AiFOKATO: Best DIY affogato coffee bar in Singapore

If you’re constantly searching for a unique affogato in Singapore in the CBD, let me put AiFOKATO on your radar.

Located along Telok Ayer, this minimalist dessert spot has been quietly gaining attention for its DIY affogato concept, viral -86 Dirty Coffee, and Korean-inspired Butter Mochi. But beyond the hype, what really stood out to me was how pleasant-tasting the affogato was.

Where is AiFOKATO Located?

AiFOKATO sits right in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District at 111 Telok Ayer Street, making it a convenient stop for office workers, café hoppers, and tourists exploring the area. It is just 2-minute walk from Telok Ayer MRT station.

It’s more of a dessert bar with no seatings at all. They only place a few mini wooden stools outside their shop just in case you might need to wait for your affogato or drinks to be ready.

What Makes AiFOKATO Unique?

They offer a DIY Affogato experience (first in Singapore) where you get to mix and match the gelato flavours with the hot pours. With 4 gelato flavours and 3 pour options, there are multiple combinations to try out. The gelato flavours are matcha, chocolate, pistachio and vanilla. The hot pour options are espresso, matcha and chocolate.

Gelato flavours

Madagascar Vanilla (creamy and aromatic)
Korean Matcha (deep, slightly bitter, umami-rich)
Dark Chocolate (bold, less sweet)
Pistachio (nutty, rich, and their signature)

Instead of a regular round scoop of gelato , the gelato is shaped into a diamond-like structure with a gap in the centre to fill it up with the hot pour.

The gelato contains no artificial flavourings or colourings. It is egg-free and gluten-free. It contains no wheat ingredients. The gelato is crafted using carefully sourced ingredients like Madagascar vanilla and Callebaut chocolate.

AiFOKATO Menu Review: What to Order

if it’s your first visit, start with their Affogato. The best affogato combo (according to their staff) is pistachio gelato + espresso. You can’t go wrong with this combination because the nutty flavour of the pistachio gelato actually complements the taste of the bitter espresso.

Affogato (SGD 10)

Some combination like matcha hot pour with chocolate gelato did not work as well but then again, taste is subjective so just pick the flavours that you like and give them a go.

But all I say is that their gelatos are well-made. In fact, the gelatos taste really good on its own and I am not sure why they did not sell the gelato on its own because that would have been a hit too.

-86 Dirty Coffee (Viral Layered Coffee) (SGD 10)

They also offer the -86 Dirty Coffee which is inspired by Asia’s trending “dirty coffee” concept. I personally felt that it could have been better if the coffee was served in an air-con environment because under Singapore’s heat, the glass cup was not cold enough to keep the coffee super cold and the bottom layer of the coffee melted real quick. It tasted just like regular coffee even if you drink it withing 10 seconds after it’s made right at the spot.

After drinking, you can actually bring home the glass bottle as keepsake or recycle it.

Butter Mochi (Korean Trendy Dessert)

It’s currently the trendiest dessert in Korea and you can find it here at AiFOKATO. It suppose to have this crispy golden exterior with a chewy, soft centre with a rich buttery flavour. It is best enjoyed straightway once it is out of the oven because it loses its crispness under Singapore’s heat and humidity. It tastes just like tteok (mochi-like) with a light butter flavour. You can pair it with the affogato or -86 Dirty Coffee.

My verdict

It is worth a try at least once just for the experience, even though it’s not that affordable in my opinion. The gelato itself is actually really pleasant-tasting. The butter tteok is also worth a shot if you are curious how butter tteok taste like.