Lim's Cafe - $1.50 Coffee made with Espresso Machine in Chinatown

It’s not often you see a Hawker coffee stall using an espresso machine to brew their coffee. Tucked in a little corner of Chinatown Complex, Lim’s Cafe does just that. On top of looking like a crossover between the traditional and the modern, the beans used at Lim’s Cafe are also a fusion of Western and Asian coffee beans. What more, Uncle Lim proudly boasts about his freshly grinded coffee bean.

Contrary to popular belief that coffee made using espresso machines must be costly, at Lim’s Cafe, each cuppa goes for an affordable $1.50 – $1.80! We had to try the hot Kopi-O Kosong ($1.50), Coffee with no added sugar or milk to best taste the beans in their rawest form.

At first glance, I noticed a frothy top (crema) and thought to myself: “Is this cup of coffee really $1.50 and from a hawker store?”The coffee was aromatic and smooth, delectable with every sip. Whilst my friend found the coffee to be too strong for her liking, I’d prefer this over a thin cup of coffee.

Although there has been a slight increase in price from January 2022 of 20 cents, at only $1.50 a cup, and located in Singapore Central Chinatown, I’d still happily recommend giving Lim’s Cafe a try if you are nearby and in need of an affordable coffee fix!