5 heartland spots in Singapore to purchase freshly-ground coffee

Whenever you step into a cafe, the first thing that captivates your senses is the alluring aroma of coffee in the air, isn’t it? Coffee addicts like me require at least 1 cup of Joe to get through the day smoothly. Singaporeans are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to our caffeine fix, with a diverse range of coffee spots catering to every budget.

Local kopitiams usually serve cheaper Nanyang-style coffee brewed with sock filters. In contrast, artisanal cafés use coffee beans sourced from other countries to produce pricier coffee, often made in expensive espresso machines.

If you have a coffee machine at home, purchasing coffee beans or powder from local coffee grinders around your neighbourhood may be a cheaper alternative in the long run. Here are 5 heartland spots in Singapore to purchase freshly-ground coffee.

1. Lam Yeo Coffee Powder Factory

Situated at 328 Balestier Road, Lam Yeo Coffee Powder Factory was established back in 1950 by Lim Chok Tee and Tan Thian Kang. The entire ambience of the shop carries a nostalgic feel — almost as if time has come to a standstill.

Their coffee beans and blends range from local Singaporean coffee to exotic, modern gourmet varieties from countries like Papua New Guinea, Brazil and Costa Rica. Prices start from S$16 per kg for the Local Mixture powder, or S$22 per kg for the local Coffee Beans.

Savour unique international varieties like the washed Peru Grade 1 (S$14 per 250g, S$56 per 1kg), Brazil Sao Sebastiao (S$16 per 250g, S$64 per 1kg), and Ethiopia Sidamo (S$12.50 per 250g, S$50 per 1kg).

2. Yong Seng Coffee Powder

Yong Seng Coffee Powder at Tiong Bahru Market was founded by Mr Tay Yiong Theng, who began working as a coffee stall assistant at the age of 13. After developing an interest in the art of coffee making, he was taught the ropes of traditional Nanyang coffee roasting by the stall owner.

For about 14 years, Mr Tay roasted and sold his own coffee using the laborious method of a wok and wood fire, carefully controlling the heat throughout the process. Today, the business has been passed down to the second and third generations. Customers can choose to self-collect their coffee from the stall or have it delivered to their homes.

Explore their varieties of local coffee beans like the Traditional No. 10 (from S$3.60 per 300g) and Traditional Malaysian (from S$6.90 per 300g). There’s also Columbian Supremo (from S$12 per 300g) and Robusta Blend (from S$7.80 per 300g).

3. Huat Soon Heng Coffee Powder

Huat Soon Heng Coffee Powder is an old-school stall at the Interim Bukit Timah Wet Market & Food Centre. The stall has been around since 1977 and is manned by a friendly and knowledgeable elderly gentleman who will gladly share his knowledge of each type of bean and its origin. If you require your beans to be ground, Uncle will gladly get the job done.

While you’re waiting, you can also admire his collection of antiques on the shelves.

The beans are roasted at their own factory and prices here are pretty reasonable. You can purchase 100g of beans for just S$1.50 for the basic blend and S$3.50 for the more expensive ones.

4. Siong Eng & Co.

Nestled within a sea of hardware and machinery specialty shops at 803 King George’s Avenue is Siong Eng & Co., a family-owned coffee business that has been around since 1955. Currently run by the second generation, their original location was situated at the Textile Centre located on Jalan Sultan.

They sell mainly 4 kinds of coffee beans including Lampung Coffee (S$13 per kg) and Bali EK Coffee (S$17 per kg). You may choose to purchase them whole or they will gladly grind them up for you.

5. Hong Leong Coffee Powder & Provision Sundry Goods

Hong Leong Coffee Powder & Provision Sundry Goods located at Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre is a little shop selling coffee powder, old-school biscuits, and other small grocery items.

The friendly silver-haired aunty is multilingual and sells different kinds of local coffee beans ranging from S$12 to S$23 per kg. Psst… she might even throw in some free beans for you on a good day.

6 Letter Brunch: Bicycle-friendly cafe with house-made rosti, salmon belly tacos, pasta & açai