The Story
Nylon Coffee Roasters opened its doors in May 2012, the culmination of a shared vision by partners—in life and coffee—Dennis Tang and Jia Min Lee. Years earlier, Tang and Lee lived and worked in London, the former in the IT industry and the latter in the banking sector. Lee moved to New York, but the two remained connected as each shared their experiences visiting the cities’ cafés on weekends. So entranced were they with these encounters that when the couple returned, together, to Singapore in 2009, both started work in local cafés to familiarise themselves with the domestic coffee scene. When it came time to launch their own establishment, it was only natural for them to pay homage to the two cosmopolitan cities which ignited their self-professed “coffee epiphany”: hence “NY-LON” was born.
The name captures their journey perfectly—a portmanteau honoring New York and London, the cities that transformed their relationship with coffee. Back in 2009 when they returned to Singapore, the café scene was dominated by coffee chains. They found it difficult to find good, independently run cafes with great coffee. And so, they decided to venture into the coffee business themselves once they realized they didn’t want to keep climbing the corporate ladder.
After moving back to Singapore, they decided that coffee would be their future and they began to dive into the subject by learning all they could find on the topic and by embarking on sourcing trips to Central America in 2011. During these visits, Jia and Dennis met some amazing people who introduced them to the real life of a coffee producer, something that opened their eyes and inspired them to try and source their future coffees directly where possible.
Established in 2012, Nylon Coffee Roasters was established in Singapore’s Everton Park. Nestled in the tranquil neighborhood of Bukit Merah, this quaint cafe, located at 4 Everton Park, #01-40, delights visitors with a singular focus on outstanding coffee — no teas, pastries, or distractions, just expertly crafted brews. From humble beginnings in a cramped shophouse space, they’ve evolved into one of Singapore’s most respected specialty coffee names while maintaining their commitment to transparency and quality over expansion.
Sourcing & Relationships
Nylon are firm believers of working closely with the source to foster a relationship with the producers. They travel long distances to visit farms and cooperatives to see for themselves the hard work put into the coffees that they are buying. In addition to their continuous pursuit for better tasting coffees, they soak in the experiences to understand from their peers every step from farming, harvesting and processing of coffee cherries. Through the journeys, friendships are built with the local partners/producers whom they trust will take good care of the farms and their workers.
Since 2022, Nylon signed up to the Transparency Pledge to publish the prices they pay for the green coffees they buy every year. The C market is not something they overly focused on as since day one, they have always worked with paying at a price given to us by the producers/exporters and they do not bargain/negotiate on price. They work on trust and relationship. This approach distinguishes them from many roasters who chase commodity pricing or negotiate down producer premiums.
Every year, they travel long distances to visit specialty coffee farms and cooperatives to see for themselves the hard work put into the coffees that they are buying. In addition to their continuous pursuit for better tasting coffees, they soak in the experiences to understand from their peers every step from farming, harvesting and processing of coffee cherries. Through the journeys, friendships are built with the local partners/producers whom they trust will take good care of the farms and their workers. Every facet of Nylon is based on sustainable, traceable and transparent relationships across the coffee chain.
In 2024, they paid an average price of $5.26 per pound for green coffee beans, compared to $6.04 per pound in 2023.
Roasting Philosophy
They roast on an IMF roasting machine, and their approach to roasting has always been bringing out the full potential of what the coffees could be. Their roasting style emphasises on sweetness, balance and clarity in the cup without the introduction of any roast characteristics during the process of roasting. This way, they can continue to present the coffees as close to what their producers hope to share their fruits of labour to their customers. Their choice of IMF equipment—known for precise convection heating—supports this philosophy of highlighting origin character rather than roast character.
In their roasting room (cleverly dubbed ‘The Maillard Project”), the pair meticulously aims to preserve the natural characteristics of the beans they source, while developing their roasts enough to maintain balance and sweetness in the cup. Their production roasts are carried out on a restored Probat L5 Roaster, which was sourced from Germany. Also present is a small Quest M3 Roaster from Taiwan, which they use for their sample roasting. The combination of vintage German engineering and modern Taiwanese precision roasters reflects their commitment to both tradition and innovation.
Roasted to highlight the distinct flavours & characteristics unique to each coffee, they hope to share with you the incredible work that goes into every cup. This restrained approach to roasting—prioritizing clarity and origin expression over dramatic flavor development—has become their signature. They roast every Wednesday and Friday in small batches and ship directly from their roastery. This twice-weekly schedule ensures freshness while maintaining quality control standards.
What to Try
Their Four Chairs Seasonal Espresso Blend remains their flagship offering, designed for both espresso and filter brewing. Currently, Nylon’s espresso selection includes their Four Chairs Seasonal Espresso Blend (a 50/50 mix of an El Salvadora and Nicaragua), Fazenda Vale Verde (Brazil), and Finca San Diego Buena Vista (Guatemala). The blend changes seasonally to reflect harvest cycles and quality availability from their producer partners.
For filter coffees, Nylon featured an absolutely delicious washed Ethiopian coffee from Nensebo Riripa, a classic Sidamo coffee that offers a floral and citrusy cup with delicate herbal notes. This represents their ongoing commitment to showcasing Ethiopia’s diverse terroir. Their filter selection has included Dumerso (Ethiopia), Chorongi (Kenya), and Los Pirineos (El Salvador).
They recently selected a chocolaty and nutty Brazilian filter coffee for their subscribers , demonstrating their range beyond the bright, floral profiles they’re known for. Their monthly subscription service offers insight into seasonal availability and provides access to their most thoughtfully curated selections. Whether you prefer the structured complexity of their espresso blends or the clean, origin-forward character of their single origins, Nylon consistently delivers coffees that honor both producer intent and careful roasting execution.