Vernacular Coffee – new café in Guillemard Road

Vernacular Coffee is a new café in Guillemard Road. Located on the ground level of the building which was formerly the Singapore Badminton Hall, the new café serves tempting pastries and single origin coffee from neighbouring counties.

Singapore Badminton Hall

Standing on Guillemard Road, the former Singapore Badminton Hall was no ordinary building. It was built in 1952 to host the prestigious Thomas Cup. One badminton legend who called this court his home was Singapore’s own Wong Peng Soon, considered as one of the best badminton players the world had ever seen. In 1955, he led the Malayan team to a triumphant victory, defeating Denmark 8-1 right in the Singapore Badminton Hall.

But the Badminton Hall wasn’t just about sports. It also doubled as a stage for entertainment and various other events. Rose Chan, the legendary striptease dancer, performed in the hall. Even rock ‘n’ roll royalty like The Rolling Stones and Cliff Richard with the Shadows graced the space with their music.

Around 2008, the Singapore Badminton Association traded this historic spot for the Singapore Sports School in Woodlands. The Guillemard Road hall underwent a transformation to become a F&B and entertainment centre. A prime corner facing the street became the home of Brawn & Brains Coffee for a number of years. That space is now occupied by Vernacular Coffee.

Vernacular Coffee in Guillemard Road

The new cafe in Guillemard Road has sleek counters which stand out against the dark green hues of the surrounding walls and ceiling. The rest of the space has a minimalist raw industrial feel.

The cafe features basic furniture. Tables are generously spaced, creating a relaxed and airy atmosphere.

Menu of Vernacular Coffee

Vernacular Coffee keeps things simple. Their menu focusses on pastries like flaky croissants, cinnamon buns, and a variety of tempting Danishes, as well as ice cream sandwiches. For beverages, they offer hot brews like single-origin coffee, chocolate drinks, refreshing apple juice and zesty ginger ale.

Eggs & Spam Danish and Cinnamon Bun

We ordered the Scrambled Eggs & Spam Danish ($10) and Cinnamon Pecan Bun ($6).

Vernacular Coffee’s Scrambled Eggs & Spam Danish delivered exactly what it promised: a warm, flaky danish cradling moist scrambled eggs with cubes of luncheon meat. No surprises, just pure comfort food.

The dish had vibrant colours and nice plating The taste lived up to the appearance. Made to order, the danish was light and crisp. The luncheon meat’s savoury notes perfectly complemented the creamy eggs.

The cinnamon bun at Vernacular Coffee was buttery dough glistening with a light glaze and generously topped with caramelised pecans. It was not too sweet and would be the perfect companion for a cup of hot coffee.

Single Origin Coffee

Vernacular Coffee lets you personalize your caffeine adventure. At the counter, you will be greeted by an array of eight distinct bean varieties from the region. They roast some of their own beans, and for the rest, they collaborate with local coffee roasters like Humble Origins and Flip Coffee Roasters.

The friendly baristas were on hand to guide us through the options – pointing out those with bright acidity and those with fruity notes.

We opted for a flat white ($6) brewed with beans from Myanmar roasted by Humble Origins ($6) and a long black ($5) using Ethiopian beans roasted by Flip Coffee. The coffee made with beans of A Lel Chaung from Shan, Myanmar, did have nice fruity notes. Both the white coffee and black coffee we had were good.

Quality Coffee in Comfy Ambiance

While Vernacular Coffee may not boast an extensive menu or some special wow factor worthy of a long trek, it is a relaxed hangout and quality coffee stop for those in the Geylang – Guillemard neighborhood. For those seeking a calm haven in the area, Vernacular Coffee in Guillemard Road offers an oasis. Their diverse bean selection and skilled baristas promise a satisfying caffeine fix for coffee lovers. Their freshly baked Danishes are good too.

Ratings:
Food: 4
Service: 3
Value: 3
Atmosphere: 3
Overall Rating: 3 TOPs

Vernacular Coffee
100 Guillemard Road #01-02
Singapore 399718

Opening Hours:
Tue – Sun: 8.30 am – 5. 30
Closed on Monday

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