Tolido's Espresso Nook

Tolido's Espresso Nook is a brunch café and coffee bar on Crawford Lane, between Lavender and Kampong Glam. It has been open since 2013 and takes its cues from the café culture of Melbourne. It sits on the ground floor of a public housing block, so it looks low-key from the street.

Do not let the plain setting fool you. The café is a long-running favourite for brunch, and it fills up fast at busy times. Come for good coffee, a plate of rosti or a stack of pancakes.

What to order

The food menu is short, with around 20 dishes across five groups: all-day brunch, sandwiches, rosti, pasta and desserts. Rosti, a crisp Swiss potato cake, gets its own section, with a choice of toppings.

Dishes worth trying include:

• Avo & Omega Rosti: a rosti topped with avocado, crisp outside and soft in the middle.
• 462 Prawn Laksa Pasta: a local twist, with spaghetti and prawns in a mildly spicy coconut laksa sauce.
• Pandan Pancakes: pancakes flavoured with pandan, a fragrant leaf used in many Southeast Asian sweets, served with gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup.

Coffee is a big part of the draw. Reviewers have praised the iced orange mocha and the cortado, a small espresso with a little warm milk. The café has also been known for its neat latte art for years.

The setting

The room is small and cosy, with a mix of industrial and rustic touches. There are seats indoors and alfresco, and the mood is casual. It suits a slow morning with a book, or a weekend catch-up with friends.

Good to know before you go

• Bookings: the café takes reservations, and booking ahead is wise, as seating is tight at busy times. There may be a time limit on tables when it is busy.
• Pets: the café is pet-friendly, so you can bring your dog.
• Getting there: the café is at 462 Crawford Lane, unit #01-63. It is about a seven-minute walk from Lavender MRT station.

Nearby

The shops and cafés of Kampong Glam and Haji Lane are close by, as is the golden-domed Sultan Mosque. For fresh bread and pastries, try Mother Dough Bakery. For another coffee stop in the area, there is Apartment Coffee. Our guide to cafés and coffee in Singapore has more ideas. You can also browse more cafés and bakeries or all restaurants in Bugis and Kampong Glam.