Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar

Chye Seng Huat Hardaware in heritage district of Jalan Besar

Chye Seng Huat Hardware (or CSHH) is coffee roaster Papa Palheta’s flagship store. It has adopted the name of the former hardware store that it now occupies. The exterior remains unaltered. While many cafes try hard to be cool, CSHH is cool without even trying. In fact it is a cool cafe even though it does not even sound like a cafe or look like one from the outside.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware @ Tyrwhitt Road

CSCH @ Tyrwhitt Road is one of the first ‘hip’ cafes to open up in the heritage district of Jalan Besar. Over the years many cafes have come and gone in the area. Chye Seng Huat Hardware continues to thrive and is one of the most popular F & B outlets in the trendy cafe precinct.

Housed in an Art Deco shophouse, CSHH captures your imagination even before you step into its premises.

The decor blends chic modernity with the original hardware store look. There is a large al fresco dining area at the side of the cafe. A courtyard that looks like a set for Zorro movie. We can imagine the masked hero jumping from the roof onto his waiting horse before galloping out onto Tyrwhitt Road.

But this being tropical Singapore, the place to be in during a hot day is the air-conditioned interior space. Here there is a 360-degree coffee bar where the baristas and their gleaming coffee machines work their magic. Coffee connoisseurs can take a seat at the counter and watch the baristas practise their craft. I am no coffee expert but they do seem to put a lot of effort into each cup of art.

The Drinks Menu of Chye Seng Huat Hardware

The Drinks Menu of Chye Seng Huat Hardware is obviously dominated by coffee – hand brew, cold brew, with milk, with soy etc. There are, however, also tea, chocolate and juices as well as stronger stuff like stout and beer.

We had tried their bottled cold brew coffee, hot long black and iced latte and they were all good.

CSHH Food Menu

In addition to coffee and drinks, CSHH coffee bar also serves some food. There are cakes and pastries on display at the counter. The full menu is available online. At the cafe, you can scan a QR Code to view the digital menu on your mobile device. The usual cafe food and some interesting fusion dishes are available. There is also a kid’s menu.

Below are a few screen shots of the main food menu.

We tried a small piece of of cake and the almond croissant. Both were very nice. The croissant was warmed up before it was served.

We also ordered the Samsui Chicken Soba ($18). It tasted like what the name suggested – palatable soba with a sauce that had almost the same flavour as the Samsui chicken dish in a place like the Soup Restaurant. It was a unusual take on pasta; and those who like Samsui Chicken should like the dish.

Huat Ah!

Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar is evidence that we do not necessarily have to either cling on to the past or discard the past. CSHH embraced the heritage of its premises and created a cool, modern space. The blend of traditional and contemporary is also reflected its menu.

‘Chye Seng Huat’ means ‘flourish again’; yes the same ‘huat’ we hear frequently during Chinese New Year Celebrations. CSHH cafe is certainly thriving and flourishing. We think CSHH Coffee Bar is definitely a cafe worth a visit – if only so that a bit of its Huat can rub off on us.