We Tried Awfully Chocolate’s Revamped Brunch Buffet—Here’s Our Honest Take

Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe has a weekend brunch buffet

Growing up in the Joo Chiat area, Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe has always been a familiar landmark to me, occupying the corner opposite i12 Katong. This flagship outlet of the beloved chocolatier stands as a stalwart of the East Coast food scene, and is the only branch where you’ll find a full dining menu alongside their signature chocolate bakes and treats. Long known for its value-for-money dinner sets, the cafe introduced its Weekend Brunch Buffet in early 2024—clearly well-received with slots often fully booked!

Currently priced at $38++ per person, the Brunch Buffet runs every Saturday and Sunday, from 10am to 3pm, giving diners a 90-minute window to stuff themselves with as many brunch delights as they can manage.

As they’ve unveiled a new lineup of Brunch Specials, including main dishes and pastries, the cafe invited us for a media tasting to show off their new kicks. Naturally, we couldn’t pass up the chance to find out if their much-hyped brunch buffet truly lives up to the buzz.

25 Katong And Joo Chiat Food Places For Affordable Lunch Sets, Otah Banh Mi And More

Food at Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe

The buffet lets diners pile their plates high with brunch bites, chocolate-covered confectionery and more. We opted to start with their new mains—perhaps not the wisest choice for an all-you-can-eat, but their refreshed menu focuses on new options for mains. 

The free-flow aspect of the buffet does not include the Brunch Specials and drinks; each diner chooses only one main dish from a selection of eight, and beverages have to be ordered separately.

Headlining the Brunch Specials, the new signature Pulled Beef Pita set the tone with its rich, smoky braised beef and a bright, tangy salsa on top. We were impressed by the depth of flavour in the beef brisket, which paired beautifully with the spicy-sweet garlic aioli that helped balance out the pita’s slight dryness.

Our enjoyment of this dish was held back by the small portion size—a recurring theme for the mains. However, we were told that the Brunch Specials were portioned to allow stomach space for the buffet spread, which we thought was reasonable.

A customer favourite, the Braised Beef Pie uses the same flavourful brisket as the pita, but this time with a crusty, fluffy pie as a pastry base. 

A generous amount of beef overflowed from the pie, and went especially well with the earthy beetroots. The large dollop of sour cream enhanced the flavour profile of the pie, which all came together to create a comforting dish. 

The White Clam Vongole makes its appearance from the dinner menu, coming in with a fragrant white wine sauce and a heavy-handed use of garlic. 

The linguine used was not al-dente and too soft for my liking, but there was a generous amount of clams that were fresh, albeit slightly small. 

With the mains out of the way, we could then move on to piling on the brunch bites. These mostly comprised of finger foods, reminiscent of components of a high tea. 

There was a cornucopia of offerings up for grabs, and thus, we will only be highlighting those which stood out to us.

These puffy Donuts came in two variants: Sour Cream and Nacho Cheese. They were both savoury and creamy, coming in a soft, lightly fried donut shell. 

Almost like a buttery, savoury cake, the Spanish Omelette had a velvety smooth texture and was topped with a medley of spiced vegetables, which we greatly enjoyed. 

The Mushroom Focaccia looked appetising on first sight, but upon closer inspection, we realised that a severely burnt piece was given, which had a bitter, acrid taste. 

Although this one was entirely black, it told a different story—It was a Cocoa Focaccia infused with dark chocolate, topped with rich caramelised onions and a piece of bacon. While there was only a small hint of chocolate, the sweet-savoury onions more than made up for it. 

The French Onion Eclair was rather interesting, with a crumbly exterior and a similarly sweet and savoury onion filling, this time with the sweetness coming more to the fore. 

As the epitome of finger food at this buffet, the Deep Fried Polenta Cake suited well as an appetiser, which would have made a great prelude to the mains. The polenta within was grainy and crumbly, which contrasted nicely with the deep-fried breaded exterior. 

This Savoury Bread And Butter Pudding looked aesthetically pleasing, but when tucked into was very soggy, perhaps because it was left out for a while. Furthermore, the strong neutral flavours of the bread pudding masked the potential of the mushroom and sauce atop.

We loved this Quiche with Spinach Mousse—thick and creamy mousse that was not shy with its spinach notes, piped atop a fluffy, flaky quiche. 

Lastly, the Crispy Candied Bacon was darkly charred, crispy, and rather addictive. Don’t take too many strips, though, as it is sinful and oily! 

There are a variety of chocolatey options to finish off your time here, most notably their famed Chocolate Raclette Wheel that makes for extremely Instagrammable shots. Poured upon two folded crepes and served with strawberry jam and cream, this was best enjoyed fresh as the chocolate hardens quickly. 

Their wide selection of confectionery were all delightfully bite-sized and each delectably sweet, which those with a sweet tooth would certainly enjoy. You can also choose the strength of dark chocolate drizzled onto them, which ranges from 45% to 70% dark chocolate. 

Notable selections here include the Mini Apple Crumble, mini-sized Lemon Meringue Tart, and the Chocolate Truffle Tart. Sliced fruits are also available in a steel martini glass, similarly drizzled with their famed chocolate.

There’s also a Yoghurt Bar for you to DIY a healthy bowl to wash away your overeating sins. While the toppings included in the bar are plenty, we were disappointed that melted chocolate was not available here, with only dark chocolate chips in the mix. 

As mentioned earlier, drinks must be ordered separately and are not included in the buffet’s cost. We thought that their signature East Coast’s Best Lemonade ($8++) complemented the buffet spread well—a refreshing cooler for the hot weather, and light enough to not detract from the filling bites. 

Ambience at Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe

Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe has sported the same sleek interior for many years; lively and spacious, with the brunch buffet spread and chocolate taps situated centerstage for all to view. The modern, wood-crafted design lends an air of comfort and homeliness, but some leather chairs may feel slightly worn and outdated. The brunch buffet counters are now covered, requiring staff members to assist guests to have their buffet plates served. 

The bakery cum cafe is located along East Coast Road, a five-minute walk from Marine Parade MRT Station Exit 3. 

Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe – Eatbook Review

At $38++ a pop, Awfully Chocolate’s brunch buffet pricing is a decent mid-range between casual dining options and typical hotel buffet spreads. The quality of the brunch offerings here are undeniably excellent, but we also have to take the short 90-minute dining time into consideration, which may be disadvantageous for slow eaters. The chocolate-centric buffet has withstood the test of time and remains immensely popular, and we think it’s justified as a worthy splurge—if you can get your stomach’s fill! 

For similar cafe spots for Easties, check out our East side cafe guide. Buffet aficionados can rescue their wallets as well with our cheap buffets guide. 

Address: 131 East Coast Road, Singapore 428816
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11am to 10pm, Fri 11am to 11pm, Sat 10am to 11pm, Sun 10am to 10pm
Website
Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe is not a halal-certified eatery.

25 Best Cafes In The East For Brunch—Breakfast Platters, Wagyu Sando And More

Photos taken by Jordan Ong.
This was a media tasting by Awfully Chocolate Bakery & Cafe.