Much like in Malaysia, eating is a Singaporean pastime, and a hearty brunch is one way locals like to indulge between the usual mealtimes. This is especially true on weekends, when you will find everyone from trendy teenagers to young adults, families and expats digging in at a cozy café for hours.

Brunch in Singapore can be anything from traditional local toast topped with a generous spread of kaya, to perfectly poached eggs and fresh salad. Chase those with locally brewed thick kopi O or an iced latte (with oat milk, of course)! You’ll often find queues at peak hours, especially if pictures of a spot have done the rounds on social media – but be prepared for a heftier bill than at Singapore’s ubiquitous food courts.

Beyond food, the brunch experience in Singapore is also often tied to the setting. Indeed, sometimes the atmosphere is more crucial to your enjoyment than the quality of your meal.

With that in mind, below are some suggestions on unique brunch destinations in Singapore, where the sights and sounds are also a feast for your senses.

1. Micro Bakery Red House

The striking red facade that gives this establishment its name is the first thing that will make an impression when you arrive. The building formerly housed the Katong Bakery & Confectionery, for decades a popular bake shop and breakfast spot, and its new tenant Micro continues the tradition with its excellent pastries.

Beyond baked goods, this is the place to build your own brunch: start with sourdough toast and French butter, then add whatever else you fancy, such as avocado, sausage, scrambled eggs, or roast tomatoes.

Lighter fare includes homemade granola with seasonal fruits and yoghurt, while other meat-free options are available, such as nut butter toast with hazelnut, almond, sunflower seeds, sea salt and honey.

Slake your thirst with a pink lemongrass and chrysanthemum lemonade while taking in the smells of fresh baking wafting from the oven. After brunch, go for a stroll: the colourful shophouses offer a glimpse of Singapore’s past, the district once a residential Peranakan enclave.

Visit its website here.

Address: 63 East Coast Road, #01-06, Singapore 428776

2. Tiong Bahru Bakery

Tiong Bahru is the oldest housing estate in Singapore, where you’ll find 1930s-style Streamline Moderne architecture that features lines and curves inspired by cars, planes and ships.

Here, you will find a mecca for lovers of baked goods, offering a vast selection. Try the small sugar brioche – a bun dusted with sweet crystals, the lemon loaf, or the apple crumble.

Savoury palates will be satisfied, too; the pulled pork bun is highly recommended, while the more adventurous should opt for a smoked-salmon squid-ink roll. Everything goes well with a double espresso or long black coffee.

Find out more by clicking here.

Address: 56 Eng Hoon Street, #01-70, Singapore 160056

3. SPRMRKT at Dempsey Hill

Once a nutmeg plantation, Dempsey Hill became a military camp under British rule and now has a thriving food scene popular with expats. SPRMRKT is situated within a former British army barracks, echoing the colonial past of Singapore before it became an independent state in 1965.

SPRMRKT does a western-style brunch menu, from eggs Benedict (ham or crab) to avocado toast and buttermilk pancakes – the latter are soft, fluffy and thicker than the thin, floppy readymade ones normally found in supermarkets here, so they should fill you up.

For something more substantial, go for the breakfast platter: eggs, mushrooms, pork sausages, bacon, tomato, greens and toast. Tasty cocktails, wine and craft beer are available, too.

For more information, visit the SPRMRKT website.

Address: Dempsey Road, #01-15A Block 8, Singapore 247696

4. Soek Seng 1954 Bicycle Café

This is one of those places where the atmosphere is more enticing than the menu. While travellers to Singapore commonly enter via Changi Airport, this eatery is next to the lesser-known Seletar Airport, which caters to smaller planes and private jets.

Soek Seng 1954 Bicycle Café, with vintage bikes hanging on the inside walls, serves a wide range of cuisine. Dishes include standard western fare such as burgers and steak, as well as Japanese rice bowls and favourites such as beef rendang.

There are certainly better versions of these elsewhere in Singapore, but what you are really here for is the unconventional vibe of brunching right next to an airstrip, where you can watch the occasional small plane take off or try to name the different models of aircraft you spot.

For more information, head on over to its Facebook profile.

Address: 80 Seletar Aerospace View, #01-01 Aviation Hub, Singapore 797563

5. Miska Café

Sentosa Cove is known as the Monaco of Singapore, where the ultra-rich live and play with expensive toys such as yachts and supercars on a tourist island linked to the main city-state. (Odds are, those who landed with their private jets at Seletar Airport may be headed here.)

From your seat in Miska Café, you’ll be able to view the scores of pristine vessels on display at the Sentosa Cove dock while tucking into a Mediterranean-inspired brunch. Have a hearty breakfast steak with halloumi cheese and pita bread, or the shakshuka – oven-baked eggs with feta, roast stewed tomato, peppers and onion.

Take note: if you’re dining on the terrace, don’t leave your table if there’s food on your plate – the local mynahs and crows will dash down for scraps if it is unoccupied. It is not uncommon to see staff rush to clear plates when the birds swoop in.

Check out its website here.

Address: 31 Ocean Way, 01-07 Quayside Isle, Sentosa Cove, Singapore 098375