Is this the future of Singapore’s culinary scene? Over the last couple of years, dozens of home-based F&Bs have emerged, joining the country’s infamously brutal dining market. Overheads are high, turnover rates, even higher. But why do we do it? Passion. In Singapore, food is more than sustenance. It’s cultural, and deeply personal to us. In the world of business they say: If you can prove yourself successful in Singapore, you can prove yourself anywhere. Well, this is great and all if you’re a MNC. But for the rest of us, the hurdles and hoops you’d have to jump through to even start up your cafe becomes even more difficult. So, how do you ‘play cheat’ on your home turf? By operating in your home turf.
Enter: the HBB boom. There’s no rental costs if your coffee kiosk or cafe operates out of your living room. With that large financial obstacle out of the way: you’ll see Singaporeans get super creative with their dining concepts (less time on the budget sheets, more time obsessing over curating the vibes!). From a bar tucked away in an attic to an old-school kopitiam concept in someone’s driveway, we speak to five different home-based F&Bs who’ve garnered not just a cult following among their respective communities, but also blur the traditional definition of what it means to be a successful F&B here in the country.
inapickle Supper Club
Hi Men’s Folio! We’re Sheryl and Collette from inapickle Supper Club, a home-based private dining that serves up an eight course Asian-inspired dinner over the weekends.
What made you start a supper club, and why at home instead of a traditional brick-and-mortar space?
When Sheryl was funemployed after moving back from Berlin, she had the time and freedom to cook more and dive deep into R&D. She’d been toying with the idea of an F&B business for a while, but running a full-fledged restaurant felt like biting off more than we could chew. What we did love was hosting at home — and we were lucky enough to have a balcony big enough to welcome people in. A supper club felt like the perfect starting point.
How does working at home shape the way you serve, prepare or think about your food?
Working at home gives us the opportunity to set the tone for the dinner while still keeping the environment organic and friendly — like you’re stepping into a friends’ house. There’s a level of intimacy that you don’t get in a traditional dining space, and that naturally makes the experience more personal. The food becomes part of a larger experience, one that feels thoughtful, relaxed, and a little more human.
Our guests aren’t just being served a meal, they’re being welcomed into a space that feels lived-in and warm. Without the constraints of a commercial kitchen, we can cook in a way that’s more instinctive — adjusting menus, getting feedback, tweaking tastes or even sharing wines as we cook and host. It’s less about perfection and more about creating connection and giving our guests a unique experience.
Outback Haus
Outback Haus is our reimagining of the cocktail bar as an intimate dining experience — tucked away in the attic of our home and run by the two of us, Jaden and JJ. This is where every craft drink and small plate is designed to complement each other from the first sip to the last bite.
Why build a bar around a home, rather than a commercial space?
The simplest answer: we’re brothers, this is our home, and we wanted to share it. We have so much love and respect for brick and mortar bars – the craft, the consistency, the sheer hustle behind running one is incredible. But for the two of us, the home concept felt the most us. This is where we cook or concoct drinks for our families on Sundays, where we test recipes that don’t always work, where Kody (our dog, our youngest brother, arguably the most popular in the family) wags his tail, yearning for his next treat.
Which drink best reflects Outback Haus and what makes it special in a home-based setting?
Our Passion Project. Gin based, Tie Guan Yin, passionfruit infusion, citrus and a whisper of rosemary. It’s the first cocktail we ever built, and we named it after exactly what it is: a passion project that somehow turned into a whole home concept. It is our origin story in a glass.
We run 3 themes, 2 variation of curated cocktails per theme, each thoughtfully paired with food. The thing that makes it special isn’t only what’s in the glass or on the plate – it’s us connecting with you, walking you through why this bite works with that sip, one brother explaining the drink while the other explains the dish.
Pugners Dining
Hi, I’m Jon. Together with my wife Krystle, we run Pugners Dining, an intimate, home based private dining experience centered around a fixed tasting menu.
Why do it in the comfort of your home?
We initially toyed with the idea of opening a commercial restaurant. But at the time, the industry was filled with uncertainty. There were constant headlines about well known establishments shutting down. After careful consideration, we decided to start smaller with something more manageable and personal. At the end of the day, all I’ve ever really wanted to do was cook my food for guests. It didn’t matter whether that was from an HDB kitchen or a full-scale restaurant.
What best defines Pugners, is it a dish, the atmosphere, or something else completely?
Pugners isn’t defined by a single dish or ingredient. What we do is constantly evolving. We’re always learning, experimenting and growing. That said, our motto, “Maximum taste. Minimum waste.”, best captures what we stand for. It guides how we design our menus and how we approach every service.
This philosophy is also deeply tied to the realities of running a home-based business. With limited storage space in our chiller and freezer, we’ve learning to fully utilise ingredients, stretching it across multiple courses in thoughtful and creative ways. It challenges us to be more intentional, resourceful, and innovative.
Because we only host a small number of guests each service, we’re able to create something that goes beyond just a meal. We build genuine connections with the people who dine with us, and that human element has become one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
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Out of Mind
My name is Ahmad, and I run a home based pizzeria along with my wife, Diana. Just almost a year ago, we started Out Of Mind right from our home kitchen. When we came up with the name ‘Out Of Mind’, we wanted a name that reflects our mission – to create wild, unexpected flavours designed to knock your taste buds out.
What inspired the decision to start your business from home rather than a conventional storefront?
Being in the culinary industry and an avid foodie, I have always been one to be experimental with my cooking. With Out Of Mind, I am able to have a space where I am able to explore my creativity beyond what I create in my work place. While I focus on operations, my wife channels her creativity into designing stickers, providing suggestions on unconventional food pairings, managing our social media presence, and developing our order site. What started as a simple side income has grown into something much bigger.
In what ways does being a home-based business change your relationship with the way you serve food?
Running a home‑based business allows just the two of us to manage operations while maintaining full control over the quality of our food. In contrast, a physical outlet would mean higher overheads which includes rental, equipment, staffing, and other costs. For us, the heart of our pizzas lies in the dough, crafted in true Neapolitan style. It feels special because Neapolitan pizzas aren’t something you often find in a housing estate setting. That’s why we decided to begin our journey by selling pizzas, and from there, we’re excited to see how the future unfolds
Knead Kopi
Hello! We are Glenndon and Rachel from Knead Kopi, a home-based café built from our love for traditional coffee, kaya toast, and meaningful community spaces. What started as simple everyday moments at home slowly grew into something we wanted to share with the people around us.
Why and how did you begin your journey as a home-based cafe?
We started our home-based café as a way to build something meaningful together, a space where passion, family, and community could come together. It was an opportunity for us to pursue our love for coffee and baking, while also being present for our grandma, who is living with dementia. Starting Knead Kopi this way meant we didn’t have to choose between our dreams and our family.
Glenndon’s mornings often begin with accompanying Ah Ma Ang on her daily exercise routine at the park. During these walks, we started noticing a recurring conversation among Ah Ma and her exercise kakis. After their workouts, they wanted a cozy and convenient place to sit, chat, and enjoy a good cup of coffee together. Yet, there wasn’t really a nearby space that felt both comfortable and suited to their tastes.
That small but meaningful gap sparked an idea in us. Knead Kopi was born out of these everyday observations, not just as a café, but as a space built with intention. A place where neighbours can slow down, connect, and feel at home. Every cup we serve and every bake we prepare carries the heart behind why we started: to care for our loved ones, to serve our community, and to create a warm, familiar space where people of all ages can gather, share stories, and simply enjoy being together.
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