Best Kept SECRETS

Tucked away in various parts of Singapore are four fiercely independent establishments that have gained a loyal following despite the challenges of operating a business in a small city. What keeps them going? We have a chat with the owners to find out.

KOPISTAN

When the craft coffee scene blew up in Singapore over a decade ago, bean aficionados flocked to speciality coffee roasters Chye Seng Huat Hardware, Common Man Coffee Roasters and Toby's Estate for their fix. Today, these pioneering players have been joined by a slew of local businesses.

One of them is Kopistan, a small-batch, home-based coffee roaster. Friends and business partners Muhammad Afiq, 36, and Siti Nazhifah, 33, who are regular volunteers with Islamic non-profit Sout Ilaahi, launched Kopistan last year after noticing that attendees were ordering their own coffee from nearby cafes during events by the organisation. The pair wanted to share their love of the brew, which marked the start of this joint venture.

What makes Kopistan markedly different is its earnest DIY philosophy. Afiq, who takes on the role of experimenter and creator, works out of his Punggol HDB flat and uses a $100 machine with a grinder, which he has tweaked to a different custom pressure. He makes his coffee using a second-hand coffee machine fixed on top of a modified vintage sewing machine table that belonged to his friend's grandmother.

Nazhifah, also known as Zizie, helps to fine-tune his experiments based on her experience and taste preferences through cupping sessions. They also strive to recreate their various travel experiences through different coffee blends. "When people taste our coffee, we want them to feel a connection to a place or experience," says Zizie.

Currently on the menu are Nubra Valley ($7.50) and Jeju Sunrise ($6) - both long black cold brews inspired by their respective namesake locales.

Nubra Valley, named after a scenic region in India, is crafted with oat milk, while Jeju Sunrise is infused with orange juice, a nod to the South Korean island known for its sweet oranges. Both blends are made with beans from India and Brazil.