Cheerful Goat Cafe

Creative drinks, flavour experiments and a space for new experiences- this cafe has it all. Cheerful Goat is a small cafe located along Waterloo Street in sunny Singapore. Having lived in SG for many years, I am very familiar with the coffee scene in the garden city. I had just gotten back from my first trip to Saigon and got really into coffee mixology. My first visit to the cafe was in February 2025 with my partner. She'd gone to visit the nearby Guanyin Temple while I wandered around the area. We eventually made our way towards the cafe, trying to escape the SG heat.

As we entered, we were surprised by the openness of the space. Even though it was quite lively, that large circular counter made the space feel quite large. We were welcomed by the baristas, who were very friendly. They guided us through the menu, explaining their coffee drinks. All their signature drinks looked really good, and I wanted to try em all!.

We eventually decided to go with Mr Tan and Quatrime. We proceeded towards the last two empty seats and waited for our drinks. I'd been trying a lot of mixed coffee drinks for the last three months and was really looking forward to this. I believe a well-mixed drink requires true harmony between the coffee and the other ingredients. One component being out of balance throws off the whole drink and makes it taste very one-dimensional. I'd been enjoying a lot of orange-, coconut-, and lime-based coffee drinks. The recipes at Cheerful Goat seemed very interesting, using various mixology techniques and a wide range of ingredients to create well-crafted recipes. 

Our drinks finally arrived after about ten minutes of waiting. I'll start with the Quatrime. The barista came over to craft a beautiful smoke bubble on top of the drink.  After a satisfying pop, I took my first sip. The drink was amazing. It was exactly as described. The drink was built on a base of cold brew coffee, which had this deep earthy flavour that was always present in the background. I could also taste floral notes from the jasmine tea that was mixed in, along with the fermented mouthfeel of the plum wine. The drink had an aroma of berries, which also carried over into the aftertaste. I couldn't stop sipping the drink; it felt very refreshing and soothing on the palate.

Now let's talk about Mr Tan, my favourite drink at this cafe. I've been back just to try this drink again. It seems quite simple at first: milk, house blend espresso and preserved tangerine peel. I believe it's one of the most flavorful drinks on their menu. The drink had a great citrus fragrance that carried on as I kept sipping on it. The coffee was well-balanced, subtle and had a great mouthfeel that was perfectly complemented by the umami, slightly sour citrus flavour from the tangerine peel. There was a hint of saltiness that enhanced the overall flavour profile of the drink, bringing everything together in perfect harmony.

The drinks at Cheerful Goat are a bit on the expensive side, but compared to average speciality coffee prices in Singapore, it's definitely worth the cost. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back next time I'm in Singapore.

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