Launched in early 2021, The Neptune is run by the same group that gave Singapore some amazing cafés like Atlas Coffee House, and Lunar Coffee. The queues outside initially had me a little worried about waiting times. I was pleasantly surprised with my experience.
Ambience, Service and the Staff
The Neptune is beautifully decorated in simple, minimalist green and white tones. It has both indoor and alfresco seating along East Coast Road. The earthy and coastal tones are worked into comfortable, sturdy, upholstered seating.
Our first visit was in April 2021. I didn’t have a reservation and walked-in. I was a greeted by a young gentleman who took my name and number, gave me a queue number (I was 8th in line) while setting an expectation that the waiting time was going to be between 30 to 40 minutes (on Good Friday morning). As I took a seat outside, I was pleasantly surprised to be admitted in 10 minutes.
Our party of 2 was quickly seated, and we were set with an expectation that they have a dining time limit of an hour. We were provided with menus, water and cutlery, and placed our orders at the counter.
A lot of the staff were in training and were being mentored by some of the other staff who clearly had more experience, and were keen to deliver a great experience to their patrons.
The Food
We got some breakfast and a couple of coffees. Our coffees consisted of a large Mocha, and an Iced Cappuccino with Oat Milk. One can choose their coffee bean. We went with bold and comforting Mr. Cuddles. For our food, we got the Granola Bowl (which consisted of Blueberries, Bananas, and honey-Greek yoghurt), and the Chorizo, Eggs, and Avo.
The café was operating at full capacity. Coffees came out first – the cappuccino led they way, after about 10 minutes of placing our order, with the mocha following a few minutes later. The food followed within minutes of the second coffee.
On first glance, the Granola Bowl can come off as looking a bit small… until you realize that there are two bowls provided – one for the yoghurt, and one for the fruit and granola. The portion is quite sizeable in reality. The yoghurt is slightly sweet, and the granola is crunchy.
The Chorizo, Eggs and Avo was very well done. The sausage was slightly spicy with a bit of zing. The avocado had been smashed to a smooth paste with a few chunks left in for a bit of texture and provided a lovely spread for the coarse bread that it was served with. The eggs were served sunny side up, with a sprinkling of coriander.
During a visit in early 2023, we were a party of 4 with a dog (one of my friends has a Corgi) meeting for dinner. Dog owners can dine with their dogs close by outdoors. They do not take reservations on the weekend during which it gets quite busy. The staff brought out a dish of water for our canine companion who was a magnet for passers-by!
We were there on a Friday evening when the restaurant was surprisingly quiet. We had a large table outside. The large part of Neptune’s outdoor seating is along a quiet laneway. On an evening which started off as cool, and then progressed to moderately heavy rain, were were well sheltered underneath a generous sized awning that extended well beyond our group.
Neptune’s prices are very reasonable, as are their portions which are not too big. We started with some Meatballs, a couple of Chicken Parmas, and a couple of Patty Melts, along with some shoestring truffle fries, tater tots, and burnt brussel sprouts. It’s worth noting here that the mains are served on their own and you need to get your sides separately. There isn’t a large selection of alcoholic beverages, and one of our party got a bottled brew coffee.
Service here has remained fast, with our starter coming out in minutes along with the drinks. The meatballs are well cooked and seasoned, and a great starter for what’s coming next. The Patty Melts are well prepared, just toasted to the right point where the cheese has begun to melt, but not disintegrated beyond recovery. The Parmas are prepared to satisfy. The tater tots make a nice little addition to the shoe string fries which are generously laced in truffle oil. The burnt brussel sprouts are an acquired taste that are generous on the butter and have a hint of natural sweetness.
The Price Point
Our bill during our breakfast visit in 2021 came up to just under $50 for 2 people. This is great value. In early 2023, our entire meal for 4 adults came up to just over $140 which is under $30 per person. We’ve found this to be a consistent trend since they’ve been in operation.
The Final Verdict
I was particularly impressed with Neptune. They have taken the initial hype of their opening in stride, have focused on customer and crowd management. They have a thoroughly professional and efficient team delivering a great experience to their patrons. The food is great, and for the price, the portions are ample without being excessive. Their coffee is exceptional, and I have come back here time and again with friends in tow. They are an awesome, trendy cafe in the East that offers one a pet friendly place to catch up for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a casual dinner with loved ones, friends and family. They offer a selection that they do well for a reasonable price and offer consistently great service. Definitely recommended, and a place that I continue to go back to! As a tip – come early on the weekends. They open at 9 a.m.
Address: 237 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428930
Phone Number: +65 6970 7305
Website: https://www.theneptune.com.sg/
