# Cafes in Bukit Timah

Cafes in Singapore are licensed by SFA and, since January 2026, show a SAFE food-safety grade on their licence. Most specialty cafes charge nett at the counter, but sit-down cafes with table service often add 10% service charge plus 9% GST. Dogs are allowed only in outdoor seating unless the cafe holds a pet café licence.

## Key facts
- Listings: 67
- Matched to a government licence/register: 8
- Median years in business: 14

## Licences
- **Food Shop Licence (SFA)** (Singapore Food Agency (SFA), required): Every restaurant, cafe, bakery, stall and food court outlet selling food to the public must be licensed by SFA. Since 19 Jan 2026 the licence carries a SAFE grade (A, B, C or NEW) based on the outlet's food-safety track record; scan the QR code on the displayed licence to see it. Check: https://go.gov.sg/sfa-track-records
- **MUIS Halal Certificate** (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), optional): Voluntary, but MUIS is the only body that can issue halal certificates in Singapore (Administration of Muslim Law Act). Certified outlets must display the original, valid certificate; photocopies are not allowed. Check: https://muis.gov.sg/Halal/Halal-Certification/Certified-Eating-Establishments

## How to choose
- Check whether ordering is at the counter (usually nett) or at the table (often "++", adding about 19.9%).
- If you plan to work from the cafe, ask about time limits or minimum spend on weekends – some popular cafes set seating time limits at peak times.
- For halal needs, verify the outlet on the MUIS directory; certification is per outlet, so one branch being certified does not mean all are.
- Bringing a dog? From 1 Jan 2025 pets are allowed in outdoor refreshment areas without special approval, but indoor seating needs an SFA pet café licence.
- Scan the QR code on the SFA licence to see the SAFE grade if food safety matters to you (e.g. eating with young children or elderly diners).

## Red flags
- Halal claims without a displayed MUIS certificate.
- Indoor pet seating at a cafe that does not hold a pet café licence.
- Undisclosed service charge added to counter-service orders.

## Listings (top 30)
- [The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-coffee-bean-and-tea-leaf-bukit-timah), Bukit Timah · 1 Fifth Avenue #01-04 Guthrie House · 1 min walk from Sixth Avenue MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1996
- [Santino Coffee Specialists](https://lookup.sg/biz/santino-coffee-specialists), Bukit Timah · 911 Bukit Timah Rd · 7 min walk from King Albert Park MRT · registered 2000
- [Killiney Kopitiam](https://lookup.sg/biz/killiney-kopitiam-bukit-timah), Bukit Timah · 8 Cheong Chin Nam Rd · 2 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 1992
- [Buta Kin @ Beauty World Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/buta-kin-beauty-world-centre), Bukit Timah · 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd #04-28 · 1 min walk from Beauty World MRT · SFA licensed
- [Valle](https://lookup.sg/biz/valle), Bukit Timah · 5 Ridgewood Close, #01-G6 · 7 min walk from Dover MRT · registered 2011
- [Homeground Coffee Roasters](https://lookup.sg/biz/homeground-coffee-roasters), Bukit Timah · 911 Bukit Timah Road · 7 min walk from King Albert Park MRT · registered 2017
- [Better Days Cafe & Bar](https://lookup.sg/biz/better-days-cafe-and-bar), Bukit Timah · 144 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #04-12A · 1 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2022
- [Daily Ground](https://lookup.sg/biz/daily-ground), Bukit Timah · 619D Bukit Timah Rd, #01-01 · 2 min walk from Tan Kah Kee MRT
- [Ought by Prodigal Co](https://lookup.sg/biz/ought-by-prodigal-co), Bukit Timah · 68 Jln Jurong Kechil, #01-06 · 3 min walk from Beauty World MRT
- [Mervyn's Madeleines](https://lookup.sg/biz/mervyns-madeleines), Bukit Timah · 5 Ridgewood Cl, Unit G7 · 7 min walk from Dover MRT
- [Ace Maths](https://lookup.sg/biz/ace-maths), Bukit Timah · Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, 170 Upp Bukit Timah Rd · 2 min walk from Beauty World MRT
- [Kim San Leng Food Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/kim-san-leng-food-centre), Bukit Timah · 887 Bukit Timah Rd · 8 min walk from Sixth Avenue MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1990
- [The Tea Party Café](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-tea-party-cafe), Bukit Timah · #01-07 Sixth Avenue Centre · 3 min walk from Sixth Avenue MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2011
- [Riders Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/riders-cafe), Bukit Timah · 51 Fairways Dr · 16 min walk from Sixth Avenue MRT · registered 2007
- [Coffee Plus](https://lookup.sg/biz/coffee-plus), Bukit Timah · 4 Queen's Rd, #02-117 · 3 min walk from Farrer Road MRT · registered 2011
- [Carpenter and Cook](https://lookup.sg/biz/carpenter-and-cook), Bukit Timah · 19 Lorong Kilat. #01-06. · 3 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2011
- [Hoshino Coffee](https://lookup.sg/biz/hoshino-coffee-holland-village), Holland Village · #02-02, Raffles Holland V · 1 min walk from Holland Village MRT · registered 2012
- [Chicken House](https://lookup.sg/biz/chicken-house-bukit-timah), Bukit Timah · 17 Lor Kilat · 2 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2013
- [Starbucks](https://lookup.sg/biz/starbucks-599491), Bukit Timah · 535 A Clementi Road,Blk C Sim Clementi · 14 min walk from King Albert Park MRT · SFA licensed
- [Starbucks](https://lookup.sg/biz/starbucks-bukit-timah), Bukit Timah · 587 Bukit Timah Rd · 4 min walk from Tan Kah Kee MRT · SFA licensed
- [7th Mile Coffee Shop](https://lookup.sg/biz/7th-mile-coffee-shop), Bukit Timah · 18 Toh Yi Dr, #01-97 · 4 min walk from Beauty World MRT · SFA licensed
- [Tok Panjang](https://lookup.sg/biz/tok-panjang), Bukit Timah · 1 Jalan Anak Bukit, B1-41 Bukit Timah Plaza · 5 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2017
- [An Acai Affair](https://lookup.sg/biz/an-acai-affair-bukit-timah), Bukit Timah · 617 Bukit Timah Rd · 3 min walk from Tan Kah Kee MRT · registered 2016
- [Stirling Highway](https://lookup.sg/biz/stirling-highway), Bukit Timah · 5 Ridgewood Cl, Unit #G1 Ridgewood Condominium · 7 min walk from Dover MRT · SFA licensed
- [Kindred Folk](https://lookup.sg/biz/kindred-folk), Bukit Timah · Kap, 9 King Albert Park · 6 min walk from King Albert Park MRT · registered 2024
- [Slappy Cakes](https://lookup.sg/biz/slappy-cakes-bukit-timah), Bukit Timah · 200 Turf Club Rd · 12 min walk from Sixth Avenue MRT · registered 2022
- [The Butter Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-butter-cafe), Bukit Timah · Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 535 Clementi Rd · 12 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2022
- [Elixir Esports](https://lookup.sg/biz/elixir-esports), Bukit Timah · 1 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2022
- [Arabica Singapore Chip Bee Gardens](https://lookup.sg/biz/arabica-singapore-chip-bee-gardens), Holland Village · 43 Jalan Merah Saga · 1 min walk from Holland Village MRT
- [Atlas Coffeehouse](https://lookup.sg/biz/atlas-coffeehouse), Bukit Timah · 6 Duke's Rd · 4 min walk from Botanic Gardens MRT

## FAQs
### What happened to the A, B, C, D hygiene grades in Singapore?
From 19 January 2026 SFA replaced the annual A–D hygiene grade with the SAFE framework. Outlets now get A (more than three years with no major lapse), B (one to three years), NEW (operating under a year) or C (a court conviction for a food-safety offence or a licence suspension under the demerit-points system). Scan the QR code on the SFA licence at the counter to see the current grade.

### Are cafes in Singapore halal?
Only outlets certified by MUIS are halal-certified. Many chains certify some outlets but not others, and certification is voluntary. Check the MUIS Certified Eating Establishments list or the MuslimSG app before visiting, and look for the original certificate displayed at the outlet – MUIS does not allow photocopies.

### Can I bring my dog into a cafe in Singapore?
Yes, to the outdoor area. Since 1 January 2025, SFA no longer requires extra approval for diners to bring pets to a food outlet's outdoor refreshment area. Indoors is only allowed at cafes that hold an SFA pet café licence, which is required if the cafe serves pet food. Halal-certified cafes cannot admit dogs at all.

### What does "++" mean on a Singapore menu?
"++" means a 10% service charge and 9% GST will be added. GST is charged on the service charge too, so the multiplier is 1.1 × 1.09 = 1.199 – a $50++ meal costs about $59.95. IRAS lets restaurants that levy a service charge show pre-GST prices, but they must state prominently that prices are subject to GST and service charge.

## Sources
- SFA – New Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/news-publications/newsroom/new-safety-assurance-for-food-establishment--safe--framework--to-strengthen-food-safety
- SFA – No additional approvals needed for pets at outdoor refreshment areas from 1 Jan 2025: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/news-publications/newsroom/no-additional-sfa-approvals-needed-for-patrons-to-dine-in-with-pets-at-outdoor-refreshment-areas-from-1-jan-2025
- MUIS – Certified Eating Establishments: https://muis.gov.sg/Halal/Halal-Certification/Certified-Eating-Establishments
- IRAS – Displaying and quoting prices (GST): https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/goods-services-tax-(gst)/basics-of-gst/invoicing-price-display-and-record-keeping/displaying-and-quoting-prices

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Source: Lookup (https://lookup.sg) · Data as of October 2026 · Listings compiled from Singapore government open data (data.gov.sg), OneMap and Overture Maps places. Free listings never show contact details; featured listings are labelled.