For anyone looking to trade the mid-afternoon coffee crash for a steady, focused hum of energy, yerba mate offers a compelling alternative. This traditional South American infusion has found its first dedicated home in Singapore at Yerba Yerba, a new café on Bali Lane founded by 38-year-old ceramicist Ben Loong. The space is designed to ease curious newcomers into the world of mate, offering everything from approachable cold brews to the full traditional gourd-and-bombilla ceremony.
A Smoother Buzz
Yerba mate is often described as South America’s tea, but its effects are distinctly its own. Unlike the sharp spike and subsequent dip of coffee, mate delivers a slow-release caffeine lift—thanks to a complex chemical profile that includes unique stimulants and antioxidants. It’s a quality that has made it a staple for athletes like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and F1 driver Franco Colapinto, long before it hit the global wellness radar. The drink itself is deceptively simple: just the dried leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant and hot water. But the ritual—sipped from a hollow gourd through a metal straw with a built-in filter—is an intentional, social act that has defined daily life in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil for generations.
A Ceramicist’s Passion Project
Loong came to mate as a self-described coffee purist, converted after a single sip shared with an Argentine friend three years ago. Today, he drinks it daily. Yerba Yerba is a natural extension of that transformation. The café is housed within Commongoods, a retail space Loong runs with a partner, where his signature ceramics double as both tableware and merchandise. Every gourd and plate used for serving is handmade by Loong, and the shelves feature a curated selection of mate equipment, local artwork, and clothing. The duo plans to introduce community-led workshops in the future, reinforcing the café’s mission.
A Menu for the Curious
Loong has structured his menu to meet drinkers where they are. The cold brews ($5–$9) are the most accessible entry point: milder, less bitter, and fully customizable. Customize them with oat milk for a creamier texture, spiced with cinnamon, or infused with chamomile and mint for a refreshing herbal lift. The simplest offering, ‘El Clasico’ ($5), is pure cold-steeped mate.
For those who want the full cultural experience, the traditional mate service ($16) is the way to go. It includes a gourd of loose-leaf mate and a kettle of water at precisely 70°C, good for eight to ten refills. Loong sources his supply from Every Good Thing, a local business popular among Singapore’s mate community. Four blends are available, ranging from mild to intense: two from Argentina (Cruz de Malta and the organic, unsmoked Porongo) and two from Brazil (Rei Verde Premium and Canarias Edición Especial).
The Art of the Brew
Getting the most out of a gourd requires a specific technique. Loong’s method ensures the flavor develops beautifully over multiple steeps:
- Measure: Start with about 25 grams (roughly a tablespoon) of loose-leaf mate for a standard 125ml gourd.
- Prepare: If using a finer, powdery blend from Brazil or Uruguay, cover the top of the gourd, shake it, and discard the excess powder that settles on your palm.
- Angle: Tilt the gourd so the leaves form a steep slope.
- Pour: Gently pour 70°C water at the base of the slope, wetting only the bottom layer. This allows the flavor to be drawn out over many refills.
- Insert: Place the bombilla (metal straw) into the base of the slope and try not to move it—stirring agitates the leaves and ruins the experience.
- Sip: The first steep is often bitter and astringent. Stick with it. By the third or fourth refill, the liquid mellows into a creamy, slightly sweet, and malty profile. Pair it with Loong’s house-baked mate chocolate chip cookie ($2.50).
The Future of Mate
Loong’s clientele is already a mix of dedicated mate enthusiasts and curious football fans drawn in by the drink’s reputation. Some first-timers have even asked if it’s legal. (It is. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has posted about it, and the Argentinian embassy has helped spread the word.)
With matcha dominating the wellness conversation, mate is poised for a breakout moment in Singapore. Loong’s vision is steady growth: more cold brew recipes, a wider range of pastries, and a slow expansion of the space’s community-driven programming. Yerba Yerba is open Wednesday to Thursday (1pm–6pm) and Friday to Sunday (1pm–7pm) at 31A Bali Lane. If this café is any indication, the future of functional caffeine in the city looks earthy, communal, and remarkably calm.