Category Archives: Cafe

Rotterdam Cafe Hop – 3 Cafes to Visit

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Within an hour away by train, Rotterdam is one of the most popular day trip destinations from Amsterdam. You can easily hop on a train from either one of the major train stations in Amsterdam (e.g. Amsterdam Centraal) just tapping your international credit or debit card without purchasing any ticket.

I arrived in Rotterdam Centraal in the morning, made cultural visits to the Huis Sonneveld and Nieuwe Instituut, then started my café-hopping adventure in the city.

1. Blend Artwork + Coffee

A combination of a café, art gallery, and design shop, Blend Artwork + Coffee was my first stop of the day. With an aesthetic round wooden communal table and art pieces decorating the interior and a tranquil garden with outdoor seating in the backyard, the café made a charming spot for breakfast and brunch. The staff were friendly to introduce the menu and recommend the labnehs.

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I was surprised to find a section of the menu dedicated to different types of labneh, a Middle Eastern dish, in a Dutch café. There were different flavours of the labneh such as crispy chilli, dukkah, and coffee honey. All their labneh was made with a combination of yogurt and goat yogurt strained every night in their fridges.

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Since I was feeling peckish, I ordered the Breakfast Platter (EUR 14.95, SGD 22.4) which came with a small classic labneh, croissant, jam, soft boiled egg, and sourdough bread on the side. The classic labneh, topped with olive oil, za’atar, sumac and blueberries, was fresh and creamy, pairing well with the sourdough.

I also had a regular sized Latte (EUR 4.25, SGD 6.4), made with coffee roasted by Manhattan Coffee Roasters in Rotterdam. There was a range of non-coffee drinks available as well.

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Thanks to the fresh and artisanal ingredients used, I had a hearty and satisfying brunch. The atmosphere was also cozy and peaceful, and I could imagine myself going regularly if I resided in the city.

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Nieuwe Binnenweg 305A, 3021 GH Rotterdam, Netherlands

Mon, Wed – Fri 8.30am – 5pm

Sat to Sun 9.30am – 5.30pm

2. Büro Bobo

Located in a secluded corner in the creative Delfshaven district, Büro Bobo, or Buero Bobo, was a café that one might easily miss. This small, 15 square meters space, was a concept store integrating interior design, espresso and filter coffee, and natural wine.

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As I chatted with the barista, I found out that the owner was an architectural designer who moved from Germany to Rotterdam, and who built the café interior – minimalist and warm at the same time.

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The coffee served here featured rotating selections from top European roasters such as Prolog Coffee from Copenhagen, Schot Coffee Roasters from Rotterdam, and Sprout Coffee Roasters from Eindhoven.

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I had an Espresso with Milk (EUR 4, SGD 6), which had a creamy mouthfeel and a slight acidity which I enjoyed. The best part of the experience was definitely the conversations I’ve had with the barista and other patrons who dropped by, made possible by the small and cozy gathering space.

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Coolhavenstraat 3, 3024 TD Rotterdam, Netherlands

Mon to Fri 8.15am – 3pm

3. âme cafe and concept store

As the last café stop before heading back to Amsterdam, I dropped by âme cafe and concept store, located within âme Hotel. The hotel was housed in a monumental building with an old yet charming structure and façade. The owners kept most of the old elements and designed the interior with Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics, with the use of natural materials and colours.

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In the café, there were displays of interior and lifestyle items for purchase along with communal and individual tables to have breakfast and drinks. Unfortunately, it was already late afternoon when I went so I could not try the dishes on the breakfast menu (available everyday till 1pm) – think eggs on toast, avocado toast, yogurt bowls.

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Instead, I had a Matcha Latte (EUR 5.8, + 0.3 for oat milk, SGD 8.7) and a Cardamom Bun (EUR 4.95, SGD 7.4) at the counter table. There were also some interesting options, such as their Special soda made with yuzu matcha and espresso yuzu tonic, and a Strawberry matcha, but I decided to play it safe and basic. Both the matcha and bun were above average, though not the best I’ve had in Europe.

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Eendrachtsweg 19, 3012 LB Rotterdam, Netherlands

9am – 5pm daily

樱汝 – An unexpected café find in Huangshan, China

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I was not expecting to find a modern, Japanese style café in the less-known city of Huangshan where mountains, farmlands and old streets and restaurants were more prominent. Even the locals who were with me were surprised to find such a place.

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The first floor of the cozy café was designed like a wooden hut, with just 2 small wooden tables that can fit 2 people on each. I was attracted to the rustic coffee and tea counter, with a display of vintage cups and saucers, reminiscent of an antique flea market. Beside them, I also took notice of the range of coffee beans, tea leaves and matcha powder available – it seemed like the owner was passionate in coffee and tea.

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On the second floor, there was a long counter table by the window and another standalone table for dining. The rest of the space was adorned with items displayed on sale such as small pieces of jewelry and tea cloths. While the lighting on the first floor was warm and moody, the second floor was bright and inviting with strong sunlight cascading through the window.

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The menu, written in cursive Chinese, was not the easiest to decipher. It took me a while to learn that there were several coffee, tea and soda options on the menu, together with a list of desserts.

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To beat the early summer heat outside, I skipped my usual hot coffee order and we had the Iced Matcha Latte (CNY36, SGD6.4 +CNY5, SGD0.9 for vanilla ice cream) and the Plum Soda (CNY36) recommended by the owner. The soda was indeed refreshing, sweet and tartly flavoured from the plum syrup.

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We also had a slice of Earl Grey Tea Honeydew Cream Cake (CNY36) to share – it was light and fluffy, though the earl grey flavour could be more pronounced.

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Conveniently located just 5 minutes away by car from the popular Tunxi Old Street, I highly recommend the café as a pit stop for an afternoon tea or coffee after sightseeing.

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Address: 安徽省-黄山市-屯溪区-戴震路2-70号

Tanny Cake 甜莺蛋糕 – Popular Cake Shop in Guangzhou with Lava Basque Cheesecake

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I found yet another Japanese inspired café in Guangzhou, Tanny Cake. It was housed in a standalone, 2 storey wooden hut right along the main road, looking as though it popped right out from a Japanese anime.

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When I entered, the cafe was rather packed with ladies, many of them trying to pose for photos at different corners of the 2-storey wooden café. I felt a little uncomfortable as it was obvious that some of them were doing product shoots, but the staff did not seem bothered by it.

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I went up to the second floor for the tables by the window that overlook the busy main street below. Apart from the traffic and construction noises, the ambiance was relaxing, fit for a lazy afternoon tea session.

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From the selection of cakes, I ordered the Matcha Lava Basque Cheesecake (RMB 35, SGD 6.2) which was very creamy, rich and intense, with distinct bitter and earthy tones from the matcha. The consistency of the cake was also lava-like in the middle.

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If you prefer something more fruity and less bitter, the Blueberry Lava Basque Cheesecake (RMB 35, SGD 6.2) would be a great choice.

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As a café specialising in cakes, I was not expecting much from their coffee but the Latte (RMB 24, SGD 4.3) that I had, made from their blackberry blend, was well-balanced.

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With a comfortable price point for such quality cakes and coffee, paired with the lovely atmosphere and aesthetics of the wooden shophouse, it was no wonder that the café has been booming with popularity in Guangzhou.

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Address: 广东省-广州市-海珠区-沙园街道沙园街广州重型机器厂宿舍西141米

Directions: 地铁8号线/广佛线沙园站C口出来步行几百米就到

Opening Hours: 12pm – 9pm daily

Eo Eoo – Japanese Inspired Café in Guangzhou with Aesthetic Desserts

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Tucked away in an old residential area where you would never expect to find a modern café is Eo Eoo (don’t ask me how to pronounce it). I was walking pass the decrepit buildings, thinking to myself, “Is there really a café here?”, and suddenly there were a couple of signs pointing towards the café that came into sight.

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The storefront had two wooden doors against a white backdrop, and this theme of wooden furniture set against white walls was prominent in the café interior. Soft, diffused light filled the café through the linen curtains.  

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On the menu was a selection of hand drip coffee, espresso-based coffee, non-coffee drinks and desserts. I had the Matcha Latte (RMB 42, SGD 7.5), which was rich and intense, while not being overly sweetened. There wasn’t an option to change to oat milk but I enjoyed the drink nonetheless.

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For desserts, I had the petite Pistachio Raspberry Tart (RMB 48, SGD 8.6), topped with berries. I thought it was just alright, with neither pistachio nor raspberry flavour distinct.

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Meanwhile, their signature parfait was not to be missed. When I was there, it was the spring edition, a Green Apple Parfait (RMB 78, SGD 13.9). I was impressed with the visual of the parfait, with a myriad of components – starting from the lime meringue stick on the top, to the green apple sorbet, green apple slices, jasmine green tea chantilly cream, matcha sable biscuit, jasmine green tea gelato, pomelo bits, and to the green apple jelly. It felt like I was transported to a dessert café in Japan.

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Overall, the tart and slightly sour taste of the green apple was refreshing, well-balanced with the earthy flavours of the jasmine green tea. Now, they are serving their summer parfait – Pineapple Coconut Parfait.

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I loved how the desserts here were just barely sweet, allowing me to savour the original flavours of the different fruits incorporated. Together with the zen atmosphere of the café (I was there early so no one else was there), I had a peaceful time to myself.

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Address: 广东省-广州市-海珠区-龙骧大街润田雅苑A113、114铺

Nearest train station: 地铁8号线凤凰新村站B出口930m

Opening hours: 11am – 7pm daily

Whatever Coffee 無事咖啡 – Guangzhou Cafe

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Hidden in an industrial park is a relatively new café in Guangzhou, which I found out about through (none other than) Little Red Note. Though slightly out of the way from the central parts of Guangzhou where the CBD and tourist districts were, the café was still accessible by the metro (about 10 mins walk from the nearest exit of Nanpu station).

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When I went on a weekday morning, there was just one other customer, giving me a good chance to explore the space freely. Right from the entrance, the café was surrounded by greenery, with a small garden/lawn in front decorated with (what seems like) lalang. The outdoor yard boasted a majestic tree, with camping chairs and wooden furniture strewn around, which I imagine would be a relaxing spot in the cooler seasons.

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The main indoor café area was like a glasshouse – the glass ceiling allowed light and shadows to fill different spaces of the café when the sun shone, giving a dreamy effect. I was truly impressed with the design of the entire space.

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At the coffee counter, I was ready to order my regular cup of espresso with milk, but the barista recommended to go for their specialty coffee drinks. So I picked the 日出, which directly translates to Sunrise (RMB 42, SGD 7.48). Made with cold brew, orange juice, home made rose vinegar and pomegranate sugar, it was incredibly refreshing, especially since it was getting hot and humid in China. I liked the balance of tartness, acidity and sweetness from the ingredients.

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Something I did not expect was that the drink came with a smoke bubble “performance” by the barista with the smoke bubble gun, right at my seat. There were also non-coffee drinks on the menu such as Matcha Latte (RMB 35). Unfortunately, no food was available.

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This is a café not to be missed if you’re in Guangzhou.

Address: 广东省-广州市-番禺区-凹凸凹创意园南门A座103

Weekdays 10.30am – 6.30pm

Weekends 11am – 7pm

Line 2, Nanpu station Exit D  2号线南浦站D出口步行500米

Daejeon Café Hop 2025 – Leafful Coffee, Seosew Café, Ordinary Project Café

I first visited Daejeon in 2018 as a carefree student, and now fast forward 7 years, it was unbelievably nostalgic to return as a jaded working adult. Nonetheless, I was still as passionate as I was about café hopping, so I explored 3 different cafes with my friend within half a day. With the trip from Seoul to Daejeon taking just a little under an hour by the high-speed KTX train, Daejeon made a great option for a day trip from Seoul. I also appreciated the fact that Daejeon was less crowded and had more wallet-friendly prices.

  1. Leafful Coffee 대전카페 리풀
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Our first stop was the furthest from the central train station, about an hour commute by public transport. This spacious café exudes European vibes and is characterised by warm yellow tones, wooden furniture, whitewashed walls and purposefully placed decorative items and trinkets.

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On a sunny morning and afternoon, you can expect the space to be naturally lit through the large windows, casting lovely shadows across the front counter of the café especially. We just had to grab the window seats despite being thoroughly exposed to direct sunlight.

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We had coffee – the Flat White (KRW5000, SGD4.6) which was their version of a “short latte”, and the Latte (KRW5000) which came in a bigger cup. No non-dairy milk options when I went, but I got an update that they have an oat milk option now.

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The desserts on display were visually tempting. I had the Pistachio Berry Mousse (KRW9000, SGD8.3), which comprised an inner core of tangy and sweet strawberry and rhubarb compote, enveloped in nutty sweet pistachio mousse. The pistachio dacquoise base added a good crunchy texture to the tart.

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40 Jukdong-ro 279beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34127

11am – 9pm daily, closed on Tue

2. Seosew Café & Shop 서소우

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With a completely different theme from our first café, Seosew was a café and vintage select shop we hopped over to as our next stop. The mixture of rustic wood furnishing and DIY metal shelving and racks gave the space an edgy, raw industrial look, boasting cool tones. Like Leafful, the space received lots of natural light in the afternoon.

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My friend had the Latte (KRW5000), which I felt was on the milkier side, while I had their Chamomile Tea (KRW6000, SGD5.5). While waiting for your orders, you can browse their collection and shop for vintage clothing and goods, as well as items from their own brand, such as tea coasters.

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If you’re feeling peckish, they have 2 simple desserts – the Pistachio Tiramisu (KRW8000, SGD7.3) and Strawberry Tiramisu (KRW8000).

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1F, 457, Dosol-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon

12pm – 10pm daily, closed on Wed

3. Ordinary Project Café & Showroom 오디너리프로젝트 쇼룸, 카페

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Near Daejeon Lotte Department Store was this café and furniture showroom that might be easily missed because of the lack of a conspicuous signboard and of the fact that it is located on the second floor of the building.

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This is where you can enjoy sipping on an afternoon drink while (window) shopping for furniture. The showroom featured mainly hardwood furniture in varying shades of oak, against a backdrop of white walls, an exposed concrete ceiling and a wood panelled floor. The entire look was very clean and minimalistic. On one end of the café were large windows – a pity that it was winter when we went and missed out on the view of greenery.  

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Since we already had coffee and tea from the previous cafes, we opted for something more refreshing – the Iced Grapefruit Ade (KRW7000, SGD6.4) and the non-alcoholic Iced Lime Mojito (KRW7000). It felt weird to be sitting on chairs and placing my drinks on tables that were furniture going on sale for at least $1000~$2000. I suppose they will get brand new pieces for customers who wish to purchase them.

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Don’t forget to remove your shoes and change into the indoor slippers they provide before stepping in – we totally overlooked the sign (oops).

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12pm – 8pm daily, closed on Thu

574-1, Gyeryong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35269

Lot of Taste, Chiang Mai

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It was an early Saturday morning in the Chiang Mai, when the roads were still rather empty and footfall still low. I went into Lot of Taste, the latest outpost of Taste Cafe. On that cloudless morning, the café was directly lit by the rising sun which cast beautiful long shadows. It was a lovely sight to behold while having my coffee – though if you cannot deal with sun exposure, and don’t mind dealing with a busy/packed café, I would advise to come later in the afternoon or evening.

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The interior was spacious, with a mix of wooden and stainless steel furniture, and the speakers played jazz music, building a relaxed atmosphere.

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I could tell that the café was serious about their coffee when I chanced upon their in house coffee roasting machine at the back, which you may get to see in action if you’re lucky. Along the back wall of the café, there was also a huge glass display of the different roasted beans packaged for sale.

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The signature item here was the Soft Latte, with the dollop of silky cream on top, but I went for the basic hot Flat White (THB100/SGD4, +oatly THB25/SGD1) with Oat Milk instead as I normally have hot coffee in the morning. There were also extensive options for both espresso and filter coffee. The coffee lived up to my expectations with a deep flavour and smooth mouthfeel.

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The food menu was simple and limited to just 3 sandwiches and 3 muffins when I visited. I ordered the Spinach and Cheese Sandwich (THB125, SGD5) just as a stomach filler without much expectations since the focus here seemed to be much heavier on coffee, but it turned out to be very decent, with a generous portion of each ingredient of toast, spinach and cheese that I couldn’t finish it (I had to save space for a few more cafes I planned to visit on the same day).

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If you’re looking for good specialty coffee in Chiang Mai, Lot of Taste is that cafe you should save and tick off in your itinerary. Apart from being conveniently located in the bustling Nimmamhaemin area, it is also opened from as early as 8am to as late as 10pm.

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8/5 Nimmanahaeminda Road, Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

8am – 10pm daily

Lean and Rich Bakery – Minimalistic Bakery Café in UE Square with Northern European Bread and Pastries

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Helmed by a Korean baker from the famed Tartine Bakery in Seoul, Lean and Rich Bakery opened in UE Square last year as a Northern European, minimalistic style bakery. The bakery café occupies a modest space on the first floor of UE Square, with a bold red branding for their name/logo and storefront. The interior is kept minimal with cement floors, exposed ceilings and simple wooden tables and stools.

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On the weekends, the indoor area got filled up quickly about an hour into their opening and patrons started to take up seats in the outdoor area where more tables were placed.

“Lean and Rich” refers to the type of dough used in the menu items. Lean dough, made with basic ingredients, is used to bake bread such as their signature sourdough and focaccia; Rich dough, made with additional ingredients like eggs, butter, sugar and milk, is used in the pastries.

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From the “Rich” menu, I tried both the Vanilla ($7) and Pistachio ($7). My pick would be the Vanilla – I thought the smooth and creamy vanilla filling with vanilla beans paired better with the flaky and buttery croissant layers. On the other hand, I felt that the Pistachio custard was a tad too sweet and lacked the distinct nuttiness I was expecting.

For drinks, I tried the Vanilla Bean Latte ($7), Vanilla Bean Milk ($5.5), White ($5.7, +$1 for oat milk) and Matcha Latte ($7). The vanilla drinks and matcha latte were too sweet for my liking and I would stick with the White.

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Post-opening, the café also launched breakfast/brunch dishes. Reminiscent of the Scandinavian breakfast was the Morning Platter ($11) which came with sourdough, soft-boiled egg, cheese, whipped butter and fig jam. I enjoyed the simple yet classic dish.

The Apple and Brie ($12) was a good surprise – I particularly liked the balance between the subtly sweet apple, candied pecan and honey and the savoury brie cheese, wild rocket and pastry layers. The mix of textures was also commendable.                                                                  

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Perhaps the most luxurious item on the menu, the Caponata and Burrata ($21) came with sourdough, a goulash-like mixture of eggplant, tomato, onion, celery, pine nuts, and burrata cheese. The burrata unveiled a soft and creamy filling, which when spread on the vegetables topped on the crispy, toasted sourdough, made a scrumptious open-faced sandwich.

With the emphasis and focus on serving consistently quality bread and pastries, I could see why the bakery gets crowded right from the early morning.

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81 Clemenceau Ave, UE Square, #01-14, Singapore 239917

Tues to Fri 8.30am – 5pm

Sat and Sun 8.30am – 4pm

Atrium, Malmö – Brunch in an Aesthetic Cafe in Sweden

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For my day trip to Malmö (in Sweden) from Copenhagen, I researched and shortlisted a few cafes to visit. Atrium was the first café stop of the day for breakfast. Stepping into the cafe, I was greeted with cozy and relaxed vibes, akin to visiting a grandma’s cottage for comfort food.

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There were plenty of seats in different corners to choose from – the outdoor terrace allows you to bask in laid-back vibes of a charming outdoor garden and is perfect in the spring and summer, the indoor communal tables allow for gatherings, while the smaller tables and countertop table allow for an intimate meal alone or with a plus one.

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What I also noticed and appreciated was the emphasis on greenery – apart from the plants in the outdoor garden, there were also many plants and even small trees thriving indoors thanks to the naturally, brightly lit interior.

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I started off with coffee and was delighted to find that the coffee quality was just as good as those from specialty coffee roasters I visited in Copenhagen.

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The café offers typical brunch fare, with both vegetarian and vegan options available on the menu. I had the Turkish Eggs (98 kr, SGD 12), which features 2 poached eggs in garlic yogurt topped with browned butter, chilli, fennel and pomegranate served with toasted sourdough. The spice level was mild, balanced with the savoury garlic yogurt which was the highlight for me.

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The Avocado Sandwich (125 kr, SGD 15.4) was the next dish I had. Nothing too fancy, it was a simple dish of a poached egg, tomatoes, avocado cream served on sourdough bread with cream cheese. I did wish that the portion could be bigger, e.g. serving 2 poached eggs and 2 slices of sourdough instead of 1 each.

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For a sweet (but not overly sweet) ending, I opted for the Roasted Banana Bread with White Chocolate Mascarpone (69 kr, SGD 8.5). Not sure if it was due to the roasting process, but I thought that the banana bread could be more moist inside.

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Compared to the cafes in Copenhagen, the atmosphere was less busy, and sitting here feels like getting a respite from city life, indulging in slow living. Furthermore, prices in Sweden were significantly lower than that in Denmark which is an additional plus point.

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Skvadronsgatan 13, 217 49 Malmö, Sweden

8am – 5pm weekdays, 9am – 5pm weekends

La Cabra Coffee Roasters in Aarhus, Denmark

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It had all begun in 2012, when La Cabra was founded as a modern coffee company. Shortly after, the first physical location of the café was born out of Aarhus, Denmark.

Today, La Cabra is a widely recognized coffee roaster round the globe with a new roastery in Copenhagen and cafes in New York, Bangkok and Oman. To complement their coffee, La Cabra Bakeries were also set up near their café locations to serve sourdough bread and modern pastries.

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It was Saturday afternoon when I arrived. The café was lively, with most of the crowd basking in the spring sunlight in the alfresco dining area, and the rest taking refuge in the modern Scandinavian, wabi-sabi interior. Designed by their in-house team, the interior is decked in beige and wooden tones, with clean lines contributing to the overall theme.

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Grabbing a table outside was harder than expected so I settled for the indoor table by the window.

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From the drinks menu, I tried both the Espresso with Milk which comes in 3 sizes – Small 120ml (DKK40, SGD7.7), Medium 150ml (DKK45, SGD8.6) and Large 220ml (DKK50, SGD9.6), and the Matcha Latte (DKK55, SGD10.5). Both were high quality, though I would just head for the coffee if I had only one choice. There were 3 coffee selections when I was there, and the friendly baristas explained them and recommended me the most suitable one to go with oat milk.

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All of the bread and pastries on display are made by their own bakery. Since I was determined to try and rank cardamom buns from different bakeries in Denmark, I could not leave out the Cardamom Swirl Bun (DKK35, SGD6.7) here, which is one of their signatures. Their cardamom bun was probably the most visually aesthetic out of all that I’ve tried, with a crisp brown layer. It was also chewy and sufficiently spiced with cardamom.

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The Basque Cheesecake (DKK55, SGD10.5) with notes of lemon was alright, but didn’t have the creamy, borderline lava-like was centre which I liked.

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Lastly, I also had the Seasonal Bun (DKK45, SGD8.6), which was incredibly soft and generously filled with lemon and white chocolate cream. It was a good balance of tartness and sweetness, without one flavour overpowering the other.

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For my Singaporean readers who wish to experience their high quality coffee and bakes without taking the long haul flight, you may visit both their coffee shop and bakery in Bangkok.

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Graven 20, 8000 Aarhus Centrum, Denmark

Mon to Sat 8am – 6pm

Sun 9am – 5pm