The Populus: Coffee & Food Co.

Neil Road gastro-cafe with contemporary brunch and speciality coffee.

The Populus: Coffee & Food Co. is a gastro-cafe on Neil Road serving contemporary dishes with international influences, seasonal speciality coffees, teas by Tea Bone Zen Mind and artisanal hot chocolate by Mork Chocolate. Its connected 2 Degrees North Coffee Co. roastery has a competition-focused coffee background, which gives the cafe extra credibility with coffee drinkers. The venue also opens its Level 2 lounge on weekends and public holidays, giving groups another reason to consider it for slower brunches or private gatherings in the Tanjong Pagar and Outram area.

THEBESTSG STAFF REVIEW

The Populus is a good brunch choice when you want creative cafe food without losing the coffee side of the equation. The Neil Road location is easy for central meet-ups, and the menu has a more eclectic personality than many standard egg-and-toast places. The coffee pedigree is a real plus. The trade-off is that it can feel popular and compact during busy periods, so timing matters. For a brunch with flavour, coffee and a little edge, it holds up well.

WHY THEY MADE THEBEST SG

It was selected for its gastro-cafe approach, strong coffee credentials and central Neil Road location. The weekend lounge also helps it suit longer brunches.

The editors' scorecard - 82/100

Unique Service Proposition16/20
Quality of Service17/20
Accessibility16/20
Value for Money16/20
Innovation17/20