Review: Bangkok concept Ve/La at Changi Airport’s sweet-leaning sips need balance, but we’d go back for its bakes

For years, the Bangkok pipeline mostly ran one way. Singaporeans would fly north for Thai food, shopping hauls, and trendy cafes. Increasingly, though, Thai brands are making the trip in the other direction. 

Take, for example, Go-Ang Pratunam — the Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognised khao man gai (Thai chicken rice) institution known for its long queues — has outlets across the heartlands here after first arriving in 2018. 

Thonglor acai soft-serve concept Soft Spot has also opened in Joo Chiat, while premium coffee and bakery chain Sol Coffee opened in the CBD earlier this year.

So it should come as no surprise to see Ve/La, the Bangkok speciality coffee and matcha label, arrive on our shores, complete with its sand-toned aesthetic. 

For a brand whose name means “time” in Thai, its location at Singapore’s Changi Airport is especially fitting, because Ve/La’s first outpost here in Singapore never closes.

The backstory

The idea for Ve/La began during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020. Its founder, Pete Kasidit, then a teenage art student, was setting up an art supply shop in Sukhumvit when an empty corner of the store gave him an idea.

To a newcomer, Bangkok’s speciality coffee menus could read like a foreign language, with long lists of roast levels, processing methods, and growing regions. 

So, he decided to strip away the jargon and offer just two coffees — Dawn and Dusk, named for the time of day the flavours would evoke. 

He officially opened the corner coffee bar in March 2021 and by its second weekend, people were waiting in line for up to two hours for a cuppa. 

Pete then went on to open outlets in some of Bangkok’s biggest malls, such as CentralWorld, Siam Discovery, and Emporium. 

Its outlet here in Singapore isn’t its first overseas one, though — it opened in London in early 2026, but Ve/La’s Singapore outlet still does come with a few firsts of its own. 

Namely, Ve/La Singapore is the brand’s first airport outlet, and also the first to run 24/7 — which is fitting given that it’s located at Changi Airport’s Terminal 1 arrival area. You can get a cuppa no matter what time you land.

While its outlet here is compact — with fewer than 20 seats — the design still follows Ve/La’s restrained house style of warm wood, softened edges, and white orchids.

The menu is split into classics, which cover espresso beverages, pourovers, matcha, craft teas, and Thai tea, and signature creations, where the brand’s personality comes through. 

Pete’s original Dawn and Dusk concept also still underpins the menu, though. 

You pick your drink, then pick your “time”. For coffee, you can choose anything from Dawn, a bright, fruity medium roast with hints of blueberry and black tea, to Midnight (additional S$1), a medium-roast with notes of whiskey, cherry, and vanilla. 

The matcha menu follows a similar logic, with two grades from Mie, Japan. Sundown is the everyday choice, while Sunrise is the pricier pick for those who prefer a higher-grade matcha. 

For its craft teas, the choices are more tongue-in-cheek, with flavours such as a floral Fashionably Late Assamica tea and a comforting Do Not Disturb chamomile tea. 

Did you know that each Ve/La city gets its own exclusive creation? Bangkok has the Sunny cold brew, London has the Bangkok latte, and Singapore’s is the kaya toast latte (S$10), one of the four signature creations here.

The others are the cloudy matcha (S$10), Ve/La Airecano (S$8.50) — an aerated iced Americano that’s plenty frothy — and the ube vanilla matcha (S$9.50). 

Prices range from S$4.80 for an espresso to S$10 for the higher-tier signatures; most drinks fall between S$7 and S$9.50. Alternative milks, extra shots and cream cost extra, while a small selection of pastries starts at S$6.40.

Our verdict

Ve/La Singapore’s creative signature drinks may be the concept’s main draw, but they’re not all equally successful. 

They are an interesting departure from the usual coffee and matcha offerings, but their dessert-like combinations and level of sweetness may not appeal to everyone.

Prices here are also considerably steep, with some signature drinks hitting S$10, while the baked goods selection is limited and not particularly creative. 

Still, its airport location and round-the-clock opening hours make Ve/La Singapore a convenient stop for a caffeine fix and a quick bite, especially if you’re arriving at an ungodly hour, or maybe even when you have a red-eye flight to catch. 

Just don’t expect to settle in for long — there’s only one narrow, long table with just over a dozen stools, which means Ve/La Singapore might be better suited for a grab-and-go or a quick pick-me-up than a leisurely cafe session.

What it’s good for

Of its four signature creations, we went for three of them: the Singapore-exclusive kaya toast latte (S$10), the Ve/La Airecano (S$8.50), and the ube vanilla matcha (S$9.50), but more on the matcha a little later.

What’s worth highlighting is its kaya toast latte, a decadent ode to our beloved kaya toast, reimagined in a cup. Kaya jam and coconut cream sit beneath the Dusk latte, finished with a savoury salted egg drizzle and toasted bread cubes.

It is more dessert than drink from the appearance itself and even from the first sip. Remember to give it a thorough stir, scraping the sides and bottom to bring the kaya into the mix.

Only once everything comes together does the drink start to make sense. Some sips lean towards kaya, while others let the salted egg come through. The bread cubes turn soggy fast, so pick them off early and enjoy them separately, or just have them quickly if you prefer your toast crisp. 

The coffee does get a little lost amid everything else going on, but as a semi-dessert, it’s an enjoyable one. I’d recommend sharing it, as it can get slightly cloying on its own.

If not, how else would you make room for the pecan cinnamon bun (S$6.80)? Cinnamon buns aren’t exactly a staple at many cafes here, so when I spot one, it’s an easy yes for me.

Thankfully, not one crumb disappointed.

The warm, soft bun has a sticky, treacle-sweet centre, but what really sets it apart is its caramelised top, balanced with a hint of salt. Even under all that glaze, the pecans stay crunchy, which I found mildly impressive.

Whether you’ve just stepped off a flight or are waiting for someone who is arriving, this will tide you over nicely.

For something brighter, the passionfruit cruffin (S$6.80) makes a good contrast: Tart, subtly sweet, and thoroughly delicious, with a generous ooze of passionfruit cream when torn open. 

The pastry itself could be flakier, but the cream is satisfying enough that you’ll overlook it, at least for a while. 

Its tartness also makes it a good pairing for one of the sweeter drinks.

What it could improve on

While most of our orders hit the mark, the ube vanilla matcha (S$9.50) sadly didn’t leave much of an impression. 

It’s a vanilla-infused ube (purple yam) latte topped with sweetened Sundown matcha cream. On paper, the pairing of both earthy flavours makes sense.

In reality, my drink came with too much cream, which not only dampened the earthy matcha but had muted the nutty ube, too. Or perhaps the ratio for each ingredient didn’t account for the richness of the cream. 

Thinking it might switch up for the better once I gave it a good stir, it instead turned flat and one-note into a creamy, sweet drink that offered little beyond a pretty colour. 

It was difficult for me to see how this once-seasonal special in Bangkok had earned a permanent spot on Ve/La’s menu given its flavour profile. 

Most of its signature creations seem to have a sweet streak and lean more dessert-like, save for the Ve/La Aerocano, so if you’re after a more straightforward coffee or matcha, the classics, such as lattes and pourovers, are probably the safer bet.

Still, Ve/La Changi Airport gets plenty right.

Its Dawn and Dusk concept makes speciality coffee approachable without dumbing it down, while the small selection of bakes will do in a pinch. And it’s one of the few cafes in Singapore that can offer a caffeine fix at three in the morning — what’s not to like about that?

For a concept whose name means “time”, Ve/La Singapore couldn’t have opened in a more fitting location. You can opt for the cafe experience you want at any hour, whether you’re after a more comforting dessert-like beverage or a stiff perk-me-up.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Yes. Even with numerous flight arrivals and when the waiting area gets crowded, it’s still easy to hold conversations here.

Is a reservation necessary? Reservations aren’t accepted here. The space works more like a kiosk, with very limited seats (short stools) and mainly serves as transient seating rather than proper sit-down spots. 

How to get there? Ve/La Singapore, at Terminal 1, is a 10-minute walk from Changi Airport MRT, which is at Terminal 2 or 3.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For the latest eats, check out Foca Kumpir, a new Siglap spot serving loaded Turkish baked potatoes, and our take on Peranakan restaurant, Martina’s Kitchen, at Seletar Aerospace.