This hidden alley cafe is an Open Secret at Arab Street with cheese toasties, coffee & matcha

Have you heard of State of Affairs or Missus?

If you’re a frequent cafe-hopper, you probably would have. State of Affairs is a popular coffee spot and the now-defunct Missus was known for its vibes and brunch offerings.

The guys behind the two brands have opened Open Secret, a vibey hideout located in an alley at Kampung Glam, just right across the street from Arabica.

There are plenty of signs outside the door, which would help even those who find themselves navigationally challenged.

The space inside mainly operates as a takeaway space and it actually leads up to a tattoo parlour on the second floor — but there are foldable camping chairs placed at a corner, which you can use if you need a breather.

There’s also an old-school payphone, slicked in a striking mix of yellow and green, if you want to get yourself some cute OOTDs.

Coffee lovers will be able to get State of Affairs’ coffee at Open Secret and there are also a slew of cheese toasties available to go with your cuppa.

Coffee, tea or toasties?

Open Secret’s menu is split into two: Beverages from State of Affairs and cheese toasties by Grilla Gang, a new brand.

The beverage menu is a bit more extensive, covering coffee, non-coffee, slushies and a range of drinks under its coconut series.

What does the coconut series entail? Basically coconut water served with different types of foam (matcha, coffee and maple).

We tried the Cloud matcha (S$6.50) and it’s quite interesting — the mouthfeel is smooth, while the matcha is on the lighter side, with the earthiness of the coconut and matcha blending together.

With Open Secret located near a very popular teh tarik spot, we were also curious how the teh slush (S$6.50) would match up.

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It’s more potently tea-forward, punchy with a bit more astringency, and the cream adds a bit of silkiness to the slushy’s icy texture.

As for its cheese toasties, there are five permutations on Open Secret’s menu — mostly savoury and hearty, but with one intriguing sweet-savour option.

What’s in it, you wonder? It’s the kaya toast (S$8.90), which sees cheese being added into the fray.

It’s not too bad, but it’s certainly unusual. The rich cheese and the sweet, coconutty kaya aren’t exactly a match made in heaven.

If there’s one toastie you ought to order at Open Secret, it’s the GG toastie (S$12.50) that’s loaded up with cheese and truffle paste.

This one is an indulgent and flavourful sandwich, with a good dose of truffle aroma and pulls apart with the sexiest cheese pull.

It’s best paired with the housemade tomato soup (S$3) for that extra bit of tanginess to cut through the cheesy heft.

The best part? You can get the Secret Set (S$15, U.P. S$19) where you get both the GG toastie and tomato soup, as well as a choice of slushy.

With how popular hidden back-alley cafes have been in the buzzy Katong and Joo Chiat, we love to see more of them opening up throughout the island.

If you find yourself at Haji Lane and in need of a good coffee fix, and away from the crowd, maybe you can make your way to the cosy Open Secret for a cuppa or two.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on what the legendary Kichi Kichi Omurice chef is doing in Singapore and the salt-baked chicken and sauerkraut fish spot in Fortune Centre you can go to if Yat Ka Yan is full.