# Cafes in Serangoon

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: 44
- Matched to a government licence/register: 9
- Median years in business: 30

## 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-807011), Serangoon · 1 Seletar Road #02-01 Greenwich V · 12 min walk from Fernvale LRT · SFA licensed · registered 1996
- [The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-coffee-bean-and-tea-leaf-serangoon), Serangoon · 151 Lorong Chuan New Tech Park · 2 min walk from Lorong Chuan MRT · SFA licensed · registered 1996
- [The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-coffee-bean-and-tea-leaf-556083), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central #02-K10 NEX · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · registered 1996
- [The Plain Jane Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-plain-jane-cafe), Serangoon · Block 211 Serangoon Avenue 4, #01-10 · 8 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed · registered 2015
- [Guan Hock Tiong Eating House](https://lookup.sg/biz/guan-hock-tiong-eating-house), Serangoon · 153 Serangoon North Ave 1, #01-512 · 22 min walk from Kovan MRT · registered 1987
- [Starbucks](https://lookup.sg/biz/starbucks-serangoon), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central #02-K01/02 · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Ya Kun Kaya Toast (NEX Mall)](https://lookup.sg/biz/ya-kun-kaya-toast-nex-mall), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, #B2-46 · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Kpt](https://lookup.sg/biz/kpt-serangoon), Serangoon · 504A Serangoon North Avenue 4 · 22 min walk from Kovan MRT · SFA licensed
- [Graffiti Café](https://lookup.sg/biz/graffiti-cafe), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, #B2-62 · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Hot Spoon Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/hot-spoon-cafe), Serangoon · Wisma Aupe, Aupe Building, 295 Upp Paya Lebar Rd · 4 min walk from Bartley MRT · SFA licensed
- [Coffeeshop Delight](https://lookup.sg/biz/coffeeshop-delight), Serangoon · 326 Serangoon Ave 3, Block 326 · 3 min walk from Serangoon MRT · SFA licensed
- [Apollo Coffee Bar](https://lookup.sg/biz/apollo-coffee-bar), Serangoon · 65 Serangoon Garden Wy · 17 min walk from Lorong Chuan MRT
- [Dutch Colony Coffee Co.](https://lookup.sg/biz/dutch-colony-coffee-co-serangoon), Serangoon · 151 Lorong Chuan, #01-08 · 2 min walk from Lorong Chuan MRT
- [Sun Ray Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/sun-ray-cafe), Serangoon · 79 Brighton Cres · 17 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Cafe 107](https://lookup.sg/biz/cafe-107), Serangoon · Hwi Yoh Court, 107 Serangoon North Ave 1
- [Into The Woods Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/into-the-woods-cafe), Serangoon · 26 Jln Kelulut · 12 min walk from Fernvale LRT
- [Toast Box (NEX)](https://lookup.sg/biz/toast-box-nex), Serangoon · 23 Serangoon Central, B2 - 58 / 59 NEX · 1 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Greenwich Village](https://lookup.sg/biz/greenwich-village), Serangoon · 1 Seletar Road #02-01 Greenwich V · 12 min walk from Fernvale LRT
- [Seletar Corner](https://lookup.sg/biz/seletar-corner), Serangoon · 2 Jln Selaseh#01, 2 Jln Selaseh, #04Singapore · 9 min walk from Fernvale LRT
- [Blk 237 Serangoon Ave3](https://lookup.sg/biz/blk-237-serangoon-ave3), Serangoon · 237 Serangoon Ave 3 · 5 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [Toast Box](https://lookup.sg/biz/toast-box-serangoon), Serangoon · 1 Seletar Rd · 12 min walk from Fernvale LRT
- [Kappa Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/kappa-cafe), Serangoon · 6 Serangoon North Ave 5, #06-09
- [151 Coffee and Tea](https://lookup.sg/biz/151-coffee-and-tea), Serangoon · 151 Serangoon North Ave. 2, #01-41 · 19 min walk from Kovan MRT
- [Jin Xing Hong Kong Roasted Meat](https://lookup.sg/biz/jin-xing-hong-kong-roasted-meat), Serangoon · 214 Serangoon Ave 4 · 9 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [宏昌餐室](https://lookup.sg/biz/business-359895), Serangoon · 2 Braddell Rd · 5 min walk from Woodleigh MRT
- [Zhi Yuan Coffee Shop](https://lookup.sg/biz/zhi-yuan-coffee-shop), Serangoon · 151A Serangoon North Ave. 2, #01-81 · 20 min walk from Kovan MRT
- [The Local Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/the-local-cafe), Serangoon · 9 Yio Chu Kang Rd, #01-55 · 7 min walk from Serangoon MRT
- [151 Serangoon North](https://lookup.sg/biz/151-serangoon-north), Serangoon · Golden Ginger, 149A Serangoon North Ave 1 · 20 min walk from Kovan MRT
- [Apartment Roastery](https://lookup.sg/biz/apartment-roastery), Serangoon · 7 min walk from Lorong Chuan MRT
- [Babba](https://lookup.sg/biz/babba), Serangoon · 15-9 Jalan Riang · 7 min walk from Lorong Chuan 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.