Curio Dark, The Grange

Curiouser and curiouser: Opening soon this month, Curio Dark will be the yin to its founders’ yang, an upcoming coffee bar in The Grange @ Ampwalk that’s the polar opposite of the original Curio Coffee Roaster in Ipoh Road’s Rivercity.

The first Curio is bright-white, basking in natural sunshine, with customers climbing a spiral staircase to reach it. This new offshoot is blackly sleek, with a striking play of shadow and light - flanked by a charming courtyard with quirky design elements by Studio Eleven - demanding a descent into the basement of the mall.

Curio’s dark side reveals its more experimental side too, with plans for coffee concoctions laced with everything from kefir to sake and whiskey. For cool comfort, the Skyfall 2.0 is the soothing choice, the latest caramel-laced iteration of a beverage that’s been with Curio since the beginning. 

Bookmark Curio Dark to visit later in November once it announces its official launch - its founders are anxious to get everything right before welcoming customers, putting a few more flourishes to their lovely space and finalising their selection, which should include waffles served with savouries (popcorn chicken, calamari and more) and sweets (ice cream, dried fruits and nuts).