Wave goodbye to boring afternoons
We’ve all been there. It’s a Sunday afternoon, you’ve got nothing to do, and your stomach is rumbling. Sure you could head to your favourite P.S Cafe or make some food at home, but where’s the fun in that? With a cafe culture as large and varied as ours, we have no reason to ever endure a boring lunchtime ever again.
Cat cafes are great, but there’s still hope those of us who spontanously combust into a ball of sneeze upon feline contact. Here is a guide to the 9 best 2-in-1 cafes that ensure you exciting activites that still come with a side of eggs benedict. Never spend lunch making awkward conversation with a first date or sitting at home with disappointing food ever again!
1. Yoga, meditation, and fortune reading at Going Om
Designed to take you away from the stresses of everyday life, step into Going Om and discover a range of activities that will relax both your body and mind. If meditation and yoga aren’t your kind of thing, discover secrets about your future with their card readings, or just experience some holistic healing.
With their yoga alignment every Sunday at 4pm only costing $15 for a 1.5 hour session, it’s the perfect way to relax before the start of a new week. To make things even better, there’s free live music on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, making it perfect for dinner as well as lunch dates.
Opening Hours: Tues – Thurs, Sun: 12PM – 12AM | Fri – Sat: 12PM – 2AM | Closed on Mon
Address: 63 Haji Lane, Singapore 189256
Contact: 6396 3592
2.Unleash your inner Picasso at Cups N Canvas and go home with your very own masterpiece
Homemade cakes, all-day breakfasts, and letting you paint your heart away are Cups N Canvas’ speciality. Not only can you take part in one of their art jamming sessions, you can also enjoy lessons under the guidance of a professional painter.
Reckon you’ve always been pretty artistic or just want to have a laugh with a friend whilst enjoying some freshly made treats? Then this is your pastry filled, paint covered heaven.
Packages start from $50, which includes a canvas, equipment, a snack, and a beverage. Food here is made fresh upon order, and customers often end up loving it so much they stay as long as 5 hours, so get a date ready in your calendar and come with an empty stomach! Remember to book your slot as the place can get very busy.
Opening Hours: Tues – Fri: 11AM – 10PM | Sat – Sun: 10AM – 10PM | Closed on Mon
Address: 139 Selegie Road, Singapore 188309
Contact: 6884 6855
3. Escape into a thousand universes at The Reading Room
Get that instant flashback that books used to give you as soon as you step into The Reading Room. With floor to ceiling being filled with books from all kinds of genres and authors, indulge your mind and allow your imagination to run wild while enjoying tapas and freshly-made comfort food.
The menu is absolutely adorable – disguised as a children’s book and fitting perfectly with the feel of the book-haven you’re in. Choose from a set lunch or an la carte menu, with Fridays and weekends serving a separate brunch menu. Settle in and get comfy, as this is an ideal spot to escape from the stresses of life and runaway to your own little world.
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs: 11AM – 11:30PM | Fri: 11AM – 1:30AM | Sat – Sun: 9:30AM – 1:30AM
Address: 19 Bukit Pasoh Rd, Singapore 089833
Contact: 6220 9019
4. Become a coffee connoisseur and master the craft of latte art
Forget all those times your french press adventures ended up in black messes – here’s your chance to finally create coffee that will rival the Italians while enjoying coffee, cakes, and other treats. At Highlander Coffee, you can take courses that range from simply making coffee at home, to becoming a certified barista. Become the person all your friends come to for advice, and impress your family with your newly found coffee-magic, and learn a skill for life.
Courses start from $38 and last from 2 to 3.5 hours, depending on which course you choose. If you go for the barista training, you’ll receive a training manual as well as a certificate of participation. No experience in making coffee is required! \o/
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat: 9AM – 5PM | Closed on Sun
Address: 49 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore 169362
Contact: 6226 1686
5. Enjoy all day breakfasts while embracing your inner game nerd
Burgers, all day breakfasts, do-it-yourself pancakes, and rainbow cakes. No, you haven’t died and gone to heaven, you’ve just arrived at Play Nation. You pay per the hour for games, which includes unlimited consumption of free flow drinks. Other bundles include goodies such as free popcorn or main course top ups, so you can just sit back and focus on playing as many games as possible.
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs: 12PM – 11PM | Fri: 12PM – 2AM | Sat: 2PM – 3AM | Sun: 2PM – 11PM
Address: 58 Prinsep Street, Singapore 188686
Contact: 6336 9578
6. Enjoy a multitude of free activities and pay by the hour
Coffeemin is perfect for those who loving more than a good old fashioned chill-sesh. You’re free to use all the facilities and and be yourself – whether that’s reading a book, playing games or just eating as much as possible! If you prefer stretching the mind a little, there are also classes for calligraphy, knitting, flower arrangement, and paper crafting. Indulge in arts and crafts you never thought you could master, and know that you’ve got a whole ton of free activities waiting for you afterwards.
This place is beyond affordable with weekday prices going at $6.50/pax for the 1st hour. Full day packages are also available for $30 for up to 11 hours of free coffee and drinks, cookies, games, wifi, and electricity. Yes please!
Opening Hours: 11AM – 9:30PM daily
Address: Clarke Quay, 6 Eu Tong Sen St #02-33, Singapore 059817
Contact: 6222 6100
7. Create your own hipster windowsill at The Plant Story
If you’re anything like me and every plant you’ve ever owned has died in a week, miniature gardens may just be your saviour. Not only do they slot seamlessly into the most hipster of Instagrams, you can now make your very own over some heart-warming comfort food such as pies, cheesecake and lasagne.
There aren’t many lunch spots that let allow you to create your own piece of art to take away and cherish forever, and you don’t need artistic talent for this! Even better, when the plants only need watering every 3 months, so even the least green-fingered among us should manage to keep them alive.
Opening Hours: Mon – Tues, Thu – Fri: 11AM – 7PM | Sat – Sun: 9AM – 8PM | Closed on Wed
Address: Passion WaVe at Marina Bay, 11 Rhu Cross #02-03, Singapore 437440
Contact: 6348 8040
8. Become a florist, an artist, or a designer at Wonderland
Wonderland gives you the chance to become the ultimate hipster jewellery-making, calligraphy writing-blogger you’ve always dreamed of being. From learning how to arrange flowers to painting with watercolour, this cafe will ignite and fuel passions you never knew you had.
This whole concept screams ELEGANT, and from the flowers to the jewellery to the mouth-watering food, you will leave feeling artsy and creative, with something to keep and cherish forever. Creative classes aren’t cheap, starting from $150, but you get exactly what you pay for, with high quality materials and small class sizes. This is a beautifully luxurious way to spend a lunchtime, which sometimes is exactly what you need.
Opening Hours: Tues – Wed: 8AM – 6PM | Thurs – Fri: 8AM – 10PM | Sat – Sun: 10AM – 6PM | Closed on Mon
Address: 134 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068600
Contact: 6299 5848
9. Feel art-as and experience story slams at Artistry
Artistry isn’t your typical cafe. For one, they are run by a design consultancy firm. Which is probably why the place looks so great. Local artists take centre stage here, with regular showcases of Singaporean artwork adorning cafe walls.
The cafe also plays host to monthly story slams, where everyday Singaporeans gather to relate personal experiences revolving around a predefined theme. Slots are also available for audience members who want to take the stage!
Opening Hours: Tues – Sat: 9AM – 11PM | Sun: 9AM – 4PM | Closed on Mon
Address: 17 Jalan Pinang, Singapore 199149
Contact: 6298 2420
Transforming how you view lunch, one meal at a time
There’s a saying that only boring people get bored, and when there’s so many spots to go and try new things right on our doorstep, I’m starting to believe it. Whether it’s a way to get some quality time with me, myself and I or you’re looking for a new way to spend the weekend with your partner, there’s no denying that these aren’t perfect ways to while away your afternoons. Take a deep breath, enjoy your cake, and do an activity that brings you great pleasure and joy, all at the same time.
Long live 2-in-1 cafes!