I’ll be frank. I don’t actually think Forty Hands is thaaaat kid-friendly a cafe. It’s a typical hipster cafe, pretty cramped, and with lots of sharp table edges. However, I realise this cafe is ‘hot’ with… well, just about every coffee drinker out there, and I always see people with babies and young kids here. So I guess it somehow works!

I was charmed by the cutely-named Ang Mo Classic Gourmet Dog – organic pork sausage, gherkins, melted cheese, mustard, red carrot ketchup ($13). This is an upscale version of the traditional hotdog. I was delighted with the artisan bun, which was fluffy and soft, with the right amount of ‘give’ with every bite. The sausage was fat and juicy, and not too overly salty. However, it was the relish that did it for me – it gave the whole hot dog a burst of flavour and made it well worth the money.

The Truffle mushroom toastie ($12.50) sounded pretty plain on the menu, and also arrived looking rather uneventful. That said, the mushrooms were beautifully cooked to juicy perfection, and with a bright burst of truffle. The toastie bread was thin and crisp, and paired well with the mushrooms and rocket leaves.

Last Bite: Forty Hands serve simple but delicious food, but it’s their hot coffee that really stands out. We loved our latte art!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Forty Hands
78 Yong Siak Street #01-12
Singapore 163078
Phone: 6225 8545
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Sun: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm

We were originally planning on hitting Strangers Reunion, but it was jam packed with people and we had four kids in tow, so we headed to the cafe next door instead, called Waffle Slayer. Turned out, they’re owned by the Strangers Reunion folk anyway!

The industrial chic cafe has almost zero signage, and the glass doors reflect very well.. so I actually walked straight past the cafe without realising what it was. The door panels that open up are fairly narrow – something to note if you have a very wide pram.

The narrow but long space is jam packed with tables and chairs, with most of the patrons being female (the guys were all there with their female counterparts, no tables were men-only).

Service is pretty quick, and very friendly, despite looking a bit short-staffed.

Complimentary water for the table, served in a big bottle. Major props!

The cafe is crowded on weekends, and not great for kids to run around in. Though I’d imagine the enclosed place would be alright when not as crowded on weekdays.

The older kids were kept occupied watching a movie on the iPhone.

We ordered the Za’atar-spiced eggplant fritters with lemon yogurt ($12.90) which I forgot to photograph – whoops! The kids enjoyed this because it was cut like fat chips, and they were really tasty. A great appetizer/snack to share.

Our Red velvet buttermilk waffle with pistachio tuile, chocolate fudge and vanilla ice cream ($14.90) disappointed me at first, because the entire waffle was soft and floppy and soggy. To me, a good waffle is crisp on the outside, and yields to a fluffy moist interior. But this texture was almost exactly like a microwaved waffle (despite it being freshly cooked in their waffle maker – I assume).

Fortunately, it did taste nice. Not blow-me-away fantastic, because of the miserable texture, but nice. The red velvet flavour actually wasn’t very strong, but the waffle had a lovely flavour and the large dollop of vanilla ice cream went down well.

Last Bite: Waffle Slayer specialises in, you guessed it, waffles! Ours arrived rather floppy and soggy, but their (large selection of) other dishes satisfied us.
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes (though be warned of the narrow entrance)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Waffle Slayer
37 Kampong Bahru Road
Singapore 169356
Phone: 6222 4869
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
 
 

It was by recommendation of a girl friend, who said they had “excellent coffee”, that brought us here to Highlander Coffee. The cafe is tiny and houses only a few tables, but we were fortunate to score the corner ones since we had four (!) kids in tow.

You see, Highlander Coffee isn’t a place you go for food. It’s a coffee place, first and foremost. Founded a decade ago by two brothers, they are a hands-on barista workshop (located in a separate room at the back of the cafe) as well as a coffee appreciation workshop.

Apart from the impressive coffee equipment around the cafe (which is also for sale), the cafe decor and tables/chairs are about as basic and simple as you can get. It’s pretty stark, with  plain stools and round white tables. It’s obvious people go there just for the coffee.

And of course their coffee is lovely. My Flat White has a gorgeous creamy layer of crema, and the flavour is subtle but still flavourful. The Iced latte is impressive, because it still packs a powerful punch of coffee flavour, which often lacks in other cafes’ iced coffees (as they get too diluted due to the ice cubes melting).

Food-wise, it is clearly not Highlander Coffee’s forte and we find the food all edible, but nothing to shout about. Everything is pre-made and, if necessary, zapped in the toaster or microwave.

The Chicken salad croissant is happily packed with lots of fresh-looking salad, which I appreciate. The chicken is moist and tender, and I would consider this dish very similar to Delifrance’s version.

The Lasagne is tasty and full of melted cheese, so it’s pretty popular with the kids. There is not one single vegetable detectable in this dish though, so I’m pretty sure it’s not exactly up there in the Healthy Foods To Eat category..

Their pies are pre-made and popped into the toaster oven to reheat, but the Chicken pie is still pretty good. It’s a shame it’s not served with a side salad or on a proper plate (it arrives unceremoniously on a paper plate), which would have elevated it into more of a real cafe dish instead of looking like a I-grabbed-this-at-the-petrol-station quickie.

The Tuna sandwich looked the most basic and homemade out of all the dishes. It was even served on plain old white bread, not even croissant or homebaked bread or focaccia or anything! Fine to order if you’re desperate, but fair warning here that you’ll be completely unimpressed.

The Pasta bolognaise is pretty much exactly like the Lasagne above, except with macaroni pasta. It’s a bit on the oily side, due to all the cheese, but Hunter likes it so I won’t complain.

Last Bite: Higherlander Coffee may not offer freshly-cooked or impressive food, but it’s their outstanding coffee (and expertise) that people go for. Their Iced latte is excellent!

Highchairs: No
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Highlander Coffee
49 Kampong Bahru Road
Singapore 169362
Phone: 6226 1686
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sat: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Situated along the popular strip of cafes along Tiong Bahru, The Orange Thimble is a hipster cafe priding itself on merging art and coffee into one space.

Step into the cafe and you’ll be met with vintage-yet-industrial decor. It works. The space seems tiny, until we realised that a small doorway at the back of the cafe leads to a spacious seating area(s) as well as an outdoor sheltered area. It actually turned out to be a pretty large cafe! The way it is segmented into various nooks make it a great place to have brunch, feeling like there is no one else around you.

The menu is fairly limited (see below) but prices are reasonable. There is NO service charge and NO GST – huge props to them and may more cafes follow their stellar example!

Our American Breakfast ($13.90) is pleasingly sufficient for a big eater. The sausage is delicious and juicy, the eggs are well scrambled (my kids gobbled it all up straightaway), and everything goes together very well to make this a more-than-decent big breakfast.

The Egg mayo sandwich ($9.90) is pretty gigantic, thanks to the large ciabatta bun. It contains salad and a generous helping of chunky-cut hard boiled egg mixed with mayo. It’s tasty, and props to the extra greens on the plate.

Their croissant ($2.50) is freshly baked and INCREDIBLE. The outside is flaky, and the inside superbly soft and buttery. The kids adore this, and so do I, so we promptly order another one.

The Iced latte ($7) is a little on the steep side, but at least it comes in a large glass. It still has a rich coffee flavour, despite being an iced drink.

The kids share an Avocado milkshake. They drain it to the last drop, so I suppose they give it the thumbs up! I did manage to sneak a sip in and was very impressed – the milkshake is thick and creamy, and the gula melaka syrup used is not too overpowering. Luscious.

The artworks on the wall are adorable – brightly coloured and featuring scenes around Singapore. Prices are listed so you can purchase them to bring home.

 
Last Bite: The Orange Thimble charges no GST or service charge, and serve up delicious food at very reasonable prices. The segmented layout of the cafe allows for more private dining, though we particularly love the sofas for young kids to lounge on!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

The Orange Thimble
56 Eng Hoon Street, 01-68
Singapore 160056
Phone: 6223 8068
Prices: $$
Hours:
Mon: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tue – Thu: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am
Sun: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
 
 

Flock Cafe has been doing the rounds on social media over the past few months, but I didn’t have a chance to visit until only very recently, because we live so epic-ly far away. I’m glad I did, because I really enjoyed the visit!

Open bright and early everyday at 8AM, we were thoroughly impressed that they were open on a Monday morning, as few cafes are. Decorated in a dark brown and grey theme, the decor is simple and clean, and the ambience is relaxed with a buzz.

We were very impressed with the children’s activity sheet provided. Just grab a colourful sheet off the stack and keep your kid occupied whilst you have a bite and drink!

The Latte ($5.50) arrived in a tiny cup, but was delightfully creamy and with a punch of flavour. Beans are from Liberty Coffee.

My girl friends had a quiche each. I didn’t try any, so I don’t know if they were good – so sorry!

My Pork cheek and gruyere sandwich ($14.90) was RIDICULOUSLY INSANELY GOOD. I’m not even a fan of sandwiches! But this was amazing. It featured incredibly tender and moist shredded pork, paired with a mustard mayonnaise and drizzle of melted cheese.

Oh man, I’d go back again just for this. The “pork cheek and gruyere” potion is featured not just in this sandwich, but also in a pasta, and on Eggs Benedict. So feel free to take your pick!

 
 
Last Bite: Flock Cafe’s signature pork cheek and gruyere sandwich is out-of-this-world good, and their colourful kid’s activity sheet is a winner.
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Flock Cafe
78 Moh Guan Terrace, #01-25
Singapore 162078
Phone: 6536 3938
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm