For the coffee addicts: These hawkers sell cafe-quality machine-brewed cuppas with prices starting from $1.30

Any sleep-deprived working adult or student would probably cite coffee as one thing that they can't live without.

While this mysteriously addictive dark liquid is the fuel that keeps most of us going, consuming it on a regular basis can be costly, especially if we prefer getting our fix from a cafe.

However, there are actually a few hawkers in Singapore who sell cafe-quality, machine-brewed coffees without the hefty price tag — some of these start from just $1.30 per cup!

1. Lim's Cafe

Tucked away in Chinatown Complex Food Centre is Lim's Cafe, a drink stall that brews traditional cups of kopi with an espresso machine.

According to Singapore Foodie, the stall grinds its coffee beans daily and uses a special blend of two types of beans.

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The espresso machine reportedly cost the owner, Uncle Lim, a whopping $6,000! However, prices here are kept affordable and range from just $1.30 to $1.60 a cup.

Address: Chinatown Complex Food Centre, 335 Smith St, #02-31, Singapore 050335

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, closed on Wed

2. Kopi More

Kopi More is helmed by Lawrence Tan an ex-petroleum trader who decided to leave the industry and become his own boss.

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His humble stall at the bustling Golden Mile Food Centre serves up robust cups of kopi brewed with his trusty espresso machine and a blend of Indonesia Robusta and Columbian Arabica beans.

Prices here range from $1.90 to $2.40.

Address: Golden Mile Food Centre #B1-49, 505 Beach Rd, 199583

Opening hours: Tue to Sun 11am to 4pm, closed on Mon

3. Mad Roaster

One may not expect to find affordable coffee options in the CBD area, but it does exist.

Enter Mad Roaster, which was set up by lawyer Madeline Chan. Apart from selling soothing cuppas, she also uses the business as an opportunity to create livelihoods for Thai refugees. Each sticker on the stalls cups is hand-coloured by a refugee, who earns about 50 cents per sticker.  

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The coffee here ranges from $2.80 to $4. Options available include the usual espresso and flat white, as well as honey butter latte for those with a sweet tooth. You can also choose to pair your cuppa with a slice of homely brioche bread.

Address: 7 Maxwell Road, #02-107, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 3pm, Sat 10am to 1pm, closed on Sun and public holidays

4. Generation Coffee

Located at Tekka Centre, Generation Coffee is a drink stall that specialises in artisanal coffee.

The stall is run by Zender Wong and Kenneth Lim, and started out as Pore Coffee, a subscription platform supplying home brewers with coffee beans. They then transitioned to to selling their own cuppas when they set up Generation Coffee in November last year.

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Both men also happen to be self-taught baristas who are fuelled by their love and passion for a good cup of coffee.

Generation Coffee uses Robusta and Arabica beans which are freshly ground daily.

Prices here are kept affordable and range from $1.40 for a cup of hot kopi-o to $3.70 for an iced latte.

Address: Buffalo Road #01-321 Blk 665, Singapore 210665

Opening hours: Mon to Sat 7am to 3pm, Closed on Sun

5. Danger Close

Helmed by Calvin Ang, Danger Close stands out from the rest of the stalls at Alexandra Village Food Centre thanks to its sleek and modern storefront.

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Apart from making their cuppas with a shiny espresso machine, Danger Close also has nitro brew on tap.

Prices for coffee here range from $2 to $6.

Address: 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-05, Singapore 150120

Opening hours: Tue to Sun 12pm to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm

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