What do you get when you put a power plug and wifi together?
You guessed right! A perfect hideout for kiam-siap (Hokkien for stingy) people to work/study for freeee!!!
A few crowd favourites like Starbucks and Coffee Bean definitely make it to our list, but check out these other locations that similarly let you get working in your own remote-office.
| Name | Cheapest drink on the menu | Power Plug / Wifi? | Perks? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Ember | Baby Cino, $2.50 | Y/Y | Avoid the CBD crowd |
| Group Therapy Cafe Duxton | Coke, $4 | N/Y | - |
| Joe & Dough Millenia Walk | Americano, $5.20 | Y/Y | Several other cafe options around if you're unable to score seats here |
| Jewel Coffee (Marina One The Heart) | Long Black, $5+ | Y/Y | Most patrons come from offices upstairs to takeaway, so seats are often aplenty (besides lunch time) |
| Jewel Coffee (Claymore Connect) | - | ||
| Jimmy Monkey Café & Bar | Black, $4 | Y/Y | - |
| Kith Cafe Millennia Walk | Babycinno, $2 | Y/Y | Plugs available at every seat |
| Lowercase Laselle | Homemade Barley/ Lime Juice, $2.50 | Y/Y | 20% off for Laselle staff&students |
| Starbucks Citilink mall | Espresso (Grande), $5.10 | Y/Y | Plugs available at every seat |
| Starbucks Liat Towers (24h) | Hot Brewed Coffee (Tall), $4.40+ | Y/Y | it. doesn't. close. |
| Starbucks Fullerton Waterboat House | Hot Brewed Coffee (Tall), $4.40+ | Y/Y | spacious and atas vibes |
| Spinelli Tampines Hub | Long Black, $4 | Y/Y | Spacious |
| The Coffee Shot (Lavender St.) | Soft Drink, $2.90 | Y/Y | Avoid the CBD crowd |
| The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Greenwich | Today's Brew Coffee, $4.50 | Y/Y | - |
| The Book Café, Martin Road | Long Black, $4.80 | Y/Y | - |
| Non-eateries | |||
| Library @ Orchard | nil | Y/Y | - |
| Library @ Harbourfront | Y/Y | - | |
| National Library | Y/Y | - | |
| SMU Benches | Y/Y | Wifi for those on eduroam only | |
| Changi Airport | N/Y | Air-conitioned, 24h | |
| Tampines Regional Library | Y/Y | - | |
| Library @ Esplanade | Y/Y | - | |
Here are a few of our favourites:
Source: Kith Cafe
Kith Cafe, Millennia Walk
I personally didn’t know of the trove of cafes in the otherwise-dead Millenia Walk, until Seedly co-founder Kenneth introduced it to me after our Personal Finance Festival at Suntec, which is just across the road from here. Kith Cafe has an inside seating area for serious diners and an outer area where most people park themselves and drown in their work. With wifi and plugs readily available, the real turning point for me was actually the occasional waft of Truffle fries that were being served to tables around me.
Cheapest drink on the menu: Babycinno, $2 (Kiam-siap level 999)
Address:9 Raffles Blvd, #01-44/45, Singapore 039596
Opening hours: Everyday from 7.30am – 10pm
Telephone:6333 4438
Source: Amber Ember
Amber Ember, Kovan/Serangoon
Cheapest drink on the menu: Baby Cino, $2.50 (Kiam-siap level 999)
Address: 730 Upper Serangoon Rd, #01-01, Singapore 534613
Opening hours: Everyday from 10am – 5pm (6pm on weekends)
Telephone: 6926 3312
Source: Teo Ser Luck | Facebook
Sengkang CC Study Room
Free food and drinks available for students
Address: 2 Sengkang Square, #01-01, Singapore 545025
Opening hours: Every day from 9am to 10pm
Hacks to make your next coffee place workspace worth it
1. Try to get a table just before it is cleared
Ok, this is maximum ‘kiam-siapness’ but if you really must, then this hack could save you some time and money. Grabbing a table before it’s cleared thus doesn’t give you the pressure of immediately ordering a drink or food to warrant your stay there. (BUt we are not encouraging free-loading either…..okay?!)
2. Bring your own mug or tumbler
Source: rougedeluxe
Starbucks gives you 50cents off your order for bringing your own cup while you’re at it. So you not only save money, but can use your mug as a good ‘choping‘ object.
Happy studying/working!
