Living Room: Aesthetic Chinatown cafe hidden inside a tableware shop
Tucked away along the busy thoroughfare of Chinatown sits Late Morning, a cosy, inconspicuous shop selling a curation of tableware.
What you’d least expect is that this quiet shop is also home to Living Room, a small cafe nestled within its premises.
You can either enter through Late Morning’s front entrance, or through the back alley — the cafe’s official entrance. I’d say this back alley is even harder to locate, though.
Once you enter, you’re greeted by an assortment of beautiful plates, bowls and cutlery on display before the scent of coffee wafts towards you, drawing you to the intriguing, small walkway that leads you into Living Room.
A cafe in a tableware shop
Living Room is run by partners Belinda and Will, who run a two-man show at the cafe.
While it officially opened in December last year, this isn’t the team’s first rodeo at selling drinks in the space.
Belinda, who also runs Late Morning, used to bring in her personal espresso machine to make drinks for her staff, but one thing led to another, and they ended up selling takeaway coffee and matcha lattes.
The matcha lattes went viral on social media and the demand got a bit too much for the team to handle.
In response, the team converted what used to be a small section of retail shelves into the homey cafe space we now know as Living Room.
“We also wanted a space where our customers could experience eating and drinking out of the tableware we sell,” says Belinda. She tells us that all the drinking mugs and glasses used within the cafe can all be bought from Late Morning, whereas the plates were a mix of Belinda’s personal collection and the plates on display.
The space is intimate and small, with small stools and coffee tables for customers to sit at.
Digicam queens and work-from-cafe lovers should take note: Flash photography and working on laptops are not allowed, in order to maintain a relaxing atmosphere for all.
The white, minimalist interior coupled with the soft jazzy music playing in the background reminded me of the small independent cafes I used to visit in Seoul.
Ricotta toasts
Living Room’s menu centres around a small rotation of ricotta toasts and desserts.
“I eat ricotta toast very often, and I like that it’s versatile,” replies Belinda, when asked why she decided to focus her menu on the dish.
I’m often sceptical about cafes offering toasts — I’m usually convinced I can DIY sourdough toasts on my own, for cheaper — but one bite of Living Room’s ricotta toasts and I knew I simply wouldn’t be able to replicate them myself.
The magic of Living Room’s toasts lies in its amazing ricotta base. It’s just the right viscosity, so you don’t feel it’s overly cloying, and ever so slightly sweet. that it complements its starring ingredient, without outshining it.
Following the rave reviews online about its capsicum, balsamic vinegar, ricotta on sourdough (S$13), we knew we had to try it.
I tend to take TikTok recommendations with a pinch of salt, but I’m glad I followed its counsel this time, because the capsicum toast was delightful. The capsicum is cooked till soft, with a garlicky aroma that makes you go back for more. It had me wondering how this unassuming vegetable could possibly taste so good.
Meanwhile, my spice-loving companion fell in love with the charred chilli, ricotta on sourdough (S$13). Belinda says this toast was inspired by how her mother made charred chili back in her hometown of Hunan in China.
The earthiness and sharp spice of the charred chilli really brings the whole toast together, and has a close second place in my heart — after the capsicum toast, of course.
If you’re looking for a sweeter option, there’s the blueberry, thyme, honey, ricotta on sourdough (S$13). It looks like a Pinterest pin come to life, but my companion and I both agreed the savoury options outshone the sweets.
For the indecisive, there’s an option to do half & half (extra S$3), combining two flavours on one toast.
We also managed to try the homemade Basque cheesecake (S$8), which is served with salt and pepper, and a dollop of lime curd. While Basque burnt cheesecakes are a dime a dozen, I’ve never seen one served with these accompaniments before.
I also liked how the cheesecake was baked with precision — right to the point that its texture was almost smooth, like butter.
The salt and pepper added an unusual savoury twist, which surprisingly, complemented the dessert well. The lime curd was a good addition too, adding a slight acidity to the otherwise muted cheesecake.
Drinks at Living Room
I love einspanners, but it’s considered a rarity on cafe menus in Singapore. So you can probably picture my elation at seeing this drink on the menu. Living Room’s eispanner, as it’s named on the menu, (S$8) features an americano base with a light cream top. The drink is topped off with some lemon zest, adding a slight citrusy twang to the drink.
You’re recommended to sip it, without mixing, so you first taste the sweetness of the cream top, before the acidity of the americano kicks in. I’d say it is a great choice for anyone that wants their coffee with a slight sweetness.
We also had its matcha coconut (S$7), which swaps out the usual milk latte base for coconut water.
I’ll admit: I had my doubts about the matcha and coconut water combination — those are two things I’d prefer to drink separately — but it turned out better than I expected. The coconut water gives the drink a lighter, more refreshing consistency, rather than the usually heavy creaminess that comes with a milk base in your lattes.
Coffee aficionados will want to make a beeline for Living Room’s beans, which are roasted in-house. The filter coffee goes for S$9 a cup.
In Singapore’s oversaturated cafe space, it’s hard to find establishments able to carve out a niche for itself.
I loved how anyone that walks through Living Room’s doors could feel how much thoughtfulness went into planning the space and executing the concept.
This visit to Living Room was my first, but definitely not my last — I’ll be back for its toast and coffee with a book in hand, for some relaxation time.
For more ideas on what to eat, check out Fernweh in Chinatown, or the new Casa Cicheti at Joo Chiat.
Wed 11am - 7pm
Thu 11am - 7pm
Fri 11am - 7pm
Sat 11am - 7pm
Sun 11am - 7pm
- Maxwell
- Chinatown
Hannah is constantly on a hunt for good food and vibey cafes, with the occasional mild lactose intolerance being the only thing that interrupts her endeavours.
Read more stories from this writer.
