Coolest Cafe in Singapore

Which is the coolest cafe in Singapore? There are many cool cafes in Singapore, but after a recent visit to this old cafe at Dempsey, I believe it is still the coolest cafe in Singapore.

Coolest Cafe in Singapore - PS Cafe Dempsey Singapore

PS.Cafe Harding Road is the first PS.Cafe. According to a Straits Times article, the founders opened it in 2005 after the success of the ProjectShop Blood Cafe in Paragon. 17 years is a long time for a cafe and parts of the place are showing its age. Fickle cafe-hoppers could have deserted it long ago for some of the newer and shinier ones that have opened since then. In fact some of the newer PS.Cafe outlets (eg the one at East Coast) are even better. But they are not cooler. The magic of this first PS.Cafe in Dempsey is still attracting the young and old to this place.

First Impressions

PS.Cafe Harding Road has a nondescript main entrance (picture above). The building is partly hidden by trees. There is no signboard – or perhaps there is one, but we did not see it.

Approaching the cafe from the side entrance provides a better first impression. The single storey building looks like an old bungalow. We noticed a crowd even though it was non-peak weekday. And most have chosen the outdoor seating. Good for us.

The Coolest Cafe in Singapore

We cannot put a finger on why we think PS.Cafe at Dempsey is the coolest cafe in Singapore. Perhaps it is the way they have decorated the place – the decor is totally matching the look of the building. There is a simple laid-back, classic style (mid-century modern?) that still looks as good it did when it opened in 2005. And nothing ostentatious about the place or the people.

Space – lots of it also helps. There is a wide range of seating options. Indoor or outdoor. Single seats or bench seats. Different corners and nooks that give out different vibes.

What we ate at the coolest cafe in Singapore

We went to PS.Cafe Harding Road for dessert and coffee. As you can see there is a wide range of desserts available. Here are a couple of sample pages from the menu. In the past we used to go to PS.Cafe for the decor and the free magazines. Food is usually good but not exceptional, apart from the delicious cakes which are often served in large slices. Nowadays physical magazines are a no-no, so it is mainly for the atmosphere and dessert.

We shared a slice of the carrot cake which was moist and flavourful. We have been eating this cake at PS cafes over the years and it is amazing how they have maintained such a consistent quality. But we cannot say the same about the latte art (or the lack of it).