Whether you’re meeting your old-time friends or unwinding on your own, a café is an ideal venue to do it all. Luckily, the coffee culture is flourishing in Singapore which has led to new cafes sprouting almost everywhere. In fact, cafes are setting up shop at residential neighbourhoods like Hougang which means even the laziest ones can take a five-minute walk from home to a delicious serving of chicken curry set accompanied with rice or Nanyang Kopi served with traditional Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs.

Hougang is acclaimed as Singapore’s largest public residential estate. As a result, the demand for food and beverage is high in this area. It is no wonder the residents love to flock to nearby cafes to fill their tummies with a variety of local cuisines like Mee Siang, Nasi Lemak, tasty Kopi coffee, and tea. It’s time to look at these charming cafes near Riverfront Residences condo in Hougang. Go say hi to your barista neighbours with this quick guide.

Foxhole café

Nestled at the Midtown Mall, previously recognised as Hougang Plaza, Foxhole café is the ideal location to enjoy good food and coffee and pass the time at a quiet corner away from the Riverfront Residences condo location. A bus stop is located just outside the café while the Hougang MRT station is just a couple of minutes walk. When you step into the café, you’ll first see the dessert and croissant display, as well as the countertop that accommodates the equipment for the Pourover Bar. While the first storey has only three seats, there is a large seating area when you go upstairs with a capacity of about thirty people.

You should try out their Chilli Crab Meat Croissant served with Raspberry Chips. This dish is accompanied by a filling comprising of a boiled egg which adds more body and textural dissimilarity against crab meat’s softness. Another notable mention is their chicken or beef Lasagna served with either raspberry or black truffle chips. If you’re a fan of Calpis or Yakult, you should try out their Signature Yakult lover. It acts as an excellent neutralising drink when eating spicy foods like the Chilli Crab Croissant.

In their dessert line up, bread pudding with sea salt malt ice cream and vanilla sauce is a must-try. The orange drizzle cake and sour cherry chocolate cake served with rum and raisin ice cream are also worthy of mention.

Toast Box Hougang

Established in 2005, Toast Box is a true manifestation of the coffee shops that existed in the 1960s-1970s, where the typical breakfast serving was a cup of sweet-smelling Nanyang coffee with freshly toasted bread. This coffee and toast concept was reinvented so that people can experience the feel and taste of a past era.

Kick start your day with a cup of Nanyang Kopi at the Hougang Mall branch, which is made from a blend of three kinds of coffee beans namely, Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. The beans are crushed during brewing to exude its freshness and flavour. The traditional Kaya toast can be accompanied by local cuisines such as Mee Siam, Nasi Lemak, and soft-boiled eggs.

Apart from their outstanding traditional Kaya toast set, another popular meal is their curry chicken set which is quite tasty. The curry is not too peppery, the potatoes are soft, and the chicken is well cooked. You can choose to accompany the dish with bread or rice.

Wang Café

Wang café specialises in traditional Kaya toast, soft boiled eggs, tea, and coffee. Among its many chains, the one located at Hougang 1 Mall serves excellent breakfast and local delicacies like Mee Siam and Laksa and more. You should try out their Kaya toast which is thicker but crispy enough. It is best accompanied by the aromatic cup of Nanyang Kopi. Their chicken curry is tasty, thick and creamy and goes quite well with rice.

You should also try out their soft-boiled eggs. Not too boiled or too watery in contrast to other cafes. Moreover, the yolk’s texture comes with that ‘oomph’ feature which makes it absolutely delicious. In regards to the ambience, Wang Café decorates its outlets to don the appearance of ancient China town tea houses featuring wooden furniture. Thus, customers can get a unique feel for traditional coffee shops, should they wish to have an alternative option from their contemporary Riverfront residences condo floor plan.

With the above-mentioned guide to charming cafes with great prices in Hougang, you have a variety of café options for your next food trail. It’s even better if you live in the surrounding residential estates such as Riverfront Residences.