At a Glance
About Wa-Cafe
Wa-Cafe (和カフェ, literally 'Japanese Café') is one of Chinatown Point's most charming hidden gems — a cozy Japanese-Western café tucked into Basement 1 that has quietly built a loyal following among Japanese expats, tourists, and locals seeking an authentic Japanese café experience. The word 'Wa' (和) in Japanese represents harmony, peace, and Japanese-ness — a fitting name for a café that blends Japanese ingredients and aesthetics with Western café culture. The interior is deliberately warm and inviting: cushioned seating, imported Japanese dinnerware, and a relaxed atmosphere that encourages lingering over coffee and dessert.
The coffee programme at Wa-Cafe is serious. The café uses Dutch-style cold-brew methods with complex brewing equipment imported directly from Japan, and serves coffee in pure copper mugs — also imported — that keep drinks at the optimal temperature. The result is coffee with a remarkably smooth, aromatic profile that stands apart from typical café chains. The Japanese Matcha Latte (S$8.80) uses premium Uji-Matcha green tea powder sourced from Kyoto, Japan's most prestigious matcha-producing region. The matcha has a mellow, balanced flavour — rich enough for matcha enthusiasts yet approachable for newcomers. The Japanese Melon Float (S$9.80) with thick Hokkaido ice cream is a refreshing alternative.
The signature Honey Toast is the dish that has made Wa-Cafe famous on social media and food blogs. A thick block of Japanese shokupan (milk bread) is hollowed out, and the outer walls are toasted until golden and crispy, then generously filled with ice cream, fresh fruits (banana, strawberry, blueberry), whipped cream, and drizzled with honey. The Japanese Matcha & Ogura Honey Toast (S$16.80) is the standout version: matcha ice cream sits alongside chunky Ogura (sweet red bean paste) and matcha powder for a distinctly Japanese-flavoured take on this indulgent dessert. The Vanilla Honey Toast (S$15.80) is the crowd-pleasing classic. Each toast is filling enough to share between two people, making it excellent value for a shareable dessert.
For savoury meals, Wa-Cafe offers a proper lunch and dinner menu. The Omu Rice (Japanese omelette rice) is well-executed — a fluffy, delicately cooked omelette draped over flavourful fried rice, without the egg taste being overwhelming. The Wagyu Curry Rice (S$26.80) features tender wagyu beef in a rich Japanese curry sauce — the priciest item on the menu but generous in portion. Chicken Katsu Curry is a more affordable comfort option. Toast-based savoury items include the Pizza Toast (S$6.80) with cheesy mozzarella and the sweet Ogura Toast (S$6.80). The Cake Set (S$11.80) — your choice of cake plus a drink — is excellent mid-afternoon value. No service charge is applied, which is increasingly rare in Singapore's dining scene.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
No service charge. Prices may vary. Cake selection changes daily. Baby chairs available.
Honey Toast (Signature)
| Vanilla Honey Toast — shokupan + vanilla ice cream + fruits + honey | S$15.80 |
| Japanese Matcha & Ogura Honey Toast — matcha ice cream + red bean paste | S$16.80 |
Drinks
| Dutch Cold-Brewed Blend Coffee — smooth, aromatic, served in copper mug | ~S$7 |
| Japanese Matcha Latte — Uji-Matcha from Kyoto, hot or iced | S$8.80 |
| Japanese Melon Float — melon soda + thick Hokkaido ice cream | S$9.80 |
Main Meals
| Omu Rice — fluffy Japanese omelette over fried rice | ~S$14 |
| Wagyu Curry Rice — tender wagyu beef in Japanese curry | S$26.80 |
| Chicken Katsu Curry — crispy chicken cutlet with curry rice | ~S$15 |
Toast & Desserts
| Pizza Toast — cheesy mozzarella on toasted bread | S$6.80 |
| Ogura Toast — sweet red bean paste with cream sauce | S$6.80 |
| Banana Cinnamon Toast — warm banana with cinnamon | S$4.30 |
| Chocolate Parfait — ice cream + cereal + chocolate sauce | S$14.80 |
| Cake Set — choice of daily cake + any drink | S$11.80 |
Practical Information
Dietary Information
Photos
Sourced via Google Places — food-focused photography
Location
133 New Bridge Road, #B1-51, Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413
Basement 1 of Chinatown Point, near the MRT entrance. Cozy corner café with cushioned seating. Walk-in only — no reservations needed. Free WiFi available. The café is easy to miss — look for it near the B1 food court area.
📍 Open in Google MapsYour Dining Journey
From the copper mug to the honey toast — what to expect at Wa-Cafe.
Find the Hidden Gem
Wa-Cafe is on Basement 1 of Chinatown Point — if you are coming from Chinatown MRT, you will arrive directly on this level. The café is tucked in a corner near the food court area at #B1-51 and can be easy to miss if you are not looking for it. The interior is deliberately cozy: cushioned booth-style seating, warm lighting, and a relaxed atmosphere that feels more like a neighbourhood kissaten (Japanese coffee house) than a mall café. This is a place for lingering, not rushing.
Start with Coffee or Matcha
The coffee at Wa-Cafe deserves your attention. The Dutch-style cold-brewed blend is served in a pure copper mug imported from Japan — both the equipment and the presentation signal that this café takes its beverages seriously. The coffee is aromatic and smooth, with none of the bitterness that can plague over-extracted cold brews. For matcha lovers, the Japanese Matcha Latte (S$8.80) uses Uji-Matcha from Kyoto — the gold standard of Japanese matcha. It is mellow and balanced, with a creamy body that makes it accessible even to those new to matcha. On a hot day, the Japanese Melon Float with Hokkaido ice cream (S$9.80) is an irresistibly refreshing choice.
Share a Honey Toast
The Honey Toast is the main event. It arrives looking spectacular: a thick cube of golden-toasted shokupan bread, its walls crisp and honey-glazed, its centre hollowed and filled with scoops of ice cream, fresh fruits, whipped cream, and a drizzle of honey. The Matcha & Ogura version adds matcha ice cream and chunky red bean paste for a distinctly Japanese flavour profile. Each toast is substantial enough for two people — order one to share alongside your coffees. The contrast of crispy toast exterior, cold ice cream, and warm honey is genuinely delightful. Eat it promptly; the ice cream begins to melt beautifully into the toast, creating a sweet, creamy soak that makes the last bites as good as the first.
Wa-Cafe is the kind of café that Chinatown Point is lucky to have. In a mall dominated by restaurants and fast-food chains, this cozy Japanese-Western café offers something genuinely different: a quiet, comfortable space where the coffee is taken seriously, the matcha is imported from Kyoto, and the Honey Toast is worth the trip alone. The fact that Japanese expats frequent the café is the strongest endorsement of its authenticity. The no-service-charge policy is a welcome touch that keeps the value proposition honest. For anyone exploring Chinatown Point's Japanese dining options — after yakitori at Nanbantei upstairs or hotpot at Tsukada Nojo — Wa-Cafe on B1 is the perfect sweet ending.
Japanese Kissaten Culture: The Art of Lingering Over Coffee
Wa-Cafe embodies the spirit of Japan's kissaten (喫茶店) culture — a tradition of neighbourhood coffee houses that has been central to Japanese daily life since the early 20th century. Unlike the hurried, takeaway-focused culture of modern chain cafés, kissaten emphasise slow, contemplative coffee drinking in a cozy, often retro-styled environment. The coffee is typically hand-dripped or siphon-brewed, served in proper cups on saucers, and meant to be savoured over a newspaper or conversation. In Japan, kissaten also serve light meals called 'morning set' (モーニング) — toast, eggs, and coffee — that represent one of the country's most beloved morning rituals. Wa-Cafe's toast menu, Dutch-style brewing, and emphasis on imported Japanese equipment all reflect this kissaten philosophy, creating a small piece of Japanese café culture in Singapore's Chinatown.