features minced lamb, homemade harissa, and coconut rice, served with a smoked pepper sauce. This felt very new to me, but I enjoyed how the components came together.
One of the highlights for me was their Yaba “Wise Chief” Burger ($42), which was a hit from long favourite. The burger had one of the sexiest cross sections ever, featuring a thick slice of smoked ox tongue, paired with pepper jack cheese and an Angus brisket & chuck patty.
For dessert, I opted for the Grumpy Cheesecake ($12), which tasted way better than its name suggests. It’s a sour cream cheesecake with peanut butter, served alongside seasonal fruits and their spicy roasted peanut crumble.
Drinks at Kafe Utu
The beverage menu here at Kafe Utu was quite enjoyable, offering a variety of specials beyond the usual coffee, juices and cocktails. Some Utu Specials that may interest you include a Malindi Latte ($8), which is a latte made with their house-made seven-spice syrup and the Bidibado ($8), a mocha with a peanut butter rim, laced with roasted almonds and pink peppercorn.
I tried the Zanzibar Chai ($12), which is a black tea infused with fresh chai spice syrup. I’ll be honest, I didn’t enjoy this because it was pretty spicy, and I opted for it to be iced when the staff recommended it be served hot.
On the other hand, the Karanga ($12), which is an iced white coffee topped with peanut butter mascarpone cream, was a PB lover’s dream come true. It’s sweet, nutty and has just the right coffee kick.
I almost missed out on their Uguisu Matcha ($8), but at the corner of my eye, I kept seeing cups of matcha being dished out like nobody’s business. Turns out, they’re pretty well known for their Strawberry Matcha, and it’s only limited to 15 cups a day as they make the strawberry puree in-house.
Since it got sold out, I opted for the usual matcha latte, and it was one of the best cups of matcha I’ve had recently. You can tell they use ceremonial grade matcha just by the colour of the drink, but it’s creamy, earthy and oh-so-delicious.
Cafe Near Maxwell MRT
It goes to say that Kafe Utu is absolutely worth trying, especially if you’re looking for something different in Singapore’s cafe scene. I’ll definitely be back to try the rest of their menu, but learn from my mistake and not wait 6 years to visit them.
Kafe Utu
12 Jiak Chuan Road, Singapore 089265
Tues-Fri, 10am-4:30pm, 6-9:30pm
Sat-Sun, 9am-4:30pm, 6-9:30pm
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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