Coexist Coffee Co: Hidden Rooftop Korean-Like Cafe in Bukit Batok
In a time where most of us haven’t been able to travel for the past one and a half years, going to eateries that transport us overseas has been quite the draw. Think Kurasu Coffee for the zen Japanese teahouse vibes, or Glass Roasters which looks like it came straight out of Seoul, or the Mandopop playing on the overhead speakers at Simple Cafe reminiscent of Taipei’s minimalist cafes.
The West has gotten another Korean-like cafe apart from the aforementioned Glass Roasters— meet Coexist Coffee Co.
Edit: In recent months, Coexist set up their second and third outlets— the second outpost at Keong Saik has a cool day and night concept, while the third outlet is a beautiful industrial warehouse vibe at Paya Lebar, well worth checking out! Be sure to read on for the full reviews of the Keong Saik outlet and the Paya Lebar outlet!
Located on the 8th floor (well, rooftop, really) of a nondescript industrial building at Hillview Terrace, you’ll take the lift up to the 7th floor.
After, you’ll climb two flights of stairs to find a narrow corridor leading to the cafe.
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Mind, this is likely where you’ll have to wait to be seated, as there aren’t a lot of tables in the cafe.
Even on a weekday lunch hour we waited about 15 minutes.
I can only imagine what the queues are like on a weekend, likewise when more people catch wind of the existence of Coexist Coffee Co.
Opened literally just days ago, why this cafe reminds me of one in Seoul is because the “hidden” element of this rooftop cafe and views from the window are starkly different from what most shophouse cafes in Singapore can offer.
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Not to mention that while Coexist Coffee has gone for a popular minimalist theme, what sets this space apart is the stark two-tone contrast that splits the cafe into a maroon red half and white half. With ample space between tables, it helps the cafe to not feel so stuffy and packed to the rafters.
There are a few sheltered seats outdoors as well, but with our unforgiving climate, you’re better off waiting for a table indoors, though I felt like the air-conditioning wasn’t strong enough during my visit.
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Food here is a curious mix of local flavours and traditional brunch cafe favourites, like Smoked Duck Bao (S$12), Sambal Fish & Chips (S$20), Seafood Coconut Broth (S$18), Bao Benedict (S$14), and Kaya French Toast (S$16), just to name a few.
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For starters, we had the Herbed Potato (S$8), with hand-cut russet potatoes served with garlic aioli sauce and topped with herbs.
Those familiar with Spanish cuisine will know this is a bit like patatas bravas which is personally one of my favourite tapas dishes, so I did enjoy this.
We then had the Chilli Crab Shakshuka (S$16) which came with fried mantou pieces.
The dish retained more of the tomatoey flavours of traditional shakshuka, and it’s worth noting the yolk of the poached egg wasn’t very flowy. It’s definitely an interesting dish though, so props to them for coming up with a unique menu.
With the mantou pieces, you can always scoop up the remaining tomato stew at the end.
Lastly, we went for the Rendang Wagyu Beef Burger (S$22). With rendang in the name, I was expecting more sauce, but overall the dish felt a little dry.
The potatoes that were served with the burger was exactly the same as the Herbed Potato side that we started with, sans the garlic aioli sauce. The brioche bun was really soft though, which was wonderful.
Over on the beverage menu, they have coffee, tea (including kombucha), and cold-pressed juices.
We had the Iced Mocha (S$6) and Iced Dirty Hojicha (S$7). I had actually ordered the Iced Dirty Matcha but was served the hojicha instead— opening nerves perhaps?
It’s fine though, I didn’t ask to get it changed or anything since I drink hojicha as well.
We noted that the coffee here registered a little more sour compared to other places though, so that might be something worth noting.
Overall, I think Coexist Coffee will do well, it’s out of the way location will actually be a draw for many cafe hoppers seeking something a little different. The fact it’s on a rooftop, the uniquely stark dual-tone colour scheme, and interesting dishes is enough of a combination for it to top the list of must-visit cafes for many.
If there were any teething issues, it’d be that the waiting time for the Chilli Crab Shakshuka and Rendang Wagyu Beef Burger was genuinely quite long, but at least we had the Herbed Potato to slowly enjoy at the start.
If your party is the type to order individual dishes and wait for each other’s plates to arrive before you start eating though, it seems the kitchen isn’t able to cope with getting that many orders out at the same time, at least for now.
But I genuinely really like the interior, the fact you get blue skies out of the window, and the sheer amount of space in the cafe truly does make one feel like they’re in an aesthetic cafe overseas.
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WHERE | 48 HILLVIEW TER, #08-00, SINGAPORE 669269
