Café renovation Singapore
Brand-led front-of-house, compact back-of-house, NEA Food Shop Licence-ready. We match you with BCA-registered F&B specialists who deliver café fit-outs on programme.
Two-minute brief, up to three BCA-registered F&B specialists, no obligation. PDPA (2012) consent on submit.
What café renovation looks like in Singapore
A café fit-out is the smaller, more brand-driven sibling of the restaurant fit-out. The format is compact — typically 500–1,500 sqft — and the spend is weighted to front-of-house atmosphere: lighting design, counter joinery, bench seating, signage, finishes that photograph well and signal the brand.
The back-of-house kitchen is tighter than a restaurant’s but still NEA-regulated. Espresso bar, pastry display, prep counter, dishwasher, grease trap, ventilation balance and hand-washing stations all need to clear SFA Food Shop Licence inspection. Source: SFA Food Shop Licence
Typical cost band: S$120–250/sqft Source: Moom 2024 SG Office Fit-out Cost Benchmarks for a small Singapore café fit-out. Premium concepts with bespoke joinery and design-led FOH can push into the lower end of the restaurant band.
What a café fit-out includes
FOH design & atmosphere
Layout, lighting, counter joinery, bench seating, signage, finishes. The visible spend — carries the brand and drives social-share traffic.
Espresso bar & pastry
Counter build, espresso machine plumbing, water filtration, pastry display chilling, POS integration. The operational core of the café.
Compact BOH kitchen
Prep counter, induction or compact gas, oven, dishwasher, sinks, dry-store. Sized to the menu, not over-built.
Grease trap & plumbing
Grease-trap sized to seats and equipment, accessible for servicing. Hand-wash basin separate from food-prep sinks for SFA compliance.
Exhaust & ventilation
Café exhaust is lighter than a restaurant’s but still SCDF-assessed if hot cooking is on site. Air balance keeps the FOH comfortable.
Licensing
SCDF FSC (if scope warrants), NEA / SFA Food Shop Licence, URA Change of Use (if first F&B in the unit), landlord sign-off.
Café licensing path
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BCA — Builder’s Licence
General Builder licence (GB1/GB2) for the construction works themselves. Source: BCA Builder's Licence framework
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NEA / SFA — Food Shop Licence
Mandatory for any café selling food or drink. Grease trap, hand-wash basins, prep-area zoning all inspected. Source: SFA Food Shop Licence
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SCDF — Fire Safety Certificate
Required when scope includes substantial M&E or hot cooking with exhaust hood. Smaller specialty-coffee cafés may fall below the threshold — specialist will advise. Source: SCDF Fire Code
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URA — Change of Use
Required if the unit was not previously F&B. Processing typically 4–8 weeks. Source: URA Change of Use
Café renovation cost bands 2026
2026 Singapore market rates. Café cost is driven by FOH brand spend — bespoke joinery and design-led finishes push the upper bound.
Small cafe — basic kitchen, simple FOH, casual finishes.
Mid-tier restaurant — proper exhaust, grease trap, decent FOH.
Fine-dining, full kitchen, bar programme, bespoke FOH.
F&B reinstatement is the costliest — exhaust, grease traps, kitchen M&E, oil-stained flooring all replaced.
Budget reinstatement at lease commencement — F&B reinstatement is the costliest category due to exhaust removal, grease-trap reinstatement and oil-stained flooring.
Café fit-out programme
Week 0–2 — brief and design
Brand direction, layout, espresso-bar equipment, menu-led BOH scope. Equipment specification locked early.
Week 2–5 — submissions
SCDF FSC (if scope warrants), URA Change of Use (if needed), NEA / SFA pre-application, landlord tenant-coordinator review.
Week 5–11 — site works
Strip-out, MEP, joinery, counter build, finishes. Typical café runs 6–10 weeks on site depending on scope and bespoke joinery.
Week 11–13 — inspection & opening
SCDF sign-off (if applicable), NEA / SFA Food Shop Licence inspection, snag-list closure, soft opening.
Brief us on your café project.
Brand direction, area, target opening date, menu scope, budget. We match BCA-registered F&B specialists who deliver café fit-outs on programme.
Get matched with café contractors