The river was quiet that morning.
A jogger passed. A boat sat still on the water. And behind me, the low hiss of an espresso machine warming up inside a building that once stored spices and coffee, back when the Singapore River carried different cargo.
That’s where you find Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters Singapore, 8 Rodyk Street, Singapore 238216, tucked into the slower stretch of Robertson Quay.
I’ve been a few times now, at different hours. This is my honest account of what it’s actually like to sit there.
First Impressions by the Singapore River
You don’t rush into Toby’s Estate. The setting won’t let you.
The flagship lives in an old warehouse, its bones still visible, high ceilings, clay brick, the weight of a building that has been here far longer than the café inside it. Sit outside and the Singapore River is right there, close enough to watch the light shift on the water and feel the sun warming your skin.
There’s history in the walls. The place used to hold spices and coffee, and something of that lingers. It feels less like a trendy café drop and more like a room that earned its calm.
The 2024 Refurbishment: Warehouse Meets Brass and Timber
Toby’s Estate reopened in May 2024 after a full makeover, and the change is easy to feel.
Designed by Atelier and Alpha, the space now pairs industrial grit with softer touches, aged brass against warm timber, polished concrete underfoot, heritage brick left honest and exposed. It’s polished without being cold.
There are 55 seats indoors and 32 outside along the river offering outdoor seating with views of the Singapore River. The heart of it, though, is the pair of interactive espresso and filter bars, built so you can stand close, watch the coffee being made, and talk to the barista while they work. It’s a small thing, but it changes the feeling. You’re not just ordering. You’re near the craft.
The Specialty Coffee Program
This is where Toby’s Estate earns its name.
Specialty Coffee Roastery Founded by Toby Smith
The brand is a specialty coffee roastery first, founded by Toby Smith, who lived among farming communities to understand their craft and focus on direct relationships with coffee producers.
Over 80 Unique Single Origins Roasted Annually
Toby’s Estate roasts and releases over 80 unique single origins each year, bringing diversity and expertise to every cup through their signature Flavour Savour coffee series.
Rotating Single Origins Keep the Menu Fresh
The coffee rotates through single origins, Ethiopia one week, Colombia the next, with new beans arriving most months. So the cup you love today might be gone by your next visit. That’s the point. It keeps things alive for the regulars.
Espresso and Filter Coffee Options
You’ve got two roads here. Espresso-based drinks, the latte, flat white, cappuccino, long black, come clean and full-bodied, the milk steamed with care. Or you go the filter route, which lets the single origin speak more clearly, the fruit, dried fruits, and acidity coming through without milk in the way.
The Freezus Range: Coffee Frozen at its Peak
Then there’s the Freezus range, coffee frozen at its peak, drawn from beans the team has roasted and won awards for. It’s their showpiece, and worth trying if you want to taste what they’re proudest of.
Toby’s Estate in Singapore’s Coffee Culture
If you’re mapping out where Singapore’s coffee culture is heading, Toby’s Estate belongs in the same conversation as the Best Cafe in Singapore. It sits at the considered end of that scene, a world away from a quick kopi O at a hawker stall, and priced accordingly.
Breakfast Tacos and What to Order
The breakfast tacos are the plate I keep coming back to.
Soft shells folded around scrambled eggs, cheese, baked beans, bacon, and salsa, with a homemade chilli jam that gives the whole thing a gentle lift. It’s hearty without being heavy, and it pairs well with a filter coffee, the brightness of the cup cutting through the richness of the eggs.
It’s generous enough to share, though I’ve happily kept a plate to myself. Not a delicate dish. A comforting one.
The Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters Singapore Menu
The food leans into Australian café cooking, familiar, done properly.
The Brekkie of Champions is the big one: eggs, maple bacon, vine tomatoes, roast mushrooms, baked beans, a sidecar sausage, and brioche toast. A proper morning plate. The Surf & Turf Tower is the showier option, stacking smoked salmon, stewed beef, scrambled eggs, and hollandaise on an English muffin.
For something sweet, Toby’s French Toast arrives as eggy brioche under a berry compote, drizzled with maple syrup and finished with espresso bacon, that salty-sweet edge that shouldn’t work but does.
Pandan waffle is another sweet option, offering a fragrant, slightly nutty flavour that pairs beautifully with Toby’s Estate’s heavy chocolate blend coffee.
Beyond breakfast, the Toby’s Estate coffee roasters Singapore menu runs to burgers with thick-cut fries, sandwiches like the smoked salmon and herb cream cheese, and a small run of pastries and sweets. It’s broad enough to carry brunch and a light lunch both.
Drinks Beyond Coffee
Not everyone at the table wants coffee, and Toby’s plans for that. Here are some of their great drink offerings;
Matcha latte crafted with care
Extensive selection of premium teas
Freshly squeezed juices
Variety of smoothies and shakes
Noteworthy canned cold coffee range featuring oat milk latte, cold brew black, and sparkling ‘Spro Tonic with a refreshing natural orange sweetness perfect for warm days
Enough range that a group with different tastes won’t feel stuck.
Service and the Weekend Crowd
Ordering is easy, and the team is warm without hovering.
On a weekday morning, it’s calm, space to sit, a barista with a moment to chat about the beans and the blend. Come the weekend, the brunch crowd arrives, the outdoor seats fill, and the pace tightens. Food takes a little longer, tables turn slower, and you may wait for a river-facing spot.
Nothing about it felt rushed or careless. Just busier, the way any well-loved café gets when the city has a free morning.
Location and Getting There
Robertson Quay sits in that quiet pocket between the busier quays, and it rewards you for making the trip.
Here’s the honest note: there’s no MRT station right at the door. You can walk from a few nearby stations, but it’s a proper walk, especially in the heat. A taxi or ride-hailing drops you closest, and on a warm day, that’s the kinder choice. Once you’re there, the riverside setting makes the effort feel worth it.
Best Time to Visit
Timing shapes the visit.
Weekday mornings are the calm window, good for coffee, an unhurried breakfast, a table by the water. Weekend mornings bring the energy and the crowd, livelier but busier. Afternoons settle again once the brunch rush clears.
Current hours run Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 7:30am to 5pm. Hours can shift, so it’s worth a quick check before you head down.
Who Toby’s Estate Suits
A good fit if you’re:
A specialty coffee drinker chasing rotating single origins and complex flavours that delight the palate
A brunch group after familiar, well-made Australian café food packed with flavour
A couple wanting a slow riverside morning with outdoor seating and relaxing views
Meeting a friend for a proper sit-down catch-up by the Singapore River, enjoying pictures of the river and surroundings
Less suited if you want:
Budget hawker-stall pricing, this sits higher, and knowingly so
A quiet corner to work in for hours
A quick takeaway coffee and nothing more
Final Thoughts
I left with an empty cup and no rush to be anywhere.
That’s the honest measure of Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters Singapore. It isn’t a grab-and-go stop, and it doesn’t pretend to be. The coffee is serious, the food is comforting, the river does half the work of slowing you down.
The prices sit above a neighbourhood kopi, and weekends test its calm. But taken for what it is, a proper sit-down café where good coffee meets an unhurried morning by the water, Toby’s Estate holds up.
Would I go back? Yes. On a weekday, early, with time to spare and no plans after.
Some coffee you drink standing up. This kind, you sit with.
