5 Popular Expat Hangouts in Singapore: Coffee, Work & Where to Live
Wondering where expats hang out in Singapore?
Where you spend your weekends can be just as important as where you work when deciding where to live in Singapore as an expat.
Some neighborhoods have become natural gathering places for international residents—whether it's working over coffee, having a long lunch, meeting friends or simply getting out of the apartment for a few hours.
Here are 5 popular expat hangouts in Singapore, plus the best residential neighborhoods and communities to look at nearby.
For information on the top 5 neighborhoods for expats, please click here.
Cluny Court, Botanic Gardens, Singapore
1. Cluny Court
Best for: Coffee, casual work and quiet meetups
Located beside the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Cluny Court is a small lifestyle destination with cafés, food, shops and everyday conveniences rather than the feel of a large shopping mall.
It's especially convenient for expats living around Bukit Timah, Tanglin, Farrer Road and the Botanic Gardens.
You can grab breakfast or coffee, work for a while, meet someone for lunch and then walk straight into the Botanic Gardens.
If you like spending time around Cluny Court, look for homes in the following areas:
Bukit Timah
Farrer Road
Tanglin
Holland Road
Popular nearby residential choices range from large condos to luxury apartments and landed homes.
Chip Bee Gardens, Holland Village, Singapore
2. Chip Bee Gardens
Best for: Coffee, brunch, lunch and meeting friends
Just across from Holland Village, Chip Bee Gardens is one of Singapore's most distinctive low-rise lifestyle and residential enclaves.
The estate has an interesting expat history: after its original military use, it became particularly popular with expatriate teachers, and today it combines residential homes with cafés, restaurants and other businesses.
If you love Chip Bee Gardens, consider living in or at:
Holland Village
One Holland Village
Farrer Road
Bukit Timah
Holland Village remains one of the most attractive areas for expats wanting restaurants, nightlife, MRT access and a residential neighborhood all in one place.
Robertson Quay, Singapore
3. Robertson Quay
Best for: Laptop work, riverside coffee, lunch and after-work drinks
Robertson Quay is one of the easiest places in Singapore to transition from daytime coffee to dinner and drinks without changing neighborhoods.
The Singapore River runs through the area, with plenty of alfresco cafés and restaurants around the waterfront.
It also has a major advantage for expats: you can actually live right where you socialize.
Where to live nearby:
Robertson Quay
River Valley
Martin Place
Great World
Singapore River
This is an especially attractive area for single professionals, couples and families who want to live centrally without being directly inside the CBD.
From many condos, you can walk downstairs and immediately be beside the river, restaurants and cafés.
Dempsey Hill, Singapore
4. Dempsey Hill
Best for: Brunch, business lunches and meeting friends
Dempsey is less about grabbing a quick coffee before work and more about long lunches, brunches and relaxed meetings.
The former military area has evolved into a green lifestyle district filled with restaurants, specialty shops and other destinations.
Because Dempsey sits between several major expat residential areas, it's a natural meeting point for people living around Tanglin, Holland Village, Bukit Timah and Orchard.
Consider living near:
Tanglin
Holland Road
Bukit Timah
Napier Road
Orchard and Tanglin
Unlike Robertson Quay, you generally don't live inside Dempsey itself. Instead, you live in one of the surrounding residential neighborhoods and come here for food and socializing.
Joo Chiat, Singapore
5. Joo Chiat & Katong
Best for: Cafés, casual lunches and weekend exploring
For expats who prefer the East Coast, Joo Chiat and Katong offer one of Singapore's most interesting combinations of local heritage and modern café culture.
The neighborhood mixes traditional shophouses and longstanding restaurants with contemporary cafés, boutiques and international dining.
It feels very different from Orchard or Robertson Quay—and that's exactly the appeal.
It's a great area for coffee, weekend brunch, walking around and meeting friends without feeling like you're in a business district.
Where to live nearby:
Joo Chiat
Katong
Marine Parade
Amber Road
Meyer Road
East Coast
The wider East Coast is popular with both younger couples and families who want restaurants, parks, larger residential areas and easier access to Changi Airport.
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