📍 Work Spot Review #4: The Hainan Story Coffee House (Tampines Mall)

Quick Summary

💻 Wi‑Fi: Connect to #CAPITALAND FREE WIFI. Password: freewifi (case-sensitive). Slightly annoyed that this free WiFi is password protected, but the fact that Google accurately answered my query for the password makes up a little for it. Reminder to self: Always a good idea to check on the WiFi avail before committing to a new remote WFH location!  

🔌 Power outlets: Did not see any.  

☕ Coffee & Tea: Nostalgic Hainanese kopitiam vibes — local kopi and teh are reasonably priced (I go for the large cup) at a cap of $3.20 for a hot beverage. I chuckle every time I see that I can add a butter slice to my kopi - I promise to be brave enough to try this someday.

🥪 Food: For a familiar set, there are options of Hainanese Toast Soft Bun / Crispy Traditional Toast as a base. Fillings vary from your usual heartland fillings to more trendy/daring ones (think peanut, blueberry, peach, redbean, avocado, rojak and gula melaka). To my delight, there are bagel options here too (both sweet and savoury ones). Full menu here.  

🛋️ Comfort: Retro‑modern décor—mosaic tiles, brick walls, chairs with/without backing. Feels like an 80s kopitiam twist. If you’re hoping to stay long, I’d recommend choosing a table with chairs that have a backing.  

🌡️ Temperature: Comfortably air‑conditioned, no need to pack a cardigan. If you’re an early bird like me (this cafe opens at 8am, I got there at 8:30am) – note that coffee houses within malls can get stuffy before the central air conditioning is switched on (on average 10am?). It wasn’t uncomfortable/stuffy here when the central air-conditioning was off on a weekday, a big plus.  

🕰️ Ambience: Light chatter from neighbouring tables (some aunties and uncles can get a bit loud, bless them) and gets a bit more hectic during the weekends.  

🚽 Washroom: Mall facilities—functional and clean. 

🧘🏽‍♀️ Stay Duration: 3-4 hours is ideal; longer if you manage to snag a power‑friendly seat (tell me if you find any!) 

📍 Address: 4 Tampines Central 5, #B1‑K2/3, Singapore 529510 

⛔ Avoid: Weekend morning/brunch hours, when mall traffic picks up.

🪑 The Vibe

This branch leans heavily into retro nostalgia with a splash of whimsy—mosaic flooring, brick accents, and even upside-down coffee mugs as light fixtures. The layout actually feels spacious for a mall café. It’s busy enough to feel alive, but not chaotic—kind of like a kopitiam with Wi‑Fi. 

Worth saying that I’m so glad there’s finally a sit-down coffee house in Tampines Mall’s basement. 

🔌 Working Conditions

Wi‑Fi stays strong across the seating zones, making it easy to settle in right away. Honestly not sure about the plug point situation so carrying a fully-charged lappie / battery pack is recommended. Seating combos of 2-4 seater booths, tables and stool options, though the backless stools might not be ideal for longer stays there. 

☕ Food & Drink

The coffee is familiar every time—no real mastery, but comforting. The menu is pretty vast and playful - I foresee many of my friends having decision paralysis here! Prices are quite varied, but you’ll find a quick pick-me-up snack for a couple of dollars. 

I had the Hainanese Toast Soft Bun (Peanut and Butter set comes with 2 soft boiled eggs and a large hot teh) = $6.60. Much more than I expected to spend that morning, but I wanted to give it a whirl. I’m not a big fan of a cold slice/slab of unmelted butter on my toast, though to eat their own? Eggs were on point though, I never take perfectly cooked soft boils for granted (they’re a craft ok!). 

📝 Final Thoughts

This is your go-to if you want a retro-cafe vibe with flavourful bites and a tonne of mall convenience. Not the tranquil hideaway of a tucked-away café, but perfect for a productive weekday morning/mid-afternoon pit stop or casual catch-up with laptop in hand.

It’s ideal if you’re:

• An east-side commuter working around mall errands

• In need of a bit of some bustle and life around you (with cheaper than cafe-priced cuppas)

• Up for tasting nostalgic Hainanese twists while grinding away

💡 Tips

• Best time: Weekday morning (8am-11:30am) or mid-afternoon (2pm–4 pm) for slightly quieter vibes

• Seat strategy: Heads-up: power-first communal counters get nabbed—arrive early

• Must-try bites: Traditional kopi/teh sets. I’ll try the bagels soon!

• Access: Tampines MRT East-West Line (Green) / Tampines MRT Downtown Line (Blue), followed by a short mall walk

• Bonus: Retro mug décor and nostalgic feel—your feed will thank you 😉

Fancy more lip-smacking, Wi-Fi-friendly spots nearby? Send me a name or neighbourhood—happy to keep the “work + wander” tour rolling. 😌☕📶