Cheerful Goat at Stamford Arts Centre, Singpore: A unique coffee experience

With a name as delightfully odd as Cheerful Goat, you can bet it wasn’t going to escape the radar of our Unique Finders. Tucked inside the Stamford Arts Centre, the cafe sits quietly in a part of Waterloo Street that always has a pulse: temple-goers on one side, arts students drifting around on the other.

The name itself comes from a legend: a goat herder in Ethiopia notices his goats getting unusually buzzed after nibbling on coffee berries. In my head, those goats are not just “energetic”... they’re galloping across the hills, doing Sound of Music twirls with their brown tongues sticking out in pure caffeinated joy. Of course, in Singapore, these cheerful goats would be far more obedient and likely confined to a neatly tiled corner of the Stamford Arts Centre… but that doesn’t stop the imagination from playing.

Where goats get buzzed, us humans too. And we were in for a big surprise when we entered the "coffee giant". But if you were expecting to see a goat grazing on the grassy patch here, you’d be disappointed (obviously).

Inside, it's dim and intimate, contrasted with the buzz of temple visitors outside.

The entrance display is dotted with Labubu figurines styled alongside the cafe’s instant pocket coffee, an aesthetic that extends through the space in a quirky, curated way. Despite being a one-man show that day, he took the time to describe each drink, which genuinely shaped our tasting journey.

We ordered their signature: Amaize-ing. And it sure lived up to its name — a layered drink of corn milk, a bold espresso shot, and housemade citrus cream with a bright yellow centre.

We were told to sip all the layers together without stirring, and that exact instruction made everything click.

The first sip opens savoury with a strong coffee aroma, before the corn flavour grows sweeter and more pronounced. The citrus cream doesn’t overpower; it ties the entire profile together with gentle brightness. Texturally, it’s lighter than expected... almost delicate.

Tricia described it as “like eating a bowl of cornflakes with an espresso shot,” which somehow feels exactly right. It even comes with a little story card, adding a whimsical flourish. The portion is slightly small for the price, but served with the precision of a specialty coffee bar.

Gwen noted she first heard of corn-based coffee through Jongwoo from Single’s Inferno and expected it to be strange, but it turned out surprisingly enjoyable.

We also tried the Aero Iced Americano, which, against all odds, impressed us. Neither of us are Americano drinkers, yet this version — topped with aerated cream — had a silky, velvety mouthfeel that softened the usual sharpness. As the foam settled, citrusy notes emerged, and the drink stayed remarkably cold without tasting diluted, even after sitting for a while. A welcome perk for Tricia, who’d slept far too little the night before.

Overall impressions

The Amaize-ing signature is the clear standout. Some of their other signatures even come with alcohol options (which also come with a lot of theatrics) — which we skipped on a Thursday morning, in a rare display of discipline ^.^

While we wouldn’t return for the standard non-signature drinks, I’d definitely come back to try more of their signatures... and their irresistibly cute mousse cakes staring at us from the display counter.

📍155 Waterloo St, #01-07 Stamford Arts Centre, Singapore 187962