Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee (Stirling Road)

Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee on Stirling Road is a small coffee bar under a public housing block in Queenstown. It is the first café of a Singapore coffee business with roots in the 1960s. It serves specialty coffee made with its own roasted beans, at fair prices.

The story starts with Tan Tiong Hoe, who joined the coffee trade as a 16-year-old apprentice. At 19 he set up his own firm, Tiong Hoe & Company. In later decades his trading company built its name on pure, traditionally roasted coffee. In 2014, co-founders Jacob and Juliana, inspired by Mr Tan's long career, turned his old Queenstown office into today's space. At first it was mainly a showroom for coffee machines and a place for workshops. Visitors wanted to taste the coffee, not just look at the machines, so it soon became a full café. The brand now runs 11 outlets across Singapore.

What to order

The menu centres on coffee made with beans the company roasts in small batches. A good place to start is the Intense White. It uses two shots of espresso with silky milk, for a stronger cup than a standard latte.

• Yuzu Soda Coffee: real yuzu and soda water with a double ristretto, both sweet and sour
• Iced Black: a juicy, refreshing cold coffee made with one of the house blends

The house blends have names such as Black Pearl and Roman Ruby. Pastries are on hand to go with your coffee. You can also buy bags of roasted beans to brew at home.

The setting

This is a neighbourhood café, not a big dining room. It sits on the ground floor of an HDB block, the public housing flats where most Singaporeans live. The look is simple and minimal. Seating is limited to roughly 15 to 20 people, so it can feel crowded at busy times. If you cannot find a seat, takeaway is always an option.

Good to know before you go

• No reservations: seats are first come, first served.
• Daytime only: the café opens in the morning and closes in the late afternoon.
• Dine in or take away: both are available.
• Beans and more: roasted beans, pastries and coffee merchandise are sold here while stocks last.

Getting there

Stirling Road is in Queenstown, west of the city centre. Eatbook puts the café about an 11-minute walk from Queenstown MRT station. Check the official website for its other outlets if you are elsewhere in the city.

Nearby

For brunch with your coffee, Jimmy Monkey Cafe at one-north is a short ride away. The Boiler in Buona Vista suits a bigger, messier seafood meal. Nearby sights include Haw Par Villa and the trails of Kent Ridge Park. See all restaurants in West Coast and Buona Vista. To compare with traditional local coffee, read what a kopitiam is and how to order kopi.