What’s not to like about a cafe which does all day breakfast and fantastic coffee? Tolido’s Espresso Nook is exactly this and does a roaring trade as a result.
Located on the pinggir of what we would refer to as Bugis and a short walk away from most of Kampong Glam area, Tolido’s is not one of those places which relies on location to grab customers. It relies on good quality food at a good price.
The menu is quite large and features a lot of pancake options, French toast, baked eggs and omelettes.
We tried the pandan pancakes and fell in love. 3 fluffy pandan flavoured pancakes drizzled with gula Melaka and topped with coconut ice cream. A southeast Asian flavour explosion.
We also tried the stout glazed bacon French toast and again, it was super delicious.
But what’s really interesting about this place is that they are able to produce dishes like this at these prices. We’d normally expect to pay about 50% more for this style of food in Singapore.
The cafe is laid back and comfortable and nowhere as stiff and snobby as most upmarket Singapore cafes. This suits us perfectly!
Tolido’s Espresso Nook is a must visit if you love cafe food and coffee. Please note that some dishes contain pork and some don’t.
Tolido’s Espresso Nook
Cnr Jalan Sultan & North Bridge Road, Bugis, Singapore
Opening Hours: 08:00 – 18:30 (closed Monday)
Closest MRT: Lavender (green EW11)
Pandan pancake: $10.90
Bacon French toast: $12.00
Cappuccino: $5.50
Hojicha latte: $6.00
This place is so so crowded around 9pm when everyone has already finished dinner and is longing for something sweet. And it’s no wonder. The desserts are extremely delicious and fresh and the service is really fast. You won’t need to wait around long for your order to arrive.
In true kopitiam style, the coffee is strong and chocolatey, the kaya toast thick and crispy and the laksa bursting with spice and flavour. But most people are going to simply pop in here for a drink so we highly recommend the lime juice. So refreshing!
Prices here are quite cheap especially when you compare it to normal Singapore coffee shops or fancy juice places. Highly recommended.
Of course, the fit out of this cafe is incredible — world class. It has a bit of an industrial look which has been all the rage for almost a decade now, but it’s more modern and classy than that. Lighting is fantastic and seating is very cool. We loved our seat against the wall.
Prices for food here are reasonable for the quality you get and slightly cheaper than some other high end Singapore cafes. Coffee is the same as most other upmarket coffee shops in Singapore — overpriced! $5.50 for a cappuccino or latte.
Perfect temperature, smooth coffee taste and perfectly textured milk. Susan had the vanilla latte and really enjoyed it mainly because it’s much sweeter than a normal coffee.
The interior design of the cafe is that typical minimalist bare concrete look with wooden benches and won’t win any design awards for originality, but it’s pleasant nonetheless.
Prices here are expensive when compared to a Singaporean kopitiam, but they are normal for Singapore. Definitely a place to come if you’re a coffee lover.
But we just can’t go past that butter chicken. It’s so tender!
Some of the food here is spicy, but on the whole the food is more flavoursome rather than spicy. The mixed rice dishes are wide and varied, but we can safely say that the standard “rice meal” is awesome. Cauliflower, potato, beans, okra and dhal all in their own Indian sauces. The chutneys and sauces on the side are really interesting and full of flavour as well.
The ordering process is quite simple. Go to the counter where they have menus. Select the dishes you want and pay straight away. Take your receipt and give it to one of the waiters and your meal will arrive about 5 minutes later.
What’s really handy about this hawker centre is that it’s central but also open really late. This means you can stay out late near Merlion and Marina Bay and still get something to eat here. Just know that some stalls start to close at around 9 or 10 and the number of stalls still open as the night winds on does dwindle.
So if you want a bite to eat late at night or are lazy to make a long trek to a hawker centre in one of the suburbs, then we highly recommend Lau Pa Sat. It really is good.
