Started in 2011, Toby’s Estate is one of the OG coffee roaster-slash-hipster cafes in the game. This totally shows from the chill interior design, well-curated menu and wide coffee selection.
Expect to find this place bustling with people most times as it’s really popular. Fret not though – despite the crowds, the place didn’t feel noisy or cramped at all. The lovely warehouse design & high ceiling helped by making the whole place feel bright and open.
Silky Smooth Cold Brew
As Toby’s roasts their own beans, I was excited to try something a little more challenging – hence I went for the Cold Brew ($7). This is something I usually avoid ordering unless I’m sure of the café as it tends to be pricier and it’s tough to get the clean, crisp taste right.
Needless to say, I enjoyed this a lot. Made with the LWE KAUNG from Myanmar, it had a fruity, naturally sweet flavor profile. In addition to the distinct flavor, it was very smooth overall. My only complaint is that for $7, I wish they would be more generous with the quantity.
Also, side note that Toby’s displays the bean’s background prominently for each type of specialty coffee (cold brew & filter) so you can check this out before ordering. We just ordered and only noticed this later on. 🙂
Rainbow Fries: The Fries to End All Fries
The Rainbow Fries ($14) was one of the best fries I’ve tried in a long time. These fries are called rainbow fries because of the mix of sweet potato and blue potato in addition to the regular yellow potato.
Everything is crispy with a fluffy interior, minus any greasiness. The sweet potato is particularly well done as it had a sort of air-fried texture to it – delivering on crunch without much oil.
The savory aioli dip was the real star of the show. Every dip into this heavenly sauce brought the fries to the next level. We simply couldn’t get enough.
I highly, highly recommend that you order this! On it’s own, this portion is more than enough for 3-4 people to share.
Short Stack Pancakes: Really Very Short
As you might guess, I found the Short Stack Pancakes ($12) to be way too small. I guess we should have gotten a clue as it was one of the cheaper items on the menu and under ‘desserts’ instead of ‘brunch’.
Such a shame because this dish was not bad – the pancakes were fluffy and just the right amount of sweet when paired with the fruit and maple syrup. I wished they would do a full portion of this instead of something we finished in 10 bites.
The Verdict
I would definitely recommend Toby’s Estate for a casual weekend brunch. It will be pricey for sure, but being in Robertson Quay I’d say that’s to be expected.
The ambience is lovely for chilling, the food is pretty great and the coffee is super. The quality of everything remains high, even after all these years. Do pay them a visit! 🙂
Rach Recommends: Love cafés as much as we do? Explore the café scene more from here.
Toby’s Estate
Address: 8 Rodyk St, Singapore 238216
Opening Hours: 7.30am – 6pm Daily
