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As much as I love cafe-hopping, when I think about cafes in Singapore, the words specialty coffee, brunch and, unfortunately, expensive, come to mind. If you’ve held back on cafe visits one too many times for the sake of your wallet, The Shelter might very well be your next go-to hangout!
Located conveniently in Chinatown, The Shelter is a lifestyle cafe nestled in Fook Hai Building.
It is unlike the stereotypical cafe, with a menu that includes local mains priced as low as S$3 alongside quintessential cafe nosh. Might I add that there is no GST or Service Charge?
Adopting a sleek industrial-style interior design, the cafe is decked out in hues of grey and neon blue, with its concrete walls adorned with oversized graphic tees from their very own clothing label.
If you’re feeling like a simple meal, some noteworthy local mains include the S$3 Pork & Century Egg Porridge, Mee Rebus (S$6) and Curry Chicken with Rice (S$7) and Rosemary Focaccia (S$11).
Albeit pricey in comparison to what you’ll find at a coffeeshop, the cafe ambience sure makes up for it.
For the more conventional cafe-goer, you can opt for a classic brunch platter of All-Day Breakfast (S$18) or choose from an assortment of sandwiches like a simple Ham & Cheese Toastie (S$8) or a Turkey Bacon & Cheese Ciabatta (S$18).
Delicious sides like Honey Glazed Wings (S$10) and Truffle Fries (S$13) are available, too, if you’re feeling peckish.
Of course, no cafe is complete without its beverages. The Shelter has been lauded for its house-blend coffee. Choose from a selection of drinks like Shelter White (S$5.50 for Hot) which you can choose to have with plant-based milk at no additional cost!
Finally, you can round off your meal with a scoop of their house-made gelato (from S$4) from an extensive range of unique flavours like Haw Flakes and Avocado Gula Melaka.
Keep The Shelter in mind the next time you’re looking for an affordable cafe to chill in. I know I certainly will.
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