Best Child-Friendly cafe in Singapore

One of my favourite places in Singapore is this quaint little cafe — Espressivo Cafe, which we chanced upon while strolling around the area. We initially had our doubts upon seeing its nondescript storefront, which featured a mix of Chinese and English characters and many contrasting design elements. However, upon entering...

I felt as though I'd entered someone's private home. This beautiful place was probably birthed from a childlike imagination. I felt uncomfortable at first — not quite knowing what sort of experience to expect.

And then I saw it — a play corner for both kids and adults. Diners can also choose a board game from their extensive range to entertain themselves over their food. This is indeed a rarity in Singapore. In other places, you have to pay to play (either per hour or per session). You can also spend some time honing your skills at this budding artists' corner!



Although this is likely to be more popular amongst families with kids, I really enjoyed my time spent with my beloved. We played a game of reversi, had a heart-to-heart conversation and tucked into some of the heartiest and homeliest foods in Singapore.

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Chicken and Mash — S$9.90

When we first received this, both of us thought "woah, this doesn't look good at all". We continued playing our reversi, before I decided to be the guinea pig for this dish. How deceptive appearances can be! I almost choked on the chicken, stunned by how flavourful and juicy it turned out to be. I took a scoop of the mashed potatoes, and it was smooth and pillowy, with just the right amount of gravy. The toast was really crisp and fragrant, good enough to rival those at popular breakfast chains such as Ya Kun and Toast Box. I thought the potato chips were a little out of place, but my beloved loves potato chips so it came off great for him.

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Japanese Udon — S$4.80

They must have a secret recipe for this — because the soup base was really rich and savoury. I could smell and taste a very fragrant yet oft-overlooked ingredient — sesame oil. I must say that such an ordinary-looking bowl of udon really caught me by pleasant surprise.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you try this. It's really well-balanced, intense yet not overwhelmingly rich and oily (unlike some udon that taste straight from the convenience store). Espressivo's Japanese Udon seems to combine the best of both Japanese and Chinese noodle elements, and I guess that's why it tasted so unique and delicious.

I really loved the vibe of the place — it was as though we had personally received a warm invitation to visit. You can play the piano, freely venture around and soak in the beautiful love/melancholic poems on the wall. It was a really relaxing and free atmosphere.

Spend $9.90 on $20 worth of food at Espressivo Cafe. Click here for more info!

Espressivo Cafe
223 Jalan Besar
Opening Hours: Mon, Wed to Fri 9am to 10pm
Sat & Sun 11am to 10pm
Closed on Tues
Tel: 6341 5602