Singaporeans love their weekend brunches and are even willing to queue for them. But sometimes, instead of digging into indulgent, carb-heavy and greasy breakfast plates that will send you right back to bed, it pays to start your weekend right with a light and nutritious meal that does not compromise on taste. Below, restaurants and cafes for a guilt-free brunch.
Como Cuisine
In lush Dempsey Hill within the COMO Dempsey cluster of restaurants, Como Cuisine’s breakfast plates are as clean and elegant as the bright interiors. The menu is peppered with dishes from across the COMO group’s wellness resorts and hotels around the world, so expect therapeutic brews like the Body Guard which is a long black with ginger, manuka honey, and cold-pressed coconut oil and fresh juice blends like the Green & Clean of apple, fennel, spinach, spirulina, seeds and nuts. Food-wise, nothing is run of the mill here. A bite of their crisp and airy seven-grain waffle served with smoked trout, crème fraiche, zucchini and herbs will have you wanting more all weekend.
Como Cuisine, 18A Dempsey Road. T: 1800 304 6688
Halcyon & Crane
Finally a cafe that serves healthy (and delicious) meals on the Orchard Road shopping belt. Halcyon & Crane at Paragon is a sight for sore eyes, with its elegant interiors and menu of beautifully-presented, healthful dishes. On their all-day-breakfast menu is the Healthy Mixed Grains and Pumpkin Salad, where a bountiful mix of white beans, pearl barley, kamut, quinoa, buckwheat and more, are tossed with honey roasted pumpkin, beetroot, avocado and kernels of corn in a honey citrus dressing. There is also the fruity Pistachio and Apple Birches Muesli, which is an overnight oats bowl topped with fresh and dried fruit, pistachio and quinoa. A great way to kickstart a day of retail-therapy.
Halcyon & Crane, #03-09, The Paragon, 290 Orchard Road, Singapore 238859. T: 9727 5121
HRVST
You may not want to head back into the CBD for brunch on the weekend, but we promise you this one is worth it. Hrvst (pronounced ‘harvest’) is a vegan restaurant, and their food will surprise you (in a good way). Their Saturday-only weekend brunch menu is compact, and you can look forward to dishes like the zucchini frittata with twice-cooked spuds, avocado, ketchup and basil, and the rosti with soy sausage and garlic aioli. The dishes boast exceptional flavour and texture, all without the use of any eggs, dairy and meat. Ingredients are mostly all-natural and free of nasties. Tip: Grab a seat on their airmocks in their outdoor terrace garden for those weekend chill vibes.
Hrvst, #05-01, OUE Downtown Gallery, 6A Shenton Way, Singapore 068815. T: 6920 7500
Sarnies
A morning meal at Sarnies can range from clean and green, to hearty and power-packed. The food here caters to a variety of dietary needs, and high protein, low carb, vegetarian options and more are all taken care of. An ‘eatclean’ start to the day is with their acai bowl of fresh mango, strawberries, and banana with coconut chips, nuts, seeds and goji berries, or opt to create your own healthy plate with their list of brunch sides like eggs (any style), roasted tomatoes, mixed greens, avocado, smoked salmon and more. They also do raw and vegan superfood shakes that are filling enough to be a breakfast on-the-go, such as the Bulletproof which is a blend of cocoa, banana, cashews, flaxseeds, coffee and coconut oil.
Sarnies, 136 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068601
Bearded Bella
Not only do we love their ‘neighbourhood cafe’ vibe, this Craig Road cosy spot opens at half past seven every morning, allowing early risers to begin their day with their Aussie-style brekkie plates and excellent coffee. You cannot go wrong with the Smashed Avocado — it is topped with nuts and seeds, served with sweet potato crisps, quinoa, feta cheese and pomegranate on grain toast. Their version of scrambled eggs is flavour-packed with turmeric, mushroom and truffle oil, and fibre-rich with the addition of kale. Plus, the light-filled shophouse space is an Instagrammer’s dream.
Bearded Bella, 8 Craig Road, Singapore 089668. T: 9880 0775
The LoKal
The Duxton neighbourhood brunch favourite does healthy breakfasts really well. They have a flexible menu, where you can create your own breakfast plate off a list of house-made sides. Their house-smoked mackerel and homemade ricotta are legendary and excellent with a side of eggs. For the indecisive, they serve an excellent grain bowl of barley, farro, quinoa, a 64 degree egg, flavour-packed with pickled and raw vegetables and a mirin-soy dressing. All of the healthy options on their menu can be made gluten-free and in some cases vegan too.
The LoKal, 136 Neil Road, Singapore 088865. T: 6423 9918
The Butcher’s Wife
This Tiong Bahru spot is Singapore’s only 100 per cent gluten-free restaurant, and whether you are intolerant or not, it is a great spot for a low-carb brunch that does not compromise on flavours. They open at 11am, so breakfast here is late, leisurely and more like a brunch. Brunch dishes are not typical here — there is the House-made Granola served in a blueberry and Roselle jam smoothie bowl with chia seeds, fresh fruit and almond butter and light mains include the Organic Poached Eggs and Salmon (that has been cured in-house) served with sweet potato rosti, feta, tomato sambal and avocado. To drink, there are fresh juice blends like the Coco Loco of coconut, agave, almond milk and pineapple.
The Butcher’s Wife, 19 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168650. T: 6221 9307
Little Farms Cafe
It’s no surprise that the Little Farms’ cafes serve up healthy meals, as they use the same exceptional produce that is sold in their gourmet grocery stores. At their Valley Point seated cafe, expect a succinct menu of breakfast plates like the smashed avocado, poached eggs and marinated feta on sourdough. There is a glass display of freshly-prepared grain salads like the wild rice with chicken and the quinoa, tomato and bocconcini salad. There is also a selection of gluten-free baked goods, quiches, pies and frittatas available on rotation, for dine-in or takeaway.
Little Farms Cafe, #01-20, 491 River Valley Road. T: 6262 0619 / #01-04/05/06, 3 Lorong Liput, T: 6365 2557
Common Man Coffee Roasters
Five years in existence and still going strong, the River Valley neighbourhood’s favourite cafe and all-day-brunch spot continues to open to packed houses on the weekends. Their 7.30 am start is an early riser’s dream come true, and apart from their amazing coffee, their healthy breakfast plates are delicious and wholesome too. Top picks include the house-made crunchy granola, served with berries and honey Greek yogurt, which is fibre-rich and hearty. There is also the sautéed kale and egg white scramble, with asparagus, sweet pea, broccoli and parmesan, which is easily one of the best ways to eat kale in the city. Packed with tons of vegan and gluten-free options, and even fresh juice blends, Common Man Coffee Roasters is a great breakfast spot for a variety of healthful diets.
Common Man Coffee Roasters, #01-00, 22 Martin Road, Singapore 239058. T: 6836 4695
The Living Cafe
It wouldn’t be a list of healthy cafes without mentioning this Bukit Timah stalwart that has been serving mostly raw-but-delicious meals to healthy noshers since 2011. The entire menu is free of preservatives, additives, dairy and red meat. Brunch on weekends begin at 9am (perfect for a post-morning run) and the menu features everything from a chia pudding with seasonal fruits (raw, vegan and gluten-free) to a breakfast burrito of scrambled eggs, mushroom ragout, spinach, a raw cashew mayo, and eggplant treated to mimic bacon. Soy-laced coffees, fresh-pressed juices, superfood smoothies and kombucha, are all available here.
The Living Cafe, 779 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269758. T: 6468 4482
SPRMRKT
The menus differ slightly at their two locations, but healthy breakfast options are available at both Cluny Court and STPI. Located a stone’s throw away from the Botanic Gardens, SPRMRKT at Cluny Court is a great spot for brunch after a morning exercise session in the park. The acai, pili nuts and overnight oats bowl with bananas and yogurt is a protein- and fibre-rich start to the day. At their Robertson Quay outlet, the menu boasts a whole section dedicated to superfood grain bowls, and hearty brunch plates like The Veggie Breakfast of eggs (scrambled, fried or sous-vide) served with roasted vine-ripened tomatoes, avocado, mesclun salad and brioche. Fresh-pressed juice blends like the Fat Blaster (grapefruit, orange, lemon, ginger) will make healthy pairings with your brunch plates.
SPRMRKT, #02-13, Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259760. T: 9736 4170 / STPI, 41 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238236. T: 9736 4032
(Related: Perfect brunch spots in Singapore to check out this weekend)
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