Okay, this review came more than just a little late.
Envy Coffee, is one of the very few cafes in Singapore, which made me fall in love with it on my very first visit. And I haven’t seemed to be able to stop myself from heading down there ever since. A 5-minutes walk from the MRT, cosy ambience, the availability of power points, free wifi, sincere service, and most of all, FANTASTIC COFFEE. Check, check, check, check and check, the perfect spot for hipster students (me) to stray away from the usual Starbucks to get some work done.
The owners, Chia Hui (@tanchiahui) and Jack (@Jackidos) are avid cafehoppers themselves, so they do know a thing or two of what makes a cafe tick. And it’s definitely apparent from Envy.
The Place
Located just a 5-minute walk away from One-North MRT, this is just a perfect hideout for NUS students to get a good lunch and coffee, after lunch hours. The small, cosy ambience, albeit comforting, can get crazily packed and noisy during the lunch hours,especially since this humble little cafe is located right at an office building. These lucky working people. And it was only until the first time I visited Envy that I found out that my brother was actually working in the exact same building. Talk about being a good sister..
The Menu
Besides coffee, Envy serves up a simple fare of sandwiches, pasta, as well as an array of bakes which are displayed at the counter. They get their rainbow cake from The Bakery Chef, and that’s just enough reason for you to head down there NOW!
On my very first visit, I decided to order my regular Iced Mocha ($6.50), and a Beenut Butter Toast (Cocovan) ($3.90)! Beenut butter is from the local company Second Helpings, and I have always been tempted to try their spreads, hence my choice of sandwich that day. The Cocovan flavor is basically just coconut, vanilla and peanut butter. Sounds like a unique combination, but I was disappointed to only have tasted peanut butter.
The iced mocha they served was the saving grace though. One of the better ones I’ve had so far. And this visit was a memorable one because one of the owners, Jack (@jackidos) came to me while I was trying to snap a picture of my sandwich, and said “take it together with the coffee, will look nicer,” and just walked off, leaving me with the company of my embarrassment.
As I was still on my rainbow cake quest (Will be coming up with an article on the best Rainbow cakes in Singapore after I hit 2 other spots), I have heard SO MUCH about this rainbow cake from Bakery Chef. Since Envy Coffee carried it, I vowed to return for this, and I did. The second visit saw me with their Christmas Special, Iced Peppermint Mocha, which by the way, trumps the one in Starbucks 2 hands down, and their rainbow cake, courtesy of my brother who came specially down to pay for it. Thank you korkor. My boy joined me later with a cup of hazelnut latte. The smooth, nutty taste with minimal acidity of this flavored latte got me fighting for more sips with the boy.
This rainbow cake was definitely one of the best ones we’ve had. Moist and light, with chocolate frosting, instead of the cream cheese we usually have. What made us go, OOOOH, after the first bite were the little chocolate balls hidden within the layers of the rainbow cake. Certainly one of the best, and deserving of the title of being touted as the best rainbow cake in Singapore in some articles!
On my most recent visit, which was not too recent by now, I decided to order a hot peppermint mocha because Jack (@jackidos) is an extremely skilled barista! You can see his works on his instagram account, and my reason for getting a hot drink, was just to receive this pretty latte art! LOOK!
As it was lunch time, I got myself a Pesto Chicken Sandwich ($7.90) too! I loved the savory combination of pesto, cheese and chicken. Pretty generous fillings, but one complaint I had, was the toughness of the ciabatta bread. A common problem with sandwiches. A good and filling lunch nevertheless.
Closing Remarks
As I am going deeper into the semester in NUS, and hence more work and deadlines are coming up, this would definitely see me visiting Envy more often these days. One word of caution, if you’re there to chill or get some work done, AVOID the lunch hour at ALL COST. You’d be drowned, kicked, and overwhelmed by the lunch crowd. Envy opens from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays only, so that may be a little unfriendly for some! But do hop by if you’re in the area for some coffee!
How to get there?
#01-04, Nexus@One-North
1 Fusionopolis Link, Singapore (138542)
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 7.30am to 6pm
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays: Closed
This place looks awesome! 🙂
[…] it’s definitely a go-to place for many of the office workers for lunch. Check out my review here. Free Wifi. Available Charging points. Good Coffee. Envy Coffee 1 Fusionopolis Link Weekdays ONLY: […]
Oh damn..just saw that it’s closed on weekends 🙁 Was so tempted to go after reading your post!