In recent years, Singapore’s specialty coffee scene has blossomed thanks to pioneering café owners, world-class brewers, and a new wave of passionate baristas chasing their dreams. In our August feature “Finding Home in a Cup of Joe”, we sit down with Leon Foo, Dennis Tang, Lee Jia Min, Elysia Tan, Jonathan Teo and Sin Yee who are shaping this culture to uncover how a coffee can hold stories of belonging, ambition, and what it truly means to find home in a cup of coffee.
Leon Foo of MORNING
On account of national day, our theme this month resonates with home. tell us, what feeling of “home” do you want to bring to your customers?
I want to convert the frustration of the morning coffee experience at home into satisfaction. The last thing people want is to mess up that one cup of coffee in the morning and deal with washing and cleaning post-brew. With the MORNING Machine, people know they will get consistently great cups of coffee because the brewing parameters are taken care of. From there, we can encourage tasting through our choice of discovery from the different roasters we work with. The ecosystem we created was designed to facilitate satisfaction and empowerment, allowing individuals to enjoy those morning moments better.
You’ve travelled around the world tasting coffee as part of your job. What’s a cup that holds special memories?
I’ve been fortunate and blessed to travel the world and enjoy coffee at exotic locations, such as on coffee farms nestled in the mountains, overlooking stunning views. However, the most meaningful cups are the ones made by my kids at home, regardless of the chaos that comes out of it. To me, any cup made by a loved one is the most memorable because those are the moments we shared and connected.
In no order of preference, what are your three favourite cafes to visit?
PPP Coffee, Apartment Coffee and Alchemist.
Dennis Tang and Lee Jia Min of Nylon Coffee
Many people are unaware of the story behind the name of your coffee shop. Can you share it?
Dennis (D): The local scene was inspired by the Australian Melbourne coffee style, but our inspiration came from New York (NY) and London (LON), where we lived for five years. We were immersed in their coffee culture and wanted to bring it to Singapore. When we decided to start Nylon, it was very nice to incorporate the two cities where we spent a good part of our lives into a name that we are using.
Jia Min (JM): New York and London were places we used to live and work, and that’s where we experienced a coffee culture that left an impression on us. Even though we don’t get to travel there often, deep down, there’s still a connection to those two cities. It was the spark that triggered everything.
Our theme this month resonates with home. how do you create a sense of home in Nylon?
JM: Our cafe feels like home because we spend so much time here, more so than our own home. [Laughs] I attribute it to the people, some of whom have visited us throughout our 13 years. For us, coming here isn’t just about work; it’s about catching up with our family and community.
D: Setting up Nylon gave us a tremendous sense of achievement. We visited places to source coffee, built relationships with producers, and brought their stories back to our community, which was unheard of for an operation of our size. I dare say we’re one of the OGS who started the whole coffee wave and are proud to have influenced others on this coffee journey, even though we have the local coffee culture to contend with.
JM: And we’re still around [after all these years]! (laughs) Nylon is home because we built it from scratch here in Singapore.
D: Yeah, we came back from the two cities, and since this is our home, we never thought of setting up anywhere else.
In no order of preference, what are your three favourite cafes to Visit?
JM: Maxi Coffee Bar, Old Hen Coffee Bar and Apartment Coffee.
Elysia Tan
Our theme for the month resonates with home. tell us, how do you bring a sense of home when you’re competing or working overseas?
Simply saying that I’m from Singapore means a lot. Apart from questions about our usual landmarks, such as the Merlion, Sentosa, and Marina Bay Sands, people are curious about our Nanyang coffee culture. We have our unique ways of roasting and drinking coffee, which surprises these people. Whenever guests visit, we encourage them to try our local Kopi-O. That’s what makes us unique.
When you think about your craft, what feelings or values do you hope people take away when they have that cup of coffee?
The first thing that comes to mind is comfort. Like you mentioned, sometimes it [speciality coffee] can be a bit snobbish. I want people to savour my coffee slowly and enjoy it more with each sip, rather than being wowed and blown away by the first taste. That’s the feeling of comfort I want to give, which helps people build connections with others through conversations and moments over coffee. That’s what I want to deliver in a cup of coffee.
In no order of preference, what are your three favourite cafes to visit?
Maxi Coffee Bar, Narrative Coffee Time and Percolate Coffee.
Jonathan Teo of Kyuukei Coffee
Our theme this month resonates with home, how do you infuse a sense of home into your cafe for your guests? Did it come naturally from day one?
It started from day one. At the Alexandra outlet, we make an effort to know everybody by name and ask people about their experience, so we can either improve their current experience or learn something for the next time. However, the sheer volume of people and the utilitarian nature of the CBD (Central Business District) crowd challenged that notion a little at our Maxwell outlet. We want to buck the trend of Singapore cafes just handing you a drink and leaving you alone. We’re hospitality-led, but if someone wants to be left alone, we respect that.
Your third cafe will be up and running by the time people read this. How would you describe your leadership style, and how has it shaped your approach to running a cafe?
That’s a good question. [Pause] I give everyone the benefit of the doubt and treat them as I would my family or friends. I’m proud that I’ve never had to “pull rank.” It truly feels like I’m working in an environment among friends, all excited for the collective goal. I don’t know any other way, but I struggle to see what the alternative would be like. We’re strict on the weekly work hours; I’ve heard horror stories of employees being overworked. We haven’t done it any other way, and I wouldn’t want to think about what it would be like if we did.
In no order of preference, what are your three favourite cafes to visit?
Community Coffee, Apartment Coffee, and Cata Coffee.
Sin Yee of Drip & Drool
After its initial foray as a pop-up concept, Drip & Drool now has its own space. How would you define the concept for the cafe?
Our cafe is a quiet rebellion — a place where time softens, and quiet moments bloom. We coined the term “slow brews” not just because of the brewing methods we use; it’s a mindset. Imagine our cold drip: four patient hours to extract the nuanced notes, so each sip evolves with time as it warms. We don’t just serve drinks; we craft little invitations to pause, breathe, and rediscover the joy of noticing.
Our theme for the month resonates with home, how do you infuse a sense of home into the cafe?
Many of our stories are carried through the items you see here. That magazine there? One of my personal favourites from my collection. And those plants? They were from Yahui’s [co-founder of Drip & Drool] living room. Even our menu whispers travel stories — like the grainy gritty inspired by our trip to Jeju. Every corner holds a story — not because we decorated, but because we lived it. ‘Home’ isn’t a place to us; it’s that feeling when you sink into your favourite chair, surrounded by familiar chaos, and think: ‘I belong here.’ That’s what we want you to feel.
In no order of preference, what are your three favourite cafes to Visit?
Apartment Coffee, Nylon Coffee and Fluid.
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our August 2025 issue.