Episode 24 of the World’s Best Kopi search takes Geowin to Alice Boulangerie & Restaurant at Raffles City, and for once, the coffee is not the only thing that catches her attention.

Located at 252 North Bridge Road, #01-22A, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103, Alice immediately gives off more of a polished cafe-and-restaurant atmosphere than a simple grab-and-go coffee counter.

There is just one small problem.

Geowin cannot find the entrance.

“Where’s the entrance??”

A promising start.

Thankfully, she eventually makes it inside, where the confusion quickly gives way to something much more positive.

Alice Gets the Atmosphere Right

The first thing Geowin notices is the space itself.

She is immediately drawn to the pastry display, describing the desserts as “really cute, really cute.” The interior, bakery counter and presentation all contribute to an atmosphere that feels more suited to spending time in than simply grabbing a coffee and leaving.

Geowin goes as far as calling Alice a “very good hangout spot.”

And then she gets more specific.

“If you are looking to have a cute little date…”

The Drink Journal understands exactly what she means.

Alice has the kind of polished, slightly romantic cafe atmosphere that works for catching up with friends, sitting down over pastries or bringing someone somewhere that feels a little more special than the average coffee chain.

Geowin seems genuinely impressed by the venue before she even begins properly judging the drink.

“I love this place,” she says.

That is already a strong start.

For more cafes and drinking experiences around Singapore, explore The Drink Journal and its growing collection of coffee, tea and hospitality stories.

Then Comes the Coffee

Once Geowin finally settles into the coffee itself, the episode becomes even more interesting.

This is one of those rare occasions where her first reaction is not confusion, disappointment or a long pause while she tries to find something positive to say.

Instead, she notices a distinctive flavour.

“It has got like a very nutty taste.”

That single observation separates Alice from several recent entries in the World’s Best Kopi series.

Kenangan Coffee was heavily diluted. Tiong Bahru Bakery disappointed her with blandness. Cedele was described as something close to an ordinary coffee she could get almost anywhere.

Alice actually has character.

Geowin likes that nuttiness enough to say:

“So I love this one. This is really good.”

That is about as clear an endorsement as we are going to get.

She gives the original coffee 6 out of 10.

The Nutty One Meets Kopi-O

A coffee that already has a strong flavour profile presents a different challenge for the recurring experiment.

Geowin brings out Kopi-O and announces that it is time to do things her way.

In weaker coffees, Kopi-O has sometimes acted almost like a rescue operation. Here, however, Alice already has something worth preserving.

The question becomes whether the coffee liqueur can add something without burying that nutty character.

The Drink Journal has previously explored what sets Kopi-O apart in a crowded coffee-liqueur market, and Alice offers a good example of how the result depends heavily on the coffee underneath it.

Taste Test Round Two

After adding Kopi-O, Geowin takes another sip.

Her first conclusion is straightforward:

“It’s like a little bit sweeter.”

But unlike some previous coffees, the addition does not fundamentally change Alice’s original flavour.

Geowin can still taste that distinctive nuttiness.

“Doesn’t really do much. I still taste the nutty in it.”

That is arguably a good thing.

The original coffee already had enough personality to stand on its own. Rather than disappearing beneath the added liqueur, the nutty flavour remains recognisable while the drink picks up a little extra sweetness.

Readers interested in the wider story behind the recurring bottle can also read why Kopi-O is emerging as Singapore’s defining coffee liqueur.

Alice Climbs to 7 Out of 10

The Kopi-O experiment earns Alice an additional point.

Geowin raises the final score from 6 to 7 out of 10.

That puts Alice Boulangerie & Restaurant firmly into the A-tier of the World’s Best Kopi Tier List.

And unlike some borderline A-tier entries, the result feels reasonably comfortable.

Alice succeeds on more than just the coffee.

Geowin likes the cafe itself. She likes the pastry display. She thinks it would make a good hangout or date spot. Most importantly, she actually enjoys the flavour of the coffee before anything extra is added.

The Kopi-O simply makes it slightly sweeter and nudges the score upward.

A Cafe Worth Lingering In

Alice Boulangerie & Restaurant leaves Episode 24 with a 7/10 A-tier finish and one of the more positive overall venue reactions Geowin has given so far.

The nutty coffee stands out, but so does the atmosphere surrounding it.

If you are interested in the broader relationship between coffee and modern drinking culture, read The Drink Journal’s editorial look at Kopi-O or explore Kopi-O with Frangelico—a particularly fitting pairing after Geowin’s comments about Alice’s nutty coffee.

Episode 24 ends with Alice comfortably in the A-tier.

A cute cafe, a distinctive cup, and thankfully, Geowin eventually found the entrance.