đ Work Spot Review #2: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at CIMB Plaza (Raffles Place / Change Alley)
- Sarah
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
Quick Summary
đ» Wi-Fi: Free and open â FreeWiFi@CBTL. No password required. Fast, stable connection throughout the small cafĂ©.Â
đ Power outlets:Â Not visible in the main seating area â bring a fully charged device.Â
â Coffee: At a steep starting price of $7 for a regular drink, I usually only go to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf when I know I need an exceptionally strong and reliable WiFi connection for the day. There is no difference in cup size when you order a Regular/Large cappuccino. So if youâre going for a high liquid volume â ditch the cap and order a large latte to make your money more worthwhile. Itâs a whopping $8 for a large mug of cappuccino (ouch, said my wallet) â but the mug is MASSIVE. BIG PLUS: Drinks are 50% off at this CIMB building outlet + Chinatown Point outlet everyday, 7:30AM - 10AM!Â
đ„Ș Food: Light bites, all-day breakfast options, cakes, muffins, pastries. Nothing gourmet, but you'll find a filling snack under $10.Â
đïž Comfort:Â You get a choice of indoor & outdoor seating. Basic tables and chairs, which work for me. A little tight on space here, I had to adjust myself a fair bit whenever people walked in/out.Â
đĄïž Temperature: Indoor seats are air-conditioned, great if youâre not a fan of the average Singapore heat. Outdoor seats are always my preference and this outlet doesnât get any natural sun, so it doesnât get uncomfortably warm. As for me, youâll always find me alfresco.  đ°ïž Ambience: Corporate cafĂ© buzz. Many corporate coffee catch-ups happen here. This outlet is on Change Alley, a busy little area on weekdays. From 10:30am onwards, it got a little too noisy for my liking. Â
đœ Washroom: If you walk in the direction of One Fullerton, there's a shared building washroom you can use. Decent.
đ§đœââïž Stay Duration: 2-3 hours is optimal. Too crowded for my liking, I had to leave before the lunch crowd hit. Â
đ Address:Â 30 Raffles Place, #01-03 CIMB Plaza, Singapore 048622Â â Avoid:Â Between 11:45amâ2:15pm. The lunch crowd floods in hard. Also not ideal if you absolutely need a power socket.
đȘ The Vibe
This Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) outlet is tucked into CIMB Plaza at Change Alley, Raffles Placeâa location that screams âCBD caffeine stop.â It caters mostly to office folk, so the energy here is very quick-footed and transient. But if youâre the kind who thrives off the slight buzz of movement around you, this might work in your favour.
Mornings (before 10:30am) are lovely â calm, even. Any later than that and you might find yourself unwillingly eavesdropping on loud conversations from neighbouring tables. Iâd recommend heading there earlier in the morning to watch/experience the place slowly transition from a quiet to bustling city.Â
đ Working Conditions
Wi-Fi is on point â I never have to fiddle with sign-ins or passwords at any CBTL. Browsing, writing, and streaming light audio was smooth throughout. But⊠power outlets? Non-existent. This isnât the place for a long video editing session unless your laptopâs battery is robust.
Tables are decent-sized: enough space for your laptop, drink, water bottle and a small notebook. Chairs are sturdy and functionalânot plush, but not punishing either.
â Food & Drink
I went for a large latte. It wasnât the most robust tasting cuppa, but the warmth of a large mug was honestly all I really needed that rainy morning. It helped that the barista was sweet and conversed with me about the 50% discount for a good minute or two.
If youâre like me and are not fussy about your coffee, this is the spot. Their 1-for-1 breakfast sets at $11.90 looks like a steal but I havenât had one myself as I normally work solo.Â
đ Final Thoughts
This is a solid âdrop in, get stuff done, move onâ kind of cafĂ©. Nothing mindblowing, just a reliable place to sit and be for a few hours. Its value lies in its predictabilityâsometimes that's exactly what you need when working in the city.
Come here when you need:
A convenient stop between central area meetings
A quiet morning hour to brainstorm / journal
A quick sit-down to crank out a to-do list
Not the best for long-hauls or video calls, but a gem when used right.
đĄ Tips
Best time to go: Before 10:30am or after 2:30pm.
Try your luck and find a seat at the end furthest from the entrance so you wonât get caught shuffling your elbows or chair when people come & go.
Bring your laptop fully charged â no power sockets around.
MRT access: Raffles Place Exit FÂ â itâs barely a minuteâs walk.
Maybe grab your food from the nearby Change Alley outlets if you want variety â the seating here is flexible and I think people are too indulged in their bustle of a day to side-eye you.
Want me to check out another spot? Drop me a name or neighbourhood. Iâm always up for a little âwork + wanderâ mission. đâđ»
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