Diff: New sleek speciality coffee bar hidden in a kopitiam, with great pour-overs & pandan kueh lapis
Singapore is no stranger to good coffee. From dependable Nanyang-style kopi to polished speciality cafes, caffeine is one of our love languages, for sure!
That said, a coffee bar devoted to pour-overs, while operating within a local coffeeshop, is a rare sight.
Diff at CT Hub 2’s food court does exactly that. This new concept is led by 29-year-old Anuar Khairullah — who goes by Khai — and his Taiwanese co-founder, who prefers to remain behind the scenes.
Khai is a barista and coffee enthusiast, while his co-founder is a tea aficionado, shaped by Taiwan’s deep-rooted tea culture.
The union of these two passionate individuals creates a meeting point between speciality coffee and single-origin teas, all of which are thoughtfully sourced and curated.
Khai spent eight years at Dutch Colony Coffee Co., before taking up the head barista role at the now-closed Cafe Found at Orchard by The Editors’ Market.
In 2023, during his time with Dutch Colony, Khai also took part in the Singapore National Coffee Championship, where he placed fourth in the Barista category — an impressive performance for a first-time competitor.
But why a kopitiam?
For Khai, the answer began with a simple observation. “Most people associate speciality coffee with something atas and high-end, which naturally means steeper prices,” he says.
But after years on the ground, both locally and abroad, he came to a different conclusion: Quality coffee doesn’t have to feel intimidating, nor should it with a hefty price tag.
The goal for Diff is simple — to make speciality coffee less rarefied, more approachable, and rooted in community, rather than exclusivity.
A coffeeshop felt like the most down-to-earth setting, and is a go-to spot for Singaporeans to get their daily sustenance — including their daily caffeine fix.
By introducing modern coffee and pour-overs in the same environment, Diff bridges two worlds without forcing either to change.
Yes, it’s still a tad more costly than the traditional kopi. But Diff keeps prices accessible — a regular black or white ranges from S$4.50 to S$6, while filter coffee sits between S$10 and S$15.
And honestly, what a counter Diff has. Clean lines, a minimalist build, and an airy concept that puts the entire brewing process on full display.
In the middle of the bustling coffeeshop, it feels like walking through a gallery, inviting onlookers to pause, observe, and watch the baristas at work.
Guest shifts…at a coffee spot?
Interestingly, the coffee bar also hosts monthly guest shifts — probably something more commonly seen in the cocktail scene.
Diff spotlights respected names from the global coffee scene, whether local or international talents.
So far, there have been two sessions: Oscar from the homegrown Fluid Collective, and Nas from Falcon Coffees Asia, who won the Malaysia National Brewers Cup Championship last year.
Khai hopes to hold this initiative at least once a month, and tells us the next edition is set for February 28. You’d want to follow its Instagram to see who is making a special appearance at Diff!
All of Diff’s efforts circle back to the founders’ goal: Making specialty coffee and tea accessible to everyone.
Khai also sees the coffee world as an ecosystem, sort of, and hopes his work can lift it higher.
“If people enjoy what we have at Diff, realise specialty coffee can be great, and then explore other cafes outside, the entire industry will benefit and grow. I’m happy to be able to help everyone in the scene in this manner,” he explains.
Brew-tiful drinks at Diff
As much as I love coffee, pour-overs aren’t usually my go-to at cafes. The experience can sometimes feel underwhelming — with cups landing softer and flatter than expected — and it doesn’t always come cheap.
At Diff, though, the experienced on-site baristas are thoughtful with their recommendations, tailoring each suggestion to your preferences — a genuine passion that mirrors the founders’.
From the filter selection, Khai points to the Ethiopia Yaye (S$10), which he describes as “one of the sweetest, with the most fruitiest notes,” out of the five types available.
These beans undergo a natural process, where the cherries are carefully sorted and dried with the fruit still intact. This helps to preserve their pronounced fruitness, while delivering a clean, consistent finish.
True enough, we were pleasantly surprised. The brew was ultra-smooth and delicately sweet, perfumed with fruity notes that unfold gradually on the palate.
There’s none of the sharp acidity we feared — just a well-balanced cup that might convert even the most hesitant filter skeptics, and even beginners!
Diff’s cold brew (from S$6) is also prepared with filter coffee — currently using beans from Honduras in Central America — resulting in a chocolate-forward blend.
Beyond this, you can also count on the espresso-based options here, too. You get to choose between two beans: The Honduras profile mentioned above, or the fruit-forward Bella Lulo, Ethiopia selection.
We opted for the latter in a hot white (S$5), and it delivers exactly what you’d want in a solid cuppa — balanced, delightfully robust, and finished with silky milk foam.
With matcha still all the rage in Singapore, we had to try the banana matcha (S$8).
Rather than the chunky pudding topping that we’ve commonly come across, Diff’s rendition is crowned with a housemade mascarpone banana cream — a more velvety take on the trend.
Thankfully, the banana flavour doesn’t hold back — I loved it. It’s lush and prominent, yet the mascarpone lends a lighter texture, creating a less heavy-handed drink.
If you’ve ever found banana pudding matcha cloying, or awkwardly put together, this one brings together a better balance, at least for us.
For those who have a soft spot for tradition, don’t skip on the single-origin teas. At Diff, each tea is prepared using a cold-extraction method that gently coaxes out its flavours, resulting in a cleaner, more nuanced profile.
The line-up features four varieties, including Fukamushi sencha from Shizuoka, Japan, and Ceylon black tea from Sri Lanka. But it was the iced Tung Ting oolong tea (with milk, S$6) from Taiwan that we went for.
Even after we accidentally left it sitting on the table — long enough for most of the ice to melt (oops) — the tea doesn’t taste watered down, or even excessively milky, which we really appreciate.
The nutty, smooth notes came through, though we imagine it might be even more full-bodied if we enjoyed it immediately. Nonetheless, this cup spoke volumes about the quality of the leaves.
Diff also serves up bakes — though they’re not baked in-house, the pandan kueh lapis (S$7) has been quite a crowd-favourite since day one. And it’s easy to see why.
Made with pandan sourced from Batam, the layered cake carries a deeply comforting fragrance. Moist, buttery, and richly flavoured, it’s a good slice that has people, especially the locals and us, swooning for it.
To that, Khai hints at a locally inspired take on the popular Mont Blanc, possibly crowned with a pandan-infused foam. Honestly, we’re sold!
The kaya croissant (S$5.50) is equally tempting, unveiling delicately sweet kaya and finished with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut.
In true Singaporean fashion, you know a dessert hits the mark when your first thought is: “It’s not too sweet.” That was exactly our reaction — it’s balanced, yet indulgent enough without being overly sugared.
With its thoughtful curation of speciality coffee and single-origin teas, Diff welcomes everyone, including all curious sippers and seasoned coffee lovers.
If you’re especially curious to learn more about the craft and immerse yourself in the knowledge and care that goes into every brew, you’ve to make a trip to Diff!
For more ideas on what to eat, read about the newly opened Stags Head Steakhouse at Pan Pacific Singapore and this ramen heartland gem at Tampines.
Tue 8am - 5pm
Wed 8am - 5pm
Thu 8am - 5pm
Fri 8am - 5pm
Sat 10am - 5pm
Sun 10am - 5pm
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Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
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