56 Best Restaurants in Singapore

You can count on this halal bakery and café (founded by food personality Dewi Imelda Wadhwa) to turn out some of the island’s best pastries and desserts. The ATD To Go Dessert Box, an 8-piece taster of their most popular items, includes the bakery's signature gula Melaka scone and Paris brest. Save space for other delectables like the aromatic Earl Grey cake in a light vanilla buttercream, or the moreish sticky toffee pudding drenched in a homemade caramel sauce. For those more inclined to savory pursuits, dishes like a punchy coriander pesto prawn pasta and a hearty steak & hash potatoes made with grass-fed steak cubes.  

This casual, cafeteria-style, Indian restaurant is one of the best (and busiest) of its kind in Little India. Standout dishes include the signature fish-head curry, as well as the fish tikka, mutton mysore, and prawn masala, but choose whatever sounds good, and you'll still do well. Everything is served on large banana leaves; cracker-like papadam and two scoops of the day's vegetables come with every meal. Spice levels vary, but if the heat catches up with you, ask for curd (traditional yogurt) or raita (yogurt with cucumber and seasonings) to help cool things down. Fun fact: Founder/owner Mr Chellappan was so inspired by the Apollo 11 mission, he named the restaurant after it!

Established in 1995 by a group of friends, this is one of Singapore's first spots to serve Peranakan cuisine. In a beautifully restored shophouse, the restaurant offers a range of well-prepared Malaysian/Chinese fare, including signature ayam panggang (smoky chicken with spiced coconut milk) and rich beef rendang. The house favorite dessert, durian chendol, is a glorious mixture of red beans, pandan-flavored jelly, and coconut milk, finished with puréed durian. While perhaps the most polarizing fruit on the planet—you'll either love it or hate it—you should try it at least once, and there's no better place than here.

Expect good vibes and authentic food at this hip Italian eatery, known for its pizzas baked in a signature wood-fired oven imported from Naples itself. The 10-inch Neopolitan pies are a favorite, but for a well-rounded meal, don't ignore the handmade pastas and small selection of desserts. If you're stuck on deciding what to order, consider the Mafalde, a braised lamb ragu pasta with porcini and Parmigiano, or nduja di spilinga, a traditional Napoletana pizza served with fior di latte, spicy 'nduja, and onion. Both come highly recommended. 

This atmospheric East Coast Seafood Centre staple is the perfect place to crack into a chilli or black pepper Sri Lankan crab, a glorious, delicious mess of a dish that's a true Singaporean specialty—be sure to order it with sides of fried buns to sop up the sauce. Prices are by the kilogram; some crabs are large enough to feed up to four people, but smaller ones for two are also available.

Give into the heady aromas wafting out of this Indian-influenced barbecue joint, and you won’t regret it. Although a meal here is pricier than those at its more casual neighbors, the cost difference is easily justified by the intense, mouthwatering flavors and creative menu. The show stealer is the juicy suckling pig biryani, its pork barbecued to a perfect char. The meat platters (for one or two diners) offers a taste of their best hits (beef brisket, masala pork ribs, spice-crusted lamb chops).

This restaurant has been serving Indonesian classics in the CBD for decades. Its focus on authentic recipes and Indonesian spice blends results in vibrant dishes loved by families and workers alike. Try such specialties as ikan ota kukus (fish in a rich sauce) and tahu telor (crispy tofu omelet) in the friendly, family-style restaurant.

Because of its airy, colonial edifice with wooden-louvered windows and overhead fans, Samy's Curry has a casual canteen feel that is distinct from the more upscale ambience typical of many Dempsey Hill eateries. Although the wait staff can be a little brisk, the restaurant remains a firm favorite among the locals thanks to the flavorful and filling north and south Indian dishes on offer at very affordable prices. You'll also need to prepare for the parade of zesty curries and fragrant rices, as well as the sundry Indian condiments that shuffling waiters scoop out of small buckets and onto your awaiting banana leaf—a whether-you-like-it-or-not treat that is added onto your bill at the end for a small charge.

Of all Singapore's popular themed cafés, Settler's Café is considered the first board game café in the country. There are more than 600 games on offer, which you can enjoy as part of a package that includes food and drink alongside a few hours of game play. You can select from options like the dinner package, which includes grilled chicken, pasta, and fish and chips with free-flowing non-alcoholic drinks; or the wine package where you can play as you drink a bottle of wine. Games include everything from Monopoly and Pictionary to intense strategy games and silly party games.

Mixing alfresco restaurant and seaside swimming pool, Stella is the first beachfront lounge along Tanah Merah Beach in the southeast of Changi, just a 10-minute drive from the airport. The brunch menu is big on sandwiches and toasts, grilled pork chops, and healthy breakfasts, while dinner is best for live seafood, charcoal grilled meats, and seafood-based pastas. The restaurant's sheltered alfresco dining area spills daybeds and sofa lounges over a cozy wooden seaside deck, where guests can lounge by the pool before or after their meals.

Perched at the top of The Outpost Hotel, this rooftop bar, day club, and restaurant serves up crowd-pleasing modern Asian dishes like soft shell crab pasta and platters like the "Taste of Archipelago" (including tasting portions of nasi biru, tempeh goreng, and papa gulai chicken) offer a sampling of Southeast Asian flavors. Sundown sessions are particularly popular (weekdays 5–8 pm) for unobstructed views of the Singapore Straits; at the Sunday pool parties, DJs spin from 3 to 10 pm. On weekends and holidays, there’s a minimum per-person spend.

One of the city's best Spanish restaurants is all about good meat and excellent wines. Start with Pan Casero and Jamon Iberico, and then tear into a portion of Costillar de Ternera, the popular juicy short ribs of glazed Angus beef. The pan-Iberic selection of wines from most regions of Spain, paired with international sparkling Rose, Brut, and Bollinger, will excite wine lovers and connoisseurs. 

Dive into stone-fired pizza at this hip spot in Mandarin Gallery. The long-fermented pizza dough is crisp and generously topped with unique ingredients like sliced steak and French’s mustard bechamel ("I Wish I Was A Baller"), or chorizo ragu with Hokkaido octopus ("Summer in San Sebastian"). There’s a great wine list and a selection of beers, with fries, salads, and wings to round off your order. The team are so confident you’ll love their mood-setting 1970s and '80s rock playlist, you can even listen at home on Spotify.

This buzzy, breezy microbrewery, sprawling along a prime stretch of real estate on the Singapore River, across from Clarke Quay, serves Western-friendly favorites like burgers and pizzas, buffalo wings, beer-battered fish-and-chips, and chargrilled steaks, along with lighter fare like grilled fish and soups. The portions are hearty—perfect for soaking up pours of Brewerkz's award-winning craft beers. You'll find the brewery's signature beers and up to ten seasonal and guest brews on tap, along with a well-chosen list of bottled beers and ciders, all made locally at its 8,000-square-foot brewery.

Traditional Cantonese dishes are presented with modern flair in an understated setting at this award-winning Chinese restaurant. Plush banquettes and elegant wallpaper by designer Andre Fu grace the dining room, and an outdoor seating area overlooks lush grounds. For a sampling of the best Cassia has to offer, order Chef Chan's 6-course Signature Set that can be paired with wine or tea at an additional cost.

At this kid-friendly hangout, adults can unwind over pizza and watch the little ones take a dip in the shallow water or play with the restaurant's sand toys. Expect a laid-back vibe here with sunbeds and deck chairs for customers. Families will like the diaper changing stations and high chairs. For a taste of local food, order the chilli crab dip with a baguette, or sticky, finger-licking Coastes chicken wings.

The Joo Chiat outlet of this Singaporean ethical coffee franchise established in 2013 offers what they boast as the "best brunch in Asia"—a true statement, judging by the lines waiting by the door. The popular organic eggs Benedict (runny poached eggs served along with braised ox cheeks, chive hollandaise, and artisanal sourdough bread) is the explosion of tastes you need to power charge your day. The coffee, sourced from organic farms and served by their own trained baristas, is also brewed to perfection. 

Join the power-lunchers at this swanky, Michelin-starred hotel dining room for what has been described as "maverick Hong Kong cuisine." Alongside an impressive selection of conventional dim sum delicacies you'll also find more adventurous Cantonese dishes, like crispy prawns with walnuts or golden crispy chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. Both prix-fixe and à la carte menus are available for lunch and dinner.

Reminiscent of the hip Melbourne café scene, this CBD lunch spot is a great place to grab a healthy snack. The veggies are always fresh, the meat high-quality, and there’s a great range of tasty bowls like chicken breast, quinoa, mushrooms, and cucumber pickle. Coffees and soft drinks are also available.

You'll enjoy sweeping views of Singapore from most tables at this contemporary Cantonese restaurant, curated by Hong Kong Chef Ricky Leung, high up in the Pan Pacific hotel. Dim lighting, carved wooden screens, and waitresses in cheongsams (Chinese-style dresses with Mandarin collars and side slits) all contribute to the restaurant's distinct sense of place. Expect familiar—and very tasty—Cantonese dishes and dim sum on Hai Tien Lo's prix-fixe and à la carte menus.