BELLY UP Reviews Singapore's Dog-Friendly Cafes: Plain Vanilla Baking Delectable Sweet Treats & Coffee Brews For Brunch

Image: Plain Vanilla

Disclaimer: This is an independent review and we have had no commercial relations to Plain Vanilla or its affiliates. Having tried many cafes globally, we hope to bring you the most objective take on pet-friendly cafes and restaurants in Singapore through our adventures with our furry friends.

Plain Vanilla began in 2011 at a small takeaway store on the second floor of a shophouse at Holland Village. At that time, their cupcakes were already a hit with its hefty dense vanilla, chocolate or red velvet cupcake base topped with a intricately decorated cupcake frosting. We enjoyed going to their store in the early 2010s to savour their delicious cupcakes for an afternoon snack. We always hoped that they would succeed in the longer term and wished that they would open a bigger space in the future to accommodate dine-ins and even dog-friendly spaces.

After more than a decade, they have launched their only store in the east side around the Joo Chiat/East Coast neighbourhood serving up lovely bakes fresh from the oven, a nutritious brunch menu, and yummy coffee from renowned coffee roasters Allpress Espresso. This is one of six outlets that they have since expanded into in Singapore.

Read on for our review of this lovely cafe!

The Space

This bakery and coffee shop sit on the first floor of 199 East Coast Road in a large airy space that is segmented into four sections; a main dining area where the sweets are displayed & fresh coffee is brewed, two pet-friendly alfresco dine-in sections, and finally a children’s play space that includes a large canvas with crayons and markers. The main dining area can seat up to 20 people, and the pet-friendly area can accommodate between 7-10 groups comfortably in a shaded, cool space.

This is the perfect spot to enjoy a pastry and a cup of coffee, or to pick out some sweets as gifts for friends. Fun fact: ZumVet’s office space is right above their store!

The Menu

The popular cupcakery has the usual Red Velvet, Vanilla Bean, Dark Chocolate Ganache, and Cookies & Cream creations. Our favourites included the Milk Chocolate Banana; a cupcake with a banana cake base, milk chocolate frosting, topped off with a banana chip on top, and also the Strawberry White Chocolate with fresh strawberries chopped up and filled at the core. In addition, they have seasonal specials such as the Milo Dinosaur which is a local singaporean favourite.

Plain Vanilla also serves up Granola Bowls ($8/$12, Small/Regular) in three different flavours; a House blend, Chocolate blend, and Maple blend. For more savoury options, there is the Three-cheese Grilled Cheese ($14/$26, Half/Regular) served with pickled onions and a frisee salad, and also Pasta options such as their Chicken Pesto Orecchiette ($24) elevated with a creme fraiche and sundried tomato paste base.

Coffee is a must at this space, and you may be familiar with their roasters that supply Plain Vanilla with fresh coffee regularly. Allpress Espresso’s Browns Mill Organic is a Peruvian/Honduran coffee blend for a well-balanced soft, milk chocolate flavour with toffee and juicy/fruity notes.

Another fun fact: Allpress features Plain Vanilla on their Singapore website as one of their key retailers.

The Experience

Plain Vanilla has always been a pet-friendly team, nestled in the Joo Chiat area across other popular breakfast joints such as Chin Mee Chin, the area is bustling with great food and coffee spots. This is a great addition to the regular slew of dog-friendly cafes like Kings Cart Coffee Factory, Micro Bakery, and Neptune Coffee along the East Coast/Joo Chiat area. The bakery is ample with seating and an impressive menu complemented by delicious specialty coffee. The outdoor area was kept clean and tidy with comfortable seating options. This is definitely one of our favourite dog-friendly coffee spots in the east!

The Details

Plain Vanilla (East Coast)

199 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428902

Opening Hours: 7.30am - 7pm Daily

Parking: Street side parking along East Coast Rd

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xo
Nellie